Love in Action

Marcel Schwantes: Vulnerability, an Important Virtue in Leadership

“Dr. Brown's viral Ted Talk, The Power of Vulnerability, has already solidified the importance of vulnerability in the workplace, and how critical it is for leaders to connect with and inspire others.” [00:45] Marcel shares Dr. Brene Brown’s philosophy on the virtue of Vulnerability as ‘the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.’“Employees and leaders who trust one another learn to be comfortable being open to one another around their failures, disappointments, weaknesses, even fears.” [1:25] Marcel explains that vulnerability-based trust is the backbone of successful leadership. “Courage sets vulnerability apart as a major strength of leadership.....so now it’s no longer weak, soft, and fuzzy.” [2:30] Sadly, many teams work together for years and still distrust one another, and others only together a short amount of time display an incredible amount of trust. Marcel drives home that the difference is having the courage to show up with emotional honesty, acceptance of shortcomings, release perfections, and have open dialogue.“Increase self-awareness, Lead from the heart, Listen to understand, Be ‘present’ with your feelings.” [3:52] How can you lead with more vulnerability? Marcel gives 4 big ideas and actions to practice becoming a model of vulnerability.  Mentioned in this episode:Marcel Schwantes | Professional Profile | LinkedInMarcel SchwantesThe Power of Vulnerability TED Talk Send Marcel a text message!

Marcel Schwantes: The Foundation for Effective Communication

Highlights:“When you focus on the needs of your employees, growing and empowering them, we can agree that this cannot be properly done without good listening skills.” [1:48] An often neglected, rarely mastered art form, Marcel explains that listening is the foundation of human communication. “Authentic listening is the ability to understand what's happening on the other side of the fence; to identify the will of a group and help to clarify that will if you’re a leader” [3:25] Marcel defines authentic listening as selfless, begging one overarching theme: how can I help the other person?  “If you place yourself in the position of listening to feedback for your own good, to further your development...I promise you things will change in a positive direction.” [5:40] Marcel relates to leaders in that it is hard to listen to feedback. But it is SO important for yourself and for your team.“Be open. Listen without interruption, objections, or defensiveness. Be responsive. Listen without turning the table. Ask questions for clarification. Be accountable. Seek to understand the effects and consequences of your behavior. Be self-aware. Be aware of your own emotional reactions, body language, and how you're coming across in the listening. Be quiet. Refrain from making or preparing to make a response, or trying to explain, defend, or fix. Just stay....quiet.” [6:05] If you're stuck feeling hesitant about feedback, Marcel provides 5 tips for setting yourself up to successfully receive feedback to your benefit.  Mentioned in this episode:Marcel Schwantes | Professional Profile | LinkedInMarcel SchwantesTalk, Inc.: How Trusted Leaders Use Conversation to Power their Organizations Hardcover – June 19, 2012 Leadership Is a Conversation Send Marcel a text message!

Jacqueline Carter: Compassionate Leadership

Jacqueline Carter is a partner and North American Director for Potential Project, and the co-author of Compassionate Leader: How to do Hard Things in a Human Way.Highlights:“Not only is it possible to do hard things in a human way, but when we do…our people thrive.” [9:50] Jacqueline Carter dives into the data behind her new book Compassionate Leader, delighted to find this human way of doing the hard things that solves the leadership challenge of better well-being and better performance.“How does being rated high on compassion help with our stress and anxiety levels, which are off the charts?” [10:55] Marcel, taking note of the rising stress levels post pandemic, asks Jacqueline how compassionate leadership changes that…interestingly enough, it benefits both the leader and the staff. “There are many leaders that are smart…being smart means you have the answer to the question; being wise is knowing when not to give the answer to the question.” [13:40] Not only is compassion important but Jacqueline drives home the point of the importance of wisdom in that equation. A wise leader can bring together the greatest potential of the team.“Empathy can lead to empathetic burnout; we can care SO much that we can get stuck and then we can’t do anything.” [21:20] Don’t let empathy hijack your brain. Jacqueline encourages leaders to ask the question, how can I be of benefit…to drive and influence their ability to lead with compassion. “Compassionate action can be no action, so long as it is done with wisdom.” [23:31] Leading with compassion can sometimes mean taking a step back. Jacqueline explains the need for space in decisions and actions…at times doing nothing at all. “Before we lead others with compassion, we must first learn to lead ourselves with compassion.” [23:45] Marcel quotes Jacqueline’s principle of ‘Oxygen Mask First’: a critical point for leaders to meet their needs and take care of themselves first so they can then be of service to others. “Busyness does not equal productivity” [25:30] Jacqueline’s tip for leaders is to stop wearing busyness as a badge of honor and instead pause and approach tasks with a calmness and understanding of what is possible and reasonable to do. “Wouldn’t it be amazing if as a culture, we valued our downtime as a restorative opportunity for us to be able to show up as a better version of ourselves.” [28:00] What does it mean to appreciate the "busylessness"? Jacqueline encourages an emphasis on creating space in your life and mind for actual downtime, where you are present as an individual. “It takes an immense amount of courage to see vulnerability as a leadership strength and not as a weakness.” [32:45] Marcel comments on the principle of ‘Courage over Comfort’ in which Jacqueline explains the hard stuff, that requires courage and uncomfortability where leaders should embrace the fear and tame it.“We can both be hard and human. We can focus on results and care. Not only is that better for ourselves, for our people, but also for our business.” [36:55] Rounding out the discussion on the 6 principles, Jacqueline parts with what she hopes listeners and readers will take away from her book, Compassionate Leader.Resources:Potential ProjectJacqueline Carter - Senior Partner & North America Director - Potential Project | LinkedIn Harvard Business School Columbia Business School Berkeley HaasAmsterdam Business SchoolSend Marcel a text message!

Jenn Lim: Beyond Happiness

Jenn Lim is the CEO of Delivering Happiness (DH), a company she and Tony Hsieh (the late CEO of Zappos.com) cofounded to create happier company cultures for a more profitable and sustainable approach to business. Highlights:“A big part of happiness is not just our highs but it’s also our lows…and I did not know that at the time I would be experiencing one of the biggest lows in my life.” [8:45] Jenn Lim reflects upon the loss of Tony Hsieh during the publishing of her book, Beyond Happiness.“I started doing really purposeful work on how you can create organizations with scientific happiness, positive psychology, and be profitable too.” [12:50] After a series of profound life events, Jenn experienced a shift where her work with Tony Hseih and Delivering Happiness began.“A sense of authentic self, pleasure and higher purpose are essentially the three elements of happiness.” [14:05] Jenn provides a brief definition of happiness and Marcel challenges the meaning of the book title, Beyond Happiness. Going beyond creates deeper conversation on the highs and lows, mental health, and “shadow sides”.“Did the pandemic affect how we were able to connect and relate to each other and raise our happiness? We are kind of post-pandemic now, but we’re never really past it. So how has that changed how we should look at happiness and business?” [18:27] Marcel brings a connection to the pandemic...the time in which Jenn was working on the book. Jenn comments on how we are seeing that shift in attention to happiness with the “Great Resignation”, what she refers to as a “Great Awakening”.“They realized their whole entire purpose, which was to ripple out impact and happiness, to their customers and community.” [23:30] Mountain View Egypt is a client of Delivering Happiness, Jenn shares their journey in and outcome in shifting their practices surrounding culture and happiness in their business. “If you think about these different levels of happiness all of us as leaders can embed these things in our systems and know that if we give people more autonomy; we give people more sense of progress and connectedness and a higher purpose that they align to their personal purpose. That’s where the magic happens. ” [27:00] What can leaders do to improve happiness in their organization? Jenn discusses the impact that can happen. “It’s great to have a mission statement on the wall, but what does it actually mean?” [29:00] Jenn challenges leaders to hone and develop their purpose and how they are embedding these practices of happiness by attaching meaning and value to their people’s work. Mentioned in this episode:Jenn LimBeyond Happiness: Inside the BookJenn Lim - Emeryville, California, United States | Professional Profile | LinkedIn Mountain ViewSend Marcel a text message!

Marcel Schwantes: Qualities of a Loving Leader

Highlights:“Good leaders are not afraid to be long” [2:00] Marcel reminds listeners that confident, strong leaders are less concerned with being right and more so with getting to the right answer.“Confident leaders are unassuming, they already know what they think; they want to know what you think.” [3:55] Listening more than speaking is a hallmark of a good leader. Marcel says leaders with the loyal following are curious and ask questions because they seek to know more.“They avoid the spotlight, and they shine it on others.” [4:50] This is the third thing that Marcel shares that good leaders do day in and day out; they acknowledge, celebrate, and boost the confidence of others!“A truly confident and humble leader stays away from gossip, or the need to speak badly of others to make themselves appear better by comparison.” [5:30] Marcel explains why you won’t find good leaders putting others down. These leaders are most concerned with being a better person tomorrow than they were the day before. Mentioned in this episode:Marcel Schwantes | Professional Profile | LinkedInMarcel SchwantesSend Marcel a text message!

Donato Tramuto: The Double Bottom Line

Donato J. Tramuto is a global health activist and founder of the Tramuto Foundation and Health eVillages. He is the author of The Double Bottom Line: How compassionate leaders captivate hearts and deliver results.Highlights:“Compassionate leadership is empathy in action.” [11:28] Donato J. Tramuto gets started by breaking down the definition of compassion. It’s no longer enough to just say ‘I feel your pain’, you have to put something into action. “When you lack empathy, you lose your ability to adapt your approach because you can’t see further than your own point of you.” [12:13] Donato points out the problems created by not using empathy in leadership and in your everyday perspective.“84% of the workers surveyed believed that a compassionate workplace encourages cooperation, which leads to greater productivity and profitability.” [14:50] Marcel gets into the research with Donato. Why is compassionate leadership important and it is really making an impact in the workplace?“The double bottom line says it doesn’t have to be an OR it should be an AND. You can be profitable AND you can insert a soul into the company.” [17:00] What does the title of Donato’s book actually mean? Anyone in business knows the bottom line, but Donato uses this common phrase to infuse profit AND compassion. “Start off with Tenderness…then you can be tenacious. Too many leaders start off with tenacity and then they have to pick up the mess and they’ve lost the trust.” [18:10] This is the concept of the “Three T’s”, Donato’s model for embedding compassion into management while building trust but being firm.“One of the components of compassionate leadership is your willingness to be vulnerable and your willingness to self-reflect every day.” [23:00] We have got to walk the talk and lead by example. Donato believes when we hurt people it is unintentional, but how are you reflecting on that and making it right?“We have to listen to understand, not listen to react.” [26:45] Donato rebuts the “Great Resignation” as a time of “Great Reflection”. People want to be heard and they want more than just a paycheck, they want community. Leaders need to listen to understand these employees.“We have got to get back to leading with the heart. Leading with passion. Leading by caring for your employees.” [29:55] What are these key components of compassionate leadership? Donato encourages leaders to put authenticity and vulnerability into how they lead because employees do not leave their values at the door when they begin their workday.  “When you create a diverse workforce, you are sending the message that you care about the notion that we are going to live by example to embrace everyone.” [32:00] Donato confirms for Marcel that Compassion = Diversity. A compassionate workplace begins with an intentionally diverse and supported workforce. Resources:Donato Tramuto  Send Marcel a text message!

Julie Winkle Giulioni: Promotions Are So Yesterday

Julie is the co-author of the international bestseller, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go, translated into seven languages, and Promotions Are So Yesterday: Redefine Career Development. Help Employees Thrive. She leads DesignArounds, a firm that creates and offers training to organizations worldwide.Highlights:“My story has this through line of learning and development…that throughline is helping people to grow.” [10:25] Julie Giulioni shares her story and her passion for working with people on growth and development, both in the workplace and outside of work.“It really does feel like Promotions Are So Yesterday, is the sequel [to my previous book] because as you know, Help the Grow really focused on the conversation, ‘how can we disarm this whole thing called career development?’.” [12:50] Before diving into her new book, Julie reiterates the message behind her first book and what that means to her research. “The climb is listed as well as your other 7 discoveries for these new alternative ways people want to grow and develop.” [17:35] Marcel and Julie touch on the 7 dimensions of development in the book: Contribution, Competence, Confidence, Connection, Challenge, Contentment, and Choice.“We found that contribution across ages, genders, levels - that was number one.” [23:30] Julie discusses the really positive meaning behind the number one dimension, Contribution, as a top need for people in the workplace. A surprising yet comforting bottom dimension? The climb of the corporate ladder. “This whole conversation around choice is really alive for a lot of employees, managers, and organizations, alike, as we try to figure out where does that decision-making lie.” [30:55] Julie explains how the ranking around choice fluctuates and has changed heavily based on COVID related shifts in the workplace.“A facilitative mindset acknowledges there is wisdom, there are insights, there are brilliant ideas inside each person just waiting to find expression” [35:25] Julie outlines how leaders can act as a facilitator by asking great questions and at the same time cultivating a silence for a safe playing field for employees to share their contributions.“With people being so busy these days, adding one more thing, to their list, to their brains….it’s gotta be really high value” [44:20] Intrinsic motivation and desire is key for employees and adding to their competence. Julie stresses that leaders and employers putting together plans need to be real in consideration of what is truly possible.“The work becomes the development, the development becomes the work.” [47:14] Marcel sums up the movement in which employees are shaping their work and the way leaders can seamlessly embed this intention of learning in any job.Resources:Julie Winkle GiulioniAssessment - Julie Winkle GiulioniJulie Winkle Giulioni, Author - Home | FacebookJulie Winkle Giulioni - LinkedInSend Marcel a text message!

Dorie Clark: The Long Game

Dorie Clark is a consultant and keynote speaker who teaches executive education at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and Columbia University's Graduate School of Business. She has been named one of the top fifty business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50 and the #1 Communication Coach in the world by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards. Clark is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and is the author of Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You, and Stand Out. Her books have been translated into eleven languages. Highlights:“Really what I focus my work on is helping people and helping companies, figure out in the very crowded marketplace, how they can get their best ideas heard.” [7:20] Dorie Clark introduces the inspiration behind her work and her book, The Long Game.“During COVID, it’s almost like forget the long term game, everybody’s all of a sudden in reactionary mode. How do we pivot!?” [10:05] Marcel comments on the broad shift in short term versus long term thinking due to COVID-19 and changes necessary from the pandemic shutdown.“We’re forced into doing long term thinking, if there are specific goals we want to attain.” [14:10] Why is long term thinking so hard? Dorie shares a quote she included in her book as she explains the motivation and pain points surrounding long term thinking. “Why is it that we can’t stop this relentless, short term, crazy busy, ‘FOMO’. ‘I can’t measure myself up to the standards of these celebrities’ that causes a lot of anxiety for me, and unrealistic expectations. We just get busier, and busier, and busier. So how do we stop this pursuit?” [16:00] Marcel questions why we as a culture feel the need to be unrealistically busy.“I threw myself into work, as a way of just distracting myself. The way that I think about it is like how they put patients into a medically induced coma so that their body can heal, because if they were awake they just couldn’t take it. So work can be like your medically induced coma.” [21:12] Dorie shares a personal experience in her reasoning for throwing herself into work and staying busy. Making the comparison to overworking as a “medically induced coma”.“All the forces are going to be mitigating against it. Because it's always more convenient for other people if you say yes to them. So nobody is going to help you with this.” [23:48] It’s easy and sometimes the right thing to say yes often when you’re early on in your career. But Dorie stresses that at a pivotal point in your business you have to start farming the things that are already working and no longer hoping that every small opportunity might turn into something. “So one of the ways that we can really focus on the long term, is having a clear, defining...North Star.” [26:51] Marcel asks Dorie to elaborate on what it means to find your North Star, the idea of reinventing yourself or instead remaining stagnant.“The strength that we have as professionals, and the thing that actually makes us valuable, is understanding that different things, different skills, are called for at different times. And you have to be smart enough to understand when and how to apply those skills. ”[31:20] Dorie explains the 4 career waves in her book: Learning, Creating, Connecting and Reaping.Resources:Download the free Long Game Strategic Thinking Self-AssessmentDorie Clark Dorie Clark - Top 50 Business Thinker in the World - Thinkers50 | LinkedInSend Marcel a text message!

Christine Porath: MASTERING COMMUNITY

Guest Bio:Christine Porath is a tenured professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. She’s the author of Mastering Civility and co-author of The Cost of Bad Behavior. She is also a consultant working with leading organizations to help people and communities thrive. Her speaking and consulting clients include Google, United Nations, World Bank, Microsoft, Genentech, Marriott, 3M, Verizon, Ford, World Health Organization, and Cleveland Clinic.Highlights“What are the costs of these small interactions between people, that can make them feel disrespected or small?” [6:44] Christine Porath asks the big question that makes up research on the need for community in the workplace.“I stepped out of the shower and my back went out...I could not move, and it ended up being that the stress was exacerbated by toxic management. This fear based, intense pressure cooker that put unrealistic expectations on me.” [7:29] Marcel shares a story from his personal past and how toxic management caused physical injury due to stress. “We looked at witnesses, and it was taking them off track just as much. Their performance was declining by about 33%.” [16:42] When discussing the consequences in her research, Christine shares some statistics on productivity all the way down to the witnesses of negative interactions beyond those directly involved.“Nearly 50% said because they would be at a disadvantage if they were civil or respectful at work. They thought they would be less leader like.” [18:14] Christine shares some interesting insights on the reason behind rude or negative behavior in the workplace. “I’m really curious, on what you saw as maybe one or two of the worst examples of incivility in the research.” [20:46] Marcel, intrigued by Christine's research in negative behavior in the workplace, lines up space for Christine to share some examples involving public belittling of employees during meetings.“74% of people are actually more engaged, 81% are more likely to stay with the company…83% reported higher thriving at work and a sense of being more energized, alive, and growing.” [24:14] Marcel lists some eye-opening stats on the positive impact of a strong community at work. Christine comments on the difference it would make for employees to prioritize working in an environment with a sense of community.“Everyday they would meet in this film room, and it wouldn’t be about the X’s and O’s, the strategies, the game. It was this idea of sharing information, and being vulnerable, and talking about things that mattered.”[31:10] Christine explains an example of Uniting People, with a story of coach Phil Jackson and the Chicago Bulls. “It’s these moments, that if you're mindful which is hard these days, can really make a difference to people.” [38:49] Christine talks about the impact of small moments in acknowledging and respecting people, like with her story of Empathy at Cleveland Clinic.“Given how important culture is whether you’re PTA, or a school, or a local organization, we should prioritize culture and think about how do we continue to strive to get better?” [43:01] Sharing about Boosting Wellness, Christine gives examples of small but impactful ways to improve culture in the workplace.“There’s community in so many ways, but people don’t think about community in a work sense.” [49:00] Closing out today’s episode, Marcel connects community as an important extension of love in the workplace. Resources:Christine PorathChristine Porath (@PorathC) / TwitterChristine Porath - Professor of Management - Georgetown University | LinkedIn Mastering Community: The Surprising Ways Coming Together Moves Us from Surviving to ThrivingSend Marcel a text message!

Ryan Jenkins: Connectable

The authors of Connectable, Ryan Jenkins, CSP, and Steven Van Cohen, MSOD, are founders of LessLonely.com, the world’s #1 resource for addressing workplace loneliness and creating more belonging at work. Collectively they have over 20 years of experience helping organizations like FedEx, Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, Salesforce, Wells Fargo, State Farm, John Deere, and Delta Air Lines improve their teams. Their work has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, SUCCESS, Inc., and Entrepreneur Magazine. When they are not writing and speaking, you can find them sampling craft beers, attempting to play golf together, and spending quality time with their respective families. Stay connected with them on social media @RyanAndSteven.Highlights:“One of our primary goals is to destigmatize loneliness, and to make it much more accessible because it’s a universal human condition and we all experience it. So it shouldn’t be shameful, it's simply a signal.” [8:10] Ryan explains the stigma of loneliness and how he and his co-author, Steven Van Cohen, want to help.“Let’s bring the book front and center; Connectable, what’s the big idea behind it? It's not just a book about loneliness…is it?” [11:52] Marcel introduces Ryan’s book, ready to dive deep about the meaning of loneliness in the workplace. “Work is the most fertile ground to lessen loneliness because there is routine, and there’s meaningful relationships that can occur, there’s purpose, there’s learning. There’s all these loneliness lifelines that we can all grasp onto.” [12:22] Ryan shares the thinking behind his book why connection is important and how work can make the difference.“This is so real for people that are listening, they understand ‘oh this is happening right now’....let’s start with the why…why are so many workers suffering right now from loneliness?’ [15:00] As Marcel relates the rising loneliness rates to his audience, Ryan explains the big ticket reasons as busyness and social media!“Loneliness was an epidemic pre COVID, and then COVID comes along…BAM...now we’re in crisis, there is an increase in loneliness and isolation. People go remote for the first time, they don’t know how to manage…that work life blend.” [18:30] Acknowledging the escalation of loneliness caused by the pandemic and the increase of remote work, Marcel challenges how to engage isolated workers. “If we experience loneliness our reaction should be to reach out and connect with others but what happens is we turn inward and it just creates this downward spiral where we isolate further.” [26:46] In Connectable, Ryan and his co-author share 10 ways to identify signals of loneliness, here he shares a few ways to see this in your co-workers or friends. “Even as an introvert, you still need to connect as well. It is in your human design to do that.” [32:50] Marcel recognizes that there are some personality types that may be assumed to prefer less connection, but still genuinely benefit from interaction.“Leaders at any level of the organization, one of the best ways is to communicate clearly. Make sure everyone knows what's going on: What we’re doing in the organization, why we’re doing things in the organization. For every leader, they should make sure that people know how they’re fitting into that bigger picture.” [43:30] What can leader’s do to create belonging in the work environment? Ryan shares some closing advice for leaders to foster connection in their organizations. Resources:Less Lonely Connectable: How Leaders Can Move Teams From Isolated to All In Send Marcel a text message!