What’s a person worth?

If we based the answer on our own self assessments, not much.

And then we bring that “not much” feeling everywhere we go, including work. Where we’re expected to influence people, lead people inspire people. And we wonder why we struggle.

“Not much” has a scent. So strong it can actually travel through Zoom screens.. It’s also contagious. Infecting everyone who gets a whiff with a bit more “not much” than they already bring to the table.

It’s tough to do useful, meaningful things when you’re swimming in the “not much” soup. If only we could add some ingredients to create a delightfully hearty “more than enough” stew.

Endre Hoffman (aka The Doctor of Self Worth) is the man with those ingredients. All you have to do is a little time travel to get what you need.

That’s what NLP (neurolinguistic programming) is all about, Endre’s primary tool for helping folks see how good they really are. A reframing of our life story that allows us to release the dickhead voice that’s been holding us back and create a new voice that says things like, “you’re alright, man” and “you’re actually kinda smart, lady.”

Endre had his own, long, exhaustive journey through dozens of countries and over a hundred thousand dollars before he finally found the ingredients to turn his life around, after years of childhood trauma and a struggling marriage kept him stuck in the “not much” story.

Now, he helps people do the same. From high-powered execs to first-time entrepreneurs. His work helps people get out of the victim mindset and see clearly (often for the first time) just how much agency they have.

Endre is a cool dude with an inspiring mission to impact over one million lives. I like the moxie.

(If you enjoy this episode, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Endre on LinkedIn. And check out his site at doctorofselfworth.com where you’ll find a bunch of cool free resources. And a cat pic too!

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams find their superpower (aka their pudding) so they can bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session.

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Endre to our audience:How long will you postpone having that conversation where you can finally get to the root of your challenges and the problem that you have created? Will you do it this year, In five years' time?

If you’d like to watch the episode on YouTube, please click here.

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #findyourwhy #executivecoaching #selfworth #nlp #changeyourstory

If you’re an introvert, you’re going to love Rhonda George-Denniston. You’ll also love her if you’re an extrovert, because she’s awesome. But man, she really sees introverts in a way that the world needs.

Rhonda is the Chief Learning & Development Officer at TBWA\Worldwide. She also founded Curiosity Connections, an “un-networking” space that brings people together in a way where everyone feels welcome and seen. With none of the awkward BS of typical networking events.

Her own experience as an introvert has created a blueprint for others to follow. She started at TBWA as an executive assistant and created her path at every step since.

How’d she do it?

🐱 She showed up. Building a reputation for reliability and getting things done.

🐱 She identified gaps. “Why aren’t we doing this?” And said, “wait, I can do this.”

🐱 She perfected her pitch. In deck-crazy industries like advertising, the way forward is through PowerPoint (or Keynote, or Google, or Canva, or whatever the kids are using these days).

The programs she and her teams have created invite others to follow her lead. To create opportunities, find their own path and to show up in ways that allow them to shine.

Rhonda shines brightly in this conversation. And she introduced me to a term that I absolutely love—“thought life.” Even though mine can be kinda scary at times.

(If you enjoy this episode, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Rhonda on LinkedIn. And check out the Curiosity Connections site at curiosityconnections.com.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to dive deep into some of your own challenges at work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session, where we can explore new, desuckified possibilities for your future.

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Rhonda to our audience:What is the loudest voice in your thought life right now? And is it serving you or is it hurting you? (Drop your answers in the comments!)

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #findyourwhy #findyourpudding #executivecoaching #learninganddevelopment #introverts #ownyourcareer #thoughtlife

She wrote about leadership and sales. But it’s really a book about living.

Jeanne Sparrow, this week’s guest on the DesuckifyWork® podcast is the author of “Fearless Authenticity: Lead Better, Sell More and Speak Sensationally.” She is a delightful human, a masterful storyteller and has (inadvertently?) mapped out the path to a more joyful life.

The key?

🐱 Knowing yourself deeply and connecting with others on that level.

🐱 Understanding your gifts and using them to serve others.

🐱 Aligning your actions with your true self, even when things get hard. Especially then.

That’s authenticity. Or as Jeanne likes to say, “remembering who you were before the world got its hands on you.”

The world feels particularly handsy these days. Thank God Jeanne is here to help us find our way.

(If you enjoy this episode, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Jeanne on LinkedIn. And check out her site at jeannesparrow.com, where you can learn more about her book, her speaking and consulting work and just spend some time getting to know a wonderful person.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to dive deep into some of your own challenges at work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session, where we can explore new, desuckified possibilities for your future.

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Jeanne to our audience:I have a theory, if work sucks for you, that it's also sucks the life out of you. So, in what ways do you feel that work sucking has compromised you in your own path?

If you’d like to watch the episode on YouTube, please click here.

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #findyourwhy #executivecoaching #authenticity #joy #rememberwhoyouare

If you’ve ever been to the theater, you’ve witnessed a masterclass in communication. Each character demonstrating their ability to get what they need (or not) from each other. Creating harmony or sparking conflict. Influencing, irritating, arousing, amusing. All done for the benefit of us, the audience. Complete strangers making us care about the outcome of a make believe situation we knew nothing about just minutes before.

It’s magical, really.

And it’s the perspective today’s guest on the DesuckifyWork® podcast brings to her communication coaching practice every day. Shana Gold has been helping folks find their voice at work for over 20 years, after spending several years in the world of theater as an actor and director.

The lessons she learned play out quite nicely on the corporate stage, whether you’re presenting to a thousand person room, negotiating your next pay package or having a weekly one-on-one:

🐱 Shifting from judgment to empathy and discernment

🐱 Regulating the nervous system with breath work and sensory awareness

🐱 Bringing our outer and inner worlds into alignment

🐱 Becoming more in tune with who we’re speaking with, creating genuine connection

So, next time you go see a show, enjoy the performance. And consider taking a few mental notes as well.

(If you enjoy this episode, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Shana on LinkedIn. And check out her site at shanagoldcoaching.com.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to dive deep into some of your own challenges at work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session, where we can explore new, desuckified possibilities for your future.

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Shana to our audience:What would you say if you weren't afraid of rejection? Who would you be without that fear?

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #findyourwhy #findyourcape #executivecoaching #communication #connection #speaking

I worked 26 years at ad agencies and never knew there was a thing called Learning & Development (L&D).

Like an actual team dedicated to the growth of the people who work there.

Huh.

It had been my understanding that learning was a thing that happened by having your work pissed on repeatedly, forcing you to come back with so many new ideas that one might actually squeak through unscathed and you’d be invited back for the next gauntlet.

You “developed” a thick skin but not much else. Leadership skills, communication, discernment and emotional intelligence?

Ha!

Thankfully, Jared Andres came on the DesuckifyWork® podcast to share a better way. Jared is an L&D manager at Jane App and previously led L&D at Critical Mass in Calgary. Both places put a lot of effort into helping folks learn and grow.

His thoughts?

🐱 Less pissing all over the work and more useful feedback.

🐱 Less just figure it out and more here are some things to consider

🐱 Less assuming you’ll be a good leader because you’re good at something completely unrelated to leading and more actual training

🐱 Less stay in your lane and more inviting you to create new lanes that solve the biggest challenges in the organization

He’s also got thoughts on AI that aren’t the ones you’ve already heard. And he shares a sound effect that reminds us that real, tangible things still have value in our robot world.

(If you enjoy this episode, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin. Here’s Jared.

You can follow Jared on LinkedIn. He’s always happy to chat about this stuff.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to dive deep into some of your own challenges at work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session, where we can explore new, desuckified possibilities for your future.

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Jared to our audience:What would you say is the one barrier in your organization that's stopping your leaders from showing up at their best? And why is it there? What's keeping it there?

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #findyourwhy #findyourcape #executivecoaching #advertising #adagency #learninganddevelopment

Ad agencies are good at 3 things:

👏 Building brands👏 Driving sales👏 Making employees so miserable they would prefer to be literally anywhere else, almost as soon as they are hired. (Hence the industry-wide 33% turnover rate)

The James Agency in Scottsdale is quite good at the first two. But has failed miserably at the third. Many of their folks have stuck around for over ten years. The CCO has been there since the beginning, 20 years, with agency founder and today’s guest on the DesuckifyWork® podcast, Veronique James (known simply as V to most).

What is V doing wrong? Why is she struggling to live up to the precedent set by so many in our industry?

She didn’t get the memo.

You know, the one that says you should keep business details shrouded in secrecy, even from your top leaders. The one that says accountability is too scary and complicated. The one that says caring deeply about your clients and their business results isn’t important… just focus on the task at hand, brah.

V has this nutty idea that having a team aligned around shared values can make the work better. And make working better too.

Values like:🐱 Give a s**t🐱 Be yourself🐱 Aspire to be better🐱 Take action🐱 Contribute positivity🐱 Challenge convention🐱 Communicate honestly

Values that allowed the agency to avoid layoffs or pay cuts during COVID. And have led them treat RFPs like actual projects instead of just dropping them into the workflow like methed-up honey badgers.

Does this kind of wackiness actually work? Could other agencies follow their lead and see similar results?

Take a listen to V and see what you think.

(If you enjoy this episode, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Veronique on LinkedIn. And check out her agency’s site at thejamesagency.com.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to dive deep into some of your own challenges at work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session, where we can explore new, desuckified possibilities for your future.

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from V to our audience:What is the one thing that you'd ask your younger self now, knowing what you know about your business or where you are in your professional career?

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #findyourwhy #findyourcape #executivecoaching #advertising #adagency #adagencyculture #employeeturnover

Quick, are you a meerkat? A chimp? A snow leopard? A wolf?

No, I’m not high. I’m talking about the 4 belonging personas developed by Dan J. Berger, today’s guest on the DesuckifyWork® podcast.

This may be the most important work anyone is doing right now. We are in the midst of a belonging crisis, fueled by social media, egged on by COVID and reinforced by our own lack of clarity on how to make things better.

Enter Dan.

Dan’s whole life has been centered around belonging. It hasn’t always been easy. But his work has paid off—for him and for all of us.

His quest began in the womb, a mother preparing to give him up for adoption, a son feeling that disconnect viscerally. As an adopted child, he always wondered if he belonged. As a 9 year old Israeli moving over 5,000 miles to the US, those feelings only intensified. As an adult navigating the business world and ultimately selling the startup he founded, his quest became a calling.

Where do we find belonging? How do we cultivate it? Why does it feel so elusive at times?

Dan has answers. And some practical tools that can help us find our way.

You can start by taking the belonging persona quiz on his website. (I’m a snow leopard, btw.)

Then, you should read his book, The Quest: The Definitive Guide to Finding Belonging.

Lastly, you should listen to this episode. Dan goes deep on a bunch of practical ways to increase belonging. Including

🐱 Creating a belonging mindset

🐱 Fostering a belonging culture at work, which needs to come from top leadership, not HR

🐱 And one I don’t fully agree with, but can appreciate… taking a more transactional view of work.

That last one would be misery for me, but nirvana for others. I think the key is asking yourself the question I pose to every guest: What role does work play in your life?

There’s no wrong answer. You get to decide. And I can help you figure it out, btw.

(If you enjoy this episode, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Dan on LinkedIn. And check out his site, belongingquest.com, where you’ll find his belonging quiz, info on his book and a ton of other helpful goodies.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to dive deep into some of your own challenges at work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session, where we can explore new, desuckified possibilities for your future.

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question for our audience:Ask this of anything you do in life: “Does (fill in the blank) give me belonging?”

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #findyourwhy #findyourcape #executivecoaching #belonging #DEI #connection #belongingpersona