Let's Fix Leadership

When we're starting out in our professional lives, we never know where this adventure known as a career is going to take us. What may seem like stray conversations, nuggets or threads can ultimately weave together and form something amazing in the future.

…Like working as an inventory manager, seeing how much of that inventory gets wasted and thinking, "wait a minute, I can build something and make a difference!"

That's what happened to Jeannie Barsam. The founder of Gifting Brands can trace that pivotal decision to the many threads that came together. In this episode, she talks about the journey, how she's making a difference and evolving as a leader.

You're always growing as a leader, you don't just stop. -Jeannie Barsam

Guest Bio

Jeannie Barsam is the founder and CEO of Gifting Brands. With three decades of experience in the dynamic world of Fashion & Retail, Jeannie had the privilege of traversing the globe, contributing to renowned brands, and providing mentorship to numerous individuals, both women and men alike. During her tenure as an executive at Zale's, a part of Signet Jewelers and the world's largest diamond retailer, she encountered a unique challenge. Zale's was seeking a nonprofit organization to accept excess inventory, yet, surprisingly, they struggled to find a suitable recipient.

This puzzling roadblock sparked a turning point in Jeannie's journey.

Out of this challenge, the idea for Gifting Brands emerged, becoming a defining turning point in Jeannie's life's work. Gifting Brands was conceived out of a profound commitment to the well-being of women, children, and the principles of giving back. To find out about the holiday auction from November 15th to 19th, head to www.giftingbrands.com.

If you've hung out with me for some time, you've heard me use the word self-authoring, but what does it actually mean, and why am I so passionate about it?

In a world where we're constantly making complex decisions, and challenges come by the minute, we can't let things just happen to us. We can't be reactive - we have to stand firm in our vision and proactively decide how we're going to show up.

This is self-authorship. It's not getting swayed by what gets served up to us, but keeping ourselves, teams and organizations steady despite what's going on.

Why are self-authoring leaders worth their weight in gold? How does this concept benefit everyone in the organization?

In this episode, we dive into self-authorship and why you can't lead without it effectively.

If people were just their job titles, how boring a place the world would be! We are whole people - with hobbies, humor, and creativity.

Instead of reserving those pieces of ourselves for when we get home, showing them at work is highly valuable. Powerful things happen when we up our creativity - it sparks innovation and ideas that supercharge our workplaces.

How do we bring more of our wholeness to work? Why is vulnerability so important in leadership?

In this episode, comedian, creative and the COO of Pear Analytics, Tracie Mendoza shares how she brings her full personality to work, and how it impacts her team.

If you're not being creative outside of your workspace, how will you be creative within it? -Tracie Mendoza

Guest Bio

Tracie Mendoza is the COO of Pear Analytics. Before becoming a business owner, Tracie Mendoza did a little of this and little of that over the years – from comedy, retail management, education, consulting, and recruiting to name a few – Tracie landed in the Sales Field! This was no surprise to those around her, after all in kindergarten she had a line formed around the building, as she charged kids a quarter to color in her "Pink Panther Coloring Book!" She has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and a go getter mentality, and sets out to accomplish whatever she puts her mind to. Tracie graduated from Dallas Baptist University, where she earned a BAS in Communications and Theology and a MALA in both Fine Arts and History. When not leading a team, building a business, and working hand and hand with clients, you can find her shopping, traveling, playing with her pups, and of course making people laugh! AKA: Laughologist, Retail Therapist, Music Fanatic, Lover of the Arts, and Puppy Mama. For more information, head to http://pearanalytics.com/ or connect with her on LinkedIn.

To be one of 25 people to get $250 off, head to Pyrus Digital Media.

Have you ever wondered why the room goes dead silent when a leader asks the team to share their big ideas? It's brain science. The fear that kicks in makes it impossible to get those creative, innovative, creative ideas flowing.

To make our teams more innovative, we have to reduce fear and create an environment where it feels safe to share ideas.

So, next time you want to trigger creativity and innovation, hold a crazy, big idea meeting!

How do we create a situation where the prefrontal cortex opens up and starts exploding with new ideas? How do we prime our teams for this meeting and facilitate it well? In this episode, I share how to create a meeting where people are excited to share all their best ideas.

No one's going to do our career push-ups for us. If we want to reach and even exceed our goals, we have to take full control and ownership of our professional development. That means self-authoring everything we do, and investing in the necessary skills that will take us to the next level.

Taking charge of our careers comes with its challenges, but ultimately it's a rewarding exercise that will accelerate growth. Feeling stuck on ways to develop and level up your own career?

In this episode, I share a few ideas on how you can play to win.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled podcast for a history lesson - a history lesson on leadership, that is. Ever wondered why I called this show Let's Fix Leadership? Or why every generation in the workplace feels like the next one "just doesn't get it"?

Well, that's because leadership isn't static, it's always evolving. It doesn't look the same from generation to generation.

First, we had the "great man theory," where it was believed that only men are born leaders (yes, I'm rolling my eyes too). Then with social change came a change in how we lead, from transactional leadership to servant leadership. This brings us to today, an age where leaders have to adapt like never before.

What are the key eras of leadership? How do social changes impact how leaders show up? In this episode, we take a little tour through the different ages of leadership.

Who says you have to be a Fortune 500 company to have a board of directors? After all, you are the CEO of your own career, why wouldn't you want a team of intelligent, dynamic, and talented people in your corner?

Especially in today's evolving world. It's like having The Avengers assembling for the good of your professional life…

How do we build a board of directors, and how do we enrich and nurture those relationships?

In this episode, I share the power of creating and curating your own board of trusted advisors, mentors, peers, and industry experts.

Employee benefits used to be pretty standard, boilerplate stuff. A 401k here, health insurance there and maybe a generous time off allowance thrown into the mix. Today, we recognize that we're humans (shocker, right?) and that work and life have become so intertwined. We need benefits programs that actually serve the whole person and enhance their entire lives.

Enter lifestyle accounts, flexible work schedules, gym subscriptions, takeout vouchers, and now you've got a benefits program that's more in line with today's employee. How can employers create programs that meet employees where they are? Can we negotiate our benefits?

In this episode, HR Consultant and CEO of Next Level Benefits, Lauren Winans shares what's changed in benefits programs and how employers can use them to lead the whole person.

Guest Bio Lauren Winans is the CEO and Principal HR Consultant at Next Level Benefits. Next Level Benefits is a nationally-certified HR consulting firm staffed with former corporate HR professionals in all HR disciplines. Each member of our team has at least 20 years of corporate HR experience from Fortune 500 companies, global organizations, and well-known brands around the world. Lauren founded Next Level Benefits in 2019, offering HR teams access to former corporate HR professionals on-demand when they need them most. For more information, head to https://www.nlbenefits.com/, or follow the team on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Remember when we could leave our personal lives at home, and leave work at the office? Simpler times, am I right…

Then came technology, laptops, phones, and watches that give you meeting reminders and email notifications and it became impossible to separate professional you from the other parts of your life. Back then, work had no interest in our lives outside of our working hours - we had two lives and they never crossed each other.

Now, everything is all mushed together and we can't clearly define the two worlds. For leaders, the reality of balancing all this is a challenge. How do you lead multi-dimensional individuals with lives that run alongside their work?

In this episode, I talk about how leaders can lead holistically, making it a priority to support the whole person.

When it comes to communicating at work, long gone are the days where leaders had to be perfectly polished, overly formal, and cold. People want authenticity from their leaders - they want to hear your unique voice and feel their unique voice is being heard too.

As leaders, we might not be aware of how we're coming across and how that's impacting our teams. When we become aware of this, we can make the small shifts that allow us to communicate confidently.

How do we communicate better as leaders? Can analytics help us with communication?

In this episode, communications and marketing expert, entrepreneur, and professional problem-solver, Heather Lisle shares the secret to understanding and optimizing your communication style.

Guest Bio

Heather Lisle is a communications and marketing expert, entrepreneur, and professional problem-solver who helps executives and business owners stand out from their competition by creating unique brand positioning based on their personality using the DiSC profile. With 20 plus years of executive level experience, Heather has mastered the ability to cut through the small talk and dig deep to identify her client's "special sauce" or uniqueness that sets them apart from their competition to increase leads and sales.

For more information, head to https://www.heatherlisle.com/, find Heather on LinkedIn, Instagram and listen to her podcast Game Changing Conversations on your platform of choice.