Say It Skillfully®

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Here is Episode 204 for you – don’t miss the brilliant Bob Roth, widely considered one of the leading experts on Transcendental Meditation. Molly and Bob sit down and go over what meditation is, and how it can work for anyone, regardless of whether or not you believe in it. Hear all about Focus, Open Monitoring, and Self-Transcending, the three main branches of meditation. Bob explains he came to meditation in 1969, a time when those who practiced were “certifiably weird,” and even though he was “a practical sort of guy,” he had so much trust in and respect for his teacher, that he opened himself up to learning. Now, in 2023, he has devoted his life to bringing Transcendental Meditation to a million and counting children. Bob says his journey started as a way to lessen his stress and has ended up as “a tool to help make a big difference in the world.”

Don’t miss Bob reminiscing on the 60s and 70s, reflecting on how meditation became a widespread movement back then, and maybe even saved his generation. The cultural uproar Bob remembers will help you fully understand why meditation going mainstream came at the perfect moment. Bob talks about how inspiring Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was to him because while everyone else fixated on his working with The Beatles, and that level of star-power could have gotten to his head, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi stayed completely focused on researching how meditation was beneficial to physical and mental health. Bob expands on what these health benefits are, explaining how he has helped establish forums for top medical researchers to look into the correlation between meditation and better health.

Bob wraps up this episode by sharing his two keys to success in all areas of life. Tune in to hear what they are! Don’t miss this wisdom-filled episode of Say It Skillfully®!

Molly’s thought for the week: Your body hears everything your mind says — Naomi Judd

P.S. Bob leads to his full potential by communication to influence and inspire! To help you do the same, I created my 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” Here’s the link for free 24-hour access bit.ly/3sETIgg

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Here is Episode 203 for you – don’t miss the inspiring economist, Jeremy Bess, whose journey to success reminds us all to never give up, regardless of the adversities we may face. Jeremy reflects on his challenging teenage years, when he was functionally homeless and dependent on friends and his brother for a place to sleep. His decision to study economics at the University of Tampa was motivated by these years of uncertainty. This choice brought him to advising Fortune 500 companies starting when he was just 24 years old. Often facing push back for being so young in rooms full of older C-suite level executives, Jeremy now tries to lend a hand to the next generation interested in economics. Listen as Jeremy looks back and reflects on periods of stress and self-doubt. Today, he says, “I felt confident that if I just kept going that it would slowly figure itself out, which it kind of did.” Putting faith in yourself and luck has paid off big time! Tune in to hear Jeremy reflect on the philosophies of economics and how they affect your everyday life. His conversation with Molly developed into discussing how COVID was a shock, not just to him, but to the global economy. He tells how he thinks it changed the game, and how we are still feeling effects from this hit today. He offers advice on how to grow your business in a way that can last. Don’t miss this inspiring episode! Jeremy empowers us all to trust in ourselves and work hard.

P.S. Jeremy leads to his full potential by communication to influence and inspire! To help you do the same, I created my 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” Here’s the link for free 24-hour access bit.ly/3sETIgg

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 202 is the 40th monthly feature of “Our Voices,” intended to accelerate social change that levels the playing field—helping everyone live to their full potential. The aim is for you to see a bit of yourself in these journeys, and embrace—we’re more similar than not. In this episode, Molly is joined by Nozipho Tshabalala, a conversation strategist and global moderator. Nozi reflects on growing up in South Africa under Nelson Mandela, and how she inherited her parents’ strident work ethic. Their dedication to her education helped Nozi always set the highest bar for herself, fueled by “failing was not an option for me.” You’ll be surprised by how she picked her major! Her inner confidence stems from what her parents instilled: “I am smart, but I am capable, and I’m teachable.”

Hear Nozi’s unlikely foray into one of the world’s biggest conglomerates, Tata Group (from none other than its chairman)! This led to unexpectedly shooting a documentary for CNBC Africa. She was on screen for only 15 seconds, but those 15 seconds changed her life. Only two weeks after the documentary aired, she was offered a news anchor position with CNBC Africa, covering development and finance (compelling her to delve into topics she knew zero about). Nozi knew the first time she moderated live that it was her calling. “Conversations are the birthplace of action, and in the absence of conversation, we absolutely get nothing done.”

Today, family reigns supreme for Nozi. She has an intellectual match in her husband and a gift of a son. With her hard-earned stability, she paid for her mother to return to and graduate college as a newly certified teacher. Balancing motherhood on top of her constant travel for business is one of Nozi’s self-described top accomplishments.

Don’t miss this inspiring episode. Nozi empowers us all to aim high and land high. Learn more at: http://www.theconversationstrategist.com/ and follow @therealnozi

Molly’s thought for the week – a lyric that inspires Nozi, from Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey:

P.S. Nozi leads to her full potential by communication to influence and inspire! To help you do the same, Molly created a 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” Here’s the link for free 24-hour access bit.ly/3sETIgg

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 201 features successful professionals and what’s top of mind for them.

Listen to the full episode—

Laura from Connecticut (not NY...) calls in first for a new approach to a team member who delivers the sales numbers, BUT also over-delivers on negativity. This is not helping the team dynamic. Laura sees the person trying but the 2 steps forward and 3 back isn’t cutting it. Hear a few new strategies, including clarifying consequences for behavior that don’t serve the greater good..

Then Sean, after a fulfilling career in the military, opens up about his transition to private sector. He’s mindful of the culture shift and keen not to communicate in ways that may come across as “harsh.” He and Molly talk about the positives of experiencing a very different environment and embracing it so that the organization fully benefits from Sean being new and seeing things differently (13:35)

Finally, Sophie shares her struggles in figuring out the appropriate approach to negotiating total compensation in start-up environments. An experienced COO, she reflects on the early days of leaving way too much on the table, as well as pivoting to the other extreme. Don’t miss a lively chat on making the most of comp discussions, including gaining key information around the people and culture fit that are crucial to assessing if an opportunity is right for you (33:35).

Tune in and learn how to navigate work and life while being invaluable and true to yourself.

Molly’s thought for the week: “Make a choice to build a life you don’t regularly need to escape from.”

Say It Skillfully® is the show where Molly Tschang expertly guides you in how to honestly speak your mind at work in the most positive and productive manner. In milestone Episode 200, Molly’s guest is her mentor, Marshall Goldsmith. An executive coach to some of the biggest CEOs in the world and an author and editor to 55 books with over 3-million copies sold, Marshall shares his wisdom inspired by his Buddhist practice.

One of the earliest believers in Say It Skillfully®, Marshall says Molly’s dedication to effective communication stuck with him. Saying what you mean is the key to making a positive difference.

Marshall talks about finding long-term happiness and using his Buddhist principles as a guiding star. Molly gets some live coaching from Marshall on the importance of happiness in the moment. He says people have to choose to be happy every day. Marshall speaks on how his Buddhist beliefs have impacted his coaching process, influencing his clients to “let go of the past, develop adaptability, and find joy in the present moment.”

Molly and Marshall wrap up by talking about making a positive impact on other people’s lives and personal legacy! Tune in to hear about MarshallBot, and how Marshall Goldsmith envisions his technological alter-ego will live on.

Molly’s thought for the week ( the 1st thing she learned from Marshall)

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 199 features successful professionals and what’s top of mind for them.

Chris kicks the show off, and Molly is thrilled to hear his growth from when he first joined her on January 7, 2020! He’s upfront about where he was—obsessing about the “title” before the person was getting inside his own head and holding him back. He opens up about his journey to greater self-awareness, and one of his challenges now, getting buy-in from team members. As he’s in project management, leading and navigating change is a constant, and Molly shares some tips.

Next Kiera raises a common question, “How exactly do I know when to say something vs. just keep quiet because it’s not so big of a deal?” Molly and Kiera unpack a situation many can relate to—how to handle roommates with varying ideas of what “neat, clean and tidy” are! Kiera shares her learnings in considering others are “just like me” and offers how greater kindness toward herself helps her be more kind to others. “Transparency is your friend” is one of her top takeaways (19:15).

Then Yody (thanks for taking Molly’s LinkedIn course!) is keen to push her boss, but not seem pushy! She is eager to build her technical skill, though an outreach to her boss for additional development has been unanswered. She and Molly consider different lenses for Jyoti to see the situation through, including how she can see herself differently. And she’s game on to actually record herself in order to gain awareness for how others might perceive her (36:45)!

Tune in to these courageous human beings and learn how to navigate work and life while being invaluable and true to yourself.

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. In Episode 198, Molly is joined by her friend Jason Castano, a shining example of a young person who took the bull by the horns, found his passions and never stopped believing in what was possible. For Jason’s parents the only way to leave Colombia with hope of America was entrusting a total stranger with their lives and life savings to fly to Mexico, swim across a river at night with their young daughter, fly to California, and then to New York. His father made $3/hour washing dishes and his mother was a maid. Jason overwhelmingly recalls gratitude for their “hard work” and a happy childhood, always having what he needed. Admittedly shy, skinny and insecure as a child, Jason talks about being bullied and then transformed by being part of a karate fight team. He reflects about the opportunity to be top 8 out of 300 as the first time he really wanted something. The good fortune of joining a military program for high schoolers completed his metamorphosis to a self-confident, strong youth with a new lease on life. Hear how Jason played the long game in boldly embarking on his first career as a physical trainer, which took him on private jets and a chance to see the world. Living his core values with his clients, endless work ethic and penchant to always exceed expectations helped him break through. And in 2015 when a client offered him an opportunity to move into real estate, Jason found his “dream job” as portfolio asset manager and agent for River 2 River Realty. Hear how he now supports family members to immigrate and make better lives for themselves. Many nuggets to be gleaned from Jason’s journey! Don’t miss how he was “chest up, shoulders back” and always grateful when people entrusted him. Jason inspires us to be the very best versions of ourselves.

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 197 is the 39th monthly feature of “Our Voices,” intended to accelerate social change that levels the playing field—helping everyone live to their full potential. The aim is for you to see a bit of yourself in these journeys, and embrace—we’re more similar than not. In this episode, Molly is joined by global humanitarian volunteer, Alison Thompson, whose journey inspires us to serve our community and world in ways we may never have imagined! Growing up in Australia, her father a preacher, Alison moved frequently in a missionary lifestyle and she found herself most comfortable in her early habitats of developing world and jungle.. She recalls her parents’ unconditional love and beaming love into the eyes of those in need, though she thought she’d grow up, have a candy store and four kids, vs. immerse herself in helping people in refugee camps! Along her way to her dream role, Alison’s career took her to nursing, math teacher, investment banker and film school. She implores, “Don’t be scared to take a new path!”

On September 11th, 2001 Alison lost 64 friends and that day changed her life trajectory. She worked for 9 months as a first responder at Ground Zero and shares how she managed to cope and then to thrive after something so senseless.

In founding “Third Wave Volunteers”—30,000 medical and non-medical volunteers on the ground responding to disasters globally—Alison takes you through mistakes, learnings and the highs and lows. Hear how each of us can make a difference! She shares her experience with large aid organizations and the power of a hug that doesn’t let go.

Hers is a love story (and how she met the love of life—hear how they make their relationship work). No surprise, Alison believes that the secret to happiness is service to others.

Don’t miss this moving episode. She inspires us all to know no boundaries and to commit to taking action so that all can be safe, seen and heard, and our true best selves. Learn more and support here: https://thirdwavevolunteers.com/ (including her award-winning documentary “The Third Wave” that chronicles her volunteering in Sri Lanka after the tsunami and book).

Molly’s thought for the week—Thank you Alison!

P.S. Alison leads to her full potential by communicating to influence and inspire! To help you do the same, I created my 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” Here’s the link for free 24-hr access bit.ly/3sETIgg

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. In Episode 196, Molly is joined by one of the world’s greatest leaders, Alan Mulally, who led Boeing to the global leader of commercial airplanes and Ford to the #1 automotive brand in the USA. Alan shares his leadership journey and his “Working Together” System, honed as he’s led hundreds of thousands of people in creating value for all the stakeholders and the greater good.

We dedicate this episode to the indomitable Frances Hesselbein, who taught us:

The foundation of Alan’s life of service started at home in Lawrence, Kansas. He reminisces about the daily words impressed upon him by his parents, not least of which included:

If you don’t hear it for yourself, it may be hard to believe Alan’s career path… He recounts an early epiphany as bag checker at the grocery store—from humble beginnings and struggling to fit in, to the very top echelons of business Alan was always guided by humility, love and service. He delves into how being grounded in your authentic self is the key to saying it skillfully (authenticity = alignment between your beliefs, values and behaviors). And Alan offers how being who you are and developing an integrated life (vs. balancing work and life) has made all the difference!

Don’t miss learning about Alan’s Working Together Strategic, Operational and Stakeholder-center System, which has underpinned his and his organizations’ success. Reference materials will be available on Molly’s LinkedIn post https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollytschang/ for you to follow along and help you put the system into practice.

Join Alan and Molly in being the change you want to see in our world! Be a “Working Together” Leader—I to we and me to service!

Molly’s thought for the week (Thank you Alan’s Mom):

P.S. To help you in “Working Together”, amp up how you communicate as a leader! Take Molly’s 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” Here’s the link for free 24-hr access bit.ly/3sETIgg

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 195 is another edition of “Top Talks from the Top”. Do yourself a big favor and take in the many, many gems that Harry Kraemer generously shares, not least of which is tapping into the power of self-reflection. Over a 23-year career at Baxter International, he went from finance whiz literally to Chairman & CEO.

The eldest of 5, Harry recalls moving every few years as his dad was a salesman and growing up “fairly religious.” His Uncle Francis was a priest, which was his first career choice (that didn’t exactly manifest). Harry shares the pivotal moment with his to-be father-in-law that set him on a trajectory he’d never imagined! Young Harry learned how silence can be a pretty good thing, such that for the past 4+ decades, he self-reflects for 15 minutes every single day. It’s made all the difference as he doesn’t suffer from “worry, fear, anxiety, pressure, and stress!”

Harry talks openly about how to be when things are going well, AND to consider the inevitability of when things go downhill. He’s all about “no surprises”. He walks the walk of truly valuing people and relationships and recollects fondly the opportunity to be constantly meeting people and learning from them in the 140 countries Baxter operated in. I’ve never known anyone to thrive as much in relating human to human!

Don’t be surprised how Harry’s people focus contributed to his ascent at Baxter (something he NEVER envisioned). And his values-based leadership made any “tough talks” less so! Hear how he embraced his privilege and responsibility to set an example of what a good person to his 55,000 team members.

You’ll be better for tuning into this refreshing conversation. Harry inspires us all to know no boundaries and to commit to taking action so that all can be safe, seen and heard, and our true and very best selves!

And no time like the present to amp up your leadership communications, a core component to Harry’s sustained success in all his endeavors. Don’t miss taking Molly’s 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” Here’s a link for free 24-hr access

Hope it helps you lead to your full potential. Happy learning!