FIR Podcast Network

A few days ago, I was waffling on whether or not to take on some work a prospect wants us to handle.

While the work would be exciting, the day-to-day contact has already been high-maintenance. The budget would be game-changing, but the quality of life for my team and me would be almost nil. 

You can see why I kept going back and forth.

And then I saw a livestream my friend Kevin Kermes hosted for his community.

He started it off by saying, “If it’s not a heck yes, it’s a no.”

Couple that with the advice I’d give any of my coaching clients and I knew it was time to stop waffling and take action.

I’ve gotten a bit philosophical on you the past few weeks, but I believe we’re at a time in our lives—because of everything we’ve experienced since last March—that we have the opportunity to reset our priorities and refuse to get back on the hamster wheel of the pre-pandemic. 

I have a girlfriend who said to me, “Can you believe we used to get on planes every week and run ourselves ragged? Never doing that again.”

Nope, me either.

An article in Entrepreneur magazine talks about what’s missing from the conversation about work-life balance.

And that is what we discuss on this week’s Spin Sucks Podcast episode.

Resources Included

* Kevin Kermes at Career Attraction

* Entrepreneur article

* Spin Sucks Community 

 

#681: Dr. Erik Korem and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Be a high performance rockstar and recalibrate your view on stress to fuel productivity. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Dr. Erik Korem (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-korem-phd-19991734/), founder/CEO of AIM7 and high performance expert and thought leader who spent 15 years working as a sports scientist and high performance director in the NFL and with major college and Olympic athletes.

Dr. Erik teaches others to be their best without burning out or stressing out. His company’s mission is to revolutionize the consumer wearable technology industry. Dr. Erik has a doctoral degree from the University of Kentucky in exercise science with a research emphasis in the power of sleep and how it affects our brain’s ability to adapt to stress.

If you want to know more on how to turn stress into an asset, not a liability, consider reaching out to Dr. Erik Korem by visiting his website https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-korem-phd-19991734/ and his instagram @ErikKorem.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Stressed out people who aren’t thriving should reach out to Dr. Erik Korem. #HighPerformance https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-korem-phd-19991734/

* I can teach you how to harness the power of stress to create a new habit or a new skill to thrive in an uncertain world. #HighPerformance @ErikKorem

* With my guidance, I can show you how not just to avoid stress but to understand the essence of #HighPerformance especially when faced with a lot of stress stimuli in order to pursue audacious goals. https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik=korem-phd-19991734/

* My 15 years of experience in sports science and as an NFL director gives me perceived credibility to help you focus on #HighPerformance to make you more healthy and productive in your personal and professional life. @ErikKorem

* My role is to help you use a new paradigm of stress to move forward in your life and pursue things that you didn’t think you could pursue. #HighPerformance https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-korem-phd-19991734/

To view the video interview click here.

#682: Izzy Gesell and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Improve your workplace with improv theater techniques to advance personal self-actualization. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Izzy Gesell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/izzygesell/), organizational alchemist, workshop leader, internationally known facilitator, keynote speaker, and communication coach. He authored the book “Playing Along: Group Learning Activities Borrowed from Improvisation Theater,” and co-authored “Humor Me: America’s Funniest Humorists on the Power of Laughter.”

Izzy is one of the first to bring the concept of improv theater into the business world. He teaches people to change negative self-talk to positive, using humorous programs to help individuals and organizations to thrive and become more confident, spontaneous and effective instead of commonplace or ordinary.

To learn more about incorporating the improv model in promoting a focused, enjoyable and adaptable organizational culture, visit Izzy Gesell’s websites at

Internal communicators have been partnering with Human Resources for years. In larger companies, HR even has communicators of its own to handle messaging about people-related matters. Changes in the workplace have led to substantial changes in HR’s role, many of which are potential flashpoints, which now add external communicators to the mix. Consider the recent news about Basecamp, in which a decision by the company’s leaders to ban political discussion from internal forums led one-third of the company’s employees to quit.

In this episode of Circle of Fellows, four IABC Fellows discussed the relationship between communications and HR in an environment in which purpose and values drive employment decisions, employees expect companies to take a stand on issues that matter to them, and employee activism is on the rise.

The next episode of Circle of Fellows is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 17, on “Personal and Professional Success – Best Measures.” The panel includes John Clemons, Adrian Cropley, Jim Lukaszewski, Ritzi Ronquillo, and Jennifer Wah. (This is our most international panel yet, with representation from the U.S. Australia, The Philippines, and Canada.) Mark your calendars!

About the panel

Neil Griffiths, ABC, Chart.PR, IABC Fellow, is Senior Manager, Global Communication & Global Inclusion Lead at ERM, the world’s largest sustainability consultancy. Neil has worked in communication management for 15+ years in public, private and non-profit organizations. Neil is a serial volunteer and has held a number of leadership positions on global committees within IABC, including the inaugural Global Communications Certification Council. Neil was Chair of the 2018 IABC World Conference to be held in Montreal in June 2018. He has been recognized with awards for his leadership within the profession, being made IABC Fellow in June 2019. Together with co-author Deborah Hinton, Neil has published two studies on the current and future state of the communication profession and has spoken on the topic at several conferences. Neil holds the Freedom of London and is a member of the Company of Public Relations Practitioners.

In a career spanning roles as a colonel in the Army, a Ph.D. in organizational communication (Fulbright Fellow) and professor in a business school, a communication consultant, teacher, and trainer, Rajeev Kumar is an author and recognized speaker with a significant profile regionally, across many cultures and languages. Rajeev has a strong commitment to the profession and IABC, demonstrated through local and regional and international leadership roles. Rajeev’s work and references reinforce his commitment to the IABC values and he is a brand ambassador for the association in all aspects of his professional life.

Leticia Narváez, ABC,  is CEO and Founding Partner of Narváez Group, a consulting firm focused on Strategic Communication, Employee Engagement, Corporate Reputation, Social Responsibility and Communication Training based in Mexico City. A 30 years experienced professional, she held management top level positions at Sanofi, Merck, American Express and Ford Motor Co. among others. She builds communication bridges with the utmost excellence standards. During her career path, she has been at the forefront of divestitures, mergers and acquisitions, diversity leadership, issues and crisis management, team and leadership development, strategic planning and senior executive consulting. She has been a speaker at international forums, is co-author of several books and manuals on business communications and has written a large number of articles on the subject. Leticia has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Public Relations from the Latinoamericana University, a Master Degree on Digital Communications from Cantabria University and a Postgraduate Diploma on Top Business Administration at the Panamerican Institute of Top Business Administ...

#678: Maher Mezher and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Keeping your career by acquiring creativity and not acting like robots. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Maher Mezher (https://www.linkedin.com/in/maher-mezher-6131b1a/) who is a Global Innovation Speaker, Inventor, Innovation Advisor and Founder of Innovators League Training and Consulting.

Maher is regarded as one of the top experts in innovation and his ideas have been widely used throughout the world. He has launched the Fertility Loan, the first of its kind, gaining international exposure. He is a pioneer in the field of innovation as he launched 3 innovative Retail Banking products, which were worth being included as case studies in Harvard’s Business Review and Professor Philip Kotler’s “Principles of Marketing”, a textbook that will inspire future marketers during their university studies. The creative products were recognized by receiving several awards from financial & academic parties.

If feel like you or your employees act like robots, consider reaching out to Maher Mezher at https://www.linkedin.com/in/maher-mezher-6131b1a/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Corporations whose employees #ActLikeRobots should reach out to Maher Mezher by visiting https://www.linkedin.com/in/maher-mezher-6131b1a/.

* If you’re an employee going to work and just doing your daily operation, and not coming upwith solutions, new ideas, then why should the management keep you? #ActLikeRobots https://www.linkedin.com/in/maher-mezher-6131b1a/ @Maharotti

* If you act like a robot, you will be replaced by a machine. The only thing that cannot be automated is #Creativity. https://www.linkedin.com/in/maher-mezher-6131b1a/ @Maharotti

* If you just want to keep your career and keep your job, you need to acquire a new skill, and that is #Creativity. https://www.linkedin.com/in/maher-mezher-6131b1a/ @Maharotti

* We train people to unlock their workforce creativity and to become an innovator methodology which is based on the new innovation process. #Creativity https://www.linkedin.com/in/maher-mezher-6131b1a/ @Maharotti

To view the video interview click here.

#679: Yonason Goldson and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Inspiring trust, initiative, And passion by understanding that everything depends on relationships. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Yonason Goldson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/yonason-goldson/) who is an Ethics warrior, Keynote and TEDx speaker, a Leadership coach, trainer, Podcast guest, An Author and a Hitchhiking rabbi.

Yonason helps business leaders build a culture of ethics, create an enthusiastic workforce, and make their brand image shine. He blends together entertaining stories from a lifetime of service and adventure, adds in compelling insights from 3000 years of wisdom, and provides a road map to reinvigorate your organization and help your community thrive.

If you want to inspire trust, initiative, and passion, you should reach out to Yonason Goldson by visiting his website at yonasongoldson.com or

Most large organizations have professional development budgets, be it to attend conferences, take an online course, or semi-regular internal workshops taught by external experts.

When I worked for Fleishman-Hillard, we had quarterly professional development including business development, writing skills, and more.

They always relied on internal experts for most things, but also occasionally brought in experts.

I remember taking Ann Wylie’s writing workshops back in the day.

She still teaches them—and still gets rave reviews.

But when you work for a smaller organization, are the boss, or are a solopreneur, the professional development budgets are often zilch, zero, nada, none.

So you have to get creative in how you’ll stay up-to-date on the latest trends and industry developments, improve your skills, and make sure you’re always learning. 

You know it’s important, but it can also be time-consuming and expensive.

My very first boss after I graduated from college would sit at her desk every morning and read.

It used to make us all mad. We didn’t get paid to read! Why did she get to?

It wasn’t until I had some experience under my belt that I realized all the reading she did benefited our clients in huge ways.

She knew everything about everything—and she always had crazy creative ideas that weren’t the same as what everyone else was doing.

That’s one example of the benefits of professional development, even as small as reading trade magazines, the newspaper, or business books.

But what are the costs of NOT doing it?

That’s what we discuss on this week’s Spin Sucks Podcast.

Resources Included

* Ann Wylie’s Writing Workshops 

* Close More Clients

* Agency Jumpstart

* LinkedIn Learning

* Coursera 

* Masterclass

* Brad Farris

* Atomic Habits

* Randy Hall

* Willpower Doesn’t Work

* Spin Sucks Community

In this special episode, Sharon and I join you as listeners to a far-reaching conversation between two communication powerhouses on the evolution of employee comms – and the hard road ahead.

Guest Host David Murray heads up the global Professional Speechwriters Association and the Executive Communication Council and writes the popular daily blog “Writing Boots.” An award-winning journalist, he’s just published his must-read book, An Effort to Understand: Hearing One Another (and Ourselves) in a Nation Cracked in Half.

Roger D’Aprix, often called “the father of internal communications,” has served on ROI Communication’s Board of Advisors since 2005, is an internationally known consultant, lecturer and author, an IABC Fellow and recipient of the 2014 President’s Award from the Communication Leadership Exchange. He is a best-selling author whose most recent book is Bosses: True Stories of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

This probing interview covers the realities that leaders in the workplace face, as David notes they have “barely just begun to explain all the stuff that needs to get across” despite believing they’ve talked it all out.

At the other end of the spectrum – and the conversation – is today’s burden of being a “woke boss.” As Roger warns, “They’d better be damned well informed and very sincere in whatever they offer along these lines.”

The two also cover the complications of moving to a hybrid workforce including losing “high-touch” to “high-tech” and trying to get the cross-pollination you need across your organization. Tune in to hear why Roger worries that we continue to have an archaic view of leadership – and his advice for helping bosses to understand their true role. (One of his clients put it succinctly: “Don’t be a jerk.”)

For an even deeper dive, join fellow communicators for the first virtual Executive Communiction Council Employee Communications Summit June 22 and 23, 2021. Read the full agenda and register at prorhetoric.com.

#675: Aaron Scott Young and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Getting business owners not to lose everything that they’ve worked so hard to build by giving them protection that they need to have. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Aaron Scott Young (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronscottyoung/) who is a Chairman Laughlin Associates, the Founder and creator of The Unshackled Owner Intensive. He is also an author, speaker and a media personality.

Aaron Scott Young is an American entrepreneur, businessman and internationally renowned speaker. As Chairman of the board of Laughlin Associates, he has worked with over 200,000 businesses across all industries in the market. His unique experience has given him a birds-eye view of the common successes and pitfalls that are seen universally in the entrepreneurial world. It is his mission to share his experience with the masses as an integral part of his legacy.

If you recognize as a small business that you don’t know that you need to have protection that you don’t even know you need to have, you need to reach out to Aaron Scott Young by visiting his website at https://laughlinusa.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronscottyoung/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Business owners #Don’tWantToLoseEverything that they’ve worked so hard to build should reach out to Aaron Young by visiting his website at https://laughlinusa.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronscottyoung/.

* When you become a little bit more successful or even if you are just starting out, the decisions you make at the beginning may dramatically impact the results you get. #Don’tWantToLoseEverything https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronscottyoung/ @aaronscottyoung

* If you don’t understand and have you set up properly, you can miss out on a lot of tax benefits. You will end up spending or paying a lot more than you had because you didn’t know any better. #Don’tWantToLoseEverything https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronscottyoung/ @aaronscottyoung

* I’m the third owner right over these 50 years and I knew, when I took the company, I wanted to make it better than the way I found it. #Don’tWantToLoseEverything https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronscottyoung/ @aaronscottyoung

* Anything I can do at this point in my life to help people be more successful. I think this is the best way for me to have a ripple effect out into the world. #Don’tWantToLoseEverything https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronscottyoung/ @aaronscottyoung

To view the video interview click here.

#676: Stanley Tsiamoulis and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

How to have clarity and focus when creating your next decision. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Stanley Tsiamoulis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanleytsiamoulis/), who is the CEO and Founder of Zeneth Culture. He is also the Creator of The ESP Code Numerology.

Stanley helps and guides you to your ultimate purpose in life, with clarity using numbers. His thirst for seeking and going deeper down the rabbit hole since the year 2000,

The May installment of The Hobson & Holtz Report includes reports on these stories:

* Research finds that fear is sometimes a great way to influence people’s behavior.

* A train company emailed employees they were getting a bonus. It turned out to be a cybersecurity test.

* Should brands and marketers pay attention to BitClout?

* What, exactly, is the hybrid model that is likely to define the future of work?

* Employee activism is taking a number of forms. The employee exodus from Basecamp is one of the latest.

* Prepare yourself for the changes in travel

* Dan York reports on social audio as Clubhouse releases an Android app, Twitter launches Spaces for everyone with more than 600 followers, and Facebook pivots into audio. Also: Instagram and YouTube updates, and Automattic’s acquisition of CC Search.

Our FIR recording sessions are now being streamed live, because why not? We already stream it in order to capture a backup recording on YouTube; we’ve just been making these restricted streams. We have decided to make them public so you can watch and comment. Our next recording is Saturday, June 12 at noon ET. You’ll see our pre-recording conversation as well as seeing how the sausage gets made. Watch live here.

(You can watch the video of the making of this episode, though it’s clearly too late to share comments we can read right into the show.)

We are hosting an FIR Communicators Zoom Chat each Thursday during the stay-at-home period at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly or request the credentials in our Facebook group or send an email to [email protected].

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Neville’s link blog, Outbox, is available, as well.

Links from This Month’s Episode

* FIR Interview with “Digital Pivot” author Eric Schwartzman

* Fear Is the Key to Convincing Residents to Evacuate Before a Storm

* Train firm’s ‘worker bonus’ email is fake: it’s actually a cybersecurity test

* A Train Company Told 2,500 Staff They Were Getting A Bonus – But It Was Actually A Cybersecurity Test

* Twitter thread on the train cybersecurity kerfuffle with Rachel Miller

* Rail staff falsely promised bonus in cyber security exercise

* Why BitClout Is the Platform Brands and Marketers Must Watch

* Crypto social network BitClout arrives with a bevy of high-profile investors — and skeptics

* How Bitclout Aims To Let People Bet On Twitt...

#672: Sanjay Gupta and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Scaling up business solutions by getting them to the level that it needs to be at. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Sanjay Gupta (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaygupta4/) who is the Chief Technology Officer at SBA. He is a business driven, results and action oriented leader, adept at leveraging technology to innovate. Throughout his career I have delivered strong results to grow the business, improve profitability and delight customers.

Sanjay Gupta has led digital transformations and knows firsthand what it takes to develop a vision and strategy, formulate an execution plan, and then lead the implementation. With experience in monetizing data/information assets, he truly recognizes the value of data as digital capital.

If you feel like you’re just doing the same amount of business you did last year and not scaling, consider reaching out to Sanjay Gupta at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaygupta4/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Businesses who need assistance on #ScalingSolutions should reach out to Sanjay Gupta by visiting https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaygupta4/.

* I’m looking for opportunities where I can apply technology to solve business problems. #ScalingSolutions https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaygupta4/ @guptasanjay9

* The idea is not to just demonstrate a group of concepts or demonstrate the value of using the technology, but to be able to scale that solution rapidly. #SolutionSolutions https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaygupta4/ @guptasanjay9

* The COVID-19 global pandemic is an event that none of us had probably imagined. That’s why I applied my abilities to figure out how we could scale solutions to help the citizens at large. #ScalingSolutions https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaygupta4/ @guptasanjay9

* I’m a technologist but I say I’m a business force technologist when I look for opportunities to find solutions and scale them to the level that they need to be at. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaygupta4/ @guptasanjay9

To view the video interview click here.

#673: Danny Levin and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Helping people who don’t feel heard by allowing them to be listened, heard, loves and accepted. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Danny Levin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-levin-themosaic/) who is an Innovation Strategist, Speaker, Visionary and the author of The Mosaic.

Danny helps people see how the stories they tell create the life they live both personally and in your business. He holds the space for people to discover what might suddenly flourish by simply changing a few words of the story they tell.

If you feel like you’re not being #Heard, you should reach out to Danny Levin by visiting DanielBruceLevin.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-levin-themosaic/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* People who don’t feel #Heard should reach out to Danny Levin by visiting his website at https://DanielBruceLevin.

Raise your hand if you are bone tired. Like no amount of exercise or self-care or time off or sleep will help. The kind that leaves you in a fog and you wonder when you’ll ever get out of it. Yeah, me too. It’s been a rough 14 months and while things are certainly getting better, the fog has not yet lifted. There is a reason for this and there is something you can do about it.

As much as I hate to admit it, Ken Jacobs wrote a compelling piece for Spin Sucks a couple of weeks ago. Titled How to Be a Stellar Leader When You’re Exhausted, it’s been on my mind since it was published. This is a very real thing—it’s hard to lead a team when you’re constantly in a fog and being pulled in a million directions because kids are still learning at home, there aren’t camps to send them to this summer, and your team feels the same way.

So I said to him, “What are you advising your clients to do right now if they’re exhausted and in a fog and having a hard time leading themselves, let alone a team?” And so his article was born.

In it, he talks about all of the things every one of us should be doing: a deep dive on self-awareness, practice self-care, double down on empathy, and almost fake your way through energy, if need be. It is, after all, contagious.

I agree with all of these things‚ and work hard to practice every one of them daily. Yet, the fog is real, y’all. I have to force myself to read and write most days—things I typically adore and do without thought. The exercise has been rough, too, but I do it, even when I want to just use that time to scroll aimlessly through Instagram. And I stopped getting up with an alarm because I read that was one of the best things you can do for yourself in times like these. Sleep is of utmost importance and I love me some sleep!

Even still, it’s been 14 months since I’ve felt like myself and I know I’m not alone. That’s why I’ve begun to dig into what to do about it. I am Type A, after all. I’m not one to sit around and let some dumb Corona fog take me down.

And that is what we’re going to discuss on this week’s episode of the Spin Sucks Podcast.

Resources Included

* How to Be a Stellar Leader When You’re Exhausted

* If Your Brain Feels Foggy And You’re Tired All The Time, You’re Not Alone

* Dr. Kali Cyrus

* Spin Sucks Community