Podcast 306: The Executive and The Elephant with Richard Daft

Richard DaftI thoroughly enjoyed my interview with author Richard Daft about his new book entitled ” The Executive and the Elephant-A Leaders Guide to Building Inner Excellence“.  I have interviewed 100’s of authors in the personal growth industry, but none  have as good of perspective  as author Richard Daft with the challenges we face in applying and sustaining change in conjunction to our beliefs,  behaviors and associated actions.

In my interview with Richard Daft we discuss what is referred to as the knowing and doing gap.  As Richard states ” Kings, heads of government, and corporate executives have control over thousands of people and endless resources, but often do not have mastery over themselves. From a distance larger-than-life leaders may look firmly in control of their businesses and their personal behavior.  What about up close?  Personal mastery is a difficult thing.”   The book is truly about helping leaders to recognize the two parts of themselves and to learn how to calm down, train and guide their inner elephant toward the desired success.

Richard gives an assignment to his MBA class at the beginning of the school year. He asks them to find one thing that they would like to change about themselves over a period of three weeks such as an improved exercise plan, diet, better nutrition etc. What he finds after checking in with the students is that the things they wanted to change about themselves were short lived and unsustainable over a long period of time.  He quotes from Dr. Jim Loehr ” Everyone has the same amount of self-discipline, almost none.  People mistakenly think they can change their lives if they just try harder and summon enough willpower.  It seldom happens.”
Richard says that a human beings seems composed of two selves-one it habit bound, impulsive, and emotion driven, and the other more thoughtful, circumspect, and rational. The idea of the two selves has a long tradition in Western culture; they are represented in the battle between reason and emotion, superego and id, angel and devil, the light side and the dark side, good and evil, and the spirit and the flesh.   This all adds up to as having two parts, or two selves, so to speak that sometimes are in conflict.  The bigger part is unconscious and forceful, and manages most of our behavior,  the other, smaller part is conscious and makes deliberate choices, and seems to play a subsidiary role, being used only on occasion when needed.

I sincerely appreciate how the author explains these aspects of our personality, and how they interfere with us reaching personal mastery or our highest potential.  I highly recommend this book, for its simplicity ease of reading as well as overall wisdom on the topic of personal mastery.

If you would like to learn more about the author Richard Daft please click here to be directed to his website. Enjoy this wonderful interview with a great author.

Podcast 299: Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions with Guy Kawasaki

Guy KawasakiI recently interviewed Guy Kawasaki about his new book entitled ” Enchantment-The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions“.  I thoroughly enjoyed my interview with Guy, and I think you will enjoy listening to this interview as well.

Enchantment as Guy states is ” not about manipulating people.  It is about transforming situations and relationships into experiences where people want to come back again and again, while telling others about the amazing experience.  Guy argues that in business and personal interactions, your goal is not merely to get what you want but to bring about a voluntary, enduring and delightful change in other people.  By enlisting the own goals and desires, by being likable and trustworthy, and by framing a cause that other can embrace, you can change hearts, minds, and actions.

In the book all of the tactics you need to prepare and launch an enchantment campaign are available; to get the most from both push and pull technologies; and to enchant your customers, your employees and even your boss. It shows how enchantment can turn difficult decisions your way, at times when intangibles mean more than hard facts.  It will help you overcome other people’s entrenchment habits and defy the not-always-wise “wisdom of the crowd.”

There are two key elements to becoming enchanting, likability and trustworthiness.  Guy states that step one is achieving likability, because jerks seldom enchant people.  In the book several aspects to likability are covered, from smile to handshake to using the right words.  It is important to understand these elements for they are paramount to creating a personality that is likable.

Secondly, it trustworthiness.  People who don’t trust others have often had bad experiences that cause them to embrace a distrusting, kill-or-be-killed philosophy.   The first step is to trust others.  In the book Guy speaks about “Mensch” it is a German word for “human being”, but its Yiddish connotation far exceeds this definition.  If you are a mensch, you are honest, fair, kind, and transparent, no matter whom you’re dealing with and who will ever know what you did.

This book is for people who see life for what it can be rather than what it can’t.  They are bringing to market a cause–that is a product, service, organization, or idea–that can make the world a better place.  If you want to become “enchanting” and change the hearts, minds and actions of the people you interact with or who are your customers then I highly recommend that you read “Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions“.  If you would like to learn more about Guy Kawasaki you can click here to be taking to his website.  There are great references and videos as well at the website for your viewing.
Enjoy this wonderful interview with a very “enchanting man” Guy Kawasaki.

Podcast 288: Upgrade to Free with Beth Ziesenis

Beth ZiesenisEveryone loves free!!!  In my interview with author Beth Ziesenis we explore the the free applications and software for your computer and mobile devices.   Now some of you just might we wondering what in the world does this have to do with personal growth?  Considering many of my listeners are information workers and most of us spend our lives in front of the computer we are always looking to find ways of making our lives easier and improve our  levels of productivity.

In Beth’s new book ” Upgrade to Free” she has compiled the information that is highly useful by providing a description of the application as well as a QR Bar Code so that you can easily scan the page and automatically be directed to the applications website .   “Upgrade to Free” organizes your  search by categories, for instance  “Tools for Efficiency at Home and on the Road” features “Nutshell Mail” a very useful program that condenses all of the chatter and send you one snapshot e-mail of your online activity.  Since completing this interview with Beth, I have signed up for the application and love it.  It condenses all of my Twitter and Facebook post and I get it twice per day, vs getting updates throughout the day from Facebook and Twitter.

Beth has also included a section on Personal Organizational Tools.  So for my personal growth and mastery aficionados  you will enjoy exploring the many applications listed in this section of the book.  Some of the cool applications include Evernote, MyStickies, Google Reader, Know Your Stuff, Mint.com and many others.  Needless to say Beth’s new book “Upgrade to Free” is a wonderful resource complete with a guide and reference to some of the most useful applications you will ever use.
I hope you enjoy this podcast with Beth Ziesenis a true guru when it comes to helping you find the application you need for any reason.  If you would like to learn more about Beth’s services please visit her website by clicking here.

Podcast 280: The Art of Making Things Happen In Your Life with Dean Drawbaugh

Dean DrawbaughI recently had the privileged of interviewing author Dean Drawbaugh.  Dean has a great new easy to read book entitled “The Art of Making Things Happen In Your Life“.   The essence of this book is to provide the reader with self-assessment and reflections on ways to manifest their desired outcomes and goals.   At the end of each chapter Dean provides thought provoking questions and short assessment as a tool to assist the reader in determining where they are now,  and what they can do to change the current situation for a more positive outcome .

I love the story that Dean tells in the book and in our interview about the two wolves that live inside of us.   One evening a warrior in a remote village began to prepare his son to face life as an adult with the inevitable afflictions and adversities he would face.  The warrior told his son that all challenges ultimately are fought first between the two wolves inside him.  One is the wolf of fear which takes control of emotions and masquerades as lies, regret, feelings of inferiority, self-pity, envy and anger.  The other wolf is faith, consisting of trust, hope, joy, peace, humility, power and love.  The son thought about the scenario for a few minutes–of the two wolves battling against each other in his mind.  He asked, “Which one wins, Dad?” The wise father simply said, “The one you feed.”
How true this story is, and what a great way to illustrate a point.  We are what we think about, and if we can change our thinking we can change what we become.  Dean’s book “The Art of Making Things Happen In Your Life” is truly about observing what is happening now, and with some shifts in our thinking and our actions creating a better life.

I highly recommend this great little book, packed with practical advice on how to make things happen in your life.  If you would like to learn more about Dean Drawbaugh you can click here to be directed to his website.

I hope you enjoy this interview with author Dean Drawbaugh.

Podcast 278: In Sickness and In Health with Vadim Liberman

Vadim LibermanI recently received the Spring Issue of “The Conference Board” Magazine” and was very impressed with an article that the senior editor Vadim Liberman wrote entitled ” In Sickness and In Health-Do Companies Care About Their Peoples“.   Over the last many years my interestes have been focused on wellness in the workplace, and Vadim’s feature article hit the nail on the head as far as I was concerned.

As Vadim states in the article ” As the world get flatter, its’s getting fatter and sicker.  Heart disease, diabetes, cancer and a host of other conditions afflict more of us than ever. But it’s not only our ballooning bodies that are ailing.  Companies are suffering from ill health, exhibiting symptoms that include lower productivity, engagement, and morale, as well as higher medical costs.”

In my interview with Vadim we speak about not only the issues of developing wellness program for organization to improve the overall health of the organization, but just as importantly we discuss the important issues of the necessary cultural changes necessary to sustain organizational vitality and health.

The main purpose of wellness programs–trimming medical expenses–is obvious.  Except that it’s obvious to no one outside the United States.  You see our focus is on reducing medical costs and it is our number one priority, but in other countries such as Canada, Europe, and Latin America productivity is companies’ top wellness-program objective.   According to Vadim’s research US businesses may be swallowing the wrong pill to slash overall expenses.  Productivity has a greater financial impact than medical costs, explains Barry Hall, a principal in the clinical-health-consulting and global technology-solutions practices of Buck Consultants.

According to the recent Buck Consultants global-wellness survey, two thirds of organizations currently have a formal wellness strategy, up from 49% in 2007.  However, few companies say they have fully implemented their plans, especially across borders, and 28% of those with no strategy admit they don’t know how to get started.  One thing for certain is that companies should seriously consider implementing a wellness strategy, and it needs to include a focus on the cultural issues of wellness as well as the metrics of creating a well and vital organization.

One connection seems clear: between worker heath and productivity.  “People who have poor health report lower levels of productivity” In fact one study indicates an 18 percent difference in productivity between healthy and unhealthy worker.  If you would like to read the entire article please click here to be directed to the Conference Board article.

 

I hope you enjoy my interview with Vadim Liberman the senior editor for ” The Conference Board Magazine”

Podcast 277: All Together Now with Gail Voisin

Gail VoisinIt was a pleasure speaking with author Gail Voisin about her new book entitled ” All Together Now – Vision, Leadership and Wellness“.  I can’t remember exactly how Gail and I met, but we have been speaking about the birth of her new book over the last year, and I am proud to bring you this wonderful podcast with Gail.

As Gail states “Achieving outstanding personal and organizational success in our busy, competitive, chaotic world requires a unique, leading-edge set of skills for the twenty-first century executive and leaders.  It is critical to have the knowledge and ability to align the three key areas of vision, leadership and wellness to measure and sustain high performance levels.  In my interview with Gail, we speak about her ” All Together Now Advantage Model“.  It is designed to guide the busy executive in defining both their personal and organizational vision, leadership and wellness goals.   It is truly an integrated approach to creating a balanced lifestyle.  For most corporate executives, every day is a constant challenge to balance the many facets of life – career, family, friends and personal goals.

Gail states that balancing our lives does not have to be a daily struggle.  When you understand the importance of integrating your personal and organization vision, leadership and wellness, you will have the foundation to achieve extraordinary success in your personal and work life.   Personal vision is the anchor, and I could not agree more with Gail.  When you have developed your personal vision and can articulate it easily, it becomes that anchor that keeps you on track for what matter most.  Personal vision is a special and unique combination of desire and talent that is exclusive only to you.

You know the old saying that your health is your wealth.  Well this is so true, and Gail devotes a section of the book to wellness and the benefits from staying healthy– psychologically, physically, and emotionally. This plays a big role in our overall health.

Gail defines wellness as maintaining a healthy mind and body that can consistently sustain the energy reserves you need to meet exceptional circumstances beyond your control, both in business and family life.  Wellness and the focus on it is certainly in the headlines of our newspapers, and it is such an important aspect in being able to perform on and off the job with excess energy and enthusiasm.  Gail provides wonderful advice and direction for the busy executive who might feel they have neglected this very important part of their life.
“All Together Now” is a wonderful read for anyone who is seeking balance and harmony in their life.  I highly recommend reading this book if you are on the fast track and want to take a few minutes to step back and reevaluate what is important.

Enjoy this great interview with author Gail Voisin, and if you want more information about Gail please click here to be directed to her website.