Inside Influence

“Greetings everyone, my name is Julie Masters and welcome to another episode of Inside Influence. In which I delve into the minds of some of the world’s most fascinating influencers – or experts in influence - to get to the bottom of what it really takes to own your voice - and then amplify it to drive an industry, a conversation, a movement or a Nation. Now, what if I told you that I could capture your attention in 30 seconds or less. Then convert that attention into engagement so great – that you would voluntarily spend an hour of your day – every day – consuming my product. Then add to that maybe another hour of your day talking about my product to your friends, family, online networks.And then – and here’s the kicker – what if I told you I could turn that engagement into action - to the tunes of millions of dollars in revenue - in the space of one week? And I would do that by persuading you to spend your own money to vote on the fate of a group of people that you don’t know – in a situation that doesn’t impact you or your life in the slightest? And what if I could do that every week? Week after week. In various different forms. To the tune of 8 billion interactions and counting.So here’s the question - is that a formula you would be interested in knowing? My answer is a big fat yes. I’m talking of course about reality television. Now before you roll your eyes, and believe me I get it - let’s get real about the influence it wields. In the UK, more young people voted in the final of Britain’s Got Talent, than voted in the most recent general election. I’ll give you a second with that one. As a content tool, it exists within and shapes more conversations than the news. And as a force – it literally redefined the concept of celebrity and shaped an entire generation of attention spans. And on that note – I arrive at today’s guest.Marion Farrelly created, built and produced some of the most influential reality TV shows on the planet. Shows such as The X Factor, Big Brother, Celebrity Apprentice, Dancing with the Stars, The Farmer Wants a Wife. Her content has been watched more than eight billion times worldwide and she’s put more than ten thousand people on stage, who were then watched by hundreds of millions. She’s worked with everyone from Hollywood A listers to Astronauts, Politicians to Popstars, Cyber Security Specialists and CEOs. Having recognised one thing very early in her career - that the people who were world-class, charismatic and utterly influential, all had one thing in common – The X Factor. In today’s conversation we get into:·      The X-Factor – what it is, what it looks like and how to harness it from the fist moment – whether in a pitch, a video, or walking onto a stage. Casted over 12,000 people.·      The formula for turning engagement to action; i.e. getting people to ‘vote’ - either with their time, attention or money. ·      The power of ‘sticky information’ i.e. how to have the largest impact with the least possible words.·      The A, B, C & D of presenting yourself in the best possible way whenever you’re required to step up. ·      How to cut out the white noise; every industry has white noise – the words everybody else uses·      The difference between hoping something will happen – and making it happen. ·      And, in what has been possibly the most obvious and yet insightful piece of advice in the history of this podcast. Why the antidote to stage fright is one simple sentence: ‘no one knows what you’re going to say and so therefore, you can’t get it wrong’. Sounds obvious, but believe me it’s worth spending some time with that one the next time you feel any fear around using our voice. I’ve known Maz for a little while now. Other than being as brilliant as she is wholehearted. The reason I asked her on the show is really simple – I really believe that if you took everything she knows - about the levers behind attention, influence and action – and how to pull them – and then injected it into a brand or political party. It would rewrite the playing field.Imagine an election campaign so compelling you would pay to vote? Hard right? Hopefully not so hard by the end of this episode.So, turn on, tune in, put down the hashtags and enjoy my chat with the explosion of energy that is Marion Farrelly... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings everyone, my name is Julie Masters and welcome to another episode of Inside Influence. In which I delve into the minds of some of the world’s most fascinating influencers – or experts in influence - to get to the bottom of what it really takes to own your voice - and then amplify it to drive an industry, a conversation, a movement or a Nation. If I asked you to think of a business negotiation, depicted in TV, film, theatre etc. chances are it’s a scene of high drama. It’s a desk-banging, horn-locking, hard-balling battle where someone (usually the most aggressive) leaves with everything and the little guy gets nothing. Now, if I asked you to think back to the last negotiation you were involved in, I’m guessing it didn’t look much like that. But I bet it still had a feeling of edge to it; an understanding that the available outcomes fit into one of only two camps – what they want – and what you want. But is this ‘us vs them’ version of negotiation due to the nature of the negotiation process itself? Or the human nature we bring to it?According to my next guest - this battle orientated framework for negotiation – is as broken as it is ineffective.Professor Margaret Neale is The Adams Distinguished Professor of Management at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University – as well as Negotiation Strategies Program Co-Director of the Executive Program for Women Leaders. Professor Neale’s research focuses primarily on negotiation, and in 2015 she co-authored ‘Getting More of What You Want: How the Secrets of Economics and Psychology Can Help You Negotiate Anything, in Business and in Life’. This book leverages decades of research to answer questions like: ‘Who should make the first offer?’ and ‘How to create a compelling pitch?’What I loved about this approach is the definition of negotiation itself – which shifts the focus from a battle mindset – one I’ve never found comfortable or particularly effective - to one of ‘finding a solution to your counterpart’s problem that makes you BETTER OFF than you would have been had you not negotiated’.Why is that important? Not many of us consider ourselves talented negotiators – but most of us, in one area or our lives or another, would get a gold star at problem solving.In this episode we jump into:How much preparation you should be doing for each negotiation - chances are it’s a lot more than you think – and here’s a clue – twice as much as you’re doing right now. The 4 step structure for how to get what you want from a negotiation - including how to tackle most people’s least favourite part: The Ask.Why – when heading into a negotiation – you should never solve the easy issues first. Why? Because leaving the big hairy stuff until last is the fastest way to end the negotiation in conflict.The differences between how men negotiate and how women negotiate. This is not only hugely important for women to understand – but for any men who want to better support the women you lead, mentor or love in getting what they have earned – then these insights might change the way you approach it. And finally, how to move someone out of survival mode and into learning mode – which let’s face it - is the only mode where solutions are found.Right now, as we try to figure out what comes next in this pandemic - new rules are being written daily and everything about ‘the old way of life’ has the potential to be renegotiated. I know for myself, this sometimes feels like a huge opportunity – and other days like a daunting challenge - but here’s the choice: do you want to approach these negotiations a) ready for conflict Or b) ready to collaborate?If the answer is the latter - then yeah, me too.So, sit back, do whatever you need to do to negotiate some time for yourself – no easy feat these days - and enjoy my conversation with the fiercely sharp mind of Professor Margaret Neale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Greetings everyone, my name is Julie Masters and welcome to another episode of Inside Influence. In which I delve into the minds of some of the world’s most fascinating influencers – or experts in influence - to get to the bottom of what it really takes to own your voice - and then amplify it to drive an industry, a conversation, a movement or a Nation. Now, some might say, that one of the ultimate forms of influence is the ability to change the mind of someone’s else. Which shouldn’t be that hard right? Replace fact A with updated Fact B and then done. System overwrite. Opinion changed.If you’re smiling right now – then I’m guessing you’re with me in that – never once – in my entire career of trying to get ideas adopted and actioned. Have I EVER had that experience.Generally speaking, and by that I mean pretty much always, if we feel we’re being pushed to do something, we push back. If something new or novel is suggested, our brains automatically pick out every reason it’s a terrible idea before we even CONSIDER it.Even when confronted with proven evidence that a change is needed research shows that - human nature (in its infinite wisdom) – then makes us MORE determined to double down on our current version of events. So - when opposition is literally hard wired into our nature – and without access to Yoda and some serious Jedi mind tricks – then then question then becomes – how do you change someone’s mind?My guest today has spent a career unpacking the hidden forces behind influence.Professor Jonah Berger is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and internationally bestselling author of Contagious, Invisible Influence and now The Catalyst.At the heart of Contagious - which (without overestimating) is a complete must read - is why certain products, ideas, services, and behaviours catch on. While others stay on the side-lines. The success of Contagious and resulting consulting requests for some of the worlds top tier firms – including Google, Apple, Nike - then led him to another insight. That there are two phases to impact. The first is getting someone’s attention – the second is converting that attention into action. That realisation - and resulting research - led to his latest book ‘The Catalyst: How To Change Anyone’s Mind’; a counterintuitive approach to initiating change - which isn’t about pushing harder or exerting more energy, but instead lowering the barriers that prevent that change from happening.·      In this episode, we talk about what those barriers are – and how pushing against them, as instinctive as it feels, rarely works. ·      We discuss the technique of providing a menu; and why giving someone options allows them to buy in while retaining control. Sounds simple, but apply it and you’ll find this one is a game changer.·      We look at the impact of movements – the role of protests - and the what next when it comes to harnessing attention into action.·      And finally, one for the world we currently find ourselves facing: How to lift the handbrake of uncertainty. Allowing people to experience what you’re offering, by temporarily removing the risk involved in changing their mind.At this point I would usually provide a menu of ways to enjoy the podcast – along with some suggestions of what to reflect on – but in the spirit of this episode – I’ll leave that up to your own free will.Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing – I hope you enjoy my conversation with the incredible Professor Jonah Berger....  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Greetings everyone, my name is Julie Masters and welcome to another episode of Inside Influence. In which I delve into the minds of some of the world’s most fascinating influencers – or experts in influence - to get to the bottom of what it really takes to own your voice - and then amplify it to drive an industry, a conversation, a movement or a Nation.” Now, when you listen to this podcast, are you only listening to this podcast? Or when you listen to this podcast, are you cooking? Driving? Working? Working out? All of the above? Chances are you’re not focussing solely on this podcast. Most likely, you’re doing something else. In fact, when you think about it – when was the last time you shut down all distractions and focused on one thing utterly and completely? And why am I even asking these questions – what does any of this have to do with influence? The answer is – everything. If there’s one thing I know for sure it’s this – we can have no influence, not over ourselves, our organisations, our networks or our communities – without first mastering the ability to focus. The most influential people you know are the most focused. I’ll say that again… The most influential people you know are the most focused. They are the most able to tune out the noise and focus on essential signals. And in doing so create a force strong enough to pierce through the noise in other people’s lives – long enough and consistently enough - to create an equally focused following. Add to that – that there are no shortage of distractions right now. No shortage of screaming elements that are as urgent as they are important. The future of the economy, important social unrest in our societies, a pandemic, the health and wellbeing and continued isolation from our families, educating and entertaining our children at home, trying to keep our jobs and businesses alive – not to mention the ever ready call of social media - just to remind us of everything else we (probably) don’t have the time or bandwidth to even consider adding to our plate. PLUS – and I will stop soon I promise – there’s this whispering opportunity many of us feel at the moment. The opportunity to look deeply at our lives, our careers, our businesses – and redesign them. For some it’s to include more breaks, more white space and more connection. For other’s it’s transitioning to a business model that will put us and our teams in the strongest possible position for whatever comes next.  So – have I made my case yet? Focus and how we deal with distractions has everything to do with influence.My guest today has been making this case for over 15 years. Chris Bailey believes in a ‘human’ approach to productivity and focus i.e. no spreadsheets in sight. A fact that makes me truly happy.His fascination with focus first led him to dedicating a year after college – turning down a number of job opportunities – in order experiment with productivity. Primarily using himself as the guinea pig. These experiments included.... working a 90 hour week, watching 70 hours of TED talks in 7 days, and making himself bored for a month to see where his mind wandered. All this, with the aim to learn and share how we can focus more deeply, overcome procrastination and energise ourselves in the process. The result of this 12 months was his first book ‘The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy’. The book was a huge success, but then Chris noticed something – that his old unfocused habits were starting to creep back in – particularly when it came to technology. This led to his second book – the manual he needed and couldn’t find: ‘Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction’. In this episode – the conversation I needed but previously hadn’t been able to find - we dive into… 1. The one thing that we (i.e. I) wanted to hear the most. That it’s not our fault we’re distracted. Apparently, we’re hard wired for novelty (for reasons we’ll get into) and that every time we discover a new and novel thing – hello social media - our brain gives us an addictive hit of dopamine. So, if you can give yourself a pass for that, and be kinder to yourself in those moments, that’s the first step to a better attention span. 2. Following on from that, how to embrace the break. That includes learning to read your own cues about when it’s time to take a break. And by the way, looking at your phone is not taking a break. Sorry about that. 3. The rule of 3. This is one of Chris’ top focus tips - each morning, he picks three intentions for the day - out of the many he has on his plate, and gets them done. 4. How not to fear White Space (another word for the ‘in-between time’ we often avoid or try to fill with stimuli). And how harnessing that space, that pause, is the key to becoming a more effective decision-maker. 5. And finally, the joy of email sprints – which I can promise you does not require active wear, but does get that never-ending monkey of your Inbox off your back. So, no more distractions from me, time to press pause on whatever you’re doing - or at least one of the things you’re doing - and get set to consider a new way of working with the ‘force of focus’ that is Chris Bailey....  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings everyone, my name is Julie Masters and welcome to another episode of Inside Influence. In which I delve into the minds of some of the world’s most fascinating influencers – or experts in influence - to get to the bottom of what it really takes to own your voice - and then amplify it to drive an industry, a conversation, a movement or a Nation. ===== I’m sure you, like me and 99% of the population of this planet, would think of yourself as a rational person. The dictionary definition of rational is: ‘based on or in accordance with reason or logic’. ‘Reason and logic’; I’ll take those words – who doesn’t like to think of themselves as logical and reasonable? Well, I’ve got some news for you – and it’s probably not a surprise. We are not as rational as we think we are. You are not – and I am not. According to my next guest, most of our day to day decisions are not carefully evaluated, thought through - or weighed-up. But instead based on beliefs, personal preferences and working assumptions – each one cross-checked against our environment, background, desires, feelings and mood at any specific time. And most of that… is done unconsciously without you even being aware. Sound hard to navigate? Unfortunately it is.As I record this introduction, the aftershock, global protesting and heartbreak following the death in custody of George Flyod – is still very much ongoing. And if that situation teaches us anything – it should be how hard wired, unconscious (and often dangerous) our beliefs systems can be. But it’s not enough to sit in that knowledge - what comes next is probably the most important question when it comes to understanding influence – what does it take to understand, direct – and in this case – redirect our beliefs into new behaviour?My guest today has spent a good portion his life studying the gap between what we say is important – and what we actually do - both for individuals, companies and social movements. A speaker, writer and advisor - Tom Asacker takes a different approach to creating momentum, and that approach is all about belief, desire and the physics of action. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies, co-founded a high-tech medical device company - won the George Land Innovator of the Year Award – and is now the author of ‘The Business of Belief’ focusing on the hidden logic of behaviour. In today’s conversation we talk about.... ·       How to close the gap I mentioned earlier – taking your team, your community or yourself from ‘talking the talk’, to ‘walking the walk’. ·       Why as a leader you have to embrace the desires and beliefs of those you are trying to influence – especially when the horizon is uncertain. And I don’t mean just acknowledge those beliefs (which actually was a shift in my thinking), but instead find a place where you can authentically own them as your own. ·       How to get over the past experiences and stories that impact how you show up - so you can arrive at a situation open, but still armed with certainty. ·       And why it’s physically impossible to hit a baseball – I know this sounds like this would have nothing to do with influence – but it has everything to do with waiting for the right moment… vs. swinging with intent and trusting you have the muscle to follow through when the angle becomes clearer.What I want you to reflect on in this episode is how hidden and hard wired our beliefs can be. We are complex and multi-dimensional beings – who bring our entire history and belief system with us to any table or conversation. However, by accepting that - and by committing to the excavate – understand – and work with someone’s beliefs – including our own – we start to walk the fastest and most powerful road to influence that I know. So, take a seat, let the logical world go for awhile – hard as that is right now - and open your mind to the thoughts and (ever flexible) beliefs of Tom Asacker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings everyone, my name is Julie Masters and welcome to another episode of Inside Influence. In which I delve into the minds of some of the world’s most fascinating influencers – or experts in influence - to get to the bottom of what it really takes to own your voice - and then amplify it to drive an industry, a conversation, a movement or a Nation. Now, at the time of recording and publishing this episode we are still in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some lockdowns are easing, some are being extended - but wherever you’re at in your lockdown, we are all at a point where it’s something we’ve been dealing with for months - rather than for days or weeks. For many, or for most in fact, the stress and the strains of those months are very real and there’s a high chance that conflict is a lot more familiar part of your life than it was pre-pandemic. That conflict might be light – children arguing over toys or homework – more intense – as many of us deal with financial and family crisis points – or critical – if – as is the case for far too many - your home isn’t a safe place – and the main emotional and physical dangers lie more within your four walls than outside.For some people, dealing with – and trying to resolve – conflict - is their life’s work. And it’s one of those people who is my guest for this episode. Dr Scilla Elworthy was put on her ‘path’ at the young age of 13 - having watched a life altering news broadcast in 1956 which literally jolted her into action. That small moment changed her life, which in turn, helped change the lives of countless others. Dr Elworthy is best known for founding the Oxford Research Group; an organisation set up in 1982 to develop communication between nuclear weapons policy-makers and their critics - for which she was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2003 she left her role there as executive director and set up Peace Direct; a charity which supports peace-makers and peace builders in areas of conflict. She is also a member of the World Future Council, has advised Desmond TuTu and Sir Richard Branson in setting up ‘The Elders’, and was Awarded the Niwano Peace Prize in 2003. Today her full attention is on developing Business Plan for Peace - resulting in her 2017 book The Business Plan for Peace: Building a World Without War . Her latest booklet - which has literally just been released – is called: ‘The Mighty Heart: How to transform conflict’. It takes the experience of people who have been preventing and resolving conflict for decades; some on the front-line, others within families or schools. And distils their experiences into practical, non-technical advice on how build your own mighty heart. So what’s a mighty heart? Put simply, it’s having the courage to meet conflict with compassion, curiosity – and unshakeable presence.How do we do that? Keep listening. In this conversation we dive into: ·       How to deal with a bully without becoming a thug yourself, and how to overcome violence in all its forms without resorting to force. ·       Why it’s important to realise that whilst it’s okay to be angry at ‘the thing’, it’s not okay to be angry at the person who holds the opposing view on that ‘thing’; get mad at ‘the thing’ together and resolve it. ·       Self intervention - how to take a step back when we feel too close to the trigger point - very important this one, and very relevant for these times. ·       How to take a stand clearly and calmly – and with full gravity - so you are not dismissed. Quick Tip - it’s important to literally take a ‘stand’. ·       And how we build certainty through self enquiry. Especially in those 3am moments. One of my favourite moments in this conversation is listening to how Scilla – literally – deals with her dragons when they arrive at 3am. For me – speaking to Scilla was both a deep honour and reminder that the most powerful forms of influence are not force, aggression or interruption. Which I know sometimes is a hard truth to hold onto.In the long run of history – or any relationship - the only lasting genuine peace always comes from a willingness to firstly show up – for ourselves before anyone else. Then to get curious about both sides of the story – even when that feels impossible. And finally, in the decision to fiercely and compassionately hold our ground – even (and especially) in the moments when our knees shake and our voices break. Writing this introduction actually sent me off in search of a poem I hadn’t read in years, it’s by Rumi and it’s the closest (and shortest) summation of the beginnings of peace that I have ever found: “Out beyond the ideas of right and wrong there is a field – I will meet you there’.So, find whatever resembles a peaceful place for you right now - and enjoy my conversation with the truly indescribable, Dr Scilla Elworthy...  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi – this is Julie Masters and you’re listening to The Next Right Thing – a mini-series from The Inside Influence Team. Designed to provide some actionable certainty in uncertain times. Specifically – and the situation we’re all facing right now – the COVID-19 pandemic.The idea behind this series is to go out to some of the most popular guests from past episodes of Inside Influence – and ask them one question: ‘What are the most important things you are focusing on right now (tools, ideas, strategies) - or advising your clients to focus on - that you know for sure work in uncertain times?’The intention being that somewhere in there, you will find inspiration for your next right thing – a point of certainty amidst the uncertainty.In this episode I speak with… Brandon Webb. Former US Navy SEAL sniper, New York Times bestselling author and Entrepreneur. He has received numerous distinguished service awards - including the Presidential Unit Citation (awarded to him by President George W. Bush), and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal with “V” for valour in combat.After ending his Navy career, he then went on to embark on an entrepreneurial journey that – first time out of the gate – literally resulted in him losing everything. Undeterred - he dove deep into the pivot and went on to found Hurricane Media - a digital content network now valued at over $100 Million dollarsThis episode jumps around a bit but the there's 3 or 4 gold nuggets I want you to listen out for...In this episode, we talk about mental management Navy SEAL style, getting off the X and staying fluid, drown-proofing (literally a concept that changed my life – professionally and personally) and surrounding yourself with the right people when the terrain gets unclear.You may notice a fair amount of background noise in this episode – for those of you that are particularly sensitive to that – I totally get it. It’s just the trade off we had to make to get this one out there. Interesting side story…If you want to dig even further into Brandon’s genius – you can also hunt down our previous conversation - which I believe is episode No. 38. But for now, and as always with these episodes – and all of the Inside Influence conversations come to think of it - I hope somewhere in here you find the fuel you need for your next right move. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi – this is Julie Masters and you’re listening to The Next Right Thing – a mini-series from The Inside Influence Team. Designed to provide some actionable certainty in uncertain times. Specifically – and the situation we’re all facing right now – the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lock down.The idea behind this series is to go out to some of the most popular guests from past episodes of Inside Influence – and ask them one question: ‘What are the most important things you’re focusing on right now (tools, ideas, strategies) - or advising your clients to focus on - that you know for sure work in uncertain times?’The intention being that somewhere in there, from these incredible minds, you might be able to find inspiration for your next right thing – a point of certainty amidst the uncertainty.In this episode I speak with… Chris Voss – previously the FBI's lead kidnapping negotiator. During his 24 year tenure in the FBI, he was trained in the art of negotiation at Scotland Yard and Harvard Law School. He is also a recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement – as well as teaching business negotiation at a number of prestigious universities. He’s also the author of the EXCELLENT book: Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. In this conversation we drill down into something very specific… How to deal with everything being renegotiated. Most of us have had to deal with either making – or taking – those ‘renegotiation’ phone calls more than we could have ever imagined over the last few weeks. Either with suppliers, team members, landlords or customers. They can be deeply uncomfortable, emotionally intense and hard to navigate. As a blue print to work from – Chris walks through a four point system for handling renegotiation phone calls. As well as how to deal with two of the biggest derailers in phone negotiations – what to do when the other party goes silent – and what to do when they won’t stop talking.What I want you to listen for in this conversation… is that these tools apply whether you are making – or taking the phone call. Managing your state i.e. tone of voice to set the tone. Creating engagement - through emotionally intelligent guesses as to what the other party might be facing. Reflecting back – and naming the elephant in the room - by labelling what you have heard them say. And then asking thought shaping, collaborative questions that usually begin with ‘How do we…’. Emphasis on the WE.I’ve said it a hundred times – and it’s never more true than now – influence isn’t something you either have or do not have. It’s not a power bestowed from on high by a divine force to some and not others. It’s a set of tools you can claim and choose to master at any point. But first, like any mastery – you have to decide to claim it and commit to the practice. If you want to hear more tools from Chris Voss and his experiences in the FBI… you can hunt down our previous conversation - which believe it or not was actually episode No.1. WOW – how far we’ve come. In particular his insights on ‘why ‘yes’ should be the last thing you want to hear in a negotiation’ is a TOTAL game changer.Chris also has an amazing newsletter… blackswanltd.com – actionable and brief. Also a masterclass for $90 – insane. 10 videos.So… other than staying well and looking after each other - I hope somewhere in here you find the fuel you need for your next right thing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi – this is Julie Masters and you’re listening to The Next Right Thing – a mini-series from The Inside Influence Team. Designed to provide some actionable certainty in uncertain times. Specifically – and the situation we’re all facing right now – the ‘messy middle’ of the COVID-19 pandemic.The idea behind this series is to go out to some of the most popular guests from past episodes of Inside Influence – and ask them one question: ‘What are the most important things you are focusing on right now (tools, ideas, strategies) - or advising your clients to focus on - that you know for sure work in uncertain times?’The intention being that somewhere in there, from these incredible minds, you might be able to find inspiration for your next right thing – or to put it another way - a point of certainty amidst the uncertainty.In this episode I speak with… Tiffani Bova. Global customer growth and innovation evangelist at Salesforce AND Wall Street Journal bestselling author of – ‘Growth IQ - Get Smarter About the Choices that Will Make Or Break Your Business’. What impresses me most about Tiffani isn’t her credentials – which are extensive – or her laser focused approach to solving the growth challenges of some of the world’s top tier firms. What has always impressed me during the few times we have been able to spend some time together - is her ability to peer into the clutter – into the never-ending predictions, statistics and trends – especially at times like right now -  and translate them with a level of certainty, clarity (and perspective) that only comes from having done the work.In todays conversation we talk about… Stabilised decision making – and why’s it’s vital during any crisis. The Growth Zone – what it is – what it looks like – and how we will know when we’re there. Which consumer habits are temporary and which are now here for good. And the one that hit me the hardest – the idea of ‘Jobs to be done’ and how it needs to be the guiding light for whatever you do next.What I want you to reflect on here… isn’t actually related to growth – but more related to influence. Tiffani has one of the most finely attuned ‘question radars’ that I have ever come across. Her success as an analyst, author, influencer and leader is in my opinion down to one thing – she listens hard to the questions of her target market, and makes it her absolute mission to answer them. There. That’s it. That alone is an insanely powerful next right thing.If you want to dig even further into Tiffani’s insanely smart mind and Growth IQ as a set of tools and strategies… you can also hunt down our previous conversation - which I believe is episode No. 42. You can also find her book on Amazon – highly, highly recommended. I’ve said it before and I’ll say I again - this series very much a ‘by the seat of your pants’ kind of thing… lockdown means we’ve had to work with what we have in terms of equipment and internet speeds. So sound quality isn’t always perfect. But – as I’m learning to embrace - that’s not the point. The point is that we’re showing up – with intent that somewhere in here – imperfections and all - you will find the fuel you need for your next right thing.So… other than staying well and looking after each other - I hope somewhere in here you find the fuel you need for your next right thing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi – this is Julie Masters and you’re listening to The Next Right Thing – a mini-series from The Inside Influence Team. Designed to provide some actionable certainty in uncertain times. Specifically – and the situation we’re all facing right now – the ‘messy middle’ of the COVID-19 pandemic.The idea behind this series is to go out to some of the most popular guests from past episodes of Inside Influence – and ask them one question: ‘What are the most important things you are focusing on right now (tools, ideas, strategies) - or advising your clients to focus on - that you know for sure work in uncertain times?’The intention being that somewhere in there, from these incredible minds, you might be able to find inspiration for your next right thing – or to put it another way - a point of certainty amidst the uncertainty.In this episode I speak with… Joe Newman. Joe describes himself as an expert in helping parents in crisis. When we first brainstormed this series - he was top of my list to reach out to. As one of the first children to be diagnosed with ADHD. A label that taught him that he was “broken,” – he went on to shatter expectations and re-build his identity as a teacher and champion of children labelled by society as ‘difficult’ or ‘beyond help’. Founder of Raising Lions – he is also author of the book by the same name ‘Raising Lions: The Art of Compassionate Discipline’. In other words – how to hold structure in situations – and with children – where structure doesn’t come easily.Honestly, I think I have used his tools more in my parenting journey than any other source. And – as I say at the beginning of this podcast – I think if this lockdown has taught me anything over the past six or seven weeks – it’s how to apologise. Two kids under three, two businesses in chaos and two parents trying to find their way through without destroying their sanity or each other. That’s a situation – by anyone’s definition - that needs some tools.In todays conversation we talk about… structure and why it’s vital. Mutual recognition – including why starting your sentences with ‘I need’ – far from being selfish – is one of the most powerful lessons we can teach our children in creating intimacy. Why the fight is never about the thing – insert homework, wearing shoes or use of the iPad – but about power, autonomy and dignity. And the powerful shift from right and wrong – to cause and effect.What I want you to reflect on here… is actually a quote I heard from Joe the first time we spoke. It’s a quote from Peggy O’Mara and it says this: ‘The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice’. Seriously: ‘The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice’. Doesn’t that just slay you?Those words I feel have been seared on my brain since the moment I heard them. But here’s what I’ve realised, the more I’ve thought about it. Our words become the inner voices or our children – yes – but those words start as our own inner voice. The voice, the tone and the language we use on ourselves. In our best and worst moments.So, maybe we can start there – the next time we hear something coming out of our mouths that we don’t feel is perhaps our best selves – by asking ‘where do I say this to myself’, ‘when did I first hear those words’ and ‘how can I be gentler, more resourceful or present in those moments’. Maybe by tending to that inner voice, we can become a better inner voice for the people that we love. If you want to dig even further into Joe’s tools and strategies and the work of Raising Lions… you can also hunt down our previous conversation - which I believe is episode No. 54. Obviously check out the book – and if you sign up for his newsletter I believe he’s also running free Zoom Q&A’s for parents in crisis. So definitely worth checking out.So… other than staying well and looking after each other – now the time to sit tight, listen up and hopefully find somewhere in here - the fuel you need for your next right thing.I’ve said it before and I’ll say I again - this series very much a ‘by the seat of your pants’ kind of thing… lockdown means we’ve had to work with what we have in terms of equipment and internet speeds. So sound quality isn’t always perfect. But – as I’m learning to embrace - that’s not the point. The point is that we’re showing up – with intent that somewhere in here – imperfections and all - you will find the fuel you need for your next right thing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.