Podcast 428: The CEO Code with David Rohlander

I recently interviewed author David Rohlander about his new book entitled “The CEO Code”.  In our dialogue together we discuss the key elements to helping CEO’s sustain success both personally and professionally.

Effective communications takes more than talent—it takes trust, respect, understanding, empathy and resolution states David.   A key fundamental element of running a business with alignment, and a focus on the goals is a commitment to doing the job right and teams that know how to communicate effectively.

David’s book takes the reader on a great journey into  understanding what it takes to make the personal transformation necessary to develop the skills and emotional intelligence to guide any company to success.

This book is a recommended read for anyone who is in management, or at the head of an organization attempting to create a culture of compassion, commitment and efficiency.

I hope you enjoy my interview with David Rohlander, you can learn more about his book and consulting services by clicking here to be directed to his website.

Below is the book trailer video for your viewing pleasure.

Podcast 420: Escape from Cubical Nation with Pamela Slim

I recently interviewed Pamela Slim the author of “Escape From Cubical Nation”.  If you have been thinking about breaking away from the corporate life and doing your own thing, then you will certainly want to read and learn from someone who has coached many in making the shift.  Pamela knows from personal experience for she made the shift, and knows first hand the mental and emotional shifts that one has to go through to make the to move to being an entrepreneur.

Pam cites many reasons for people moving to becoming solo entrepreneurs and here are just a few: 1) corporations have had lots of changes over the last 20 years and many have become fundamentally difficult places to work. 2) Some people are just not cut out to work in large corporations.  No matter what the reason if you are considering the move, then it would be highly recommended that you read Pam’s book “Escape from Cubical Nation”.  If you have any fears or trepidations which would be natural, one thing would be remember what is you happiness worth?

Pam help you navigate your fears, thoughts and mental challenges as you face the transition and her advice comes from years of coaching people through the process successfully.

If you would like to learn more about “Escape from Cubical Nation.” Please watch the interview below that Pam did on a local television station.  Our click here for a link to her Facebook page, or here to be directed to her website.

Podcast 417: The Sketchnote Handbook with Mike Rohde

If you will remember I did a series of podcasts  recently with author David Sibbet on Visual Leaders, Visual Teams and Visual Meetings.  This series of interviews lead me to find Mike Rohde the author of an amazing new book entitled “The Sketchnote Handbook-The Illustrated Guide to Visual Note Taking”  

Some of you just might be wondering what the heck is visual note taking.  It is a vey cool  mind connecting process that if learned and practiced allows you to substitute graphic images or doodles with words.  This mental connection allows you to remember more of the speech, class or wherever you might be taking notes.

Since my introduction to the process and reading Mikes book, I have been practicing and I really like the process.  The good thing about visual notes is that it does not matter if you are a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner you will have fun and will remember the experience associated with the event where you were applying the visual note taking.

In my interview with author Mike Rohde we discuss the various techniques, tools and the how to’s.  Mike is one of the early pioneers in this process and I know you will learn a lot from our interview and the links that I have provided below.

I hope you enjoy our interview together, and please click on the links below and watch the cool video of Mike showing you how to take visual notes.

http://rohdesign.com/book

http://www.peachpit.com/promotions/promotion.aspx?promo=139064

http://www.flickr.com/groups/thesketchnotehandbook

http://sketchnotearmy.com/

http://sketchnotetypeface.com/

Podcast 416: Crucial Conversations with Ron McMillan

This is my second interview with co-author Ron McMillan.  The first book I interviewed him about was entitled ” Change Anything-The New Science of Personal Success”.  I found this book to really be life changing, the concepts and ideas that his organization researched on personal success are important for all individuals interested in mastery to read and practice.

In this interview with Ron I speak with him about another book he and his colleagues co-authored  entitled “Crucial Conversations.”  This book is a must read for anyone wanting to learn how to improve their level and depth of communications.  It does not matter if your crucial conversation is with a spouse or a co-worker the principles taught in “Crucial Conversations” apply anywhere.

Ron points out that “Crucial Conversations” are defined by three important factors 1) are individuals strong emotions involved 2) where their opposing opinions and views 3) are the stakes high.  We have all be involved in these types of conversations; the question we need to ask ourselves should be how did we emerge from these conversation? Were we looking to win, were or ego attached to the outcome? If so then you would probably benefit from reading Crucial Conversations.

Ron also points out that in organizations where the employees are skilled at crucial conversations: 1) the employees respond five (5) times faster to financial turndowns in the organization 2) employees are two-thirds more likely to avoid injury or death due to unsafe conditions 3) and when a crucial conversation occurs the savings is over $1,500 and an eight-hour work day—amazing results, every employee should know how to handle themselves during a crucial conversation.

I think that with results like these understanding how to manage crucial conversations would be worth reading about and understanding the techniques and principals.

If you would like to learn more about the book and the courses that Vital Smarts teaches, just watch the short video below or click on the link above to be directed to the Vital Smarts website.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful interview with author Ron McMillan co-author of Crucial Conversations.

Podcast 415: Flourishing: A Frank Conversation About Sustainability with John Ehrenfeld

I recently had a wonderful interview with an amazing man and steward of our planet, John Ehrenfeld.

In John’s new book entitled ” Flourishing-A Frank Conversation About Sustainability”.  John engages in a Q&A with Andrew Hoffman a previous student of John’s where the met while Andrew was a doctoral student at MIT and  John was running the MIT Program on Technology, Business and the Environment.

In my interview with John you will quickly realize that he has many concerns about our environment and sustainability.  As John states “While sustainability has gone “mainstream” he does not believe so and is very concerned about what he see.  He admits that many good things have come out of our society’s pursuit of environmental protection, but he sees our efforts as merely a Ban-Aid that masks deeper, cultural roots of our sustainability challenges.

One of those  issues is our insatiable appetite as a culture for more which utilized our natural resources at an alarming rate, and makes the US the largest consumer of overall resources worldwide.

“Sustainability still has not entered our consciousness in spire of the torrent of its use and that of its distant cousin, green. The world of business and government moves merrily along selling its meager efforts as sustainability, avoiding any meaningful appreciation of the fundamental problem or any actions that would make a difference.”

In my interview with John we cover many pressing topics, I encourage you to listen to and read John’s new book it will open up your eyes to what “really” need to change to create a world that “flourishes” for everyone.

You can learn more about John Ehrenfeld by visiting his Facebook page by clicking here.

Or watch a brief interview by clicking on the video below.

Podcast 414: Making the Matrix Work with Kevan Hall

I know that many of you have seen the movie “The Matrix”, it is one of those movies that alters your sense of reality.

In my interview with Kevan Hall about his new book entitled ” Making the Matrix Work” Kevan alters the readers sense of reality about the complex structure of business today.

In large companies today we are faced with multiple bosses, competing goals, influence without authority and accountability without control of the norm.  In Kevan’s new book he endeavors to show how the matrix can help employees and management increase the individual flexibility and responsiveness without confusing the goals or roles of the teams and employees.

Kevan states that the matrix is a deliberate choice to sacrifice some clarity for increased flexibility.  He introduces tools and ideas to help individuals manage successively higher levels of ambiguity—from things that can be made clear to managing dilemmas and conflict.

If you are in the management of a larger organization then I highly recommend reading “Making the Matrix Work.”.  This book will assist you in better understanding the overall personal and organizational dilemmas that pervade in big business today.

If you would like more information about Kevan Hall you can visit his website by clicking here.

You can also watch a book trailer by clicking on the video below.

 

Podcast 410: I’m There For You, Baby: The Entrepreneur’s Guide To The Galaxy with Neil Senturia

I recently attended a meeting of the “Disruptive Thinkers’ in San Diego.  The speaker at the regular Monday evening event was an author by the name of Neil Senturia.  I really did not know what to think, but I was in for a pleasant surprise.  Not only was Neil entertaining, funny and witty but his message was meaningful and dead on the money!.

If you are an entrepreneur or social entrepreneur then you are going to want to listen to my interview with Neil Senturia about his book entitled ” I’m There For You, Baby-The Entrepreneur’s Guide to the Galaxy”.  This book is comprised of a series of rules that Neil has developed over the years, as a result of being an amazingly successful entrepreneur himself.

Let me share a couple of the rules with you to see if you agree:

Rule #1: Return every email and every phone call.”

Rule #2: Networking is a profession. Become professional at it.”

Rule #3: You must go to every meeting and every event; in particular, the ones you know for sure will be a total waste of time.”  

It really doen’t matter if you agree or disagree with Neil’s rules or not, the book is a must read for anyone who runs their own business or is about to venture out into any entrepreneur activity.  Please take a few minutes and listen to our interview I think you will find our dialogue inspiring and the content very useful.

To learn more about Neil Senturia and ” I’m There For You, Baby”, click here to be directed to his website.

You can also watch a few very funny and informative book trailer just click below.

Podcast 408: Everything I Know About Success I Learned from Napolean Hill by Don Green

Almost everyone knows the book by Napoleon Hill—”Think and Grow Rich”

In my recent interview with Don Green the executive director of “the Napoleon Hill Foundation” we discuss his new book entitled ” Everything I Know About Success I Learned From Napoleon Hill.”  

Author Don Green is a humble man, but an amazing powerhouse of wisdom and knowledge about the teachings of Napoleon Hill.  In my interview with Don we discuss not only the his strong work ethic but how his love of books on success influenced his career path.  As Don states      ” In a few minutes, I can show you how to become a millionaire without winning the lottery.  But the problem is that about 98 out of 100 lack discipline.    

If you want to learn what it takes to become successful—not just monetarily then I would highly recommend that you read “Everything I Know About Success I Learned From Napoleon Hill.”

You can also watch a great introduction to the book below or link to the Napoleon Hill Foundation website by clicking this link.