Joyful Leader

We all face challenges in our work and lives, and we all make mistakes and find ourselves in uncharted territories — situations that we’ve never encountered before, and so need to learn to navigate.

How well we navigate these moments, how quickly we move through their challenges, and how much we learn from them often comes down to one thing: what we make them mean.

I sometimes describe this as whether we “take on” a situation (making it mean something about who we are, wearing it like a weight) or “take in” a situation (absorbing the decisions and actions we could have done differently, or can do differently in the future, without attributing them to deep character flaws).

Today, we’re talking about this difference. If challenge is inevitable, let’s navigate it in a way that helps us feel whole and in integrity.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored

Today, we’re talking about another culture eroder: the assumption of inclusion.

Assuming inclusion is often innocent — it’s the assumption that if we haven’t heard that we’re being exclusive, we must be doing alright. And while this is sometimes true, often, we’re being unintentionally exclusive in ways we can’t see.

This can happen in the context of the diversity of our team, but in other ways, too. Some of which are quickly and easily corrected. We’ll talk about both, and I’ll also gush about one of my favorite humans (Viva Asmelash, @viva.asmelash), who teaches companies to have a holistic approach to safe, welcoming, diverse workplaces.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored

We’ve been talking all about feedback — focused mostly on giving.

Today, we’re turning around some of the tools we’ve discussed and applying them to receiving feedback. We’ll talk about how to identify the feedback you want, and how to make sure you get it.

And, we’ll discuss why getting in the habit of asking for feedback is so important — for you AND your team.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored

Good feedback is actionable. It allows the person hearing it to know exactly what to stop, start, or continue doing — immediately. And, the best feedback puts these things in the context of a larger goal or purpose.

Today we’re going to talk about all of this — a rich, saturated episode of feedback approaches + tools that you can begin using immediately.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored

In our second feedback episode, we’re talking all about mindset.

Last week we talked about the mindset challenge — what stops us from giving feedback enough to create a habit. And this week, we’re talking about the feedback mindset to cultivate.

Whether a small note or a more weighty performance conversation, there are common ways to think about the feedback we’re giving.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored

Your team’s results are created in your culture. » Your culture is built on trust. » Good feedback is essential for trust-building and growth. » Feedback is important.

Today is the first of several episodes all about feedback: why it’s important, what gets in the way, what makes feedback good, how to build a healthy feedback culture on your team, and strategies for delivering it well. Whew.

Tune in for this first episode, where we’ll talk about the purpose of feedback, its link to the cultural health of your team, and the biggest obstacle(s) to giving it.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored

Today’s podcast is a story.

I’m sharing a beautiful metaphor created by a client many years ago in a moment of new understanding.

It’s short, sweet, and a perfect reminder for everyone.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored

Look up right now and you’ll likely find some reinforcement of the message that what makes you valuable in your professional life is the number of hours you put in. Or the number of tasks you check off your list.

Many of us are taught early in our careers that these are the things that determine our value. Which can create a never-ending chase toward longer hours and more tasks in order to offer greater value.

This is a hamster wheel. Today, we’re talking about what really determines the value we offer, and the myriad benefits of shifting our definition.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored

Today’s episode is all about a single sentence: I don’t know what I want.

This thought can create a truly paralyzing cycle of confusion and stuckness.

It’s vicious.

And it’s never, ever true.

I’ve worked with so many people who struggle with what they want: in their careers, relationships, etc. And every time this thought enters the picture, it does damage.

Let’s talk about what happens when we think this seemingly innocent and true little sentence. And what to do when it seems true, but is stopping us in our tracks.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored

True facts: I didn’t really know how to process my emotions until I was in my 40s. Like many of my GenX cohorts, teaching and attending to emotional fluency hadn’t been part of my upbringing.

So when I experienced discomfort or emotional pain, I usually resisted it, pushing it away and finding a way to distract myself from it.

Today on the podcast, we’re talking about emotional resistance — the process of avoiding discomfort — and what it costs us. We’ll also talk about the huge gains that result from a deeper understanding of what we’re feeling.

Thanks for listening.

Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.

Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars and a one-sentence (or more) review. I appreciate you in advance. And so will the people who find the show. (Find the show in Apple Podcasts from your phone, and scroll to the rate/review section below the episodes.)

Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored