I've Been Meaning To Do That

Empathy isn’t just about “being nice.” It’s about connecting with other people in a way that not only increases understanding but also demonstrates strength and improves outcomes. In this episode of the I’ve Been Meaning to Do That podcast, host Oscarlyn Elder talks with Stanford University Professor of Psychology Jamil Zaki about his research into the science of empathy, cynicism, and “hopeful skepticism,” and the role they play in our lives and relationships.

They discuss:

• The genesis of Zaki’s interest in empathy research

• The differences between empathy, hope, and other commonly misunderstood terms

• How to have more constructive conversations within families and family businesses

• Cynicism as a “suit of armor”

• The role of family culture in building connections

Take the cynicism quiz referenced by Jamil Zaki in the podcast

Visit the Stanford Social Neuroscience Laboratory

The podcast team has created a template for taking notes on each episode.

Podcast Worksheet

Check out a previous episode about pursuing effective philanthropy

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected].

Chief executives are often the agenda-setters for their company’s philanthropic efforts. They can learn a lot from each other about how to best pursue their goals. In Episode 26 of the I’ve Been Meaning To Do That podcast, host Oscarlyn Elder talks with Ed Satell, founder of The Satell Institute, and his leadership team about the model that CEO membership organization uses to promote effective philanthropy.

They discuss:

• Ed Satell’s lifetime of entrepreneurship

• Reasons to support corporate social responsibility

• The importance of CEO-level collaboration

• Why long-term giving is critical

• Future plans for the Satell Institute

The podcast team has created a template for taking notes on each episode.

Podcast Worksheet

Check out a previous episode about how purpose can drive your impact

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected].

Does your family have a mission statement? In this episode of I’ve Been Meaning To Do That, host Oscarlyn Elder talks to David Herritt, head of the Truist Wealth Center for Family Legacy about the importance of establishing shared values and beliefs to help build family culture. They discuss (time stamps are approximate):

• Creating a family mission statement (02:53)

• Passing the mission statement on to the next generation (5:01)

• Importance of teaching financial literacy (8:12)

• Ways to begin implementing family culture (11:18)

• Understanding family conflict (13:43)

• Resolving family conflict (15:01)

• Closing thoughts from Oscarlyn (19:16)

Learn more about how the Center for Family Legacy can help you sustain wealth for future generations.

The podcast team has created a template for taking notes on each episode.

Podcast Worksheet

Check out the previous episode in this series on generational wealth:

Episode 24: Involving and preparing the next generation to continue family wealth

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected].

Take the lessons we learned in 2024 with you into 2025. In this episode of I’ve Been Meaning To Do That, host Oscarlyn Elder listens back to some of the guests she welcomed in 2024 for actionable advice for the year ahead. The discuss (time stamps are approximate):

Market volatility (0:53)

Habit formation (2:59)

Procrastination/Revocable trusts (4:21)

Expecting the unexpected/The Lee Co. (6:23)

Closing thoughts from Oscarlyn (8:01)

Listen to the full episodes featuring the guests gathered in this lessons learned special:

The role of investments in your financial plan

How to form good habits

Sustaining wealth for future generations

A personal story of unexpected success

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected].

Leave more than your legacy. In this episode of I’ve Been Meaning To Do That, host Oscarlyn Elder talks to Emily Hanselman of the Center for Family Legacy at Truist Wealth about how you can start involving and preparing the next generation to continue family wealth. They discuss (time stamps are approximate):

• The framework to sustaining wealth (03:05)

• Six core areas of wealth literacy (5:45)

• Defining individual success for children (9:21)

• Talking to your kids about investing and saving (12:03)

• Embracing the power of failure (16:02)

• Closing thoughts from Oscarlyn (18:47)

Learn more about how the Center for Family Legacy can help you sustain wealth for future generations.

The podcast team has created a template for taking notes on each episode.

Podcast Worksheet

Check out the previous episode in this series on generational wealth.

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected].

Your estate plan needs to be as individual as you. In this episode of I’ve Been Meaning To Do That, host Oscarlyn Elder sits down with Trista Shigley, Fiduciary Division Director of Truist Trust and Estate Planning Group, to discuss how estate planning done right not only grants future generations with a legacy, but also reflects who your family is. They discuss (time stamps are approximate):

Defining your values and your wealth transfer goals (02:21)

Basic estate planning documents (6:18)

Different parties involved in a trust (13:14)

Tackling uncomfortable conversations (16:14)

Estate tax exemption levels and sunsets (19:32)

Types of irrevocable trusts (22:56)

Understanding GST and SLAT for wealth transfer (25:18)

Closing thoughts from Oscarlyn (29:51)

The podcast team has created a template for taking notes on each episode.

Podcast Worksheet

Learn more about how the Business Transition Advisory Group can help support your family business, and stay tuned for the next episode in this series on running a family business, which will cover how to find the right roles for different family members.

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected]

Marietta Lee, CEO of The Lee Company, says if you looked at all the cousins and siblings in her generation of the family, she’d be the last person expected to join this precision hydraulics company, much less step into the top executive role. In this episode of I’ve Been Meaning To Do That, host Oscarlyn Elder talks to Lee about her unexpected path from broadcast journalism to engineering graduate school, the unwavering directives her father gave her, and the ways she’s preparing for the future with the next generation. It’s an intriguing conversation you won’t hear anywhere else.

They discuss (time stamps are approximate):

• Marietta’s first job at The Lee Company, and how it galvanized her determination to build a career in an entirely different field (02:52)

• College, law school and going undercover with a purse cam and a disguise to catch government employees misbehaving in Houston (04:48)

• No interview, big pay cut, constant scrutiny: Taking a leap of faith into the family business (7:24)

• Marietta’s path to CEO (17:18)

• Stories about past and future generations (21:11)

• Finding time for strategic thinking (27:49)

• Final thoughts from Oscarlyn (28:45)

The podcast team has created a template for taking notes on each episode. You can find it at:

[www.truist.com/resources/wealth/financial-planning/personal-story-unexpected-success]

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected].

Ready to keep your family business’s momentum going into the next generation? In this episode of I’ve Been Meaning To Do That, host Oscarlyn Elder talks to Jeremy Spidell of the Truist Leadership Institute about how you can help younger family members grow into confident leaders as part of your succession planning. They discuss (time stamps are approximate):

• The difference between understanding and leading a business (04:06)

• Building leadership capacity (07:30)

• Cultivating self-awareness (10:39)

• Why leaders need emotional intelligence (19:08)

• Overcoming imposter syndrome (22:22)

• The importance of purpose (28:39)

• Jeremy’s commitment to update his will (31:25)

• Final thoughts from Oscarlyn (33:23)

Learn more about how the Truist Leadership Institute is empowering people to lead.

The podcast team has created a template for taking notes on each episode. You can find it at:

www.truist.com/resources/wealth/financial-planning/preparing-next-generation-leadership

Listen to the previous episodes in this series on running a family business:

• Define success for your family business

• Develop the family enterprise

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected].

The Center for Family Legacy’s David Herritt, who was previously on the podcast to talk about navigating business transitions, rejoins host Oscarlyn Elder to share tips on bringing your family members into the family business. In this second part of our series on running a family business, they discuss (time stamps are approximate):

• Introducing young family members to the business (03:14)

• Effective communication within families (07:17)

• Why you need a family employment policy (11:27)

• Defining the “business of family” (16:35)

• Roles for family members outside of the business (20:58)

• What David’s been meaning to do (26:17)

• Closing thoughts from Oscarlyn (28:50)

Learn more about how the Center for Family Legacy can help you sustain wealth for future generations.

The podcast team has created a template for taking notes on each episode. You can find it at:

www.truist.com/resources/wealth/financial-planning/developing-family-enterprise

Check out the previous episode in this series on running a family business:

• Define success for your family business

And stay tuned for the conclusion next month on empowering the next generation of leaders.

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected].

What does a successful family business look like? In this episode of I’ve Been Meaning To Do That, host Oscarlyn Elder talks to Russell Sanders of the Business Transition Advisory Group at Truist Wealth about how a family business can achieve goals that may benefit the family financially and personally. They discuss (time stamps are approximate):

• What the Business Transition Advisory Group does (1:49)

• The characteristics of a family business (4:13)

• How to bring your family’s values to your business (9:13)

• Setting goals for your family (11:36)

• Establishing a decision-making process (18:47)

• How to define success (21:47)

• Why Russ needs to plan a family vacation (26:05)

• Final thoughts from Oscarlyn (27:46)

Learn more about how the Business Transition Advisory Group can help support your family business, and stay tuned for the next episode in this series on running a family business, which will cover how to find the right roles for different family members.

The podcast team has created a template for taking notes on each episode. You can find it at:

http://truist.com/resources/wealth/financial-planning/define-success-family-business

Have a question for Oscarlyn or her guests? Email [email protected].