Joyosity

What do you do when someone tells you a story that isn’t true? Maybe you were there or you heard it from someone else differently. As a leader, knowing how to handle stories (true or not) is so important for the integrity of your team.

This month was all about the science behind why stories work and tricks for engaging others through story, thank you Kindra Hall! In this episode Shelby, who works behind the scenes in my company, and I dove into what we loved most about this month’s content. What we noticed in our day to day lives about stories and my favorite part… what to do when stories don’t feel true. 

We laughed about how to use stories in parenting and leadership and went through a few scenarios at work and home when a story was viewed differently from multiple people experiencing it. 

If you haven’t been able to tune in to each show this month (we know you’re busy!) This is a great one to get the overview of what we learned and what we’re taking with us moving forward.

Here’s what we talked about:

04:07 Are you stealing stories?

08:42 The biology of storytelling 

11:45 How to rewrite stories truthfully

13:02 What to do when someone tells a story that’s untrue

16:06 What to do when you have two opposing point of views

Resources from this Month:

Episode 49: We’re Literally Dying Without Joy

Episode 50: The Biologial Power of Stories for Leaders, part 1 with Kindra Hall

Episode 51: Storytelling as a People Power Skills, part 2 with Kindra Hall

The Free 99 Step:
Joyosity Explorer Map will guide you to understanding the deeper purpose and story you tell yourself about your work. Joy is linked to purpose and productivity increases by 20% or more when you directly link your purpose to your work.

Ready to Make a Plan:
Joyosity Jumpstart

If you’re ready to stop leading from survival mode and lead with connection and joy, the Joyosity™ Jumpstart Session is for you. Clarify what you want, where you are, and what’s getting in the way so you can make a real plan.

Starting the Journey:

Enneagram Navigator 

Walk through the process to identify your Enneagram type — accurately! But then also know what does that mean in your every day life.

Ready to Dive In:

The Joyosity Leadership Retreat

Work on your leadership stories, mindset, values, and alignment with Jenn and other women who are leading. Reset. Reimagine. Revive.

Having your values plastered on the office wall is not living by them. Wanting to know how to infuse them into your business so your team embodies them as well? That requires one of our people power skills — storytelling.

The best way to showcase your values is to live by them and tell your personal story around them. Storytelling is an essential skill in leadership. 

Last week Kindra shared the science behind storytelling and it led us right into this episode where she breaks down the “how to” of storytelling. If you stay in the mode of  “I’m not a storyteller,” I have bad news folks: Your leadership will suffer.

Storytelling is the key to change. It’s almost impossible to elicit change without a good story. (a true one I might add!) 

Kindra broke down what every good story needs and gently reminded us to start paying attention to the stories around us, yes, even the uncomfortable ones! 

We spoke about how stories build confidence and connection and how we can start today to gather and tell better stories. If you enjoyed the episode please send me an email and share your story with me! I would love to hear it!

Here’s what we talked about:

2:56 How to find your personal story 

05:27 Ways to find connection through story 

07:07 How stories build confidence

07:43 Tips for finding your own leadership stories

11:03 The power of asking others in your story 

12:20 Recognizing stories in your challenges

14:45 How to tell an effective story

Links:

The Story Edge:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400228573/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_ZY7DVCSS8HMBHN905JBZ?linkCode=ml2&tag=jennwhitmer0a-20

The Joyosity Leadership Retreat:

Work on your leadership stories with Jenn and other women who are leading. Reset. Reimagine. Revive.

https://jennwhitmer.com/joyosity-retreat  

“The shortest distance between two people is a story.” My coach Harris says this frequently, and I find it true over and over. In person, in an email, a LinkedIn post, a TikTok…stories change us AND shape our leadership.

I‘ve watched Kindra Hall for a long-time as a mentor from afar. Someone who’s doing what I want to do. Author, speaker, and storytelling expert, her stories have impacted me in profound ways (that she didn’t even realize!). 

I was thrilled she joined me for another podcast episode. We really got into the science of storytelling and it was such a great reminder to me that storytelling is quite literally a part of our DNA. It’s how we evolved as humans (and how we continue to!). 

We shared laughs about keynote speaking and how people often overlook stories as a form of learning. But as a teacher and keynote speaker, I’ve seen stories awaken sleepy students and executives! But not just to entertain, but as a powerful leadership tooI. I loved how Kindra put it: “Would a scorpion not use their poison? Would a Zebra not use their stripes?” It’s a superpower only humans have and to say you don’t need story is to say you’re not human.

If you have overlooked finding and using stories in your leadership, join this conversation. And then…I’d love to hear your story!

Here’s what we talked about:
03:45 Who is Kindra Hall?

07:47 How Kindra discovered the power of storytelling

12:50 Defining what a story is

16:11 The proof that stories can persuade

18:30 The science behind storytelling

Links:

The Story Edge:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400228573/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_ZY7DVCSS8HMBHN905JBZ?linkCode=ml2&tag=jennwhitmer0a-20

The Joyosity Leadership Retreat:

Work on your leadership stories with Jenn and other women who are leading. Reset. Reimagine. Revive.

https://jennwhitmer.com/joyosity-retreat  

“It’s fine, that’s just the way work is. It isn’t supposed to be fun” 

“I just need to put my head down and work harder”

“Why am I so weak?”

Have you said these things to yourself? Me too. In this episode I tell the story about the “summer of crying on couches”. It wasn’t a fun summer. But it led to the work I’m doing now, the work I believe in - joy at work. 

Toil and languishing should not be the norm. We have to believe a new story. But that means erasing these common thoughts and rewriting our stories around what work should feel and look like. We have to believe we deserve joy and that’s not easy. 

The stats on why joy matters:

Here’s where you can start: 

It matters. You deserve a life that’s full of joy both at work and at home and I’ll continue to shout that from the rooftops. I hope you’ll start believing me and joining in!

Here’s what we talked about:

03:09 The story of crying on a couch in front of my leader

06:51 3 things I learned from this painful experience

18:26 How we get to joy at work

23:08 How to find clarity on what motivates and drains you

Links:

Joyosity Leadership Map - https://jennwhitmer.com/joyosity-explorer 

Joyosity Leadership Lift - https://jennwhitmer.com/leadership-lift 

Summer is here and that often means a revamp of routine (or what I like better: rhythms). Whether you have little ones out of school or you have vacations on the horizon, it can be hard to remember to rest. As an Enneagram 7 I’m prone to fill all the empty spaces with more! But I’ve come to realize rest is the secret weapon for leading a productive and joyful team.

This week on the podcast, I dove into how we can lead while embracing different rhythms. I share the three S’s that each enneagram types need: as a 7 mine is silence! And we talk about how rest isn't just about lounging around; it's about creating spaces of daily, weekly, and annual relaxation that recharge your energy.

When you make rest a priority, you’re a better leader and model for your team. Your mind, body, and team will thank you! If you want to talk through what your Enneagram is and what you might be needing this summer let’s chat: Hop on a phone call with me or just schedule an Enneagram Navigator session.

Here’s what we talked about:

02:06 Where is the right place to find rest?

05:04 Understanding the types of rest you need

08:51 Tips for creating solitude in a busy work environment

10:12 How to balance solitude and loneliness while working remotely

13:08 The benefits of fully disconnecting during vacation

17:05 Weekly routines to help your team recharge

19:49 How to encourage your team to prioritize taking their PTO

Links: https://jennwhitmer.com/spark-call

We all need a reminder now and then that it's more than okay to take a break — Actually, rest is a weapon against your life collapsing around you. Especially as leaders. Giving yourself permission to rest actually increases your productivity and of course increases your joy at work!

This week, I talked with Erika Biddix, Entrepreneur Strategist and CEO of Aught. We discussed how we’ve had to work to rewrite our definition of productivity. We swapped stories about finding and embracing rest in a productivity-driven culture and the value of letting go.

Erika shared how she has been moving and achieving and helping others since she was a teenager. And now, she’s taking midday naps if she needs it. Something she would have NEVER done 10 years ago in her burnt out, hustle state. (As the granddaughter of an Italian immigrant, I think we could all benefit from the siesta lifestyle!)

Things like gardening, doing a puzzle, or calling a friend can still help you move the needle at work, I promise. Sometimes, taking a break will let you draft an email once versus four times because your brain is clearer. Whether you're a go-getter struggling to take a breather or simply looking to find balance in your hectic life, this conversation is packed with insights and tips. The goal is for us all to experience joy and peace at work (and the rest of your life too!). And rest is required.

Here’s what we talked about:

02:09 Tips for overcoming guilt around needing rest

06:12 How to handle the guilt of asking for help as a leader

09:20 Ways to reframe rest as productive for the mind and body

12:13 How to manage the anxiety when not being productive

18:01 Tips for making rest a regular habit

24:44 The importance of leaders modeling rest and how to communicate it

Links:

https://jennwhitmer.com/spark-call

https://weareaught.com/

Inevitably, at some point in your career, you’re going to outgrow a position or role that you’ve had. Maybe even something you REALLY love. Like my son's favorite shorts when he was a toddler, at some point, they’ll have to go to GoodWill. No matter how we try, we just can’t make it fit longer than it’s meant to. Whether that’s a promotion or offering something differently in your business growth is good, but growth is also really uncomfortable.

Here are three questions that I use in my life and business to see if it’s time to change. I encourage you to really sit with these three ideas if you feel a change on the horizon. I share two red flags to watch out for if you’re resisting the change and then a few thoughts on how to move forward.

I’m always a quick phone call away if you need an outside voice to bounce your ideas off! Click the link below, and let’s talk it through!

Here’s what we talked about:

02:09 How change is hard both as a kid and an adult

06:01 Question 1: Is it working?

08:35 Question 2: Does it fit?

12:24 Question 3: Is it fun?

17:54 Two false fallacies we tell ourselves about change

20:10 The steps to change

Leadership requires ruthless self-honesty and radical self-compassion. You balance between the two with curiosity. Nicole Trick Steinbach and I share a similar belief in this and plenty of similar leadership scars!

Nicole shared some really incredible stories about how she found herself in tech, what led her to an HR intervention with her leadership, and how she coaches others to become brave leaders now. She’s been in the mud and failure of leadership and has no qualms about sharing what she’s learned with all of us. Thank goodness!

It’s okay if leadership doesn’t come easy at first, it’s okay if you admit that you’re not great at everything, in fact please do. This episode is for any of you who’ve felt less than perfect in a leadership role (which is all of us by the way!)

Here’s what we talked about:

05:50 The hard truth about being a service provider and selling

08:50 Who is Nicole Trick Steinback?

13:52 Nicole’s three-step framework for becoming a brave leader

15:08 Why humility and vulnerability makes you a better leader

21:41 What being a brave leader brings to your business

27:36 How to keep learning from Nicole

Links:

https://tricksteinbach.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoletricksteinbach/

As a child, I heard “Silence is golden” often. (And I remind myself as an adult too!) I agree silence has its place in conversations, in negotiations, and definitely on long car rides. But I’ve learned that silence doesn’t help when there’s a problem on your team or in your family. Silence is LOUD when there’s conflict brewing.

After 20 years in law enforcement, Scott Harvey realized the power silence can hold. He shares stories from the stage and in his recent book, “Silence Kills,'' about how to build rapport so you can have a comfortable silence in your relationships, not one that’s sending off distress signals.

I loved how he spoke about awkward conversations and how they usually lead to an awesome place. A place where we’re more connected and more productive. Take a listen to what Scott has to say. Spoiler alert: silence doesn’t kill the story people are telling themselves. It just causes you to lose control of the story.

Here’s what we talked about:

04:38 Scott Harvey’s unique career story

10:03 Why silence can feel loud

16:10 How to get past awkward conversations

20:23 Ways to rewire your brain in conflict

Links:

Scott’s book - Silence Kills - https://amzn.to/4duVZgY

I heard the term “sweaty conversations” recently and giggled. I thought it was a perfect description for those hard, uncomfortable conversations that need to happen. Whether it’s at work or home there’s really no avoiding these types of conversations in life. So how do we know when it’s time to put on some good ole deodorant and face the music?

In this episode, I share three warning signs it’s time for that a hard conversation. We talk about how assuming the best in others doesn’t actually mean that we’re always assuming they’re okay, and how to approach these conversations with empathy and curiosity. I shared my favorite scripts for how to start these out and what to do to minimize everyone’s blood pressure response to the conversation.

If you feel just the slightest nag that a hard conversation might need to happen, I invite you to take a listen and run through the litmus test I’ve created on whether it’s time. Be sure to join us in the comments on Youtube (linked below) if you need a little pep talk beforehand!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kybLfdfRa8k

Here’s what we talked about:

06:36 Three signs that you need to have the conversation

10:06 Talking yourself into having the conversation

14:25 An example of a sweaty conversation

16:43 Two words to use when starting hard conversations

Links: https://jennwhitmer.com/spark-call