The Me-Suite

Parents, this episode is for you.  What is your child's behavioral superpower? We have all done personality assessments as adults in the workplace.  Why do we not do this type of self-awareness building as teens to understand our own potential and to help manage differences with others?  Donna Peters interviews Kenyatta Turner of FreedomEmpireConsulting.   Kenyatta helps young people ages 12 and up understand their unique behavioral fingerprint.  She also involves their community of parents and educators to give all parties a common language for understanding and communicating their individual superpowers.  Kenyatta helps young people answer "What are my innate, instinctual behaviors, and how can I harness those behaviors as superpower strengths?"

Kenyatta's Core Values are Freedom and Developing Others.

Kenyatta Turner offers a free Discovery Session for listeners who Text PODCAST to the number: 5204853361

Check out other episodes such as:
Perseverance: Embracing the Cards You're Dealt
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and career coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite

Donna Peters interviews Professional Actor and Communications Coach, Connan Morrissey.  Connan has performed on stage across the US in leading roles and coaches executives and next-generation leaders on executive presence and how to have impactful communications.  She has an MFA in Acting from UNC-Chapel Hill.  

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE

• Communication skills are just like any skill--you need to practice to build the muscle
• GOOD communication is clear, intentional, knowledgeable.   EXCELLENT communication transforms the audience, is confident, humorous and uniquely YOU
• Rehearse literally means "to re-hear."  Rehearse your story.  In high stake situations.  Don't memorize it.
• How to give and receive feedback on Communication skills
• Add someone to your personal Board of Directors when you're ready to work your Communications skills.  
• Think of your audience as your customer.  Be customer-centric as you prep.
• Tips for taking the focus off of yourself and worrying "what do I do with my hands"
• All this video time is good and forces us to be more succinct and direct
• Connan's Core Values: Curiosity, Connection and Adventure

Connan recommends the following resources to watch and learn from EXCELLENT communication and storytelling:

@sirpatstew  - SIr Patrick Stewart Reads Shakespeare's Sonnets on TwitterLiz Lerman - www.lizlerman.com  - Liz Lerman’s Critical ResponseFather Greg Boyle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipR0kWt1Fkc.   His book is Tattoos on the Heart https://www.amazon.com/Tattoos-Heart-Power-Boundless-Compassion/dp/1439153159

Check out other episodes such as:
Perseverance: Embracing the Cards You're Dealt
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and career coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite

This interview was conducted just prior to the COVID19 crisis, and the prescient wisdom and optimism in this discussion gave me goosebumps when I replayed it.  I left this interview a better person.

Donna Peters interviews Sarah Glass of the World Wildlife Fund.  Previously she worked for USAID on international development and disaster assistance during the Ebola crisis.  She has lived in Haiti, Mozambique and India.  Sarah has an MBA from UVA's Darden School and serves as an advisor to their Center for Strategic and International Studies.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EPISODE:

• What true leaders do:
  1. Set goals that area aligned to the scale of the problem we need to solve--focusing just on your piece of the challenge will not give us long-term viability
  2. Set goals that are so big no one person can solve it
  3. Mobilize teams to meet the big goals--we must collaborate because we make something better by working with others
  4. Practice optimism and empathy--if something is bothering you, envision how it could be better, and identify your role in making it better
• You can build your empathy muscle by taking an intentional focus to understand how others are impacted
• Sarah's Core Values: empathy, learning and optimism
• Find your own version of a "Wine Night" habit or ritual to invest in friends and family 

Check out other episodes such as:
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and career coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite

Donna Peters interviews attorney, Guillermo Wasserman, of Wasserman West International Law.  He shares wise stories humorously about:

• How experiences growing up in Argentina, facing the Argentina Great Depression and living in the US shaped his core values of:
  1. Perseverance
  2. Never too late to do the right thing
  3. Longest distance between two points is a shortcut 
• Advice for those of us in a challenging job search:
  1. preparing the resume
  2. empathy for the interviewer/employer
  3. tips on differentiating yourself
  4. embrace the cards you're dealt
• Lessons from his international law practice that benefit all of us:
  1. being a little paranoid is a good thing
  2. vagueness is the enemy
  3. control what you can
  4. ask questions, and then ask more questions
  5. if you plan for an exit strategy upfront, you likely won't need an exit strategy
• His hopes for his two daughters
  1. never lose you're ability to be surprised
  2. enjoy the uncertain journey
  3. make your own path

Check out other episodes such as:
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and career coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite

On National Haiku Day, Donna Peters shares the power of using the haiku poetry format to improve our communications.  We need powerful, clear, succinct communications now more than ever.  (And in the spirit of the haiku, this is a pithy listen.)

A haiku poem has three lines.  The number of syllables in each line is 5, 7, 5 syllables for lines 1, 2, 3 respectively.  Have fun distilling your key message to its essence by using the haiku format as your forcing mechanism.  You don't have to militantly follow 5-7-5 syllables for your final output, of course, but the haiku discipline upfront is a very valuable exercise. 

The haiku exercise helps you:

• be clear on your intention (why are you needing to communicate) 
• de-clutter your thoughts (think about the audience and their perspective as your recipient)
• nail down the key point (what is it you're really trying to say)
• use only the words that matter (it's harder to write a haiku than a rambling paragraph)

Adding the haiku as a tool puts you on your way to a more impactful, clear communication--verbally or in writing.  In person, on video, on the phone.

And in The Me-Suite, we call the haiku "the Myku."  When you're prepping for an important interaction or message--and you want to make an impact--stop and work on your Myku.  And let us know what you think.

Check out other episodes such as:
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and career coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite

For those of us fortunate enough to be only mildly inconvenienced during social distancing.  And for those of us who have lost our jobs or face job insecurity. 

In this super-short Bonus segment, Founder, Donna Peters, reminds us of the power of having a Me-Suite mindset.  A Me-Suite mindset requires we stay fresh and relevant for the future we desire to have.  What will your story be on how you spent your COVID time?

When we break on through to the other side of C19--and we will--what will your story be?  Take this 2-minute listen.

Learn more about identifying your own Core Values and building a Personal Board of Directors.

Check out other episodes such as:
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and career coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite

Donna Peters interviews career Chief Financial Officer, Kelly Battles.  This episode offers so much in such a short time.  Treat yourself to this episode. 

Learning from the early death of her mom and the immigrant experiences of her father, Kelly shares both nature and nurture stories--and practical tools--for how to lead a balanced, happy life. 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EPISODE:

• We each need a Mission (purpose), Values and Goals.  Set personal Goals annually, and be forgivingly intentional / intentionally forgiving about your progress against them.
• The amazing role of the CFO (historian, futurist, policeman), and what we can learn from the CFO mindset to enrich our daily lives.
• The 5 Elements of a Happy Life: Family, Friends, Faith, Work, Me
• As a female working in male-dominated everything (Finance, Tech Start-ups, Harvard MBA, Investment Banking, Consulting), Kelly shares the necessity, and the power, of being your authentic self in everything you do.

Kelly's Purpose: Lead a happy life and leave things better than you found them.
Kelly's Core Values:

1. Life is short.  Make each day count.
2. Balance
3. Authenticity
4. Be Accountable and Hold Others Accountable
5. A Positive Attitude Matters

Check out other episodes such as:
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and executive life coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite

Donna Peters interviews President and Chief Operating Officer, Tom Schwenger, Veeva Systems on the power of putting People first: this includes our families, our colleagues, our customers, the People in our lives.  Tom shares nuggets throughout including:

Leadership Advice Tom Learned @ Work and @ Home:
1) Put people first, and everything else falls into place (for ex, Tom has People as the first agenda topic.  We all know People is usually the last agenda topic, and the meeting runs out of time)
2) Appreciate the uniqueness each individual brings to the group
3) Respect and admire your customers

Career Advice:
1) Don't over-steer your career path
2) Don't let others define your career

Tom's Core Values: Curiosity, Adaptability/Flexibility, Integrity/Selflessness

Check out other episodes such as:
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and executive life coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite

Donna Peters interviews Wilson Toussaint, Managing Director and technology thought leader, in this wonderfully vulnerable story of resilience.  His personal stories of learning from mistakes and bouncing back better than ever can inspire anyone in the face of set-backs. 

Wilson's Core Values are: 

1. Get outside your comfort zone
2. Take one step at a time
3. Failure is not fatal--unless you don't learn from it
4. Take time to give back to the next generation

Check out other episodes such as:
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and executive life coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite

Donna Peters interviews Estate Planning attorney, Sarah Watchko, of Hill & Watchko, LLC.   This Estate Planning discussion is as accessible and enjoyable as it'll ever get.  And it's a timely topic as we face unthinkable circumstances and unknowns in our society. 

Who needs Estate Planning:

• anyone over 18 years old
• any adult with or without a bank account (it's not just about the money)
• any adult (with or without children in the picture) (it's not just about kids and spouses)

Think like the Chief Legal Officer of your own life.  Take control with thoughtful estate planning. What happens if you're incapacitated?  If you die?  How will financial and medical decisions get made on your behalf?  How do want those decisions made?  What are your wishes for your stuff, your kids, your pets, your loved ones, your causes?   The truth is no one wants to have this conversation, but it's the conversation that unites every single one of us.  The only thing we all truly have in common is that we will not be here forever, and we don't know when it's our time. Let's start having these conversations from a position of strength and control.

Sarah's core values are: kindness/empathy & take control of the circumstances

Check out other episodes such as:
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness
Managing Your Personal Fear
Embrace the Hard Things
Servant Leadership
The Innovation Ninja Shares His Powers
Storytelling with a C-Suite Leader
Think Like a CFO: Dollar Scholar Shines a Lights at a Dark Time
Improv Can Improve Your Work and Play
How to Have a Growth Mindset
Do You Know Your Core Values?
Build Your Personal Board of Directors
A CEO Gets Real About Real Life
Creating the Culture You Want to Live In
Shape the Future You Want
Options Are Power

Thank you for joining us in The Me-Suite: a source of power for the life-minded.  Subscribe to the podcast.  Visit our blog and executive life coaching services.  Everyone needs a coach, especially at times like these.

www.the-me-suite.com
FB: @mesuite
LinkedIn: The Me-Suite