IntHERrupt

Biases are everywhere, whether between people to even ones within yourself. While you can’t completely avoid bias in life, you can equip yourself with the tools and knowledge to deal with them. In today’s episode of IntHERrupt, Linda is joined by transformation coach and strategist Dilcia Morales to discuss how we can identify and overcome biases in the workplace and life.

Transformation can be complex, especially for individuals.

• Dilcia was confident and comfortable in the corporate work environment as a working mom. 
• However, she also wanted to volunteer and participate in the local PTA, which many working moms can’t make time to do. As a result, many PTA members were stay-at-home moms.
• She participated in meetings and realized the stay-at-home moms’ view of working moms (and vice versa) was interesting.
• Their “the grass is always greener” attitude showed they didn’t fully understand the effort and work that went into both groups. This is a poignant example of bias.

We talk a lot about bias in society, but everyone has biases.

• Dilcia was asked to lead the fundraising efforts for a nonprofit. However, she experienced an internal bias: that she didn’t have time and couldn’t do it.
•  But she faced her fears and ignorance, and by the end of her second term, she obtained a new playground for the school and increased participation among volunteers. 
• This made her realize that she probably can do a lot more than she thinks.

A bias is a preconceived notion. Things you think you know.

• Dilcia had that about her ability to participate in her nonprofit. But she pushed past those feelings to take it on.
• From a leadership perspective, we have a bias that time and duration in a previous role is necessary before starting a new job.
• We also have a serious societal bias from a corporate perspective, and acknowledging those biases is critical for Dilcia in her work. 
• When she encounters these situations, she learns the team and individual dynamics to make them receptive to change, which helps her find success.

Combating biases you encounter:

• Specifically for hiring bias, panel interviews featuring a wide array of different interviewers is a great solution.
• Whenever Dilcia makes a big decision, she consults multiple people, even just two or three, to help make that decision.
• She avoids stagnation. Bias is born from ignorance, so continuing your learning to expose yourself to new beliefs and information helps combat internal bias.

Dilcia’s experience with interruption:

• Dilcia’s field features a lot of collaboration. But when everyone went virtual, that became a challenge.
• Her biggest interruption was managing her virtual team and providing the proper support despite not collaborating in person. 
• She solved this by being open and transparent. She asked questions and found a balance. 

Dilcia’s main takeaway? Whenever you make a decision, separate the facts from the emotions. Are you making the decision based solely on facts? If not, ask if you’re being open-minded and if it’s justifiable to have that emotional input.

Connect with Dilcia on LinkedIn for more great thoughts and content. Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

In today’s episode of the IntHerrupt podcast, Linda is joined by business strategist Kim Woods to discuss building alignment in your team. 

Alignment is critical in reaching professional and personal goals.

• Kim’s previous work in the corporate world contributed to her well-rounded perspective working with entrepreneurs and business leaders. 
• People work with people they know, like, and trust. But before you do that, you need to know, like and trust yourself.
• When you don’t like yourself, you’re less apt to ask for support, delegate tasks, or enter difficult conversations.
• And while you don’t need to “like” everyone in the workplace, you should respect them.

Be self-aware to be confident.

• When you’re self-aware and confident, instead of searching to be well-liked, you have more productive conversations and a stronger team.
• Alignment with yourself helps you recognize what you’re looking to do. Because if you don’t know that, how can you help others, lead clients, or grow your personal life?  

Great ideas don’t materialize on their own - you need to take action.

• Know your strengths (and, more importantly, weaknesses) and what makes you unique.
• How do you figure out what makes you unique? Every person is, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution or discovery process.
• Kim’s 12-week discovery program helps you determine your goals, what brings you joy in life, and what you want to do with your life. 

What are the challenges in building alignment?

• Everybody is online, resulting in difficulty in social connections. 
• The digital marketplace is not your friend (even if we really want it to be.) 
• Our fast-paced world has rapid information turnover. 
• To overcome these challenges, trust your gut and give yourself time to step back and process a situation. 
• Kim takes deep breaths, meditates, and gets away from her desk. She also doesn’t have notifications on at all times, providing a time to reflect, process, and relax.

Kim’s challenges as a leader, and how she overcame them:

• Many people weren’t thrilled about a 30-year-old woman leading a team and selling multi-million dollar deals.
• In her interruptions or times of conflict, she exits the conversation if necessary, or she analyzes how best to step back and get what she needs out of the conversation.

In the new year, Kim is looking to align her 2022 goals with a book deal! Connect with Kim on LinkedIn and visit her website to stay up-to-date on those exciting prospects.

Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions. 

If you don’t design your life, someone else will. In the IntHerrupt season five kickoff, Linda shares her eight-step process to set and accomplish your goals for the new year that will help you achieve every goal you ever set. 

Step One: Look at where you spend your time.

• Throughout the last year, look at what you spent time on, the projects you accomplished, and the responsibilities you had.

Step Two: What was the outcome of how you spent your time? 

• Debrief what went well, what could’ve gone better, and where you should spend more time.
• Reflect on what is going on in your life or business and differentiate what you can and can’t control.

Step Three: Ask what you would do in your career, business, or life if you could do anything?

• If there were no limits on your life, where would you want to be? 
• Playing make-believe, daydreaming, envisioning- whatever you want to call it, allow yourself to dream beyond where you are now.
• Don’t self-regulate those dreams based on where you are now.

Step Four: Go back and spend more time on Step Three. 

• Let’s face it; you probably didn’t spend enough time there.

Step Five: Put the pen to the paper.

• There is tons of research that has shown writing something down sends mental triggers to your brain.
• Write down six objectives or goals you want to accomplish, and prioritize them in order of importance. 

Step Six: Cross off the bottom five objectives.

• Remember that list? Yeah, cross everything off that isn’t number one. 
• Focusing on the one goal you decided was most important will help you fully commit to that one single goal.

Step Seven: Make an action plan.

How are you going to make that goal happen? 

Make a list of quick wins that you can have by the end of the month - this helps you stay motivated and on track to achieve a large-scale goal that might be difficult to visualize.

Step Eight: Decide when to say no.

• It’s okay to say no (check out this great IntHerrupt episode all about it.)
• Make a list of the good things that will keep you from achieving your one great objective.
• Think about whether to delete, defer, or delete these good things that might prevent you from achieving the goal. 

If you utilize this eight-step process, you’ll find goal-setting far easier and position yourself in a way to best achieve those goals!

Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

Today’s special holiday episode of IntHerrupt is a recap and reflection of Linda’s favorite season four highlights. If you haven’t tuned in to the full episodes, click through the show notes for links to each episode. 

Awesome guests make for excellent content.

• Gina Stracuzzi’s episode discusses the different personalities in the workplace and how we can interact and work alongside them in productive ways.
• Near and dear from Linda’s heart, her daughter Summer Yates’s episode encourages listens to reject mediocrity and work for success.
• The episode featuring Sarah Poynton-Ryan explains that it’s never too late to start planning for your financial future. 
• Debra Roberts taught listeners how to deal with difficult personalities in the workplace, and Shanna Missett Nelson helped listeners recharge during the holidays. (An episode we hope you’ve taken to heart throughout the holiday season.)
• Judy Joffe explained how and when to ask for help, a skill we all can use to our benefit. And LaDawn Townsend explained how we could communicate our value to stakeholders. 
• There were many other important and informative episodes throughout the season, and Linda hopes you’ve learned and grown from hearing these stories from these influential women leaders.

Episode 051 with Kendra Perry: Regaining Confidence to Move Forward

• Kendra was a renowned skier who reinvented herself after a horrible crash. 
• She became an entrepreneur and ultimately reinvented herself several times, spending thousands of dollars for her business to fail three times before it saw success.

Episode 052 with Cathy Klein: Communicating with the Opposite Sex in a Positive Manner

• Many women are more apologetic and beat around the bush in communication. 
• Cathy has worked in a male-dominated space for years.
• She began to ask herself, “what is it my audience is hearing versus what am I intending for them to hear?” If those aren’t the same thing, she changes her speaking.
• She encouraged listeners to stand up and take space. You’ll show presence, which builds confidence and gets you noticed.
• Finally, just choose to be confident. It will work wonders in your professional life.
• Think about something you’re proud of. And, whatever it is, stay in those feelings and emotions and tap into those to speak out and speak up with authority.

Episode 042 with Debby Montgomery: Celebrating your Accomplishments

• While the episode detailed Debby’s horrible story in which she was defrauded a lot of money, the conversation moved to a celebration of accomplishments to keep you moving forward.
• At the end of each year, quarter, or season, look back and create a list of your accomplishments during that time. 
• While there are a lot of tough days, pouring motivation into others is far easier when you see the great accomplishments you’ve already accomplished.

Season Four was a fun season, which included a few replays of fan-favorites from earlier seasons. We believe in interrupting the status quo, and listening to these insights from powerful female leaders motivates us to go out and accomplish great things. 

Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions. 

In today’s episode, Kanika Tolver talks about what every woman should know about her personal brand and why a personal brand is important. 

Kanika is a career coach and the owner of Career Rehab, a career coach practice in the Washington , DC area. She’s focused on helping people transform their careers. Kanika is also in the government tech space for more than 15 years. 

Personal brand and leadership 

•  As a person that leads a technology team and with career coaching clients, it helped her become more of an active listener. 
• It also helps her hone her skills in understanding what people really need. 
• Leadership means having the skills to help people and support them with whatever they need. Leaders should learn how to listen and to encourage. 
• For Kanika, personal branding is not about being heard, putting her brand out there, and becoming successful. It’s more of helping others attain success. 
• As a career coach, it’s about Kanika helping others transform their personal branding to land their dream jobs. 
• It’s important to be an active listener to help equip them with the information that they need to be successful. 

Ways to step up your personal brand

• Understand your why.
• Journaling is helpful to help you map out your why. You need to figure out what you want to do and write down your goals. 
• When you know what you want, you can start aligning your goals into actionable steps. 
• After that, you need to lay the foundation of your brand. This includes revamping your resume, redoing your LinkedIn profile, re-evaluating your website, and more. 
• The next thing is to figure out the people you are marketing to. Create a marketing strategy around reaching your target market, identifying where they are, and how you’re going to connect with them. 
• Lean in to what you are passionate about and where your strength lies. 
• When you've hurt your personal brand, what you can do is to be honest and apologize. Be genuine about your intent. 

Rise against the challenges

• It’s important to take ownership of our lives and our choices. 
• We can turn our anxieties into accomplishments when we start voting for us. 
• You need to set up a team of people who can help you win. 
• Kanika’s book was a fruit of her choice of putting herself first . Her previous career wasn’t making her happy and upn evaluation, she decided to drop it and start her own private practice. 

“What Every Woman Should Know About Her Personal Brand” episode resources

Connect with Kanika Tover on LinkedIn. You can also check out here book Career Rehab: Rebuild Your Personal Brand and Rethink The Way You Work here. 

Do you have more stories to tell? Talk to Linda Yates here. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by the TSE Studios including The Sales Evangelist and more. 

This episode is sponsored by The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and smash their quotas. Int-HER-rupt Podcast is produced by the team at TSE Studios, 

If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the Int-HER-rupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single interview. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for every episode you listen to. 

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

Dealing with painful family events is different for everyone. While some might dive into their work to forget their problems, others might need time to process and work through their emotions. Today’s episode of IntHerrupt is a solo episode discussing Linda’s experience dealing with those family events and her takeaways from them as a business owner.

There was a period in Linda’s life where she constantly asked for time off to deal with family issues.

• While pregnant with her second child, she was put on bed rest after just receiving a big promotion. 
• She wanted to continue to work. So her company transferred her phone to her home phone, allowing her to rest and work while supporting her child.
• If you’re leading a team, show similar support to your employees.

Linda’s mother-in-law recently passed. 

• A 93-year-old woman, she was a fantastic leader and woman who struggled with immense pain from various surgeries and arthritis. 
• A couple of months ago, Linda and her husband got word that she likely wouldn’t live past Christmas.
• Because her in-laws lived in Alaska (and Linda and her husband live in Georgia), it would be a trip to be there for them.
• But when Linda’s mom passed away five years ago, all she wanted was to be by her side. And Doug (Linda’s husband) wanted the same experience.

They flew to Alaska to support Doug’s parents.

•  At first, they thought she was dying. But her mother-in-law rallied and became much stronger.
• Doug’s sister supported her parents all by herself by working two jobs, and she was exhausted. Linda and Doug’s trip allowed her to rest and recover from the immense stress and workload she was under.
• Upon returning home from their trip, Linda and her husband realized they got COVID.
• Her mother-in-law also got COVID, and unfortunately, she never recovered. 

Part of being a leader is showing emotional intelligence. 

• Showing up for your team in whatever support they need.
• Have integrity, show up, do the work, and be the type of leader that offers support. Find joy in the journey.
• Before her mom passed, Linda was an extremely goal-driven person. It was a wonderful gift that Linda was there for her last moments, but those moments changed her and her drive. 
• She gained a deeper perspective on what life was about - living, laughing, loving, and leaving a legacy.

Find joy in the journey, exercise integrity, be a trusting leader, but above all, live each day fully. Do you have more stories to tell? Talk to Linda Yates here. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by the TSE Studios, including The Sales Evangelist and more. This episode is sponsored by The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and smash their quotas. IntHerrupt Podcast is produced by the team at TSE Studios. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the IntHerrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single interview. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for every episode you listen to. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

The holiday season is a highlight for many people, but it also comes with stress! Regardless of which holidays you celebrate, it can be difficult to feel on top of both your personal and professional endeavors when the end of the year arrives. In today’s episode of IntHerrupt, Linda discusses five of her holiday hacks that can decode holiday stress and make the season as enjoyable as possible.

#1 Keep expectations realistic:

• Don’t stress about having a perfectly decorated house, apartment, or yard. 
• Ask yourself what one thing will make the holiday great, and focus on that one element. Don’t worry about the rest.

#2 Create lists:

• It’s an opportunity to clear out your memory and dump out your thoughts, relieving the burden you might feel trying to remember all of your obligations.
• You’ll be able to look back and check what you did, whether that’s holiday shopping or finishing a work project. 
• And, of course, there’s nothing more satisfying than scratching a task off of a to-do list!

#3 Simplify gift-giving:

• If you’re worried about financially affording gifts for the family, consider switching to a drawing instead of buying for every person.
• Focusing on just one family member reduces shopping stress and allows you to invest time into a meaningful and personal present.

#4 Reduce workplace stress:

• Reflect, meditate, do yoga; whatever works for you to destress, prioritize time for yourself to refresh and recharge.
• Review your accomplishments of the past year and give yourself time to appreciate the things you’ve done over the year before moving on to the next.

#5 Plan out vacation time in advance:

• The stress of the holiday season prevents many from using those vacation days you have saved. 
• Make sure you use the time you’re given, you’ve earned it!

Ask yourself what non-negotiable experiences are for a fun and memorable holiday season, and make those happen. If you just focus on those elements (as well as yourself), you’ll be sure to have a wonderful season full of the memories and magic that make it so enjoyable. 

Do you have more stories to tell? Talk to Linda Yates here. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by the TSE Studios, including The Sales Evangelist and more. This episode is sponsored by The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and smash their quotas. IntHerrupt Podcast is produced by the team at TSE Studios. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the IntHerrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single interview. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for every episode you listen to. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

Today’s episode of IntHerrupt is an episode from the vault of the IntHerrupt archives featuring Le Bergin. A fan-favorite on the show (and the head trainer for FASTer Way to Fat Loss), Le Bergin started out as a high school teacher before pursuing her journey to help others reach their health goals. In today’s episode, she and Linda discuss her journey with personal growth, fitness, and how she balances good health and a career.

Good health impacts productivity (in a good way.)

• Productivity is necessary for almost all aspects of human life – in marriage, parenting, and career. 
• People define growth in different ways. Amassing money, improving quality of life, or reaching a point in a career are all valid definitions. It’s whatever motivates you. 
• Balancing your career and health can be challenging. Le’s pro tip:  make it your lifestyle, and getting healthy will become a part of life rather than a chore in life. 

Le uses weightlifting and fitness to channel her pain and emotions.

• With the help of her current husband, they’ve been able to build a second gym. 
• Making good food choices makes a difference. It’s important to move toward eating clean and getting away from processed foods. 
• Your energy levels, mood, concentration, and quality of sleep improve if you eat well. Now that doesn’t mean you can never have a candy bar or that extra slice of pizza, but merely make good choices overall and do what makes your body feel its best.
• Le Bergin thrives on overcoming interruptions. For her, it’s about resiliency and believing that every day is a gift. The more grateful you are, the less these interruptions bother you. 
• Le’s three tips for success: Life is short, break stuff. Trust your gut. Remember your purpose. 

Follow Le Bergin on Facebook and Instagram! You can also check out her business page on Facebook and on their official website.  Do you have more stories to tell? Talk to Linda Yates here. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by the TSE Studios including The Sales Evangelist and more. This episode is sponsored by The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and smash their quotas. Int-HER-rupt Podcast is produced by the team at TSE Studios, If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the Int-HER-rupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single interview. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for every episode you listen to. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

Today’s episode is from the IntHerrupt archives featuring Linda’s conversation with Vidette Pires. In this episode, Linda and Vidette discuss challenges women have in the workplace and what we can do to establish processes and obtain the respect and authority our position and role in the company deserves. 

Having a seat at the table

• Organizations give women seats at the table. But often, these are token seats.
• Even after being on a career path for years, it can be difficult to feel your position doesn’t command the same respect as male colleagues in the same position.

Partner with the right people 

• A seat at the table isn’t enough.  In that seat, you must be able to speak and be heard.
• The support of the right people can make it far easier for women to garner the respect and authority we deserve. The way around this is to create a process. 
• For Vidette, this includes knowing if there is a “hidden” agenda, changing the tone, and thinking about stakeholders who have a say in the outcome. 
• She reaches out to them, one by one, and partners with her managers to drive a proactive plan. 

Have courage

• It is equally important to take risks and have the courage to walk away if the situation demands it. When respect is no longer offered, regardless of gender, you have to know when to walk away with your dignity intact. 
• This can look different depending on the need.  It may mean leaving a meeting to get fresh air.  More severe challenges may mean leaving an organization that doesn’t support you or acknowledges your contributions.  

Connect with Vidette Pires on LinkedIn. Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

When it comes to interacting with the opposite sex in the workplace, doing so assertively and confidently is the key to having a strong presence. But how can we do this while remaining professional? On today’s episode of IntHERrupt, Linda is joined by Cathy Klein, the director of global service strategy and program management at Sensormatic, to learn how she communicates with men professionally.

Integrity is the key.

• Communication is all about understanding your audience. If an audience doesn’t understand your intent, it’s up to the communicator to change.
• Understand how to communicate with the audience you speak with. Interact at their level of understanding about their field to build a reputation and rapport that helps people listen to you (and it demonstrates your knowledge of the topic.)
• If your audience doesn’t hear the intent behind your message, ask how you can alter your communication style to ensure they understand your message. 
• When someone doesn’t understand your message, ask for feedback rather than get upset. When you come across as assertive rather than passive, people are more likely to listen to what you have to say.

Managing the expectation for women to contain their emotions. 

• Give yourself the time you need to step back from a situation to regroup when you need it.
• Find allies and advocates for you when unfair situations arise so they can help deescalate a situation if one occurs.
• If there is no ally to help you, do not be afraid to stand up for yourself. Emphasize that you’ve already made a point or that something has already been discussed. 

Find your confidence when at the workplace.

• Stand up, take up space, and project your voice. Don’t scream, but be heard.
• Draw on your colleagues - they are a great source to get feedback
• Know and understand the material you’re talking about and working with. 
• You can choose to be confident, or you can choose not to be. People will understand and empathize.

Want to get in touch with Cathy? Connect with her on LinkedIn. Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.