b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

In this second of a two-part series, Erin Hatzikostas and Nicole Licata Grant pick back up the conversation after Nicole's back from her figurative, and literal, meltdown in Spain.

They turn their focus to solutions. What is the art and science between setting boundaries? And ultimately, how do you take control and understand that you're the only one that can truly unf*ck yourself?

When it is all said and done, they conclude that the talk was a bit of truth, a little bit of trauma, and a little bit of triumph. Oh and that they'll just have to keep on truckin'.

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more inspiration! Here are a few options...

Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ https://bbrilliant.bauthenticinc.com/

b Cause Podcast Facebook group@ www.facebook.com/groups/bCAUSEPodcast. We'd love to hear from you and have you truly b part of our community.

b Authentic inc community (AKA our mothership) by adding you're email just about anywhere @ https://www.bauthenticinc.com/ We have so much stuff going on...we wouldn't want you to miss out!

Disclaimer: This content is not explicit, though may contain mild swearing unsuitable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments:

"You should rise in your career without selling your soul. One of those main facets is not compromising your family and children."

"Believe. Achieve. Repeat."

"Don't wait for your kid to hear a ten-minute graduation speech when they're eighteen to be inspired"

"It's not about creating the perfect childhood, it's about creating a positive, engaging, environment at the place they spend most of their lives.

"I like to call boundaries 'instruction for care' about how we should interact."

"There are some hard barriers, like not being abused or harassed in the office, there's an obvious line here."

"Making and managing boundaries is a good thing, but you have to make sure not to invent false barriers that make you inauthentic."

"I have a job right now. But my career comes from a place of personal passion, personal achievement and personal experiences of being human in the world. If I can't get that back? If we're really happy, stomping around in our little fucking work puddle and being all pouty in it, then fine, but there's probably a great lake out there that we haven't quite found yet."

"I think a lot of bad rap is given to young people today...won't give up holidays, won't move location, won't do the menial tasks on repeat, this is actually something we need in the workplace. One day it will be their workplace."

"That's what we're doing, we're saying you know, I don't give a crap about what the standard is. I'm going to do what I want and what other people want, and that's going to be the future."

This week on the b CAUSE Podcast we've broken the episode in two, because, well, there's just too much to say for one episode. Erin Hatzikostas and Nicole Licata Grant catch up, analyze, pontificate and coach through Nicole's recent trip to Spain: The heat, the travel, the sunken eyes, and the problems with "the inner-circle" of leaders. Though, the problems might not always be where you think they are. Listen in to not only follow Nicole's path, but to connect and learn more about how you can think about and handle your work bullshit. And please b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration! Here are a few options...

Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ https://bbrilliant.bauthenticinc.com/

b Cause Podcast Facebook group @ www.facebook.com/groups/bCAUSEPodcast- We'd love to hear from you and have you truly b part of our community! b Authentic inc community (AKA our mothership) by adding your email to just about anywhere @ https://www.bauthenticinc.com/ We have so much fun stuff going on... we wouldn't want you to miss out!

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsuitable for younger audiences. Links: https://www.bauthenticinc.com https://www.bauthenticinc.com/b-you-shop

Tweetable Comments:

"Sometimes these corporate Pow-wows feel like hazing."

"99% of the time it's not hazing: it's fear and it's ignorance and it's ego that just rolls downhill."

"The main reason for spending 100+ hours on one presentation is failing as a leader, and focussing on all the wrong things."

"I shouldn't even be a leader if I'm not going to trust the people who have proven they want to be in my inner circle."

"It's as simple as putting yourself in someone else's shoes."

"You might know the path, but boy it's easy to deviate."

"Just why is it so hard to stop eating the whole bag of Cheetos. It's really hard to not eat the whole bag of Cheetos. You have to practice. You have to sometimes eat a quarter bag or a half a bag and then roll it back."

"I encourage people to say I'm going to take two steps forward and one step back. That relieves the pressure. If you do that...in a year from now, you're going to be a mile ahead from where you're at."

"We have to quit listening to the voices in our heads that debase us: that say we're not good enough leaders, we're in the periphery."

"Storytelling in the workplace can be really powerful, storytelling inside your own head can be dangerous."

There's a bit of an echo, must be the resonance of Erin Hatzikostas' words. This week we listen in to a speech Erin gave at the Alegeus CDHx, where she makes the business case for enabling authenticity in the workplace and how it can kill two issues with one stone - inequality of women in the workplace and lack of employee engagement. And somehow she ties it all together (pun intended) with how she ties her shoes to help rid herself of a debilitating disease.

As always, it's authenticity at the core, but this speech actually explores and proves the power of authenticity in the workplace.

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though may contain mild swearing unsuitable for younger audiences.

Links: Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ https://bbrilliant.bauthenticinc.com/ https://www.bauthenticinc.com/ https://www.bauthenticinc.com/b-you-shop

Tweetable Comments:

"People respect authority, but they follow authenticity."

"For my leaders in the room, get over yourselves. Stop impressing your boss, start impressing your people. Connect with your people, add your recipe for authenticity, and watch what happens."

"Inspiration is a circular reference."

"In this complex world, we often forget that the solutions to big problems are simpler than we think."

"There are more CEOs named John than there are female CEOs."

"Imperfect men have been ruling the universe since the beginning of time, it's time to give women the opportunity to do the same."

This week Erin Hatzikostas sits down with Anton Gunn, a former state legislator, federal policymaker and Harvard Professor and now the founder of the 937 Strategy Group for discussion on, well, everything. Anton will inspire you as he shares his passion for great leadership and how it was formed from a unique combination of being part of a family dedicated to service, the five U.S. Presidents he met, his many mentors, his college football coaches (what not to do) and hip hop.

If you're looking to truly become a great leader, you don't want to miss this episode. You'll be incredibly moved by his authentic perspective on how to move forward in life, take on incredible challenges and be the kind of leader that leaves a legacy for many people including, most importantly, your family.

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsuitable for younger audiences.

Links: Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ https://bbrilliant.bauthenticinc.com/ https://www.bauthenticinc.com/ https://www.bauthenticinc.com/b-you-shop

Tweetable Comments:

"You're never too big to help someone out, because there's always someone out there in the universe who needs to hear from you."

"Who am I to deny someone of their opportunity? It's not a rivalry, it's authentic."

"We'll give someone a business card, we'll take there's: but we'll go home and never look at it again. There's so much value sitting on your desk at home."

"I teach leaders not to be transactional but to be relational."

"To focus on relationships, regardless of status, is really important."

"Let me put it down to where the goats can get it."

"When you don't have a good environment, where people feel valued or respected, you can't get people to optimally perform."

"I wasn't appreciated as a person, so I did the bare minimum, and you see the same in the workplace. You mentally quit long before you physically quit."

"If you're disabled, if you have limited English proficiency if you're just poor, the system is fragmented for you and it's hard to live out your potential."

"When you get into a new leadership position...you're only entitled to the respect and value of a leader for one day. The next day you have to begin earning that title and earning that respect of the team you lead."

"You need to interview the people on your team for their expertise on how you should be doing a great job."

"All of us at some point get told what we can't do, what we can't have, and that we don't have all the tools in the toolbox that other people have."

"How do you encounter the person at the store, doing your laundry, the person washing your car. You can act a certain way with everyone, and that attitude reflects in your leadership."

Erin Hatzikostas and Nicole Licata Grant meet for another How Was Your Week episode, discussing "The Talk" with Erin's kids - as well as a few more talks that maybe everyone should have (because babies don't get delivered by friendly flying Storks). Nicole opens up in this episode and talks about a recent "diagnosis" she serendipitously got while touring one of the community health orginizations she supports.

As Erin put it, and Nicole lived it, you learn most about others by taking the time to walk in their shoes.

Join us for one of the most authentic episodes yet, b CAUSE it's worth it.

We would LOVE to hear from you. Give us your thoughts, feedback, ideas, keys to your vacation home... whatever! You can write to us at [email protected]

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing unsuitable for younger audiences.

Links: Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ https://bbrilliant.bauthenticinc.com/ https://www.bauthenticinc.com/ https://www.bauthenticinc.com/b-you-shop

Tweetable Comments:

"You don't need to qualify anything, it's the wine."

"You have to surround yourself with mums who are bar-lowerers, not bar-higherers."

"So wait, sex before Santa?"

"I agree that people should know babies and pee don't come out the same hole."

"We're studying the space shuttle and the next thing a girl is passing out putting a condom on a plastic penis."

"Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with the intent to reply." - Stephen Covey"

"I know sometimes I listen to you...and sometimes I don't."

"I see things that are out of order, that are not allocated properly, and I want to break something. I feel like my passion is to make things work better and more efficiently."

"Being your authentic self is the easy part, recognizing everyone else's authenticity and how to connect to that, is the tough part."

"I've started to use the verb authenticate."