How’s life treating you? I hear so many people talk about being burned out, being exhausted, feeling depleted. I watch so many people over-extend themselves and it makes me sad. Life isn’t treating those folks so well. And it probably has something to do with their ability to establish and honor boundaries.

This podcast is all about boundaries. My starting question is this: when is enough, enough? When do you know you’ve been pushed, pulled, guilted, or prodded too far?

I’m going to be all over the place in this podcast. I’ll cover politeness, manners and just being respectful of everyone we encounter. I’ll talk about the need to create civil discourse. I’ll even cover email usage and cell phones. You'll enjoy the tips I'll share from Jason Fredrick’s Tiny Book of Electronic Etiquette. As random and scattered as it will seem, there are three common themes:

1. We can be our best selves when we honor the humanity in everyone.

2. All of our futures are tied together so we are well-served to find common bonds.

3. We gain ground on the journey to civility when we seek to understand, listen with open hearts, and reflect on the good in each person.

I recently delivered a keynote titled The Journey to Leadership Excellence. Obviously, I’m not going to regurgitate the entire speech. I just want to highlight some of the key points. If you want to check out the entire presentation it will be on my YouTube channel soon.

Don’t you feel great when you get to give someone something? I don’t care if it’s a compliment, a birthday gift, a dollar, or treating to lunch. There’s just something wonderful about the act of giving.

The Association for Psychological Science reports on two studies that measure the impact of giving. Guess what they found? The happiness we experience after an event or activity diminishes each time we experience it. Except the happiness associated with giving! Yep! The happiness we feel when we give to others, no matter how often, simply does not decline. We maintain that feel-good feeling. And that's what we're going to focus on...

The last case study I did was really popular! So much so that I’m doing another one today. Thanks to everyone who encourages me to try new topics or to continue on with things they enjoy. I appreciate the feedback.

Here’s another thought-starter. This one is all about courage, internal opposition and the nuances of DEI. I'll read you the case and then I’ll review questions for consideration at the end.

I know it’s a popular concept, the imposter syndrome. And I’m sure it’s a real thing. Psychology Today and a billion other publications have articles on it. They say it’s when we feel undeserving of our achievements, of our success, of our promotions.

Frankly, I don’t like the language “imposter syndrome.” It focuses on deficits and doesn’t address the real issue. And that issue is a lack of confidence. In this podcast we’re going to change the language and imagery that we use. We’re going to extricate imposter syndrome from our vocabulary and, most importantly, from our mindset. We’re going to talk about how we build confidence.

Mark Gesner started his journey in hosteling. Somewhere along the way he was the Vice President of Community Engagement, Innovation & Communications at Saint Leo University. Then he served as a business professor and the executive director of the Hub for Innovation and Community Engaged Learning at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And now he is in the Sunshine State enjoying his next chapter as the Maureen and Douglas Cohn Executive Director of the Tampa JCCs.

Mark has come full circle. He's going to share his insights on writing multiple chapters and returning to your roots.

There’s so much to consider when it comes to courage and change. Today I am going to read you a case study that I just used in a workshop. I want you to think about it, process it, share it. It's all about courage DEI, and obstacles from unlikely sources. I’ve got a few questions that we’ll go over after I finish telling the story. Those questions will help you consider the nuances of the case.

Mark Gesner is back to talk more about his next chapter. After a remarkable career in academia, he decided to become a nonprofit executive. Mark is the Maureen and Douglas Cohn Executive Director of the Tampa JCCs. He’s a Brooklyn native who saw transformational leadership, inclusion, and acceptance modeled by his grandmother and great aunts. Those lessons prepared him to write multiple chapters of his rich, storied life.

With the rampant attacks on equity, diversity and inclusion in so many organizations, I think it is more important than ever to address the competencies required to create inclusivity. This podcast is for anyone interested in bridge building in the workplace. It’s for anyone who is interested in thoughtfully leading in ways that create the human bonds that will protect us all.