Lead with Levity

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"Creating a happy healthy workplace is not rocket science." ~Briana Hawkins
Today's guest is Briana Hawkins. She's young, ambitious, and full of great ideas for bringing the fun back to your function. She is to lead the Happy Crew at Zoom and now graces the finance tech startup Built Technologies with her expertise.
In this episode, we cover:

• How Briana shaped manifested her way through her career
• Teambuilding activities for you to try from her experiences with Built Technologies and the Zoom Happy Crew
• Briana's perspective on how to get more out of each situation

Meet Guest: Briana Hawkins"I am a strategic leader with a proven track record in resolving organizational and human capital challenges within startups. An employee engagement subject-matter-expert with proven success in building culture, securing leadership buy-in, strategic planning, and talent operations. I am able to manage multiple projects while collaborating with diverse groups to achieve goals.. I believe that where there is happiness, there is productivity and efficiency."
About the PodcastThe Lead with Levity podcast is a show for leaders who care deeply about what makes/breaks the employee experience. Our guests are dynamic researchers, practitioners, consultants, and business leaders. We cover foundational elements that are needed to avoid forcing the fun. We also invite lively managers who lead with levity to show us how it’s done. Thanks for joining us on this journey.

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com

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Starting a new job is exciting and a little bit of a leap of faith this year for new employees. They aren't able to walk through the building and get a sense of the people, work environment, and culture in the same way. They sort of have to go on faith that the culture is as advertised. If your company went remote this year, then you've been scrambling to reimagine onboarding.So that's what we're going to talk about today. What can we do to jazz up remote onboarding? Does it need more seasoning, onions, a little cheese? I had the pleasure of chatting about this (sans seasoning, onions, and cheese) with David Secunda of WorkBright. WorkBright is an HR tech startup that helps companies move traditional employee onboarding to 100% remote.
In this episode, we cover:

• How to make onboarding more exciting and engaging
• How to help new employees build personal connections
• How to handle that pesky I9 requirement (a pandemic pro-tip)

Guest: David SecundaDavid Secunda is the Founder and CEO of WorkBright, an HR tech startup that moves traditional employee onboarding to a 100% remote process that workers complete before they arrive. He has led numerous organizations including Avid4 Adventure (Founder & Chairman, outdoor adventure camps), PlanetOutdoors (Founder & CEO, online outdoor retailer), and the Outdoor Industry Association (President). He also worked as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Mobius Venture Capital and Sequel Venture Partners. He is an active mentor in the business community at Techstars, MergeLane and the CU Leeds School of Business, and has served on the boards of Entrepreneur’s Organization Colorado, RMC Health, The SCA, and was a founding board member of Leave No Trace. Additionally, he was the Governor appointed Chairman of the Colorado Department of Human Services Licensing Advisory Committee.
About the PodcastThe Lead with Levity podcast is a show for leaders who care deeply about what makes/breaks the employee experience. Our guests are dynamic researchers, practitioners, consultants, and business leaders. We cover foundational elements that are needed to avoid forcing the fun. We also invite lively managers who lead with levity to show us how it’s done. Thanks for joining us on this journey.

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to get paid to travel the world, deliver stand-up comedy, become an angel investor, and drive sales for a large international organization? Well today's guest is going to show us how it's done. Kelli Lampkin has worn many hats in her time, and today she'll join us to chat about how her experiences have made her and her team better salespeople.
In this episode, we cover:

• What it was like to live as a NetSuite digital nomad, including her time in Transylvania
• How Kelli incorporates stand-up comedy and sales
• How she used a bit of levity to encourage sales at NetSuite
• How she makes cloud ERP fun

Guest: Kelli LampkinKelli is an angel investor, entrepreneur, writer, traveler, comedienne, DJ, tech enthusiast. Her passion is working with tech entrepreneurs that are disrupting their industries to help them leverage enterprise business software so they can focus on their passions.
About the PodcastThe Lead with Levity podcast is a show for leaders who care deeply about what makes/breaks the employee experience. Our guests are dynamic researchers, practitioners, consultants, and business leaders. We cover foundational elements that are needed to avoid forcing the fun. We also invite lively managers who lead with levity to show us how it’s done. Thanks for joining us on this journey.

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com

Send us a text

Managers: Is it possible that your recruitment tools are screening out qualified candidates? Job seekers: Is it possible that you aren’t getting the job you want because you haven’t optimized your resume? You are in for such a treat today, if you've ever been on the job hunt, and you've kind of been curious about how things work in the background, that's what we're going to talk about today.
My guest, Kyana Beckles, is the CEO and founder of Leverage Assessments. It's a company out in New York City, where they administer and help organizations with employee selection tests, assessments, all that jazz…making sure that companies are able to find good people for their positions. And one thing that she's going to help us with today is sort of unraveling and packaging, opening up the hood, checking out what happens after you submit a resume. Does it go straight to the hiring manager? Are they combing through all of the materials? Looking at every single word?
Spoiler alert--they are not. Many large organizations use software, and different application tools to help them weed through resumes, and applications. They're looking for keywords. They're looking for specific tags and criteria that they've set up in advance. If you're not savvy to those things, you could be missing out on a really great job opportunity. Likewise, on the flip side of that…if you are a manager and you aren't savvy to that, and you're not necessarily thinking about how that is impacting your talent pool, then this show is for you as well.
Kyana and I are going to talk about everything from how to hire for the kind of culture that you want to the role of levity at work and creating a team that is high performing. We had such a great time talking that at some point, I forgot to hit record. I'm gonna drop you into the middle of our conversation. I think it'll be illuminating for you. And I hope that you enjoy it.
Learn how data analytics factor into the hiring process and what you can do to support a diverse talent pool.

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com

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Do you have a kid coworker? Kid coworkers are not the same as your coworkers at the office. They eat up all your food. They don't respect your meeting schedules, and they take a cut out of every paycheck that you make. It's just not the same. If one of your coworkers in the office did that… you'd file a complaint with HR. This episode is dedicated to parents and adults who are trying to get work done around littles, kids, and teens. How can you create a fun work from home environment with kids? Today we'll explore a team building activity that's based on our guest, Dr. Beth Brown's F.U.N. model.
Resources Mentioned

• Team Aureus
• YouTube Channel
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

About Dr. BethDr. Beth is a sports psychologist and CEO of Team Aureus®. It's a consulting agency that's dedicated to empowering individuals and teams to perform at their highest levels in sports business, and life.She co-founded Super Power Golf. It's a business dedicated to helping women transform their lives on and off the golf course. And she also has a passion for youth, which I really appreciate.Dr. Beth also serves on the We Are Golf Women's Task Force managed by the World Golf Foundation.
And she recently launched the Champions Mindset Leadership Series. I'm looking forward to this conversation today because we're going to diverge a little bit from adulthood to talking about what is it like to work with your child coworkers, and what can we do to ensure that we are creating fun workplaces, even when we're at home?
About the PodcastThe Lead with Levity podcast is a show for leaders who care deeply about what makes/breaks the employee experience. Our guests are dynamic researchers, practitioners, consultants, and business leaders. We cover foundational elements that are needed to avoid forcing the fun. We also invite lively managers who lead with levity to show us how it's done. Thanks for joining us on this journey.

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com

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Welcome to the Lead with Levity podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Heather Walker, and I'm so excited to share today's guest with you--Kyle Gillette. Kyle is the owner of Gillette Solutions and the host of the Sage Mindset podcast. Kyle is based in Washington, and he helps small business owners lead their businesses and people with less stress and more freedom. He helps everyone get on the bus and moving in the same direction. And that's exactly what we need today. I'm looking forward to talking to him about what he's seeing at the leadership level and any recommendations that he has for leaders today.
In this episode, we cover:

• Leaders need to de-stress
• How leaders can empower themselves and their teams
• How leaders can help others express their 'best selves'
• How to get the most from your next one-on-one meeting
• How to help someone on your team who has a negative outlook
• Kyle's WISER listening model

Resources Mentioned

• Gillette Solutions
• Sage Mindset Podcast
• LinkedIn

About Gillette SolutionsAll people have the ability to thrive in their personal and professional lives - to obtain freedom and independence we strive to achieve. The key is learning your passions and the individual talents you possess. As these become clear, focus improves and success follows. We all have a sense of where our passions lie, though there can be ambiguity as to what drives us. We generally know our skills, strengths, and talents, though we can be unclear on how to use those abilities to realize our passions. At Gillette Solutions, we help small business owners, solopreneurs, and business professionals develop new perspectives, thought patterns, and habits to overcome fear, doubt, and improve self-confidence.I help you take control of your time, talent, and build a roadmap to increase your bottom-line. We do this through courses, behavioral analysis, and (my favorite) coaching!
About the PodcastThe Lead with Levity podcast is a show for leaders who care deeply about what makes/breaks the employee experience. Our guests are dynamic researchers, practitioners, consultants, and business leaders. We cover foundational elements that are needed to avoid forcing the fun. We also invite lively managers who lead with levity to show us how it's done. Thanks for joining us on this journey.

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com

Send us a text

When everything feels so so heavy, and you’re starting to wonder if you should lead with levity, remember that the alternative may lead you down a dark and lonely road. I asked our guest today to share her thoughts on fearless authenticity and walking in purpose even when all the signs point to failure.
Welcome to the Lead with Levity podcast. We work to equip leaders to build unique and refreshing work environments that are marked by fun, team unity, and healthy communication. Today's guest is Danessa Knaupp. Danessa is an executive coach on a mission is to get really great leaders embedded everywhere because we all benefit from that. She’s also the author of Naked at Work: A Leader’s Guide to Fearless Authenticity.
In this episode, we cover:

• How Danessa picked herself up after an embarrassing event
• How you find the lighter side of any bad experience
• A model for authenticity, not #authenticity
• Authenticity misfires

Resources Mentioned

• [BOOK] Naked at Work: A Leader’s Guide to Fearless Authenticity
• DanessaKnaupp.com
• Avenue8Advisors.com
• LinkedIn

Quote This - Danessa Knaupp Quotes:

• “I began to think about, ‘where have I been really connected with leaders?’ and it was when I believed they were human.”

• “A lot of us walk around with an idea of a leader that is far too narrow. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, they can be effective a million different ways.”

• “If you think about some of the things you believe about yourself. The person who wrote that story is 5, 7, 9 years old. I don't know about you, but I have not consulted with seven year olds on a regular basis on how to make decisions, except that I am. Because the interesting parts of myself that tell me those things are [from a] seven [year old].”

• “We are all total and absolute works in progress, and we pick up and put down any baggage or experience we want at any point in this journey.”

• “Authenticity builds trust. Trust creates safety, and safety at work is magical.”

• “Sometimes, people think when I talk about being intentional and strategic that somehow that's not authentic. But think about how you are authentic with your grandmother, with your lover, with your best friend, and with your child. Those are all authentic versions of yourself. Those are all really true to you. And yet the whispered conversation between you and your lover, as you fall asleep is never something you would tell your grandmother or your child.”

• My job here is to learn and evolve, and man that is not easy. Sometimes people think that when I say, "I'm a failure junkie," or, "I really embrace failure," that I've found some sort of way to make it less horr

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com

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Welcome to the Lead with Levity podcast. Today's guest is Jeremy Miller. Jeremy is a brand strategist for Sticky Branding and a best selling author. Over the past decade, Jeremy and the Sticky Branding team profiled and interviewed hundreds of companies across dozens of industries to uncover how companies can grow extra sticky brands. I look forward to sharing his expertise about branding, messaging, and the importance of a name.
In this episode, we cover:

• How Jeremy pivoted from a sales to marketing focus to save his family-owned business
• Jeremy's 3-step process for strategic naming
• How organizations big and small can use this strategic naming process to build momentum for projects, activate brand ambassadors, and get customers excited about the brand
• The #1 killer of creativity on teams
• One strategy that managers can use to get their teams to open up and bring new ideas

About Today's GuestJeremy Miller is a brand strategist and bestselling author. Over the past decade, Jeremy and the Sticky Branding team have profiled and interviewed hundreds of companies across dozens of industries to uncover how companies grow Sticky Brands. Jeremy shares his expertise as a writer, consultant, and keynote speaker. His blend of humor, stories, and actionable ideas will inspire you to innovate and grow your business and brand.
Resources Mentioned

• Website
• Book: Sticky Branding
• Book: Brand New Name
• LinkedIn Group
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook

About the PodcastThe Lead with Levity podcast is a show for leaders who care deeply about what makes/breaks the employee experience. Our guests are dynamic researchers, practitioners, consultants, and business leaders. We cover foundational elements that are needed to avoid forcing the fun. We also invite lively managers who lead with levity to show us how it's done. Thanks for joining us on this journey.

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com

Send us a text

I've supported several change management initiatives over the years, and there are 3 things that stick out to me as consistent leadership failures:

1. Not communicating throughout
2. Waiting too long to celebrate
3. Launching too many initiatives around the same time (i.e., doing too much)

Your people are going through a lot right now. Now is the time for thoughtful change management. For those of you who don't know, change management is a process to help people understand, buy into, and adopt planned changes. It includes addressing readiness, managing resistance, and creating plans to support communication, reinforcement, and skill development. Companies often forego the people side of change and focus mainly on the technical sides of project management and quality management instead. The problem though is that people need to change and they are the hardest part of the equation to change so we really do need to put more intentionality and resources there.
So guess what, today I'm chatting with a change management consultant to the Fortune 50, Pam Marmon.
In this episode, we cover:

• How change initiatives affect employees and what leaders can do to support their teams
• Pam's L.E.S.S. model of change management
• Top change management challenges that businesses face today
• Are traditional change management models appropriate for today's challenges?
• How does levity factor into change management?

About Today's GuestPam Marmon is a change management leader and CEO of Marmon Consulting. She is Prosci certified change management expert and Cornell University certified organizational designer with 15 years of experience and proven success record in implementing organizational initiatives and culture transformations.
Resources Mentioned

• Pam's LinkedIn Page
• Marmon Consulting
• [BOOK] No One's Listening and It's Your Fault: Get Your Message Heard During Organizational Transformations

About the PodcastThe Lead with Levity podcast is a show for leaders who care deeply about what makes/breaks the employee experience. Our guests are dynamic researchers, practitioners, consultants, and business leaders. We cover foundational elements that are needed to avoid forcing the fun. We also invite lively managers who lead with levity to show us how it's done. Thanks for joining us on this journey.

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com

Send us a text

Would you rather know exactly what will happen 6 months from now or have the wisdom needed to navigate whatever happens 6 months from now? Join me in this fantastic interview with James Bidwell, the Chairman and Founder of Springwise. James is also the Co-Founder of Re_set. Springwise is an innovation platform that promotes creativity and innovation across the globe. Re_set is a disruption, innovation, and sustainability consulting firm in the UK.
In this episode, we cover:

• James’ view on the future of work
• How Springwise elevates creatives by sharing their innovations with the world
• An even bigger crisis that is on the horizon (bigger than the pandemic)
• Examples of innovations in different industries
• A ton of FREE RESOURCES!

Quotes

• "What is really encouraging is the capacity of the human brain to start to figure it out and not give up and to go forward and create new solutions." ~ James Bidwell
• "One thing that I find really interesting about innovation is that it starts small, and it can feel like it's creeping up on you... like [with] Blockbuster...these other companies just sort of snuck up on them. But, they didn't. They were working diligently behind the scenes." ~ Heather Walker, Ph.D.

About Today’s GuestJames currently serves as Chair at Springwise, Co-Founder at Innovation and Transformation Consultancy Re_Set and NED at fast growing, Berlin based Invincible Brands. James is the Author of bestseller “Disrupt! 100 Lessons in Business Innovation” published by Hodder and Stoughton 2017 Sitting at the nexus of global change James brings deep experience and insight into digital, brand and innovation across all organizational disciplines at a time of unprecedented uncertainty and opportunity. At Springwise, James is immersed in the global innovation community with deep insight into the newest and most transformative new businesses and innovations from every corner of the world. Springwise is a “must read’ for global CEOs, innovators, investors, educators and corporates from all sectors. James advises many businesses and several government organisations. He is a visiting lecturer at the University of Bristol and Cambridge Judge Business School, participant in the London Business School Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme, committee member and judge at the World Retail Congress and mentor at Red Bull Amaphiko Academy. Career highlights include the launch of Disneyland Paris, the turnaround of Selfridges as Marketing Director, leading the renaissance of London tourism as CEO Visit London, launch CEO of Anthropologie Europe.
Resources Mentioned

• Springwise Global Source for Innovation
• Re_Set Boutique Consultancy for Disruption, Innovation, and Sustainability
• Somerset House London’s working arts centre
• [CELL PHONE APP] The Innovation App
• [BOOK] Disrupt!: 100 Lessons in Business Innovation

Support the show

Did you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadwithlevity.substack.com