Brave Ideas by Caleb Parker

November 30, 2021 How Leaders Can Get Ahead In Commercial Real Estate

Putting Values At The Centre Of The Universe

Stephen Shedletzky, Speaker, Executive Coach & Advisor, joins Bold Founder, Caleb Parker, for our Season 6 debut to discuss why leadership is so important in unprecedented times, and why infinite mindsets are what's needed in commercial real estate to support office customers as we navigate the new ways of working.

They talk through why values, beliefs and behaviour should be placed at the centre of the universe, and how leadership will make all the difference to organisations embracing the Future of Work.

Stephen shares his insights on the changes in work culture and how these are impacted by flexible working, and shares interesting research on the motivators that influence employee engagement and performance.

PLUS tune in for a surprise "behind the scenes" chat at the end of this podcast...

Connect with Stephen Shedletzky on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenshedletzky/

Connect with Caleb Parker on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebparker/

If you have any questions or feedback on this episode, email [email protected]

Value Bombs:

You've often heard me say we need to put people at the centre of the universe. Well, Stephen says we should be putting values at the centre of the universe in commercial real estate. - Caleb Parker
I think that we often position doing right by people, and doing right by your bottom line as opposing forces. And they are not. - Stephen Shedletzky
Organisations exist to serve their end user. Leaders exist to serve their people. When leaders serve their people, people serve each other. - Stephen Shedletzky
I think the responsibility of businesses to advance a purpose, to protect people and to generate profit in that order. - Stephen Shedletzky
My favourite equation for culture is culture = values x behavior. - Stephen Shedletzky
Integrity is doing what's right, even if it's hard, even if no one's looking. - Stephen Shedletzky
Company culture is a bigger threat to commercial real estate and the office then COVID-19 has been, because returning to the office sucks if your company culture sucks. - Caleb Parker
The pandemic has pulled the covers off of these bad company cultures that exist in our buildings. - Caleb Parker
The very utterance of return to work is offensive. And leaders need to know that their language matters and they ought to strike that from their vernacular. - Stephen Shedletzky
If you give people a higher ceiling and you leave with more trust, you'll let people surprise you for the better. - Stephen Shedletzky
Work-life balance is about loving who we are at work and loving who we are at home. - Stephen Shedletzky
Our relationship with our boss is more of an impact on our health than that of our relationship with our family doctor. - Stephen Shedletzky
Play is the most powerful motivator, two times more powerful than purpose, which is mind blowing for a guy who spent the last 13 years dedicated to purpose. - Stephen Shedletzky
I believe that the leaders who are leaning into this flexible working, and have flexible mindsets are assets for their organisations... When the competition is embracing hybrid working, do you think that the leaders who aren't become a liability to their shareholders? - Caleb Parker
If leaders themselves aren't doing well, how can you expect their people to do well? - Stephen Shedletzky
As leaders, you need to help your people get out of their own way. - Stephen Shedletzky
I define a humble leader is someone who knows that there are at least a part of problems they experience and a part of the solutions. - Stephen Shedletzky

Resources:

LinkedIn Live – The Future of Work with Stephen and Caleb

Adam Grants Work Life Podcast

Brene Brown Podcasts

Checking In with Susan David Podcast

Malcolm Gladwell Revisionist History Podcast

EvolveOrDie.co

Shout Outs:

Dave Cairns

Liane Davey

Michael Kalles

Keywords: leadership, teams, culture, values, motivation, return to the office, work, purpose, play

About Stephen Shedletzky:

Follow Stephen on Twitter and Instagram

Every day Stephen wakes up to engage with people in meaningful ways, so that we connect with depth and live in a more fulfilled world. He supports humble leaders – those who know they are both a part of the problems they experience and a part of the solutions they can create – who intend to put their people and purpose first.

Feeling stifled on his own corporate track, Shedletzky was introduced to Simon Sinek's work and was immediately inspired by it. He met Simon in 2010 and became the fourth person to join his team. He began answering fan email and became the first person outside of Simon to lead his social media efforts.

He moved on to hold the roles of Chief of Staff, and Head of Brand Experience, Training & Development. Leading a global team of speakers and facilitators at Simon Sinek, Inc., Stephen worked to ensure the team's culture, products and communications authentically reflected the organization's most deeply held values and beliefs. He also had the opportunity to narrate the audiobook for Simon Sinek's book, Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team.

Stephen has led hundreds of keynote presentations, workshops and leadership development programs. Though Stephen still works to share Simon's message, helping to create a more inspired, safe and fulfilled world, he also works to advance his own thought leadership on leadership, culture and psychological safety through keynotes, writing, coaching and advising.

Stephen has worked with leaders and organizations around the world and serves clients in any industry where human beings work. Stephen graduated from the Richard Ivey School of Business with a focus in leadership, communication and strategy and received his coaching certification from The Coaches Training Institute.

Stephen lives in Toronto with his wife and two young children.

About Caleb Parker

https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebparker/

Caleb Parker is an American entrepreneur in London, and Founder of Bold (acquired by Newable/NewFlex in 2019).He believes in "challenging the status quo" and is a champion for entrepreneurial and innovative thinking.Caleb has served as founder, Board member, advisor, investor and consultant to numerous startups and small businesses, and has a keen focus on innovation and technology, with interests in the MICE market, Space-as-a-Service, and the future of work.Caleb has been a guest lecturer, speaker, and moderator for topics such as entrepreneurship, the sharing economy, the future of work and commercial real estate at academic institutions and large corporations. He regularly takes the stage at numerous trade conferences as keynote speaker, MC, host or facilitator.Earlier in his career, Caleb was named one of Savannah, Georgia's "40 under 40" business leaders" in 2006 after launching two successful small businesses in the city's booming hospitality industry. A year later he moved to Washington, DC to join the The Regus Group DC management team. In 2009, Caleb co-founded a flexible workspace consulting firm where he brokered flexible workspace and advised businesses on agile working strategies.Caleb is one of the first licensed commercial real estate agents to speak on the flexible working trends and the rise of flexible workspace, and has been quoted in numerous publications.

Timestamps

[00:00] Caleb introduces the episode and gives an introduction to Stephen.

[05:38] Stephen explains how great leaders serve their people and shareholders, and the order in which that needs to happen for organisations to be effective.

[07:59] Caleb talks about putting customers at the centre of the universe, and Stephen counters the notion with putting values and beliefs at the centre of the universe instead of the customers themselves.

[10:13] Caleb shares his thoughts on company culture and how the pandemic has exposed some of the more challenging aspects of returning to the office.

[11:33] Stephen shares his views on what bad values, beliefs and behaviours are in company culture. He also shares his thoughts on remote working and return to the office.

[14:47] Caleb talks about the future opportunity for remote work as a result of the pandemic and how some companies are not embracing the flexible opportunity that exists by mandating return to the office policies.

[16:38] Stephen explains the importance of trust, control and fear in employees producing outputs outside of the office. He also quotes research on health and the relationships with our boss. Stephen explains our motivators within work which include play, purpose and potential, and the indirect motivators of pressure, fear, shame and guilt.

[24:35] Caleb asks whether those leaders who aren't adopting flexible working are a liability to their shareholders and Stephen gives his insights on this.

[25:55] Caleb asks how we can lean into the future when a lot of money is invested in returning to the past, and Stephen explains how change occurs like a flywheel effect and how business models get outdated over time.

[27:30] Caleb asks how business leaders in real estate can support their customers in a post pandemic world. Stephen gives advice on embracing work life balance, trust in employees and leader burnout. Stephen talks about what real estate companies can do to make change for the future.

[29:46] Caleb suggests they should start a new hashtag #skatetowardsthepuck. Caleb talks about putting boundaries in with his remote work on vacation.

[30:39] Stephen shares his take on boundaries and how to put them in place with his work, team and family.

[33:01] Stephen explains his approach to coaching humble leaders and team members.

[35:07] Stephen shares some shoutouts and podcast recommendations which can be found in the show notes.

[37:15] Surprise interview with special guest