The Leader Learner Podcast

Send us a textCheck-In Question:Do you  like working from home? How to create community in virtual spacesBig Ideas:What's our magic, our thing, our niche, etc? The importance of FUNTech issues we encountered - Theresa's slow connectionTypes of episodes: Quotes and Question, Guests, Shoot from the Hip, Coaching One Another - Listeners, what is your favorite episode type? Learning from other people's perspectivesModeling getting tough feedbackTitles engage people - "Click Bait"Being more strategic about marketingPeople interested in the content more than who we are as peopleUsing other people to challenge our thinkingElement of spontaneity and funStanding on other people's shoulders for visibilityDo you like the "The" and "Episode" bookmarking the episodes?Resources Mentioned:Rituals for Virtual Meetings by Glenn Fajardo and Kursat OzencFrom Physical Space to Virtual Space  by  Gwen Sterling-WilkieMore yummy content on leaderlearner.fm

Send us a textEnjoy this spontaneous, unplanned conversation which turned into an episode :) BIG IDEAS:Relationship being more important than the giftDo gifts pollute or change the relationship?Polluting versus enhancing? What do we do with compliments?Genuine connections over the "connect and pitch"Link between connections and gifts to worthinessWhen we don't accept a gift, we rob someone of the joy in givingThe 5 Love Languages, - Touch, Service, Words of Appreciation, Gifts, Quality TimeThe gaps between how we like to give and receive loveAdapt love language to a work situationSupporting peer-to-peer displays of appreciationUnderstanding our love language based on what we like to giveReferrals from the heart, or referrals for a percentage?Transparency in making referrals"Send the elevator back"RESOURCES:The 5 Love Languages by Gary ChapmanTake the 5 Love Languages QuizWorkHuman More yummy content on leaderlearner.fm

Send us a textCheck-In Question:What is money good for?Big Ideas:Two kinds of money --  those that fulfill our needs, and those that we think will fulfill our needs, but don't.Indigenous tribes that don't use money. Question of whether it is essential?"Money isn't the problem. Money isn't good or bad. Money itself doesn't have power or not have power. It is our interpretation of money, our interaction with it, where the real mischief is and where we find the real opportunity for self-discovery and personal discovery. The tool doesn't have power.When you have money, you can make different choices.Yes, you can have power without money. (ex Rosa Parks)Is causation, money then power, or power than money? Power on a spectrum in line with money.Choice as a sense of powerVoting with your feet Difference between local and global economics - buying local and the sense of community that comes with itWe have a role in how the money is distributed.Supporting the local economy and local employmentThe 3 Toxic Myths of Scarcity : #1 There is not enough, #2 More is better, #3 That's the Way it IsExperiencing companies wanting more (people, skills, objectives, etc.)Band-aids as the only support because 'That's Just the Way It is."The relationship between value and money. Does the price determine value?Value-based versus time-based pricingMatching your pricing to regional values and the marketValue can differ even if price is the same (too many external factors)Price has to be high enough to be taken seriouslyUsing internal resources to respond to a scarcity of external resourcesSupport becomes more apparent when times are scarceLook for new relationships/resources when times are scarceLimits and constraints create innovationWe often have resources within us, that we forget about because we often think of assets outside of ourselvesIf you don't have time, what do you have? Spending matching valuesMoney being like waterCharity being a redistribution mechanismIf money doesn't come to you, where will it go? Is this place "better"?Resources Discussed:The Soul of Money by Lynne TwistJerry Maquire movieStretch by Scott SonensheinTED talk by Lynne TwistThink Again by Adam GrantMore yummy content on leaderlearner.fm

Send us a textCheck-In Question:What do you think people regret the most when they look back on their life? Big Ideas:Different stages of life: the call, the messy middle, the resolutionLife being one long journey, with lots of small hero's journeys throughoutStage 1: Ordinary World; Stage 2: The Call to Adventure; Stage 3: Refusal of the Call; Stage 4: Meeting with a Mentor; Stage 5: Crossing the 1st Threshold; Stage 6: The Adventure (enemies, shadows, etc); Stage 7: The ElixirSaying no in my mind, and not feeling like I had a choice.When our ego says that we don't have a choiceWhen our mentors muddle the waters by giving us another perspective, which doesn't align with our values or intuitionWho is the 'right' person to ask? Going to the outside for advice because we don't trust ourselvesHaving a challenge network (band of pirates) to rattle us and keep us integrityUse criticism as a way to reinforce our valuesCan you refuse a call and be the same afterwards?Choices aren't always crossroads, but exits on a highway.Archetypes: The Hero, the Mentor, The Threshold Guardian, The Herald, The Shape-Shifter, The Shadow, The Ally, The Trickster -- all at the service of the hero. The journey is the hero's search for identity and wholenessWe can't always see the arc of our own hero's storiesOur blinders can prevent us from seeing the truth of our lifeImportance of getting perspective to see the stories we are inLook at your life as a story Sometimes we don't see when we need to go to the balcony to get perspectiveIs the shero/heroine journey different from the hero journey?Resources Mentioned:The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie WareThe Writer's Journey by Christopher VoglerThe Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph CampbellUntamed by Glennon DoyleThink Again by Adam GrantRoger Fisher and William Ury from the Harvard Negotiation ProjectMore yummy content on leaderlearner.fm

Send us a textCheck-In Question:Do you think it's appropriate to cry at work, and when was the last time you cried at work? Big Ideas:Is appropriate the right word to refer to having emotions at work?Judgment behind the work appropriatePermission to have the full range of emotions, even at workHow criticism brings up a sense of threat, even if we don't consciously think of itThe importance of specific feedback, so we know what to do differently or more ofNegativity biasWhat makes feedback appropriate, useful, or adequate? Imposter syndromeKnowing what triggers us to get defensiveHow style interacts with purpose/vision, from a tactical perspectiveClarity up front about your styleTurning threats into opportunitiesMaking our methods/styles into a differentiating factors (USP)What are people's expectations before engaging in a learning space?Is the feedback touching the core of who I am, or is it more tactical? Looking at making abstract ideas more actionable"Our judgments are the tragic expressions of our unmet needs" ~Marshall RosenbergBias coming from expectationsRespecting and honoring other people's feedback and their stories, rather than explaining away or defending their perspectiveLetting some feedback float away in the distanceLooking at the needs behind people's feedbackHow are we prioritizing feedback? Is the feedback in line with our values? What feedback are we holding on to, and what are we letting go? References:No Hard Feelings by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West DuffyBig Feelings by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West DuffyBrené Brown's discussion of creating observable behaviors for abstract ideas in the book Dare to LeadMarshall Rosenberg and Non-Violent CommunicationAtlas of the Heart by Brené BrownMore yummy content on leaderlearner.fm

Send us a textCheck-In Question:Would there be more or fewer people leaving their jobs (divorces)  if people could read each other's minds? Big Ideas:The importance of candor in organizationsHow we do candor mattersThe culture of candor matters - sometimes labeled a non-team player if point out mistakesSafety as it relates to communication styles - direct/indirectOur own relationship to threat and how it relates to psychological safetyTwo people can be on the same team, and one can feel safe and another notThe company needs people to feel psychological safeHow we receive candor mattersThe stories we create about our sense of safety, versus the reality of our safetyOur personal agency when it comes to being safe at workRules of engagement for our candor for both the giver and receiverScaffolding to our candor - meeting people where they areBalance candor with empathyHaving the conflict about the issues, NOT the peopleBridge the connection and the work together Not just what we do, but how we do itIs how we treat each other more important than what we do? Seeing our employees as not just rational beings, but emotional beings as wellIt's not about balance, but counterbalance. Yes/And rather than Either/OrDo our ideas about our company belong to us or our company? Interplay between voice and silence within an organizationSilence as a sign of psychological safety - hearing people think in silence, space between contributions shows listeningHaving a seat at the table doesn't mean having a voiceCollective intelligence - equal time of speaking is one of the factorsIncreasing psychological safety also increases collective intelligencePsychological safety as an outcome, there is no formulaHonoring people's voices without forcing their voicesResources Mentioned:'The Fearless Organization' by Amy Edmondson'Principles' by Ray DalioGoogle's Project AristotleMore yummy content on leaderlearner.fm

Send us a textWhat kinds of things you'll learn about us:What we individually create in our work, and what forWhat makes Theresa happy about her workThe company Vincent would want to change The artist/band Theresa would take with her to a deserted islandThe book Vincent would read for the rest of his lifeTheresa's most badass leadership moment What Theresa would do with her one magic wandThe leadership lesson Vincent keeps having to learn again and againHow Vincent is like his fatherTheresa's key to a happy professional lifeWho Theresa would have dinner with if she couldHow Vincent reads so the info stays aliveWhat brings Theresa a sense of aweWhat makes Vincent a readerResources Mentioned:Karpman's Drama TriangleKristin Neff on Self-CompassionBrené BrownElizabeth LesserJim Kwik - Brain CoachMore yummy content on leaderlearner.fm

Send us a textWith Guest Suzanne Lee from Straumann GroupBig Ideas:Intimate relationship between leadership and learningLeadership is an invitation to tomorrow that is better than todayPerform for today, transform for tomorrow - learning and listening is at the coreLearn faster than the environment is changingThe I, the We and the It -- learning must happen on those 3 dimensions or you leave others behindLearning is a mindset, not a tool, process, or life hackChange is speeding up, so must learn faster than the change so we don't get swallowed upTaking responsibility for our workloadsLearning as a value, so I make it happen no matter what is on my plateWhat am I okay with not doing perfectlyDon't bother with time management hacks, be okay with not getting things doneIntentionality of own growth, team growth, and individuals on teams growthHow to reconcile performance with learning and what's on our plateEven within a system that won't help you keep your boundaries, if you have a discipline of reflection and perspective-taking, you can focus more on transformCreate the space and time to reflect and learnReject victim stanceIf not intentional, life takes overLearning on the job, not in the jobLearning will get pushed to the bottom if it is an additional taskIf learning is a business priority to do your current job better, it's not a separate taskIntegrating the learning and reflection into the work as you do itLearning not as an additional to-do that no one has time forChallenge transforming from doing to learning -- great at perform, not so much at transformBuilding in micro-moments of reflection70% of a learning organization is about the culture and leadership, not the toolsUnless it is seen around them, they won't do it on their ownImmediacy bias -- focus on today, not the futurePersist in the struggle because it shows you are onto something - trust the processDebate the topic not the personHow move from hub and spoke model, to a community of practice where we are all accountable Leading more from behind than right out on frontCuriosity and coaching mindset rather than advice givingBounce your worlds with othersShared accountabilityReferences:Unleashed by Frances Frei & Anne Morriss4000 Weeks by Oliver BurkemanThe Power of Giving Away Power by Matthew BarzunMore yummy content on leaderlearner.fm

Send us a textVincent starts off with a story….Big Ideas:Don’t take employees monkeys, or it turns into a zooEmployees need to keep their own monkeysLeaders and managers are not necessarily the sameIt’s exhausting and unsustainable for a manager to take everyone’s monkeysIt’s natural for managers to take things off people’s plates. They think it’s their job. How are we supporting people’s transition from individual contributor to management? What is the role of a manager? The shift from owning your work, to overseeing the work of the individual contributors work, without taking it onRole of the manager is to make obstacles go away (organization, finances, resources, team dynamics, psychological safety, recruiting, etc)Manager to focus on the conditions - preparing the space by removing obstacles, and putting things inCreating the conditions for competencies to be builtShould we let employees fail?The relationship between failure and trust.Creating the culture and context for failure is importantNot taking on the failures of individual contributors as our own failures - accountability infectionFail fast, fail early, fail oftenPeople are already failing. Are they doing something with it? As leaders, help them through the failure.The emotional response to the words we use, including failHow are leaders talking about failure?Naming emotions and experiences so that we can have power over itLooking at our fail points ahead of time, so we can pivot soonerHow we keep persisting on to avoid failure even when it’s the wrong pathLooking at our fail points allows us to know whether the risk is worth itDoing more of the same strategy doesn’t work if it’s the wrong strategyTest, Assess, ActAgile working, sprints, and retrospectivesUsing the scientific method and testing hypothesesWhat have I done? What will I do? What are my obstacles?Agile working - product management and scrum masterReferences:The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey by Ken BlanchardThe Leadership Pipeline by Ram CharanAtlas of the Heart by Brené BrownTaking Smart Risks by Doug SundheimTrust Matters by Ken BlanchardMore yummy content on leaderlearner.fm

Send us a textCheck in Question:Do you believe criminals can be truly rehabilitated in prison? Big Ideas:“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”Fear of people who are different than usThe costs of the advice trap that leads to dysfunction in teamsAdvice is personal and the transfer of it doesn’t alway flourish in another context, or with another personBest practices shift based on context, and means that there is only one.We don’t live in a linear world, so there can’t be a best. Advice creates demotivated advice receivers and overwhelmed advice giversAdvice creates a short term solaceAdvice is everywhere and we all seem to like giving it outIs sharing of information giving advice? Sometimes the expertise and advice is wrong for youThe power of the scientific process (randomized trials)Selling your idea as “THE” ideaIs the problem the assumption behind the advice and not the advice itself?The importance of drawing out the ideas of all people, and being attuned to why they aren’t sharing their ideasThe person who talks the most often has the “power” in a situation.Are we willing to share our voice and have power dynamics shift as a result?How to hold power? Being worthy of power.Power with people versus power over othersWhen we interact with people who want our advice and expect to receive itThe people who want to be told what to do, and the people who love to tell others what to doWhat about the cultures where giving advice is a natural part of life because it is a passing along of knowledge? What’s the middle way?Is advice giving a way to exert power over othersThe intention behind the advice giving has many nuancesThe dynamics of the relationship matters when it comes to advice giving/receivingReferences:The Advice Trap by Michael Bungay StanierThe Unforgivable (movie with Sandra Bullock)Adam GrantElias Porter – 6 Listening AttitudesChatter by Ethan CrossQuiet by Susan CainThe Power of Giving Away Power by Matthew BarzunThe Karpman Drama TriangleThe Wisdom of CoachingMore yummy content on leaderlearner.fm