Have you ever worried about having an important but difficult conversation with someone? Most of us have had that experience where we’ve wanted to have a crucial conversation but were unsure of how to do it well. In this episode of the Problem Solved Podcast Emily Gregory, the co-author of the book Crucial Conversations counsels us on how to do navigate those moments with clarity and confidence. It’s an interview you won’t want to miss —and might listen to over and again!

Listen now and learn:

More about Emily

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Need help with decision-making? Pick up a copy of Cheryl’s new book Problem Solver and reach out to Decisive!

Sign up for coaching, workshops, or have Cheryl come speak to your organization by emailing Cheryl at [email protected]. Cheryl can customize a workshop for your company, or she offers one-day or three-day in-person workshops and a month long, once a week webinar.

Follow Cheryl on LinkedIn

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If you’ve wanted to learn about marketing, building your brand or just hear from a fabulous female entrepreneur, join us on this month’s Problem Solved Podcast to learn from Kim Kaupe, founder of Bright Ideas Only! Kim works with A-listers such as Paul McCartney, Oprah, the NY Mets and Shawn Mendes to create marketing programs, new revenue streams and branding.

Tune in and learn:

Listen now:

Kim Kaupe is a partner in a fan engagement agency, Bright Ideas Only, working with A-listers such as Paul McCartney, Oprah, the NY Mets and Shawn Mendes to create marketing programs, new revenue streams and branding. Her latest obsession is transferring that same blueprint to business owners, executives and leaders garnering her the praise of corporate clients such as American Express, YPO, EO, TEDx and LinkedIn. You might recognize her voice from ABC’s, Shark Tank, from her role as a judge in the 2019 Miss USA pageant live, or from social media. Previously she was named to Inc.’s 35 Under 35, Advertising Age’s 40 Under 40 and Forbes 30 Under 30.

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Need help with decision-making? Pick up a copy of Cheryl’s new book Problem Solver and reach out to Decisive!

Sign up for coaching, workshops, or have Cheryl come speak to your organization by emailing Cheryl at [email protected]. Cheryl can customize a workshop for your company, or she offers one-day or three-day in-person workshops and a month long, once a week webinar.

Follow Cheryl on LinkedIn

The post Behind the Brand: Lessons from Kim Kaupe on Building Success appeared first on THE AREA METHOD.

One of the most common concerns we get from leaders making high stakes decisions is how to navigate uncertainty. In this episode of the Problem Solved Podcast we welcome Charles Hecker, a longtime risk advisor in Russia and author of the new book ZERO SUM: The Arc of International Business in Russia as he shares what he’s learned about doing business in a country that offers big opportunity amid a backdrop of an unstable economic and political environment. 

Listeners will learn about:

Listen now:

More about Charles:

Charles Hecker has spent forty years travelling and working in the Soviet Union and Russia. He has worked as a journalist at The Miami Herald and The Moscow Times, and as a geopolitical risk consultant at Control Risks, where he was a partner in the firm. 

Hecker is a regular contributor to Monocle Radio and has offered expert commentary on Times Radio, CNN, the BBC, CNBC and Bloomberg TV, among others. A fluent Russian speaker, he currently resides in East London. You can learn more at www.charleshecker.com 

Need help with decision-making? Pick up a copy of Cheryl’s new book Problem Solver and reach out to Decisive!

Sign up for coaching, workshops, or have Cheryl come speak to your organization by emailing Cheryl at [email protected]. Cheryl can customize a workshop for your company, or she offers one-day or three-day in-person workshops and a month long, once a week webinar.

Follow Cheryl on LinkedIn

The post Russian Twist: Author Charles Hecker & Russia’s Zero Sum Business Equation appeared first on THE AREA METHOD.

So many of us nowadays look up to entrepreneurs –or we are one ourselves. When it comes time to pass the torch and to sell the business, what do we need to know to get the most value from what we’ve built? On this episode of the the Problem Solved Podcast, author and entrepreneur David McCombie shares his tips and advice from his newly released book, Selling Your Business with Confidence.

Listen and learn:

Listen now:

David McCombie is Founder and CEO of McCombie Group, an M&A advisory firm that improves, grows, and sells mid-market companies. He is author of the newly released book, Selling Your Business with Confidence (Wiley).  

A veteran dealmaker, he has personally negotiated billions in transaction value and has been recognized for setting record valuations. Unique amongst advisors, he is a passionate entrepreneur and has also successfully led various private equity investments himself.  He currently serves as Membership Officer of the YPO Miami Chapter. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Miami.

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Need help with decision-making? Pick up a copy of Cheryl’s new book Problem Solver and reach out to Decisive!

Sign up for coaching, workshops, or have Cheryl come speak to your organization by emailing Cheryl at [email protected]. Cheryl can customize a workshop for your company, or she offers one-day or three-day in-person workshops and a month long, once a week webinar.

Follow Cheryl on LinkedIn

The post Selling Your Business With Confidence appeared first on THE AREA METHOD.

Sometimes the best way to identify good solutions is to know the right questions to ask. On this episode of the Problem Solved Podcast, we’re thrilled to have Arnaud Chevalier, Professor of Strategy at Switzerland’s IMD, who is a world-class expert on asking great questions. He recommends five types of questions to ask during strategic decision-making: investigative, speculative, productive, interpretive, and subjective. The goal: To arrive at great solutions!

Learn:

Listen now:

To learn more, check out his HBR article The Art of Asking Smarter Questions.

About Arnaud: Arnaud Chevallier is professor of strategy at IMD. His work prepares executives to manage the strategic challenges that organizations face in today’s dynamic global marketplace by integrating empirical findings from various disciplines into concrete tools to improve decision-making and problem solving. At IMD, Arnaud is the director of the Global Management Foundations program—a core component of the executive MBA—the master of science in sustainable management and technology offered jointly with EPFL and the Université de Lausanne, and various other IMD programs.

His latest book, Solvable, co-written with Albrecht Enders provides concrete ideas to manage complex challenges. His research has appeared in various journals, including MIT Sloan Management Review, Harvard Business Review, and I by IMD.

He has consulted with numerous organizations, including the ICRC, Shell, SAP, Lenovo, Novo Nordisk, Statkraft, Cisco, and Tetra Pak. Prior to his work at IMD, Arnaud served in the provost office at Rice University from 2011 to 2018 and as the graduate dean of the University of Monterrey from 2003 to 2010. Before joining academia, Arnaud worked in Accenture’s strategy and business architecture division out of London.

A French and US citizen, Arnaud has lived and worked in France, Mexico, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. He holds a BS and ME in mechanical engineering from the Université de Versailles and a MS and a PhD in mechanical engineering from Rice University. When not solving complex problems, he’s usually swimming, biking, or running.

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Need help with decision-making? Pick up a copy of Cheryl’s new book Problem Solver and reach out to Decisive!

Sign up for coaching, workshops, or have Cheryl come speak to your organization by emailing Cheryl at [email protected]. Cheryl can customize a workshop for your company, or she offers one-day or three-day in-person workshops and a month long, once a week webinar.

Follow Cheryl on LinkedIn

The post The 5 Questions That Lead To Better Outcomes appeared first on THE AREA METHOD.

What is empathy in action? Our guest on the Problem Solved Podcast is an expert in the topic. Sharon Steed, an international keynote speaker, author and founder of Communilogue, a corporate empathy and communications consultancy, is a subject matter expert on empathy. Empathy is key in decision-making because to truly solve our problems we need to include other people and perspectives for holistic problem solving.

In this episode, listeners will learn:

Listen Now:

Sharon’s bio:

Sharon Steed is an international keynote speaker, author and founder of Communilogue, a corporate empathy and communications consultancy. Sharon is a subject matter expert on empathy at work. She has spoken at companies and conferences from various industries in 18 countries spanning four continents on improving team communication and collaboration through engaging empathy; vulnerability as a professional asset; and has given a TEDx talk on empowering insecurities.

A lifelong stutterer, she uses her speech impediment to both teach what empathy is and inspire audiences to engage in empathy actions daily. An author and course instructor for O’Reilly Media, Inc., her eBook “Empathy at Work” is available in the O’Reilly library. Sharon’s course “Communicating With Empathy” has over 800,000 views and is available on LinkedIn

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Need help with decision-making? Pick up a copy of Cheryl’s new book Problem Solver and reach out to Decisive!

Sign up for coaching, workshops, or have Cheryl come speak to your organization by emailing Cheryl at [email protected]. Cheryl can customize a workshop for your company, or she offers one-day or three-day in-person workshops and a month long, once a week webinar.

Follow Cheryl on LinkedIn

The post Problem Solved Podcast: Empathy In Action with Sharon Steed appeared first on THE AREA METHOD.

There is a famous proverb: Every great journey starts with a single step. This month’s Problem Solved Podcast guest can ensure that your steps lead to better success! Michael Gelb, a fifth-degree black belt in aiKIdo and author of seventeen books, including the international bestseller How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, speaks to us about his newest book titled Walking Well, A New Approach To Comfort, Vitality, And Inspiration In Every Step.

In this episode you will learn how to use walking to:

Listen now:

More about Michael:

Michael J. Gelb is a pioneering practitioner and thought leader in the fields of creative thinking, executive coaching and conscious leadership, He is the author of 18 books including How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci, BodyLearning: An Introduction to the Alexander Technique and The Healing Organization: Awakening the Conscience of Business to Help Save the World.    Michael’s books have been translated into 25 languages and have sold more than one million copies.

In 1999 Michael received the “Brain-of-the-Year” award from the Brain Foundation, other winners include Stephen Hawking, Garry Kasparov and Bill Gates. In 2003 Michael received a Batten Fellowship in Innovation from The University of Virginia and co-directed the acclaimed Leading Innovation Seminar at the Darden Graduate School of Business for more than 10 years. In 2020 he was invited to become a Senior Fellow of the Center for Humanistic Management at Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business. In 2021 Michael was invited to become a member of the MG100 Executive Coaches group.  Michael is also a master teacher of the Alexander Technique, aikido and qigong and a professional juggler who performed with the Rolling Stones.

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Need help with decision-making? Pick up a copy of Cheryl’s new book Problem Solver and reach out to Decisive!

Sign up for coaching, workshops, or have Cheryl come speak to your organization by emailing Cheryl at [email protected]. Cheryl can customize a workshop for your company, or she offers one-day or three-day in-person workshops and a month long, once a week webinar.

Follow Cheryl on LinkedIn

The post Problem Solved Podcast: Step Into Success: Michael Gelb’s Guide to Walking Well appeared first on THE AREA METHOD.

The career ladder is not a set of steps, but instead is a ‘squiggly’ line. So says our Problem Solved guest, Sarah Ellis, co-founder of Amazing If, a company dedicated to making careers better. Sarah co-wrote the book, The Squiggly Career which describes how moving frequently and fluidly between roles, industries, locations and even careers is becoming the new normal. While ‘Squiggly’ careers can feel stressful and overwhelming, in our interview, Sarah shares how to make the most of them so that “they can be full of opportunity, freedom and purpose,” she says. 

In our podcast with Sarah, you’ll learn:

Listen Now

About Sarah:

Sarah is the co-founder of Amazing If, a company with a mission to make careers better for everyone. Together with her business partner Helen, she is the author of two Sunday Times bestselling books The Squiggly Career and You Coach You. Sarah and Helen are also hosts of the podcast Squiggly Careers which has had 4m downloads and their TED talk, The best career isn’t always a straight line, has been watched by almost 2m people. Prior to Amazing If Sarah’s career included leadership roles at Barclays and Sainsbury’s before becoming Managing Director at creative agency Gravity Road. Sarah is an alumnus of Harvard, London, and Warwick Business Schools (MBA with distinction), a qualified professional coach, and a mental health first aider. She is also Co-Chair of the Mayor of London Workspace Advisory Board. Sarah lives in London with her partner and her bug-loving 6-year-old Max. You can follow her on LinkedIn and find free career development tools at www.amazingif.com.

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Need help with decision-making? Pick up a copy of Cheryl’s new book Problem Solver and reach out to Decisive!

Sign up for coaching, workshops, or have Cheryl come speak to your organization by emailing Cheryl at [email protected]. Cheryl can customize a workshop for your company, or she offers one-day or three-day in-person workshops and a month long, once a week webinar.

Follow Cheryl on LinkedIn

The post Problem Solved Podcast: Navigating Squiggly Careers with Sarah Ellis appeared first on THE AREA METHOD.

Listen now:

For more about Dina: 

Dina Berrin is a tarot reader, teacher, speaker, and Certified Co-Active Life Coach with over 20 years of experience. Her journey into the world of divination began at a young age, sparked by her grandmother introducing Dina to astrology. This early awareness prompted a lifelong passion for exploring metaphysical disciplines, including tarot, numerology, charm reading, crystals, palmistry, and more.

At the heart of Dina’s work is her passion as a storyteller. She believes that tarot is the storybook of our lives, the mirror to our soul, and the key to our inner wisdom. Every decision, choice, lesson, and challenge we encounter can be found within the 78 cards of the tarot deck. The cards act as a mirror, allowing us to tap into the wisdom and answers within ourselves and the universe.  Dina also believes that when incorporated with other disciplines such as astrology and numerology, tarot becomes part of a Venn diagram, offering a multi-faceted view of our lives and decisions.

As a coach, reader, intuitive, and storyteller, Dina uses her innate intuition to help pull back the curtain and connect clients to their “why,” reminding them of who they are and offering guidance to finding the answers and solutions they seek. Her approach blends intuition, imagination, and intent, guiding clients to their authentic selves. She understands the challenges of finding one’s true path and provides a safe, empowering space for clients to expand, grow, – and become their future selves.

Dina is a fierce champion for her clients, guiding them as they navigate life’s complexities with clarity, confidence, and courage. She believes the best decisions are made from a place of love, not fear. Living authentically means making choices that reflect our deepest values and truest selves. Through her work, Dina helps clients peel back the layers to uncover what truly matters to them and supports them as they map out a path to their desired future.

Dina loves to bring her talents to events when she’s not working one-on-one with clients. Guests are always eager to sit and talk with her, drawn to her welcoming and engaging presence. Whether working privately or at events, Dina prides herself on being approachable, non-judgmental, and committed to exceptional service.

Living in NYC with her husband, three kids, and their adorable puppy, Rocky, Dina balances her professional life with her passions. She is a perpetual student, always eager to explore deeper insights and new perspectives. Her endless curiosity and love for people allow her to shine a unique light on others and lift them up.

Dina Berrin is more than just a tarot reader or fortune teller; she is a guide who helps people find their purpose, respect their core values, and navigate their life’s journey with wisdom and love. She is the guiding light that guides people home to themselves, helping them make decisions from a place of love and authenticity.

The post Problem Solved Podcast: Decision-Making Divination with Dina Berrin appeared first on THE AREA METHOD.

How may we help kids make better decisions? In this episode of the Problem Solved Podcast we speak with NYC elementary school principal Tiffany McAfee as we explore how good schools help kids (and adults) make better big decisions. 

Listen now:

More about Tiffany: 

Tiffany McAfee is a dedicated and passionate educator with over 22 years of experience in various roles, including classroom teacher, instructional leader, and principal. Her journey in education began with a decade of teaching before joining Teach For America (TFA) in 2012, driven by her belief in ensuring that all young people have access to excellent educators. Tiffany is currently the principal at Our World Neighborhood Charter Schools, a K-5 charter school in Queens, New York.

A deep commitment to teaching and learning has marked her career. Tiffany wakes up every day eager to discover new ways to learn and share knowledge. 

Tiffany served as the principal of East Harlem Scholars Academy, where she played a crucial role in shaping the educational experiences of students in East Harlem. Before that, she held the position of Director of Instruction at Citizens of the World Charter Schools in Brooklyn, focusing on coaching and supporting teachers. Her experience also includes her role as Director of Personalized Learning at Matchbook Learning, where she coached and supported teachers in implementing blended learning models. 

Tiffany holds a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University, Nebraska, and a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature, Writing from Bradley University. Tiffany remains committed to her passion for education, continuously seeking to enhance her teaching methods and share her insights with others.

The post Problem Solved Podcast: School Smarts: Kids Making Better Decisions appeared first on THE AREA METHOD.