The Mind Takeaway Podcast

In this Micro Episode, we explore time and the present moment in conversation with Claudia Goetzelman, one of our coaching colleagues in Berlin, a world-class photographer for content and brands.

Timestamps and Takeaways

01:44 It’s only humans that have developed the ability to measure time, and animals don’t have that ability; it is more automatic for them.

02:36 When living in our external representation of time measured by clocks and calendars, it can be limiting and slow us down.

03:28 There is another experience of time whereby being present, you can feel like you have achieved more just by not having to measure it and experience it at that moment.

04:30 Wanting results, outcomes and goals are fine with clarity, but sometimes we trap ourselves with having the end in mind when it comes to time pressures.

04:49 Leaders often trap themselves and their time by causing unnecessary pressure when they say we must do this by a particular time.

05:23 When it comes to creative problem solving, you need to consider getting out of the habit of thinking about time and how much time it will take to find a solution.

06:20 we often say we will make time for reflection and downtime for ideas to form, but we often fall into the trap of never scheduling it in our week.

07:42 The real benefits of slowing down and being present throughout your day.

In this episode, we speak to Stefan Tonnon, a human resources professional with 25 years of experience as a leader in the IT sector across EMEA, the US, and APAC. His passion for people development, diversity, inclusion and belonging, technology and sustainable transformational change is the driving force behind his career. He has lived in five countries, and being a global citizen has enabled him to understand how diversity is crucial to driving financial success in international companies and start-ups; he is a mentor and business advisor for Collective Brains. Stefan is also an investor, farmer and ambassador for start-up Threefold and provides business advice to small tech start-ups.

Timestamps and Takeaways

09:49 How living and working in five different countries gave Stefan a deep cultural and diverse experience working with people from all over the world.

14:48 Stefan explains why he loves his role in human resources and how he got into it in the first place.

16:52 Why is kindness in leadership so crucial if you want to impact others and make them feel safe.

17:56 What happened to the H in HR and why the focus on performance, rather than people?

20:15 Companies with strong values can often be misaligned with what they say to their people and how their leaders behave in 121's and meetings.

20:55 there are some great examples of companies out there that understand that the results you want to drive have to be human-enteric; they know that they still have to do that through their people.

21:30 Asking people how you are doing and not always talking about work is still essential and will remain vital and how companies are quickly forgetting it.

23:15 How our current education model is still very individualistic, and then you enter into a role and have to work as a team, and often those skills require further development.

26:33 The importance of how you communicate as a leader and listening to understand your people

30:03 We reflected on what we see as the most significant skills gaps for leaders to develop right now.

33:58 We have all been trained in the past to fix problems but often end compounding the issue with quick fixes without first asking people what they think is the root cause.

38:36 The big learnings for leaders right now and going into 2022 will be how they support their team with the five different generations in the workforce, plus having their people working both in offices and remotely.

47:41 The importance of treating your team as human beings and practising kindness every day.

48:53 If you hire the best people in the market, make sure you allow them to do what they are good at, empowering and trusting them to do what they are good at from day one.

49:55 The ripple effect and impact you can have on someone's mental health, just be showing an interest in how their day is going.

54:07 The power of vulnerability, in accepting your mistakes, discussing them with your team and making things right.

In this Micro Episode of the Mind Takeaway Podcast, we explore the fear of talking about Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace.

Timestamps and Takeaways

01:30 Diversity and Inclusion is not a topic you can resolve by attending a one day workshop; it’s about getting into conversations about it with your employees.

02:03 The most significant thing that gets in the way of creating a more inclusive environment and talking about DEI is fear.

02:32 How with DE & I, there is no one-size-fits-all solution and a perfect how-to guide that will address everything, as it is constantly changing and evolving.

02:54 The more we leaned into our fears and insecurities, the more we learned about the subject of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

04:13 Dialogue and open discussions with your team about Diversity will open the door to a more inclusive environment in the future.

07:08 You have to start somewhere, and the quicker you do, the easier it will be to address any shortcomings that your company may have. 

07:50 It is always good to get curious about how inclusive your company is and listen to your employees first before taking any action.

09:56 In many organisations, we see a disconnect between how they talk about DEI and how their managers do not display inclusive behaviour in their day-to-day work.

In this episode, Peter speaks to Robert John Hope, an Irish, Berlin-based singer-songwriter whose music is rooted in ambient folk and alternative pop/rock. In Ireland, he will be known mainly as the man with the distinctive voice and poetic lyrics who fronted the band Senakah, with whom he toured Ireland, the UK and the US extensively in the past. He is now back with his debut solo album ‘Plasticine Heart’, which he developed over a couple of years, during which he released his first solo EP ‘The Unravelling’ in 2018. The album’s title reflects the changes one invariably goes through as time passes and, for better or worse, the malleable nature of perspective and the human heart.

Timestamps:

06:30 How having a full-time job and being an artist has allowed Robert more autonomy and freedom in the music writing process.

09:56 Limitations can benefit the creative process and lead to better results.

11:40 Robert has written a lot since COVID; however, the challenge was the lack of human connection and test songs in front of a live audience.

16:20 Producing demos before going into the studio can be beneficial to hit the ground running compared to go in with nothing and feeling the pressure.

18:30 How playing five to six days a week and touring over 40 states in six months makes you cut your teeth as a musician.

27:29 Doing what you are passionate about can be therapeutic when you are doing it without internal or external pressure.

30:21 Robert shares his approach to writing songs and how he approaches this process via a framework.

32:53 The power of finding your unique way of doing things through trial and error.

37:01 Robert and Peter reflect on how they think pop music all sounds the same right now compared to the hits of the ’70s, 80’s and The ’90s

41:15 Robert reflects on whether the music industry changed during COVID-19 and his experience.

53:31 Be yourself, as everyone else is already taken. Being yourself is the most powerful thing you can do as an artist.

"People will always say things about you, regardless of how good a job you're doing".

In this Micro Episode, we explore What Others Think of You is None of Your Business.

Timestamps and Takeaways

01:01 We can often create stories about what others think about us, which is a common trap for leaders.

02:06 The best thing you can do is approach things with integrity, transparency, and honesty, plus not worry about trying to control what others think of you.

02:57 Think of this way: the version others create in their minds about you is not your responsibility.

03:33 Everyone is only as good as where they are at in terms of their own awareness, and we all have a different version of what we see as reality.

04:22 The common trap of trying to control the version of yourself that others experience and people will still think what they think regardless of what you do to change it.

04:52 The warning signs to look out for are: Talking yourself out of the things you would like to do, avoiding people because of what you think they think of you, and damaging relationships based not on facts but on assumptions.

06:15 People tend to talk about others when they come from feeling like they are not enough; they are fearful and feel uncomfortable being themselves.

07:29 If you show up and own what you do and are happy with your impact as a leader, that's all that matters.

08:00 If you get fearful and uncomfortable, that might be a sign to put the breaks on and notice those feelings, plus ask yourself, is that really true?

08:10 Get into dialogue with your team, and the more you do that, the fewer assumptions are made and the more trust you can build, which fosters psychological safety.

10:12 Mira shares how developing compassion towards herself gave her an awareness of the stories we often tell ourselves that is just not true.

In this Micro Episode, we explore vulnerability, how it shows up why it's necessary to understand it for yourself and how it impacts the people around you.

Timestamps and Takeaways

01:21 There's a lot of confusion about what it means to be vulnerable in the workplace, and we explore why that is.

02:09 Feeling uncomfortable before a meeting doesn't mean your thoughts tell you anything about whether or not you are a good leader; you are just experiencing Vulnerability.

03:05 When we feel uncomfortable, we automatically attach the meaning to that feeling of discomfort as something we shouldn't experience as leaders.

03:42 Creating awareness and noticing what you feel, so those feelings don't creep into the way you lead.

04:05 When we feel vulnerable and insecure, we tend to overprotect, control, micromanage and display all that stress outside in the world.

05:16 How being comfortable with being uncomfortable and experiencing vulnerability is helping you be a much better leader.

05:34 vulnerability is just noticing the stories that we innocently tell ourselves when we are not clear of mind. When we might have the lens of urgency or fear or feeling like we are an imposter or whatever it is, it's just noticing it and not trying to change it at all.

06:07 This isn't a strategy; you can't fake vulnerability; you either feel vulnerable and you are at the same time confident and clear of mind, or you are not.

07:39 Female leaders often tell themselves they need to control everything, be on top of it, appear strong and confident to compete with their male counterparts, and fear that it will ruin their reputation and good image if they don't behave like that.

09:08 Every time we make a step forward towards being more vulnerable and connecting with people without a mask, we are becoming better and more authentic leaders.

10:02 Letting your team know that you don't have all the answers opens doors to impactful collaboration, trust, creativity and innovation.

11:17 Expressing vulnerability can either be impactful when you share it from the space of clarity or debilitating if it comes from fear and urgency.

"How am I feeling, how am I showing up, what's my energy like today?"

Want to know one of the most valuable things we explore with our clients?

In this Micro Episode, we explore Energy versus Time Management.

Timestamps and Takeaways

01:01 When we started being curious about our energy and becoming aware of what impact we wanted to have before any given task, our work and results have transformed.

02:40 Being aware of your energy levels going into activities helps you notice what's important and do less of what's not so valuable.

02:52 When you manage your energy, time seems to be more elastic, and you can get more done in a day, but you are less busy.

03:26 The benefits of checking in on yourself throughout your day; How am I feeling, How am I showing up? What is my energy like?

03:42 You will find that you have more energy when you become aware of what's serving you and depleting your energy throughout the day.

04:10 When you increase your energy awareness, you start noticing how you are making yourself tired and what you might need to do less of to do your best work.

05:07 You get to have more fun and impact when you start noticing your energy at any given moment.

06:03 It is essential to experiment and experience what works for you when planning your day and implementing habits to help you be more productive.

07:19 How checking in on yourself will help you become more aware of what energy you want to take into meetings or facilitating workshops.

08:02 Building habits might look like you have to change things on the outside, but when increasing your energy awareness, you build your good habits from the inside out.

08:37 If you want to make positive changes to how you show up, get curious and explore what works for you and what doesn't.

In this episode, we speak to Detina And Argita Zalli, both scientists and Senior lecturers at Imperial Colledge London and the University of Oxford.

Dr Argita is currently a teaching and learning specialist lead in the Faculty of Medicine and Dr Detina is at the University of Oxford as a lead for the MSc course in Precision Cancer Medicine.

We Speak Science is their non-profit institution aiming to increase awareness of Science and medicine in the USA and Europe. They also started a charity, "Aferdita Ime", collaborating with other world-class oncologists and scientists whose aim is to help cancer patients through psycho-social support and counselling. Like Mira, Detina snd Argita were both refugees at the age of 12; they lost everything and had to flee their countries together with their parents to survive and have a chance in life.

Timestamps:

01:00 Detina and Argita explain why they fled Albania in 1997 and describe how it was to live as children in a country under civil unrest.

07:30 They remember how they fled the country: last-minute plan changes, dodgy arrangements and the fear of hiding under trucks on the France-UK border.

16:52 How being a refugee left them with an ever-present feeling of insecurity and being judged by others.

20:03 Detina describes their journey metaphorically - "We have fallen, then started to crawl and walk and run again."

21:14 Argita says - Disadvantage is an advantage to some extent; all your fears and insecurities push you further and make you stronger.

22:00 How coming from a disadvantaged background makes you a people person and improves your communication skills; you learn to listen and show compassion.

24:35 Detina shares how it was better they didn't know how arduous the journey would be; otherwise, we would not have taken it.

28:50 They are leading secondary research with scientists from Harward and MIT for COVID-19 and will publish condensed papers to help scientists and medics improve future treatments.

32:00 Good Morning Hope is an autobiography about the challenges they faced in life and how they overcame them.

35:00 They want their children to learn some of the lessons they did because it makes them stronger, and hopefully, they appreciate life even more.

43:00 When it comes to balancing their careers, charity work, family and kids, it can be challenging because you never get it right, but you have to try your best; after all, we are all humans.

45:25 Dreams don't work unless you do; if you want something, you have to work towards it. - says Detina at the end of our conversation.

46:19 Sucess means different things for everyone, and for Detina, it has nothing to do with how many degrees you have or how much money you make; it has to do with how happy you are with what you are doing.

51:00 You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only option you have, and people who never had to experience it still don't know how strong they are!

In this Micro Episode, we explore What is Normal with Claudia Goetzelmann, our friend and colleague who joined us in Mauer Park in Berlin. 

Why are people waiting for things to go back to the way they were before this current Pandemic started?

Timestamps and Takeaways

02:04 Why has everyone been waiting for the last 14 months to go back to normal when normal is right now.

03:04 What does normal mean? Everything becomes routine after a certain point.

03:46 We all create our reality, our version of normal is whatever we make up inside our heads.

05:31 Normal is every day, whether there is a pandemic, natural disaster or a sunny day, and everyone is out in a park enjoying it.

06:28 When you are in here and now, you realise it is not about trying to control compared to living in a future or a past where there is a plan, rushing for some goal that may never arrive.

07:22 All humans, like all other creatures, are adaptable. We can deal with adversity, and we forget about it.

07:44 Being future-focused can be very useful if you are Imagineering or being innovative or creative because you want to imagine a better future. But it can be very debilitating if you think that every future event will be a problem.

08:32 How do we stay present and enjoy what is?

10:15 Why accepting what is and allowing yourself to feel whatever you feel is vital to moving forward.

13:08 Surender vs Control: Embrace what day has to offer by allowing yourself to feel whatever you feel.

"You will mess things up, you will fail, you will make mistakes, but that's the point; that's where we build our resilience for the future."

In this Micro Episode, we explore Resilience.

Timestamps and Takeaways

01:07 Resilience is not something we have to build it is something we already have; it's innate.

01:44 It's by showing up and getting on with life is where Resilience happens anyway.

02:43 We tend to notice our capacity for Resilience when we are experiencing difficult situations, and it's not something you are aware of when everything is fine.

03:26 Often, people run away from difficult situations because they think they are not resilient enough to deal with them.

03:38 The thought of an event in the future or a bad experience in the past can hold us back, as we think we are not resilient enough to handle any given situation.

03:53 Resilience is innate; we all have access to it when we need it, and we are yet to meet another human person who doesn't.

03:59 It is usually when we speak to others and hear their stories of adversity that we realise we do not need to practice being resilient.

04:42 You don't need to go out and put yourself in challenging and dangerous situations every day; know that Resilience has your back.

05:21 Resilience in leadership is about showing up and being the best leader you can be, and you will learn that you can deal with more challenging situations than you ever thought possible.

06:24 We are all capable of showing up in the moment because it's not something we have to think about; we get into challenging situations, and we can draw on our Resilience.

06:45 The best way to recharge our natural resilience capability is to show up, get on with life, and enjoy the journey.

07:01 There is no specific technique to building your Resilience; you had your awareness of all the times when you were resilient in the past, and learning how it works will allow you to be more confident in the future.

07:27 You will mess things up, fail, and make mistakes, but that's the point; that's where we build our Resilience for the future.