MaYapinion®

In this episode, I have Beth Wonson; we discuss a couple of essential topics in leadership, ranging from her transition from being a team member to a leader, how to handle this transition, and becoming more self-aware.

Beth Wonson started her career out in public education, and she went into public education because she had two little kids at home; she wanted to be able to have summers off with them and weekends, but she quickly learned that public education was not for her because it didn't work out the way she wanted. Hence, she went to work for a company that did corporate consulting, and organizational development work, and leadership training, and her career took off there. She went from being an entry-level employee to managing and running a pretty big department quickly.

Beth created Navigating Challenge dialogue out of her process of examining how traditional leadership skills fail organizations' mission and goals. She studied how leaders working in isolation and staff working in competitive silos adversely affect the prosperity of the whole company.

Key Podcast Moments

[0:42]- Brief Background of Beth

[03:53]- The transition from being a team member to a leader

[10:28]- Self-awareness in leadership

[14:19]- Adult development in leadership

[16:03]- Finding your niche

[21:29]- How to become more self-aware

[22:16]- The power of paradox

[30:46]- Resources on how to contact Beth

[32:05]- Ideal people she works with

Explaining her transition, Beth said she was on a high-performing team, and she loved it because they were all great together and even had cocktails on Thursdays where they talked about leadership, so when she was asked to leave the team, she thought it was great. The first Thursday after she was promoted, she went from the usual cocktail, and then the team was all gone; this was her first self-awareness that she was now in management.

She realized that when you get in the position, and you have more awareness of bureaucracy and policy and how things work, you suddenly realize why a lot of those things didn't weren't as simple as they seem. So a big part of her work now is helping people along that same journey she had gone through.

When asked about her take on self-awareness, Beth stated that she developed a program called navigating challenging dialogue, which is the essence of all the work that I do and the thing that makes it different than many other things like Crucial Conversations or other models, is that it's rooted in the idea of emotional self-awareness and emotional self-regulation. She went further to state that the reason she focused on that was that when she was leading that team, it was super effective, and they were getting so much stuff done and were doing great, but part of what was driving them was the fact that she was not always aware of my emotional impact. She states that it was vital for her to help people understand how to dive into self-awareness, do some self-coaching about the energy they bring to the room, and show up clean and clear for conversations.

Beth's first point on becoming more self-aware is knowing the remedy to the power of paradox. She went further to explain that power politics tells us that the more you move up the leadership chain, the more you will lose self-awareness, the less you'll be open to feedback. The result is you have a less authentic connection with people because now you're at the top and feel protective. She states that the remedy is to sit down and listen to feedback—the second point to becoming self-aware understanding the assessment.

To learn more about Beth, you can contact her via the following;

Instagram: Beth_Wonson Facebook: BethWonson LinkedIn: /IN/BETHWONSON

In this episode, I have Anne Arvizu. Together, we discuss the ups and downs of her journey as a female leader and dive into a couple of topics that include breaking the bad ceiling and the rising of women leaders. You don't want to miss out on this one; tune in with your favorite platform to listen to this amazing episode.

Dr. Anne Arvizu, PharmD, FASCP, CPC, is a senior biotech Medical Affairs executive & organizational design expert in the Pharmaceutical/Biotech industry. As a seasoned C-suite advisor with 23 years of progressive CR&D and Global Medical Affairs leadership experience in Pharma, Anne's focus is on Medical Affairs capabilities build. Her company, RxER Communications, specializes in launch readiness, globalization, or change integration of medical affairs functions, such as global medical information, medical communications, medical writing, publications, knowledge management, training, MSL support, creation of medical strategy plans, and medical governance initiatives. RxER will provide the behind-the-scenes expert partnership you need to achieve the best-in-class team process, demonstrate value, & create the high-performing patient-centric, values-driven teams you need to drive the business forward.

Key podcast moments with timestamps

[1:06]- Brief background on Anne

[3:31]- Anne's journey

[9:41]- Insight about her program (CORE)

[15:53]- Maya's experience when she first began working

[22:04]- Breaking bad ceilings and the rising of women leaders

[29:08]- Tidbit about Anne's book

[30:45]- Advice for young women in leadership roles

Breaking bad ceilings and the rising of women leaders

Anne states that in the women's circles of very high entrepreneur groups that she's in where all the women are making over a million dollars, It is heart-based, it is vision-based, it is value-based, it is full of integrity, it is women coming to save and heal the world, not to make $1. She went further to say that not that men have typically done that, but men will get an idea. Women are problem solvers. And women are nurturers. She spoke about tips to break those bad ceilings, which she referred to as bad mindsets; she says it's about women helping women, whereas before it was like this competition if you take the word competition out of what you're doing and you understand principles at your core, you will continue to grow.

Advice for young women in leadership roles

Anne gave a very important piece of advice: you're in someone's life for a reason your life matters, you have a purpose. So you might not know what that is. But you have light for the step that you're on right now. She states that if you have an idea for something, don't dismiss it. That idea really could be a multimillion-dollar maker.

Links and Resources

You can learn more about Anne using the following platforms;

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/annearvizu/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/annearvizu?lang=bg

Website- https://www.rxercommunications.com/

Take away from today's episode

If you have that idea that you can't shake, that might be your download. Go for it!

Anne

What you give does come back; it might not be the way you think, but it's something for you to know and to live in.

https://mayapinionpodcast.com/

In this episode, I dive into organizational culture and discuss how to build organizational culture while outlining some tips about culture. Culture is one of the most talked-about topics on this podcast. Every leader must cultivate a healthy organizational culture so the employees will see and emulate it. If there is no proper organizational culture in a workplace, you can expect lots of negativity and other issues to spring forth. Key podcast moments with timestamps [1:07]- Definition of organizational culture [1:54]-Four key things that define culture [2:47]-Three perfect examples of culture [8:19]- The importance of being clear on your purpose as a leader [12:06]- Why a leader needs to embody and identify their values [16:58]- Empathy and Value [17:35]- Maya's encouragement to leaders [18:33]- Steps to building organizational culture Summary of crucial podcast moments Definition of organizational culture Maya states that organizational culture refers to the personality of an organization and relates to the day-to-day beliefs and behaviors of the employees and the entire work environment. It has to do with the energy that everyone in the workplace environment is emitting. She explained that it is also how the employees and leaders act and engage with the organization; Maya finished her definition by saying organizational culture is really about looking at the company's purpose and ensuring everyone is very clear on the vision. Four key things that define culture Maya mentions that in her opinion, four key things define culture, and they are purpose, mission, vision, and values. She states that if you don't have a mission, you don't have values, you don't have a purpose, and you don't have the overall vision of where you are going. Not knowing these things is going to make your team convoluted and not understand. The importance of being clear on your purpose as a leader In Maya's opinion, you need to be clear about your purpose; as a leader, you have to share your vision and then the values; it is not just about writing it out or posting it everywhere; you have to live and breathe it every day, so your employees will see it and follow-through Why a leader needs to embody and identify their values As a leader, your employees look up to you; it's just like you are the value book they are reading and whatever you act is what they will follow, so it is crucial that you keep steering and showing that vision while still living breathing your values. Steps to building organizational culture Maya states that to build a healthy organizational culture, you need to identify your mission, purpose, vision, and value and then figure out what makes sense for you, how you can embody that and give it to your team. Then you can dive into more steps and start implementing them in your organization. Links and Resources Make sure to follow us on whatever platform you like to listen to the podcast. Don't forget to like, share and leave a review. We are available on all the major platforms or visit our website. https://mayapinionpodcast.com/ Takeaway from today's episode Find out your vision, make sure you know your purpose, and identify those values. What will change how we do business and how we create teams for the future is making a positive work environment or designing an organizational environment for the people XXX Maya

In today's episode, I have Brandi Bernoskie, a speaker and chief executive officer of Alchemy and Aim. We discuss topics ranging from her evolution to bits of advice for people starting with a website and include leadership styles and nuggets for leaders, among other things. It's a conversation you don't want to miss.

Brandi Bernoskie is a speaker, strategist, and the founder of Alchemy and Aim, a brand involved in building excellent websites to support their clients. Brandi is a visionary that seeks to find new ways to co-create with collaborators and clients and to connect people and help them dream bigger by combining insightful questioning with strategic planning.

Key podcast moments with timestamps

[0:33]-Brief Background about Brandi

[3:49]-Brandi's blogging niche

[4:42]-Evolution of the business

[7:29]-Advice for people starting with a website

[14:04]-Brandi's thoughts on the use of cover letters

[19:33]-Brandi's remote team and how it's working out for her

[23:56]-Leadership style

[26:24]-Advice for leaders out there

[30:02]-Nuggets and Advice for listeners

[31:31]-Brandi's typical client and how to contact her

Brandi's blogging niche

Brandi stated that she can't even tell what her early blog was all about and that she was trying to use the blog as a way to flirt with a co-worker because she was charming in her writing, but when she went to grad school, she began to blog twice because that was a creative outlet for her.

So, she was blogging about lifestyle stuff.

When asked about her business evolved, she states that it was slow at first. She worked for a nonprofit at the time, and that was her full-time job, but on the side, she was supporting friends that needed help, then she had a designer reach out to her to build several themes.

After that, she realized she was getting many jobs, so she quit and became a freelancer.

Brandi stated it is essential for people who are starting to start simple. She explains that when starting, you do not need a 15 paged site with all the integrations and shiny stuff; you can create a one-page site that conveys basic information that people need. She went further to state that when working with clients, it is vital to ask them about people they have worked with to have an idea on how to work with them.

In summary, she states;

· The first step is to get the client

· The second is to keep it simple

When asked about her advice for the listeners, Brandi stated a couple of things that were the takeaway. She said people need to learn to embrace the evolution rather than trying to get to a particular point; she went ahead to mention that it's not just about perfection but excellence because perfection is getting to a place and rigidly adhering to being there while excellence on the other is embracing the evolution of it all. In her words, "it's all an evolution."

You can follow the podcast on Instagram using the link below

https://www.instagram.com/mayaroffler/

https://www.instagram.com/mayapinionpodcast/

https://mayapinionpodcast.com/

Connect with Brandi via her website https://alchemyandaim.com/

Or follow on Instagram to find out more about her business

https://www.instagram.com/brandibernoskie/

Brandi's Leadership Advice for Women... You don't have to know it all; leap and try it out.

XXX

Maya

Remote leadership has been around for awhile but not everyone has been a believer, let alone, a practicer. When the pandemic hit, most of us were not really given a choice about remote leadership. Those of use who have already led teams remotely in the past or who were already leading remotely definitely had a leg up when things went to hell fast in 2020. The pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way we do business and work forever which means it changes our management as well. In my opinion, remote leadership is not going anywhere. In fact, I know that we will see more and more of it.

I am unique in the sense that I have been leading teams and programs remotely since 2010 and I am comfortable doing so. Yes, I did it before Zoom was popular and we used a clunky blackberry to connect. And yes, a text message was not considered a proper "check-in." As I interview some incredible leaders on MaYapinion, I find that I am not alone and there are more of us out here that have been effectively leading remotely pre-pandemic or pre-covid. However, I know a lot of you did not have that experience prior and it was and maybe still is a challenge. Trust me, I get it. I went from an environment where I saw my employees daily to almost never back in 2010 and I worked from home and an airport instead of a store. It was a shock.

So what are some of the challenges that most of us face with remote leadership? Well, according to you, my readers, these are the top challenges: You aren't able to supervise your employees face to face, potential distractions with "work from home," it can be isolating socially for your teams, information may fall through the cracks, and enhanced issues among the team may arise due to the remote work. Can you relate to any of this as a remote leader? Or perhaps you have experienced this over the past year on a remote team? The great news? All of these challenges are totally manageable, and I've gone through them as well. Although, in my opinion, navigating a pandemic AND learning to how to lead remotely is a challenge in itself so give yourself some credit.

That's exactly what we do in this episode... explore the challenges of remote leadership and I share my opinion of how to overcome these challenges from my own personal experiences from over 11 years of remote leadership. Yes, I was leading remotely... before it was a thing. I am super jealous of all the technology at your finger tips now as a remote leader. As I mentioned, I was at the mercy of my trusty Blackberry and email. Wow, times have changed. So, I hope you enjoy this episode and the tips I share to creating a great environment for your remote team through your excellent skills as a remote leader.

Have questions?

Send us an email at [email protected]

Visit us at https://mayapinionpodcast.com/ to read the blog, work with me and more!

XXX

Maya

Welcome to a quick Motivation Monday episode and Happy Memorial Day! I wanted to take a moment to honor those who have served. Thank you and I hope all of you have had some time to spend with your loved ones.

This is a quick catch up episode about the MaYapinion™ Podcast and how we will be releasing episodes on Monday's only moving forward. But, don't worry, we will still have amazing women in leadership on the show. We are busy women so I decided that Motivation Monday was probably enough to kick our week's off with a bang. After all, I want to spend more time with you on social media again!

We will have an episode with me on discussing a topic and the following week I will bring an expert in leadership to nicely complement the topic. I hope you enjoy the evolving format. Are you a woman in leadership and want to be on the show? Email us! [email protected]

Don't forget to catch up on past episodes too... on every major platform or visit us here: https://mayapinionpodcast.com/

I also announce that the rest of my podcast SWAG will be coming out on the site in June so be on the lookout. You can purchase sweatshirts now as I did a soft launch two months ago (yes, I wear mine everywhere).

Thank you for continuing to support me through my leadership and podcasting journey. I have several projects in the works and one, I have been teasing for awhile with "The Ladies Leadership League" present by MaYapinion™. More to come next month too. So, please share how I can help you on your leadership journey and don't forget to share your opinion.

Follow me:

https://mayapinionpodcast.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-roffler-1918573a/

https://www.instagram.com/mayaroffler/

https://www.instagram.com/mayapinionpodcast/

XXXX

Maya

The last year was undoubtedly a shock for everyone across the globe. As a leader, you would have to be a blind one, let alone, an inefficient one not to address the affect the pandemic had on the world. What does all this mean for leadership though? Some leaders may scrambling still to think about the future of their company, stakeholders, financials, and even, what does it mean for their own position? But in my opinion, the real question for true leaders now is what does that mean for the future of their people; our people? Because I believe as leaders, we are all in this together.

When the pandemic first hit, all leaders froze for a considerable amount of time. I also know that it is the pandemic that has weeded out the true leaders from the title leaders. What's a title leader? Well, you may already know one, and you may already know where I am going with this… but a title leader is in a leadership role just because he or she has been given the title of Manager, Director, VP, CEO, Owner, or Founder. Does this really mean that this individual is a leader? In my opinion, no. What do you think though? Let's find out why though if you do not already know why I feel this way about "title" leadership.

Often we believe that we promote individuals that are "qualified" into leadership roles for various reasons. Perhaps we think it is the next step in their career as it is a natural progression for him or her.... but is it? And why are we so quick to push people into leadership? Or, why are we so hesitant to put those who are not "#1" at something in leadership? Find out why I believe in my opinion that the best leaders are not always the best performers...

Let us know your opinion too!

Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe!

Check out the blog and website as well here:

https://mayapinionpodcast.com/title-leader-versus-true-leader/

Welcome back to Women for Women Wednesday where I am joined by the one and only, Sheena Yap Chan. (No, really, she is the one and only). Sheena Yap Chan is a Keynote Speaker, coach and author on building self confidence. She is also the founder and host of the award winning podcast called The Tao of Self Confidence where she interviews Asian women about their inner journey to self confidence. Sheena says what makes her a leader is "Leading by example and constantly showing up even if it scary."

Join us as we discuss everything from being podcasters to supporting Asian women and their stories and building confidence. You can find Sheena here:

https://sheenayapchan.com/

And you can find me here:

https://mayapinionpodcast.com/

Let us know your opinion!

The last pillar of emotional intelligence is social skills or what some refer to as relationship management. In my opinion, I don't think you need to be a particularly social individual to be a great leader, but you do need to have strong social skills to be an effective leader. That's also the opinion of many leadership experts and why we find social skills as the final and four pillar of emotional intelligence. But, what does it mean to have social skills?

I think sometimes we believe when thinking about social skills it means that we know how to make friends or how to get people to "like" us. We think of it in almost a superficial type of way. However, that is not really what having social skills means; it is a lot deeper than that. Once you have social awareness as a leader, then I believe that social skills are the application of your awareness.

For instance, leaders who have great social skills or relationship management skills excel with conflict management. They know how to use their skills to improve relationships despite conflict. Exceptional leaders even know how to improve relationships because of conflict as they learn how to negotiate flawlessly. Leaders with social skills know their teams are watching and learning from this as well.

In my opinion, conflict management is something most leaders struggle with at first and often, struggle with throughout their career. Whether you are in the conflict yourself or have team members in conflict, this can be a challenging aspect of leadership. The ability to settle these disputes and misunderstandings makes you an effective leader with strong social skills.

I find that we tend to avoid conflict as humans. Now, you may be reading this thinking, "well, I don't." That might be so now, but you never have? I know I have but I do not anymore. In fact, I went from one end of the spectrum to the other and now, I am in the middle.... where do you think you fall?

Join me on this episode as I share my evolution of social skills and wrap up this five episodes series on EQ and ask for your opinion.

Don't forget to subscribe, like and share. Got questions? Visit us!

https://mayapinionpodcast.com/

Want to read the blog?

https://mayapinionpodcast.com/social-skills-emotional-intelligence/

Welcome to another exciting episode of Women for Women Wednesday. This week, I have Dr. Katrina Burrus (yes, she is also Swiss and into leadership) on the podcast. What does she do? Well in her own words, "I help transform Brilliant Jerks into Inspiring Leaders as well as help Leaders to Fast-Track to the C-Suite and Beyond." Need I say more? Among her many accomplishments, Katrina is the CEO/founder of Excellent Executive Coaching. She is a keynote speaker (which is obvious on the podcast) and she is also a published author. She wrote, "Managing Brilliant Jerks." She has over 18 years of experience in leadership and she started in the banking industry.

Join us as we talk about Brilliant Jerks and who they are and what they really means. I ask Dr. Katrina about her story and how she got to where she is today and how she came up with "brilliant jerks," because it's honestly, so funny, smart, but most importantly, true. We talk about the importance of EQ and IQ which I loved as I work my way through my own EQ series right now. I definitely felt that Dr. Katrina walked onto MaYapinion at the right time. She shares her wealth of knowledge in leadership and gives a lot of advice to women out there climbing the corporate ladder. I can't wait for you to tune in.

Here is where you can connect with Dr. Katrina Burrus:

https://mkbconseil.ch/

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

https://business.facebook.com/ExcellentExecutiveCoaching/

https://twitter.com/KatrinaBurrus

Don't forget to listen and connect on our website:

https://mayapinionpodcast.com/