In today’s episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Ella Zhang, who is a renowned change maker and executive coach. Ella has recently released her book Upgrade: How to Outperform Your Defaults and Gain Your Superpowers and in our conversation, Ella shares her insights on the concept of outperforming your default self in order to tap into your true potential.

In her work with organisations and individuals, Ella identifies self care as a critical aspect of personal and professional development, which includes understanding one's patterns of thinking, behaving and acting. While many corporate leaders today would equate self care with physical health, Ella emphasises the importance of going beyond that and tuning in to our inner selves.

When it comes to facing a challenging situation, Ella encourages us to step back and ask ourselves questions to evaluate how we’re navigating it, such as: How is my body responding? How am I speaking to myself? What am I giving my attention to in this situation?

To help us begin our journey towards becoming stronger and more capable leaders, Ella shares three practical ways we can come back to the body and create the vital self-awareness that leads to positive change:

1. Pay Attention to Your Thoughts: There can be a million different thoughts racing through our minds as we lead others, particularly when we’re faced with a challenging moment. Learning how to capture your thoughts and observe your thinking patterns can give you an understanding as to how you react, and in turn make decisions. Ella gives us some practical strategies on how to sit with our own thoughts and come to a better understanding of where and how we need to change.
2. Become Aware of Physical Sensations: In the workplace, where intellect and technical know-how is hailed as king, emotions are generally viewed as roadblocks and often suppressed. This can lead to a disconnect between leaders and their team. Ella encourages leaders to notice how their body reacts during strong emotional moments, which can help in regulating emotions, improving emotional intelligence and building stronger relationships with their staff.
3. Focus on Breathing: Ella emphasises the significance of breathing and its impact on stress and relaxation. Leaders often thrive in high-stress environments, but they need to balance stress with recovery. Controlled breathing techniques, like deep and rhythmic breathing, can help leaders manage stress effectively.

Ella’s wisdom on the mind-body connection and its benefits is truly eye-opening, and I know you’ll gain so much valuable insight on better understanding yourself as a leader, and in turn those you lead.

Enjoy!

LINKS

Connect with Ella:

Book: Upgrade: How to Outperform Your Default Self to Gain Your Super Powers

LinkedIn: Ella Zhang

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today I’m joined by the wonderful and inspiring Jo Gaines, a seasoned professional who has worked in the technology and media sector for over two decades. Jo's career journey has seen her work for high-profile companies including CBS, Krux, Yahoo and more recently, as Area Vice President of Salesforce. Jo is also a dedicated mother-of-two and a fierce advocate for equality, lending her support as an ambassador for women's shelters. She shares with us her journey through hardship to finding resilience and how changing her mindset helped reshape her story.

Through facing a challenging turning point in her career due to redundancy, Jo embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery that saw her turn to practices such as weight training, breathwork and meditation. She shares the new mindset she adopted through these practices, and how her determination to thrive in the face of uncertainty led to a completely new outlook on life.

In our conversation, Jo shares the grief she experienced when her role at Salesforce came to an end, and how lost she felt when it came to her future. However, she notes there are two choices we can make when it comes to facing adversity. Either we can see it as a downfall, or treat it as an opportunity to expand. Jo chose the latter, and decided to view this new path as one she was destined to be on.

Resilience can often be misunderstood as a suppression of emotions or ignoring our problems. However, we define what resilience really is and discuss its ability to help effectively manage our thoughts and feelings. Jo believes that releasing control and trusting everything will eventually work out can free us from fear and the temptation to give up.

We talk about how navigating through our own life challenges produces empathy, and when we view others through this lens, we become more effective leaders. Recognising that everyone experiences change, particularly in a post-pandemic world, we’re able to rally with our team and prioritise their wellbeing. How can we communicate in a way that resonates for each individual? How do we lead in a way that not only gets them through, but also builds resilience?

Jo also shares her shift in perspective that inspired her to live more fully in the present and pursue the passions that had been sitting on the backburner for too long. She talks about the bucket list she created and the importance of making time and space in life to achieve each goal.

Jo's story is a powerful testament to the transformation resilience can create, and the potential for growth when we embrace change with gratitude. I just know you’ll be as inspired as I was by Jo’s incredible wisdom, and hope you find confidence to implement strategies for a full and rewarding life in leadership and beyond.

LINKS

Connect with Jo Gaines

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/jogaines

Instagram: @gogaino

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m thrilled to be sharing a conversation about something a little different today as I chat with celebrity journalist and author, Lucy Broadbent, about her latest book, What Would Ted Lasso Do?: How Ted's Positive Approach Can Help You.

If you haven’t seen this hugely popular television series yet, I highly recommend that you do. Ted Lasso offers so many profound leadership lessons for life and business. Today Lucy and I delve into how Ted’s unique leadership style can guide us all towards a better, kinder, and more effective way of leading ourselves and others.

In this episode, Lucy shares her inspiration behind writing this book and some of her discoveries after digging deeper into the positive psychology embedded in the show. We talk about one of her key takeaways, which is that our reactions to life's challenges can significantly impact our well-being.

A crucial aspect of Ted Lasso's character is his imperfection. He is not a flawless leader, and this is what makes him relatable and authentic. Lucy highlights that the key to Ted's leadership is his vulnerability, and by sharing his flaws and being honest about them, Ted fosters trust among his team members, which is a crucial element in effective leadership.

Lucy talks about one of her favourite lessons from Ted Lasso's playbook - kindness. This overarching message has a profound impact on both the characters in the show and its viewers. It serves as a reminder that being kind to oneself and others can create a positive ripple effect in our lives.

We also talk about Lucy’s upcoming book, "How to Be a Lioness, Not a Panda", which explores the dynamic between the strong female characters in Ted Lasso and how their mentorship and friendship reflect the importance of women supporting each other in the face of challenges. This book promises to be a refreshing take on leadership and feminism, showcasing how women can lead and empower one another.

LINKS

Connect with Lucy Broadbent:

Website: https://www.lucybroadbent.net/

Book: What Would Ted Lasso Do?: How Ted's Positive Approach Can Help You

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.