The Inspire Podcast

AI is transforming every facet of work and life, including how we improve and build leadership communication skills. In this episode, Bart speaks with Esha Joshi, co-founder of Yoodli, an AI-powered speech coach. The Humphrey Group has partnered with Yoodli to create a unique version that not only analyzes your speaking but also incorporates The Humphrey Group's intellectual capital and guidance to enhance your leadership communication skills.

In this conversation, Bart and Esha discuss her journey to founding Yoodli, her passion for helping people build their communication skills, and what the tool does. They also delve into insights from the large data sets Yoodli collects, which have helped tens of thousands of people worldwide improve their public speaking. Lastly, they explore why the partnership between human coaches and AI brings the best skill development, highlighting how each complements the other.

1:19 Welcoming Esha

2:00 Bart talks about ELI

2:49 What is Yoodli?

5:05 Esha's background

5:49 Decision to go into tech

6:47 Apple TV and Ted Lasso

7:46 The intersection of tech and entertainment

7:57 3 main passions

8:21 Teaching young girls to code

8:49 Communication skills

9:31 Bart talks about their work with women at the HG

10:27 When did you get the idea for Yoodli?

10:46 Shift to virtual communication

11:15 Poor communication skills holding back really talented people

12:09 Co-founder Varun

13:19 How do people use this technology?

14:25 Bespoke HG solution

15:08 Use it to rate your performance in live meetings

15:50 See long-term trends

16:14 Exposure therapy

17:42 Practice first with an AI but get human feedback is essential

18:33 Hearing yourself back is cringy but essential

19:13 Seeing yourself through the eyes of the audience

19:54 The power of the pause

20:47 Improve lateral thinking

21:48 Desktop app

24:05 Zack Cass

24:44 What will never be replicated by AI?

26:48 Using AI as a starting point

27:47 Inspiring ideas? Bart

30:08 What's next for Yoodli and Eli?

Helping sales professionals excel requires a unique and innovative approach. But what exactly does that entail? How can you attract top sales talent and elevate their performance? What strategies do the best sales leaders employ?

To explore these questions, Bart is joined by Ryan Precious, SVP of Worldwide Sales at ClickUp. Ryan shares his inspiring journey from BlackBerry to leading U.S. tech companies, detailing how his progressively executive roles shaped his approach to sales leadership. He emphasizes that exceptional sales leaders must excel in recruitment, lead by example, be data-driven and act as coaches who continually elevate their team's skills and performance.

0:24 Show intro

0:59 Welcoming Ryan

1:45 How they met each other

2:11 What's clickup

3:17 About Ryan's career dev

4:13 Starting with RIM

5:00 Started in sales and loved it

6:16 Going from RIM to Clickkup

7:22 App dynamics

8:57 Roxette

9:53 The 3 R's for sales leaders

10:11 (R)ecruit

10:29 (R)etaining

10:39 (R)evenue

11:23 How to recruit the best people

11:49 The rule of 3 in hiring

12:11 You always need to have a pipeline of candidates

13:51 Selling before you buy

15:22 Four key areas to look for in an interview

17:22 What makes them special?

18:13 Understanding their "whys"

18:44 How to keep special people?

19:12 Get them off to a fast start

20:26 Look at the data and leading indicators

22:12 How to fend off poachers

22:56 Red flags

23:28 Compensation and perks

25:10 Life enablement through sales leadership

25:59 Revenue

26:25 How can a sales leader drive performance?

27:02 Amp it Up -- book

27:10 Book: The Qualified Sales leader

27:51 Metrics are key

28:34 Economic buyer

32:14 Is Generational change affecting sales leadership?

32:49 More important than ever to have an IRL connection

35:44 How to manage up in the sales hierarchy

37:12 Bart summarizes

38:11 Where can people find out more

39:48 Be a student of the game

40:00 Thank yous.

40:17 Outro

In this episode, Bart welcomes Mosongo Moukwa, PhD, executive, author and leadership & business coach. Mosongo shares his journey from academia to the corporate world, and explains how he came to leadership accidentally. During this career, he developed a philosophy he calls “leadership of significance” which is transformational and audience-focused. He explains that you must begin with purpose, engage your people to build trust, energize your team and the organization, and then build off of the stories and experiences that bring people to life. Mosongo draws on his own stories, and his newly-published book to show listeners how to practice impactful leadership in their careers and life.

0:59 Welcoming Mosongo

2:31 What is the book about and why did he write it

2:44 The work is never about specific business objectives

3:33 Bart gives kudos for writing the book while running a company

4:09 Mosongo's career journey

5:07 Getting picked for management

6:23 Never regretted the leadership role

6:55 Growth comes through discomfort

7:31 Biggest discomfort that he faced

7:44 Story about picking someone the senior management didn't like

11:31 True to himself in decision making

13:23 Defining what a "leader of significance" is

14:05 Sharing experiences

16:16 Who is the book for?

17:53 Defining authentic purpose

18:37 A process of discovery

19:35 Stephen Hawking's story

20:51 How would you coach a 25 year old

22:03 Until you know yourself, you will be held back

22:54 The Little Prince book

23:38 Rhinoceros - play

25:06 Advice to a VP

25:39 How do senior execs find purpose?

25:54 Explore their past

26:25 Define your values

27:19 How can leaders reignite purpose?

28:01 Think about what you'd like your eulogy to say

29:01 How to engage and energize people?

29:26 Set the tone for conversation

29:43 Ask questions like "what would you like to do more of"?

30:22 Help people find a sense of belonging

31:16 How does trust fit into it?

31:42 Be genuinely curious about other people

32:39 It takes time to build trust with people

33:46 Leadership of significance -- beyond direct reports

34:28 Leadership is not a solo venture

36:29 Bart on how purpose is becoming more important in leadership discussions

36:56 Where can people find out more?

37:44 Thank yous

This week Bart speaks with Brooke Sophia, an executive coach, jiujiteira, and consultant with The Humphrey Group about the mindset required to build the confidence it takes to inspire others.

Brooke shares her journey into coaching and martial arts and how she’s learned that self-doubt and the inertia of imposter syndrome can hold you back. She explores how to flip this mindset to embrace change, how to “tell the truth to ourselves”, be in the energy of celebration, and how to inspire others once you have inspired yourself.

Brooke’s energy, honesty, and personal stories make her a sought after member of THG’s team, and this episode will help anyone looking to grow their capability to build self-confidence.

Visit Brooke's website to learn more: http://www.fearlesswithbrooke.com

Connect with Brooke on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookesophia/

1:05 Welcoming Brooke

2:27 Why Bart wanted her to come on the show

3:04 Her background

3:55 Listen to the messages from life

4:30 Discovered coaching

5:27 So willing to fail

6:09 What her coaching practice business looks like

6:31 Why people come for coaching 

7:13 Jujitsu

7:39 Bart shares his failed attempts at martial arts

9:05 Humility

9:34 Courage

10:01 Stuff we do outside of work is full of lessons 

10:47 Self Doubt

11:20 Positional leadership roles and shame

11:54 Everyone is looking for I'm Enough 

13:03 Bart shares his thoughts on the "it's never enough" phenomenon

14:27 Don't base self-evaluation of the outside 

15:57 How does this affect leadership communication

17:31 Managing your energy and bringing others along

19:09 Truth is the highest frequency

19:47 Bart posits a scenario

20:47 Do a reality check

22:08 Self-honesty is so important

24:29 Think about a powerful opening statement

25:30 Don't self-diminish when sharing

27:19 You can't give it if you haven't had it

28:31 Showing self-respect 

28:58 If it's in front of the warrior, the warrior is ready

30:24 Bart drills down with another example

33:27 Nourish self-trust - Mother Goose 

36:05 To be in the energy of celebration

36:25 They're so lucky to have me! 

36:50 Requires presence in the moment

37:47 Don't get distracted by the Blase 

39:41 Humility can be overrated!

40:43 Key takeaways from the conversation

41:38 Where can people go to find out more

In this episode, Bart speaks with journalist Amy Shoenthal about her new book, The Setback Cycle. Amy explains how setbacks aren't always fuel for success, why not everything "happens for a reason" and the real lessons to take when you're in the middle of a difficult period in life or career. She shares her four-part setback cycle (Establish, Embrace, Explore, Emerge) and explains how it can be a mental framework to process and move past these periods. Amy's insights and anecdotes make her cycle a compelling and worthwhile listen for anyone who may be feeling stuck.

Get your copy of The Setback Cycle here: http://www.thesetbackcycle.com

And learn more about Amy and her company on their website: https://www.visionaries-collective.com/

-

1:17 Introducing Amy

1:59 What led you to write this book?

2:35 Noticed how setbacks were key to people's narratives

3:46 Bart talks about the book

4:13 Grit and resilience

5:16 Amy hates the phrase "Everything happens for a reason"

6:04 Not here to tell you your next setback is awesome

7:05 It's important to have a sense that you can get through a setback

7:54 Growth happens

9:00 What we can learn from babies

9:36 The 4 cycles

10:01 Phase 1: Establish

10:47 Phase 2: Embrace

12:09 Phase 3: Explore

13:25 Phase 4: Emerge

14:19 Bart asks for an example of an "Establish" experience

15:34 How to know you're in a setback

16:03 Two key questions

17:52 How to do the 'embrace' phase right...

18:13 Working through the stress response

19:25 Collecting information about the setback

20:35 Amy wasn't aware of her setback

22:01 Joke - maybe we should just identify as our hobbies 

23:16 Amy's story of shifting to journalism

25:59 What's the "explore" phase like?

26:27 Learning about your transferable skills and your superpowers

27:20 Finding ways to energize yourself

27:50 Journaling practice

29:21 In real life these phases can run concurrently

31:11 The last phase: Emerge

32:33 Baby steps forward

33:39 Bart shares story of his wife's career switch

35:14 The story of the genesis of her book

37:17 Bart tells dad anecdote

38:36 Where can people go to find out more

39:10 Thank yous

!!A special episode for Asian Heritage Month!! In this episode, Bart speaks with Rebecca Pang about the unique stereotypes and challenges Asian professionals face and how they can overcome them. Rebecca, a Vice President with RBC and co-founder of the Asian Professionals Network at the bank, shares some startling numbers that illustrate how Asian professionals are not well-represented in leadership across sectors in North America. She then shares her own journey and reflects on why this may be, and then explains what she has done to advance herself in the face of these challenges. Rebecca outlines her advice to anyone looking to grow and advance themselves and gain the advancement they are seeking. Rebecca's story is an inspiring one and well worth listening to not only for Asian professionals but for anyone who wants to serve as a better Ally.

|

Learn more with these statistics and resources:

|

Ascend Foundation - Hidden in Plain Sight (2018)

- "Glass Ceiling for Asian Americans Is 3.7x Times Harder to Crack"

- Report: https://www.ascendleadership.org/pressrelease/glass-ceiling-for-asian-americans-is-37x-times-harder-to-crack

|

Ascend Foundation - Asian Representation on Fortune 1000 Boards (2020)

- "Asians represent 13% of the professional workforce but only 6% of executives and 4% of Fortune 1000 board seats."

Report:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/621f898a98dc785cd663ab7b/t/6411f2ee4666315d84f17833/1678897904702/asian-representation-fortune-1000-boards-2022-edition.pdf

|

CPAC Institute - Underrepresentation of Chinese Canadian Leadership in GTA (2021): Report PDF

- "Chinese Canadians are 11.1% of the GTA population, yet hold only 2.17% of Tier 1 leadership positions."

- Report: https://cpac-canada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CI-Report-2021.pdf

|

Harvard Business Review - Article (2018)

- "Goldman Sachs reported 27% of its professional workforce was Asian American, but only 11% were in senior management."

- Article: https://hbr.org/2018/05/asian-americans-are-the-least-likely-group-in-the-u-s-to-be-promoted-to-management

|

0:30 Show intro

1:05 Introducing Rebecca and all her accreditations

2:26 Co-founding the Asian Professional Group

3:10 Rebecca talks about her sales team

4:00 Introvert, who grew up in Hong Kong

4:21 Heavy on the numbers and math

4:49 Feedback about her communication

5:06 What does it mean to "work on your communication"

5:41 Why start the Asian Professional Group

6:07 Bart lists of stats about Asian representation in US

7:52 Exam oriented

8:15 Bart talks about how he's totally opposite re: exams

9:18 Story about wanting a "hockey certificate"

9:46 Bart jokes about leafs

10:13 Back to conversation

10:20 Non-book stuff very important for new Asians in NA

10:45 Mid career -- other aspects become more important

11:45 Common career advancement blocks for Asian Canadians

12:02 Speaking up

12:18 Too polite

12:40 Learning to debate respectfully

13:11 Feeling comfortable taking the lead

13:28 Bragging....need to do it once in a while

15:02 Bart talks about intersectional women+Asian and some stats

15:55 How Rebecca learned to improve communication

16:23 Leaders should be more specific

17:31 Learning from good speakers

17:52 Practice makes perfect

18:07 Do recordings and listen back

18:24 Bart mentions the AI tool

20:00 Bart gives kudos

20:39 We can all unlock leadership potential

21:06 Coming back to Asian pro network

22:15 What is the scope of the network?

23:03 What advice to others would she give?

23:47 Start with an authentic presence

24:30 Every Interaction is also an energy exchange

24:49 Bart talks about authentic presence

26:40 Embrace the power of networking!

26:53 Pushing past natural introversion

27:45 Celebrate each other's success

28:10 Why not me? Being a leader

29:15 What have you learned from starting the APN?

29:50 Finding your North Star

30:22 Finding the Canadian Dream

30:49 Have you achieved your Canadian dream?

32:07 Thank yous

32:45 Outro

In this episode, Bart speaks with Pablo Fernandez de Bobadilla about his two-decade career at Pfizer and how the ability to adapt and thrive has been crucial to his success. Pablo provides his perspective on how today's rapidly changing world and business landscape has put pressure on leaders to change, learn and grow more quickly than ever before. He then talks about the concept of Adaptagility, which involves embracing the discomfort inherent in growth and leaning into change instead of having it happen to you! Pablo brings his points to life with stories from his own work to overcome imposter syndrome and willingness to take on new challenges in Pfizer's global operations. A compelling conversation for anyone who wants to thrive in today's changing world of work and growth.

00:26 Standard intro

01:00 Welcoming Pablo

02:57 What is adaptability?

03:54 Adapt

04:00 Agility

04:04 Grit

04:14 Growth mindset

04:47 What was that research?

05:13 Difficult to explain what we do and how we do things

05:26 Incentive compensation

05:54 Flexibility curve

06:49 Pablo's role at Pfizer

07:38 Design comp plans for customer-facing staff

10:41 Research

11:26 Tailor comp to different types of people

12:05 Embracing different cultural experiences

13:29 Moving around a lot was a blessing

14:47 What things are you seeing globally in talent

15:17 Speed of business and change

15:47 40% of companies don't think they'll be viable in 10 years

16:27 Market pressure trickles down to employees

16:45 AI

18:23 Great communication skills are a must

19:17 Bart quotes Wired magazine

20:21 Don't fight the change, embrace the discomfort

20:43 Story of his imposter syndrome

20:55 Dyslexia

21:42 Insecurities at work

22:37 Always raised the bar

22:45 Nothing was ever good enough

24:07 His coach pointed out his imposter syndrome

24:21 You know you're not alone, right?

24:55 The positives that came from his imposter syndrome

25:17 Raise the bar continuously

26:36 Bart thanks for sharing personal story

27:06 How do you fight the imposter syndrome

28:57 Bart asks about embracing discomfort

29:21 Learned that you learn from discomfort

30:42 Bart asks Paolo to give advice

31:30 15 years at same job? You might become stagnant

32:29 For younger professionals: be patient

32:40 Get involved in as many projects as you can

33:40 Bart starts the wrap up

34:50 As you look ahead

37:08 Thank yous

In this kickoff episode of Season 6 Bart is joined by Melanie Burns, Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer of TD Bank, to discuss the vast array of changes in the last five years in the world of talent, and the foundational principles that leaders can still build their relationships on. Melanie explains how COVID, remote work, the Great Resignation, return to office, and now AI are all transforming the relationship between companies and their staff. She offers perspective on the positive implications of these changes and what they mean for leaders who must cultivate talent. Melanie offers a positive message for leaders: despite these shifts, the good news is that the fundamentals of attracting, engaging and managing talent are the same as they ever were. Melanie's insights and experiences make this a must-listen for any leader who is grappling with the age-old task of cultivating talent in a world that is rapidly changing.

Show Notes:

2:16 Introducing Melanie Burns

2:38 Bart asks about the rapidly changing environment

3:52 What do the different parts of the bank think about our times

4:11 Hybrid work

4:34 Politics at play

5:03 Customers in turmoil too

5:33 Unstable nature of politics like DEI

6:02 What's led you to this point?

6:56 Upbringing

7:41 Picked business

8:30 Opening doors

8:38 Continually asking questions

9:06 How did you get into the world of "talent"

10:30 Unprecedented changes in the last 5 years

10:58 Switch to remote/hybrid workers

11:16 Trust and remote work

11:29 The great resignation

11:41 Did TD lose people in the Great Resignation?

12:57 Great resignation didn't really happen - don't get duped by the hype

13:49 Inverted relationship between leader and direct report

14:36 We are in the trust business

15:13 The power of in-person human connection

15:49 What has changed in talent management

16:36 A collection of experiences

17:00 Exceptional talent have options

17:05 How to get talent to consistently choose TD

17:47 Pressure from employee base

18:37 What are the fundamentals that haven't changed?

19:23 Advice to people managing teams

19:38 The fundamentals: People really want 2 things

19:51 The opportunity to do challenging things

20:14 Want to work for someone who is talented

21:20 You didn't mention money!

21:26 Didn't mention culture

22:42 Truly talented people do not get hung up on titles and compensation

23:21 People don't know the culture that they want...

24:48 Left TD reference

25:52 Philosophy of cultivating talent

26:14 Bart proposes thought experiment

26:47 Leader's job is to manage the tension between present and future

28:06 Signs to look out for in talent management

28:24 Never take things for granted

28:55 Have regular check-ins with people

29:45 Give clarity - not certainty about the future

31:21 Be honest with reports about where they are

31:44 Another mention of leaving

33:19 What's the biggest mistake you've made in talent management

33:45 The importance of succession planning

37:48 Bart summarizes the conversation

38:33 Be authentic

40:05 Thank yous

Check out our last rewind before we launch season 6 of The Inspire Podcast next week! This episode is from season 5, and explores the heart of human connection in a digital age.

Despite the promise of a digital future, staff and leaders are increasingly seeking human connection. In this conversation, author David Sax discusses why analog has proven so durable in a world filled with the promises of a digital transformation. He explains why being in person is something that calls to us, what leaders should do to maximize connection in a hybrid world, and lessons for those still feeling too stuck on screens (or listening to podcasts on headphones!)

We're diving back into another favorite episode from #TheInspirePodcast archives.

In season 4, Bart spoke with Susan Black of The Conference Board of Canada about the challenges facing today's leaders. Drawing on the CBOC's deep research capabilities, Susan shares insights into the major pressures facing leaders across all sectors – from talent management, to a return to premises, to DEI and the future of work. She provides suggestions on how leaders can navigate and inspire through these challenges with practical examples. It's a must-listen for leaders who want to engage and inspire in an ever-changing work environment.