Love in Action

Marcel Schwantes’ guest on this week’s Love In Action show is internationally renowned leadership coach, speaker and bestselling author, Robb Holman. Robb’s recently released book, All In: How Impactful Teams Build Trust From The Inside Out, takes leaders on an inspirational and practical journey of learning. When there is trust, he says, teams can accomplish the impossible together. He and Marcel chat about his book, including his proprietary Inside Out leadership coaching method.Robb loves having the opportunity to positively influence leaders around the world with what’s deep on his heart. [3:38]Robb shares a deeply personal story that is foundational to how he now lives his life. [4:25]The big idea of All In is that meaningful, lasting relationships begin and end with trust. [9:40]“Trust is assured reliance on one another: we feel that we have each other, we’re with each other, we’re in step.” [10:10]Marcel asks Robb where trust comes from. Robb responds that trust comes from an exchange of humanity and of life. The magic happens when we make intentional and consistent effort to understand each other and be present with each other. We begin to communicate and collaborate on a human level. [11:30]Inside Out leadership is about purpose: understanding and communicating your own purpose, as well as others’. "Creativity and inspiration comes from that place," Robb declares. When a leader taps into the purpose-driven aspect of who you are, you’re compelled to action. [14:46]There is always something new to discover or rediscover about yourself and others. When we are committed to getting to know one another, we see one another as human beings, and we become more aware of how much we’ve been through together. Robb says that it’s an opportunity to become one another’s cheerleader and supporter. Teams that embody this culture are truly empowered. [17:12]“Conflict is not a bad word!... [It] is a wonderfully powerful thing… If we're committed to engaging in healthy conflict and healthy conflict resolution, there's an opportunity for a depth of relationship and deeper trust within team members that would never be there otherwise,” Robb says. [25:14]Robb explains how self-assertion, active listening, and healthy collaboration can turn conflict into a creative superpower. [26:49]There is power in storytelling. Leaders can set the stage by sharing their own stories: this role models to their employees that they are willing to be vulnerable and transparent, and that they are committed to being known, which encourages their people to do the same. Stories make us feel connected. Marcel adds that sharing stories humanizes the environment; it disarms people and brings hope. Robb comments that stories also help us to be present in the moment and builds trust in a short period of time. [30:10]Robb explains what it means to have a culture of honor. We need to honor people while they are with us. Teams should be committed to honoring one another in various ways, he points out. [34:15]Robb shares a counterintuitive method to help people improve their performance. [37:27]Let people in; also let them know your boundaries based on what matters to you. Respect their boundaries as well. This is how to be efficient at what you’re called to do and hired to do at the same time. [42:00]“Being all in means you’re fully committed to live these Inside Out principles consistently and intentionally,” Robb says. [42:50]Robb reminds listeners, “Much of the world sees the glass half empty or half full but I always see it overflowing. There's always an opportunity to have a higher perspective on ourselves, on the people around us, on our circumstances, and I believe we can tap into that higher perspective and see our minds renewed.” [49:23]ResourcesRobbHolman.comGetAllInBook.comSend Marcel a text message!

Dr Mara Klemich is a consulting psychologist with degrees in clinical psychology and neuropsychology. She is also the co-founder of Heart Styles. For over 30 years Mara and her husband Stephen Klemich have drawn upon their expertise in psychology, neuroscience and leadership to help people become the best version of themselves. They have developed a radical approach to identifying what drives human behavior, and have outlined those principles in their newly-released book, Above The Line: Living and Leading With Heart.Mara says: “I wanted to see what human beings can do with their lives when they've got all of their brain intact and the only thing that's holding them back is their own fear.” [5:38]The book examines why we do the things we do, how it influences our behavior, and how to develop. [8:13]Mara gives a formula to help us understand why we do the things we do: S+T=B. S stands for situation; T is for thinking; B stands for behavior. Our behavior is determined by our thinking in any situation, she explains. [9:41]The templates in our subconscious may be driving our fear-based or pride-based behavior to protect ourselves. [13:00]Whenever you have a change in your emotions as well as in your physical body, it’s likely that a template is being triggered. Get familiar with your own physiological responses and what usually triggers your defensive mode, so you can preempt them and make different choices. [17:00]All human beings operate out of either love and security, or fear and insecurity. When we feel insecure, we try to hold on to our security through external means. [23:35]Love, authenticity, integrity and building character is about courageous humility, Mara says. [25:00]In their 4-quadrant model, Mara says that “courageous humility and growth-driven love are above the line, whereas self-limiting fear and ego-driven pride are below the line.” [25:40]Marcel asks Mara to share some insights from her research about how the principles of humility and love can transform how we lead and work. She shares an interesting anecdote in response. [29:14]The Heart Styles Indicator is an online assessment that shows you the gap between how you want to be and your present self, and gives you a personalized action plan to help you improve. [35:42]Marcel asks how we can be the best version of ourselves. Mara responds that we have to start with self-awareness. We must have the courage to face the parts of ourselves that we are not satisfied with. When we look at our faults honestly we can start to grow our true character. [39:15]“Real character strength is not hardening your heart,” Mara says. “True character is actually facing your fear and having the courage to actually walk through it.” [46:25]Mara urges listeners to have compassion for others, and not just themselves. [47:32]ResourcesHeartStyles.comStephen and Mara Klemich on Facebook | LinkedIn | InstagramAbove The Line: Living and Leading With Heart Send Marcel a text message!

Michael Ventura is the founder and CEO of award-winning strategy and design practice Sub Rosa. He has worked with some of the world's largest and most important brands such as GE, TED and the White House; and has served as a board member and advisor to a variety of organizations. He is a visiting lecturer at Princeton University and West Point, where he teaches design thinking and how to integrate empathy into the creative process. He joins Marcel Schwantes on this week’s show to discuss his book, Applied Empathy: The New Language of Leadership; in particular, how empathy can spark innovation and solve tough challenges that we face as leaders.Sub Rosa is a multi-disciplinary team that provides upstream strategic consulting for its clients, and also helps them bring the recommended strategies to life. [3:50]Michael realized that when they were exercising empathy, their work was always more successful and more effective. They decided to make empathy their differentiator. [5:00]Empathy is the act of perspective taking. Michael describes several subsets of empathy:Affective empathy - you treat others how you would want to be treated. Somatic empathy - physically embodying the feelings of others.Cognitive empathy - applied empathy or perspective taking. It is doing unto others as they would have you do unto them. [6:50]Marcel wants to know why empathy is such a valuable skill for leaders to have. Michael answers that the only way to build resilient and collaborative teams is by practicing empathy. [9:20]Michael shares how putting empathy into practice transformed GE’s health care business. [11:45]We all have the capacity to operate across all seven empathetic archetypes. Good empaths shift from one archetype to another depending on which is best suited to the context. [19:00]Michael says that you can use their diagnostic tool to assess your strengths across the seven empathetic archetypes. He points out that the test is important individually, but more so across the organization to see where your company’s strengths and deficits are. [20:00]Marcel asks how top-down organizations can apply empathy. Michael shares two strategies these types of organizations can implement. [22:25]Marcel says, “...empathy is a muscle that you train and anybody can learn, but it takes practice and dedication.” [24:35]Michael gives listeners some practical tips on how to apply empathy in their daily interactions. Be generous and selfless, he advises; be curious and open-minded; and stick with it even when it’s hard. [24:50]Ruinous empathy is when empathy takes over how you operate and homogenizes too much of your decision making and leadership. Empathy should be done in a measured way when running a business. [26:30]While you can’t measure empathy, you can measure its effects: high-functioning teams emerge, they work well together and produce better, faster work. Companies are more resilient and responsive in the market. Decision making becomes more collaborative. [27:30]When you operate with positivity and encouragement and you build on one another’s strengths, you build resilience and profitability and long term value into your organization. [33:15]Start by asking questions and being a good listener, Michael advises. That’s the gateway to deeper empathy. [38:05]ResourcesAppliedEmpathy.comMichael Ventura on LinkedInSend Marcel a text message!

This week’s show is one of the best yet! Dr. Nate Regier gives Marcel Schwantes and listeners a new way to think about conflict, calling it the greatest untapped energy resource in the world. Considering that Gallup estimates that negative conflict costs the US economy $350 billion a year, Nate’s statement seems doubly shocking. He joins Marcel to discuss this counterintuitive idea as well as his new book, Conflict Without Casualties: A Field Guide For Compassionate Accountability.Dr. Nate Regier is the co-founder and CEO of Next Element, a global leadership training and certification company specializing in communication and conflict skills. He is an expert in positive conflict, social and emotional intelligence and leadership, neuropsychology, and group dynamics. [2:00]Conflict Without Casualties is a field guide that covers actionable techniques and strategies to deal with conflict, based on Nate’s years of research and experience. [4:42]Mediation, management and reduction are some of the most popular terms associated with conflict, Nate says. This implies that conflict is the bad guy. Quite the opposite, he believes that conflict is simply a gap between what we want and what we’re experiencing. It’s neither good nor bad. [6:45]Conflict is like the grain of sand in an oyster shell, Nate says. Without it there wouldn’t be a pearl. Conflict has a purpose and a reason so it can have a productive outcome. As such, conflict should be stewarded and leveraged. [9:19]Marcel asks Nate to talk about the drama triangle. Nate describes the three roles in the drama triangle and argues that it’s actually the rescuer who does the most harm. [12:52]Diversity is part of the grand design of the universe, and where there is diversity there will be conflict. Therefore, conflict must be by design as well, Nate posits. The only question is how are we going to use it. [17:35]Conflict is the energy source, but compassion is how we turn that energy into something positive. Compassion means to struggle with, to be with people in the suffering. Our purpose is not to alleviate suffering, but to struggle purposefully with others to create amazing things, Nate says. That’s when conflict can do miracles. [18:05]Compassionate accountability is the art and science of struggling with people in a spirit of dignity to create something amazing. Compassion drives inclusion and engagement, and coupled with accountability, it helps people achieve. [19:53]Compassion is a cycle of three interrelated skills that happen in order. These skills are openness, resourcefulness and persistence. The most effective strategy for communicating through conflict is the ORPO (open, resourceful, persistent, open) strategy. Nate describes the ORPO strategy and explains how it works in everyday practice. [21:50]Marcel comments that this approach to conflict is based on authentic communication. When leaders model it, it filters down throughout the organization and creates a positive culture. [28:00]Nate’s mission is to bring compassion to every workplace in the world through simple, elegant, powerful and scalable methodologies that anybody can learn and use. [31:05]One of the most powerful things leaders can do is to start at open by disclosing their motives. [34:46]ResourcesTheCompassionMindset.comNext-Element.comDr. Nate Regier on LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | InstagramSend Marcel a text message!

Mikaela Kiner has over 15 years experience in HR leadership roles at major companies such as Microsoft, Starbucks and Amazon. She is a certified executive coach and the founder of Reverb, a HR consulting and leadership development company which helps their clients create healthy, inclusive cultures. She joins Marcel Schwantes on this week’s show to discuss her powerful new book, Female Firebrands.Female Firebrands is a solutions-oriented guide for dealing with workplace issues that affect women. Marcel says that it should be mandatory reading for men in leadership positions. [1:39]Mikaela uses the term ‘firebrand’ to describe women who are successful professionally as well as mission-driven to leave the world a better place. [4:37]The #MeToo movement uncovered the bad behaviors and stereotypes that have long existed in the workplace; however, much more needs to change, Mikaela laments. Nevertheless, she takes a positive view because the movement has given both women and men the tools to speak out and effect change. [6:05]The leader sets the tone for the organization. Good leaders have a no-nonsense culture with regard to inappropriate behavior: you will be held to account no matter your position in the company. [8:08]“The way to share stories that the most people could resonate with was by sharing the stories of a diverse group of women,” Mikaela says. [11:00]Society’s classic double bind is that when men and women behave the same way, they don’t receive the same feedback. Women are usually perceived negatively. [14:55]Marcel asks Mikaela to define ‘unconscious bias‘, one of several terms used in her book. We all have some, she responds. The goal is to become aware of them (the free online Implicit Association Test can help) so you can recognize them when they come up and move forward. Marcel adds that our unconscious bias can hold us back because of how we perceive our own limitations. [17:15]Consider the diversity of the team around you. Who is not represented? Seek them out and invite them in. Then pay attention to inclusion: make sure everyone feels welcome and recognized, Mikaela advises leaders. [23:35]Male privilege is a fact, not a criticism. The systems and structure of the workplace, and what leadership is perceived to be, all favor male attributes. Mikaela advises men how they can use their privilege for good. [24:50]Marcel and Mikaela discuss the ‘glass cliff’ and how women can safeguard themselves. [27:05]One of the reasons women don’t fight for equal pay is that they were never taught to negotiate. [30:50]Mikaela shares several tips about how both men and women can fight pay inequality. One important tip for women is to always, always negotiate the first offer. [32:38]When there’s only one seat at the table for women, we look at each other as the enemy, Mikaela explains. [36:18]Mikaela shares three ways men can be advocates for women. [38:31]When the ‘hot moment’ comes, be ready with a response that’s comfortable for you. [45:50]ResourcesMikaela Kiner on Linkedin | Twitter ReverbFemale Firebrands bookImplicit Association Test (IAT) Send Marcel a text message!

Times are changing. There is a movement happening: are you in? Joining us today is Mike Vacanti, the founder of the HumansFirst Club, and today we’re talking about the hope of being able to create positive change in the workplace, and how to lead from a humans first perspective.The HumansFirst Club Movement:We are at an inflection point where we’re realizing we can do better. The HumansFirst Club is an opportunity to have positive, constructive dialogue around what it is we’re experiencing now in the workplace, and the ideas we can share and build upon as a community to take the steps forward toward a future that really does value people first.What happens at a HumansFirst Club event:At HumansFirst Club events, we have people from all different perspectives and job roles, from business leaders, to HR, to authors, and instructors. They have unique and proven ideas and these ideas are gaining traction. At the center of it all, these people and their audiences have that great need of wanting to be happier and better.Business benefits of the movement:Given the opportunity, people will amaze you. By putting in a lot of the processes and operations and controls we feel are there to drive business results, we’re actually creating barriers to things that would happen naturally if we empowered people to deliver. If we create this transparency where our employees can attach their beliefs to the company beliefs, what they will contribute will far exceed what we could demand that they contribute.Leadership the HumansFirst way:We’re taught to look at the quantitative measures of people: what are they capable of from a statistical standpoint? But what about looking at the core of who our people are? What drives them? What are their true values? How are they influencing other people around them? What type of energy do they show up with during the day? How much do they smile? Do they lift the energy of other people?From a leadership standpoint, one of the most important things we can do is choose what to stop doing. What we stop doing is probably more important than what we do next. Take away the historic processes that may actually be barriers to high achievement — don’t add more to the bucket. Make sure you have the right things in the bucket.Why people lead with fear:Mike puts forward three theories. First, people think: this works because I experienced this, because I’ve now risen to a level of authority. This is the path to leadership and achievement. Second, there’s not much incentive to let go of it. To protect pride and ego, people cast fear so they can’t be challenged on their position and authority. Finally, laziness. It’s just easier to throw fear out there. You can detract, deflect, and don’t ever have to be vulnerable and be exposed for your insecurities. It’s a wall people hide behind.Final thoughts:We all have the ability for deep thinking, higher consciousness, and the opportunity to create positive change for at least one other person. We need to get rid of our limiting beliefs, choose what to stop doing, and fill in those gaps with things we know are important — so we can enhance our lives, and the interactions and relationships we have with others.Know that you’re part of something bigger than yourself.Resources for Mike Vacanti: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Website | HumansFirst Club | Brave LeadershipSend Marcel a text message!

Mike Vacanti returns to the Love In Action podcast this week after the successful launch of his new book Believership: The Superpower Beyond Leadership.  In his previous executive roles, Mike has managed mergers and acquisitions and integrated companies with hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue and thousands of people on global teams. Today he is an in-demand speaker and consultant, and the founder of the Humans First Club, the worldwide movement to make humans first in the workplace and in our communities. Mike chats with Marcel Schwantes about his book as well as the work the Humans First Club is doing around the world.Marcel calls love the new competitive advantage. He defines love as action that is packed with positive energy, intent, purpose and connection. This love empowers people to be and do their very best so that businesses thrive and profit. [1:08]We succeed even in the tough times because we believe in each other. [6:43]Mike defines ‘believership’ as a belief in everyone moving together in the best direction. It’s when you can attach yourself to the vision by choice rather than command, and do your best work. [7:31]“Believership is the superpower beyond leadership,” Mike says, because when we get past the traditional thinking of what makes a leader, we find that all human beings have their own innate superpowers. When we combine them it becomes something much more powerful than one person’s talent. [9:35]Marcel quotes Mike: “We need to shift from extracting value to creating value.” Creating value is helping people understand how they continually progress to be their best selves. Extracting value is when leaders take what they need from workers and demand more without giving more in return. The transaction becomes one-sided. [11:17]Marcel and Mike discuss what needs to be fixed in HR, and why. [19:15]70% of people are disengaged at work. The first step towards employee engagement, according to Believership, is for leaders to listen to and address the experience people are actually having at work. [29:37]Companies who succeed over the next decade will be those who focus on human relationships. Mike argues that we need to fix how we select leaders. Change, like a river, will flow more rapidly than ever before so leaders need to be navigators rather than commanders. “We need to learn how to have people find self-leadership, to willfully attach themselves and commit and navigate those waters together,” Mike says. “Leadership is actually what people will believe in and attach themselves and commit to, rather than how well they'll follow the command that's given them.” [35:14]True transformation is a consecutive series of tweaks that add up to new habits over time. [38:44]“Sometimes best practice gets in the way of best possibility.” [43:47]Marcel asks about the Humans First Club. Mike shares how the club began and how it has spread around the world. It’s now in its second year and expanding so fast that he is rethinking how to multiply it so more people can take part. [49:00]Participants testify that the Humans First Club events have been life-changing for them. Mike loves seeing people re-imagine the possibilities of what work could be like if we bring our real selves. [52:46]There will be Humans First Club events every month in cities around the world, including a 2-day leadership retreat in England. Mike is listening to the demand and letting the club expand and go in the direction that it’s supposed to go naturally. [57:36]Mike’s theme for 2020 is to live inside out. Marcel invites listeners to comment on Mike’s LinkedIn post about this idea. [1:01:26]Mike advises you to invest in relationships that fill your tank because you deserve it. [1:06:15]Send Marcel a text message!

In addition to being a sought-after speaker, Dr. Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler is the founder and CEO of Alignment Strategies Group, a premier consulting firm based in New York City. She is also the author of a new book, Optimal Outcomes: Free Yourself From Conflict At Work, at Home and In Life. Jennifer joins Marcel Schwantes on this week’s show to show us how we can experience conflict freedom.Jennifer defines a conflict loop as a vicious cycle of conflict that usually occurs because of family cycles. In her own case, her grandfather’s angry response to conflict influenced how she responds in similar circumstances. Now her understanding of conflict cycles helps her help others deal with their anger. [5:36]40 years of research suggests that we have conflict habits. When our conflict habits interact with other people's, it forms a pattern of interaction that keeps us stuck in the conflict loop. Jennifer identifies four conflict habits in her book:Blame others - one person blames the other, and that person blames the first person.Shut down - we avoid conflict to the extent that we stop communicating.Blame and shame oneself - your knee-jerk reaction in any conflict is that it must be your fault.Relentlessly collaborate - continuously trying to be kind, generous and collaborative when the other party is not interested in collaborating. [7:40]There are 16 variations of conflict patterns. Jennifer names 5 of the most common patterns in her book. [14:46]Conflict that can be resolved efficiently within a relatively short period of time can be healthy conflict. [16:05]When you try over and over to resolve a conflict and you keep failing, Jennifer says stop the madness! Acknowledge that the issue is not likely to be resolved. It doesn’t mean the situation is hopeless, rather that you need to apply a different approach. You can free yourself from the situation, Jennifer says. [19:03]“If you're someone who has anger issues or you're dealing with someone else who tends to get angry, the work begins by looking inside of yourself,” Jennifer says. [24:00]Marcel asks about practical ways of freedom ourselves from conflict, in particular, the mindfulness practice of pausing. Jennifer recommends that we all practice pausing every day. She describes the difference between a reactive pause and a proactive pause. The more we practice proactive pausing, the better we would be able to catch ourselves when we’re about to fall into a trap in conflict, she says. [25:06]The most important thing to do when you’re stuck in a conflict loop is something pattern breaking. First, acknowledge what pattern you’re in - you can use the free assessment on Jennifer’s website to find out your primary conflict habit. Once you identify your habit, try to identify the other person’s habit. Then, do something pattern-breaking which can be anything besides what you usually do! [29:01]Marcel comments that you need to have intentionality and courage in order to do many of the practices in the book. Jennifer says that the book is for people who are ready to make the mindset and skillset changes necessary to experience conflict freedom. They are called practices because you need to do them on a regular basis, she points out. [33:31]Marcel and Jennifer discuss how values play a role in conflict. [35:07]“Empathy doesn’t mean you let someone off the hook for bad behavior,” Jennifer says. It simply means taking the time and effort to understand why they are the way they are. As a leader, having empathy towards your employees means that you can take a step back and recognize that it’s not about you. This new insight could be the thing that breaks the pattern of interaction and frees you from conflict. [44:33]ResourcesOptimalOutcomesBook.comFree Conflict Habit Assessment Dr. Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler on Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook MarcelSchwantes.comSend Marcel a text message!

This week’s distinguished guest is Raj Sisodia, Conscious Capitalism thought leader, international speaker, and bestselling author. Raj is the F.W. Olin Distinguished Professor of Global Business and Whole Foods Market Research Scholar in Conscious Capitalism at Babson College. He has co-authored a new book with organizational innovation expert Michael J Gelb, entitled The Healing Organization: Awakening The Conscience Of Business To Help Save The World. Raj chats with Marcel Schwantes about how for-profit businesses can become agents of healing for their employees, customers and communities.The word healing comes from two root words: wholeness and holy. Healing, therefore, is about reducing suffering, elevating joy and promoting healthy growth. [4:27]Work, as it’s traditionally viewed, has a high human cost. Raj is on a mission to show that we don’t have to kill people to make money. In fact, when our employees are happy and thriving, our businesses will prosper. [ 6:15]An example of a healing organization in Raj’s book is Greyston Bakery. Its founder Bernie Glassman started the bakery to “give people a first chance.” Their model is that they don’t hire people to bake brownies, they bake brownies to hire people. This open hiring policy has transformed the lives of countless people. [10:29]Raj says that we were put on this planet to care for one another. It’s what gives us the deepest satisfaction and happiness; it helps us heal. Business gives us the opportunity to care for each other at scale. [15:02]“Unexpressed love is the greatest untapped resource on this planet,” says Raj. [17:50]We should allow people to express love and be vulnerable about their challenges, Raj advises. Leaders modeling this make their employees comfortable to do the same. Suffering would then be replaced with joy and healing. [18:38]Strength, courage, focus, resilience, and discipline are desirable masculine qualities but they should be counterbalanced by feminine traits. “Out of balance masculine traits have caused a lot of devastation in the world,” Raj comments. We should be both tough-minded and tender-hearted, as Martin Luther King Jr said. [24:53]Raj says that the ultimate message of his book is to invite leaders to heal themselves. [26:00]It’s deeply ingrained in our culture to consider anything feminine as being weak. However, there is a strong correlation between so-called ‘feminine qualities’ and the traits of great leaders. When we elevate the feminine we will see many of our challenges go away. [28:05]Marcel asks if any for-profit company can become a healing organization. Raj says that they can by selling to their customers in a way that serves their wellbeing. Internally, a healing organization’s purpose should be to improve the lives of their own people, their families, and the community. [31:21]Raj talks about how his mentor Bob Chapman transformed over 100 businesses through his mission to touch the lives of as many people as possible. He says that when Bob Chapman shows up to invest in your business, you know there’s hope and a future for your company. Raj describes Bob’s work as a healing ministry. [32:33]Raj explains why he believes leaders still lead through fear. [40:09]Marcel and Raj discuss NKC, who says that: “Leaders driven by love will bring sustainability and healing to the business as well as for themselves.” [44:20]Healing organizations lead with love, innocence, simplicity, and truth. [46:12]A healing organization helps its customers engage in meaningful consumption. [48:04]Raj wants you to think about your own need for healing. “You are your most important stakeholder,” he says. Heal yourself and then bring that into the world. [50:15]Send Marcel a text message!

This week’s guest, together with his co-founder Chuck Runyon, made the bold decision to reinvent the culture of work in their business. Today their company, Anytime Fitness, is the world’s largest and fastest-growing coed fitness club franchise and has earned numerous industry awards including Top Global Franchise and one of America’s Most Promising Companies. Dave Mortensen is the President of Self Esteem Brands, the parent company of Anytime Fitness. He has been featured on ABC’s Secret Millionaire and Be The Boss Canada. He is a sought after speaker on leadership culture and employee engagement. He and his partner have also written a book, Love Work, about how to inspire a high performing culture at the center of people, purpose, profits and play.Marcel says that Dave and Chuck have revolutionized the fitness industry. He asks Dave to share how they did it. Dave replies they saw a gap in the industry and thought about how they fill that need by making fitness more accessible to people. He describes the changes they made to help their members make fitness a part of their lifestyle. Their franchise operates in 35 countries today and continues to grow. [4:52]“If you can’t lead the same way you want to be an example of your life, then how can you call yourself a leader?” Dave asks. [8:43]We all have challenging moments and those times impact our ability to be productive. Dave says that your team should be able to share their personal and work-related challenges so that you can help them grow in life. [9:45]Real love is being willing to provide some tough love along the way. When you love someone enough to be willing to tell someone what they need to hear, it’s amazing what they will do for themselves, which will, in turn, help you build a great organization. [12:39]Dave says that their business is built around the four P’s: People: The most important part of the business is their staff. They invest 50% of time and energy on performance. The other 50% centers around their staff’s personal development. [14:52]Purpose: People want to work in an organization with a purpose. Start living out your purpose one person at a time, and it will spread until you have a movement. Speak your purpose, act on it, and live it. [15:46]Profits: A business cannot survive without profits. If you can drive profits, you can make a difference. Profit can be emotional as well as financial. Dave talks about ROEI - Return on Emotional Investment. You should invest your time in something that you love doing and you’re happy with. [16:40]Play: Don’t take yourself too seriously, Dave says. [17:47]Marcel asks: “Is it appropriate to express that much emotion in the workplace…?” Dave responds that it’s appropriate to be who you are as a person. People filter information either with their head first or their heart first. No matter which is true for you, the important thing is to be authentic. [20:38]Vulnerability is being open about the challenges you face. You grow and learn by being real about them. If a leader is vulnerable with his or her team, they will reciprocate. You can’t force vulnerability though. You can only ask great questions to draw vulnerability out of others. [22:54]Dave shares why he thinks there is still so much fear-based leadership in the workplace. He also gives advice about how to combat the fear. [25:04]People don’t give themselves enough credit, Dave finds. He wants to help people see themselves as great people that bring a lot in life. He urges listeners to put love in action, to believe in themselves and to love themselves first. “You’ll find great things that surround you,” he promises. [31:00]Marcel comments, “A healthy ROEI makes for a healthy bottom line and that is what creates a strong and healthy culture that's able to grow into the future.” [33:08]Send Marcel a text message!