Circle Up & Get REAL Podcast

Today my guest is Crystal Chambers, who I met at NLP Trainer Training in 2022. We talk about, among other things, our experience with NLP (Neuro Lingustic Programming) and how this modality helped her with her own neurodivergent challenges in visualizion techniques.

Crystal's company, Sheepdog Therapeutics, revolutionizes emotional wellness and balance with transformative, scalable virtual reality techniques. Their proprietary software called DISCOVReality, is an immersive guided Virtual Reality experience to help propel emotional well-being on a large scale, cost-effectively, without the need for constant, human-supervised touch.

The power of this immersive guided VR experience is in its ability to get to the root feeings, which often are not accessible to our conscious minds, allowing for significant changes with conditions like PTSD and unconscious limiting beliefs so we can learn to resolve conflicts internally.

If you'd like more information about Crystal's work, go to SheepdogTherapeutics.com

You can also follow Crystal on LinkedIn.

In this episode I talk about how focused most people seem to be on what they don't want instead of knowing clearly what they do want.

I share ideas from the book "Working With the Law" by Raymond Holliwell, where he addresses 11 Truth Principles for Successful Living including the Law of Thinking, the Law of Supply, the Law of Attraction, the Law of Receiving, the Law of Increase, the Law of Compensation, the Law of Non-Resistance, the Law of Forgiveness, the Law of Sacrifice, the Law of Obedience, and the Law of Success.

I also mention the books "Think and Grow Rich" as well as "Outwitting the Devil," both by Napoleon Hill.

Check out my course called "REAL Me: Intensive" at https://getrealcircle.com, and find out more about our Monday Enlightened Leadership Lab at https://enlightenedleadershiplab.com.

Every now and then I come across someone I hear about or notice online or through other contacts and I think "I need to know this person."

That's how I felt about this week's guest Adrienne Ross. We share so many interests: leadership, speaking, we're both authors, we're both podcasters, we're both former journalists, we're both English majors, and, probably most importantly, we're both huge fans of the WNBA ("the W") and the Indiana Fever, thanks to Caitlin Clark.

Now a resident of Southeast Missouri, Adrienne is the author of an inspirational book entitled Push Your Way to Purpose: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You're Meant to Be. Filled with stories from her own life, it provides tools to help people fulfill their purpose. Adrienne is also the author of two illustrated books of humorous quotations and stories, #AuntAlma Unleashed: Old, Bold, and Out of Control and #AuntAlma: Raisin' a Little Hell Heaven on Earth. Both are filled with common sense, comedy—and a little bit of chaos—straight from her real-life aunt, Alma Ross.

Through Adrienne Ross Communications, Adrienne speaks at schools, churches, and national and international service organization conferences. She facilitates empowerment workshops and conducts seminars based on Push Your Way to Purpose.

She also teaches courses via her online school, ARC Academy. As a John Maxwell-certified speaker, trainer, and coach, Adrienne offers presentations, keynote addresses, and coaching, providing leadership training, inspiration, guidance, and accountability to groups and individuals.

During this conversation, we share our perspectives and our opinions about everything from leadership to basketball to politics, as well as some of the mechanics of podcasting.

The Adrienne Ross Show is her podcast on podcast platforms and YouTube. You can find more about her at AdrienneRossCom.com.

Today's episode is a result of pondering some of the conversations that I've been observing both in person and online.

It seems there are so many opportunities people are choosing to be upset, and consequently choosing to cancel things and people these days. What kind of community is built when people choose to stay in their own silos and echo chambers?

Compare that to opportunities to build true community (using Peter Block's definition from his book Community: The Structure of Belonging) when we not only feel we belong, but also feel a sense of ownership in what we're building.

I refer, yet again, to The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership and the simplicity of working to stay conscious: Open, Curious, and Committed to Learning as we observe what's happening around us.

Wonder, Ponder, and Share your observations.

Check out the Enlightened Leadership Lab if you're looking for a place to belong.

It's so easy to make a statement about how things are and then begin to believe that that's how things are. All the time. In every case. And many times that initial statement isn't even one I made from my own thought process. It might be something I heard on TikTok or from my parent or teacher or someone who certainly knows better than I could. What does it mean to keep it REAL? And how do any of us do that? Here is the AI list I mention in this episode about how to keep it real: "Keep it real" is a slang phrase that means to behave honestly and not pretend to be someone you're not. Here are some tips for keeping it real:

• Be vulnerable: Share your struggles and wins equally.
• Be open: Stay open without oversharing and listen and learn about others.
• Be humble: Start from a place of confident humility.
• Be a lifelong learner: Don't try to have all the answers and challenge yourself to learn something new each week.
• Focus on what energizes you: Do activities that energize you.

Call me crazy. Call me soft. Call me touchy-feely. Call me toxically positive. It's OK. I've been called all of those before.

For me, leadership is (almost) all about character. The policies and the mission and the purpose for the organization is very separate (TO ME) from the character of the leadership. It's the distinction between what your organization DOES and who its leaders are BEING when they are doing the doing. To me, that's what it means to be CONSCIOUS (open, curious, committed to learning) as opposed to UNCONSCIOUS (closed, defensive, committed to being right). It's always been about character. To me.

Let's talk about culture and the character of the leaders.

Today I share a response I got from ChatGPT when I asked it to compare the culture of a corporation led by a conscious leader to the culture of a certain country led by a certain person. Fascinating.

Here, in a nutshell, is the distinction:

1. Empathy and Inclusivity: A conscious leader prioritizes empathy and inclusivity, fostering an environment where all employees feel valued and respected. Such leaders actively listen to their team members, understand their perspectives, and create policies that support diversity and inclusion. • Impact on Culture: The corporate culture under conscious leadership is characterized by high morale, strong teamwork, and a sense of belonging. Employees are more engaged, motivated, and productive because they feel their contributions matter.
2. Ethical Decision-Making: Conscious leaders uphold strong ethical standards and make decisions based on integrity and transparency. They prioritize the long-term well-being of the organization, its employees, and the community over short-term gains. • Impact on Culture: Ethical behavior builds trust and loyalty within the organization. Employees are more likely to trust their leaders and follow their example, leading to a culture of honesty, accountability, and mutual respect.
3. Purpose-Driven Mission: Conscious leaders often guide their organizations with a clear, purpose-driven mission that goes beyond profit. They seek to make a positive impact on society and the environment. • Impact on Culture: A purpose-driven mission inspires employees and aligns their personal values with the organization's goals. This alignment enhances job satisfaction, reduces turnover, and attracts talent that is passionate about the organization's vision.
4. Collaborative Environment: Conscious leaders encourage collaboration and open communication. They value input from all levels of the organization and make decisions through a collaborative process. • Impact on Culture: Collaboration leads to innovation, as diverse ideas and perspectives are brought together. It also creates a sense of community and shared responsibility, strengthening the overall organizational culture.

National Culture Under (Insert name here)

1. Polarization and Division
2. Controversial Decision-Making
3. Nationalistic and Protectionist Policies
4. Authoritarian Tendencies

For me, leadership has much more to do with the CHARACTER of the person than with the policies or procedures of the organization. If I trust someone, I'm much more likely to follow, especially if that leader encourages me to think critically about things rather than just follow blindly. It was a fascinating prompt and response, regardless of what you think about AI.

Want more opportunities to talk about tough subjects in a safe space? Visit the Enlightened Leadership Lab on Mondays from 3-4:30 central. Contact Jodee for a code. Your first visit is free with no obligation. For more info go to https://enlightenedleadershiplab.com.

Wayne Dyer had a great quote I'll never forget: When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

Today I'm pondering that thought while also applying some of what I'm learning from two clients who are investing in their people by having me facilitate dialogues without a guaranteed result. What?? Really??

I share information about my REAL Me: Intensive course which we're halfway through in this current cohort.

If you're looking for ways to connect on a deeper level with yourself first, and others who are also interested in that, you can find more information at www.jodeebock.com or at www.enlightenedleadershiplab.com/invite.

Today's episode was a blast! I had a conversation with LA Attorney, and former co-owner of the LA Sparks of the WNBA Carla Christofferson.

Carla was born and raised in North Dakota, graduating from high school with 13 classmates in Tolna. She went on to UND Williston where she played basketball, and went on to UND. In the meantime, she was also crowned Miss North Dakota, and went on to Yale Law School, eventually joining the law firm O'Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles.

In this conversation we talk about all the things: growing up in North Dakota, family values, the prestige of meeting celebrities in LA (including Eddie Van Halen, who she dated) and how she came to be co-owner of a WNBA team.

Recently I've had some "random" thoughts that have led to some pretty incredible "chance" meetings and encounters.

Are these just lucky meetings? Coincidences? Or is there something else going on?

In today's episode I wonder about what happens when we actually pay attention. What are we just not noticing because we're stuck in the way we think things "should" be?

I mention the books "Working With the Law" by Raymond Holliwell and "Spiral Dynamics in Action" by Beck, et.al.

If you'd like more information about the Enlightened Leadership Lab which I co-host with Chris Angell, go to www.enlightenedleadershiplab.com/invite.

In today's stream-of-consciousness episode I refer to several books:

The Soft Edge by Rich Karlgaard

Excellence Now: Extreme Humanism by Tom Peters

The Mystic Jesus by Marianne Williamson

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Dethmer, Chapman & Klemp

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

In Peters' book he says that "Hard (numbers/plans/org charts) is soft: Plans are often fantasties; organizational charts have little to do with the way the organizatoin actually works; and numbers are readily manipulated....Soft (people/relationships/culture) is hard: The best 'people practices' (caring, training, acknowledging) create teh most wholesome, community-minded organizations - and win in the marketplace as well") pp. 25-26.

Here is the fifth point of the Self-Confidence formula from Think and Grow Rich to which I refer:

"I fully realize that no wealth or position can long endure unless built upon truth and justice; therefore, I will engage in no transaction that does not benefit all whom it affects. I will succeed by attracting to myself the forces I wish to use and the cooperation of other people. I will induce others to serve me because of my willingness to serve others. I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, and cynicism by developing love for all humanity - because I know that a negative attitude toward others can never bring me success. I will cause others to believe in me because I will believe in them, and in myself."