Today, I’m bringing you what is potentially one of my favourite podcast episodes, which is all about being the CEO of you. I’m deeply passionate about this topic and even wrote a whole chapter around it in my book, You Always Have a Choice. In this episode, we explore the decisions we can make and questions to ask ourselves in order to become the best leaders - of ourselves and others - we can be.

Embracing the CEO Mindset

Being the CEO of you is a mindset, and one of courage that requires you to step up and make strategic decisions to lead a life that you love. And to lead a life that is in complete alignment to your vision, values and the experience you want to have, you need to get really clear on your vision. Ask yourself: Where am I going in my career, my business and my relationships? How do I want to feel? How can I energise myself to live the best life I possibly can? Remember, knowledge is power. And when you choose to do something with that knowledge, that’s when your power comes into play.

Making Courageous Choices

While many people believe they can't be leaders, it really comes down to making a choice. Will you make the choices necessary to effectively lead your own life? Leadership is all about taking courageous action, and as Maya Angelou beautifully put it, “stand up straight and realise who you are, that you tower over your circumstances”. I discuss the power of making strategic and brave decisions in all areas of your life, from relationships to work dynamics.

Self-Awareness is Key

Effectively, you need self-awareness around how you lead your life, how you experience it and how you impact others before you can be a great leader of anyone else. I take you through the technique I use with my own clients, which involves asking yourself three questions at the end of each day to really evaluate how you performed as a leader. This isn’t an opportunity to beat yourself up; it’s a powerful exercise in giving you critical insights into yourself and improving - as the leader, the partner, the parent or friend.

So join me today and learn some powerful tactics that will fuel and enable you to be the most effective CEO of you.

LINKS

Order My New Book “You Always Have A Choice” here

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.

Do you find it hard to speak up in the workplace, as well as in your personal life? If so, it’s clear that you are not alone.

Studies show that the rate of women experiencing burnout at work has grown to 42%, with men at 30%. Why is this happening? I believe that a huge part of the problem is that people are too tired or lack the confidence to speak up for themselves when too much is being expected of them.

Today, I’m talking about the incredibly important idea of digging deep and using your voice. I share with you how I did that in one of my darkest moments, and encourage you to use your own voice to lead you through life’s challenges and towards opportunity.

In my previous roles as a leader, I noticed that if I didn’t raise some of the issues I was observing, I'm not sure that the people impacted by them would have spoken up. It made me wonder: Did I not have the level of trust with them? Or is speaking up just something that they're just not used to?

If you’re struggling to use your voice to address an issue in your life, I encourage you to look inside and ask yourself why. Whether it’s societal, cultural or a confidence issue, there will be something deep down for you that is preventing you from taking a stand. I also talk about the practical side of sharing your message, such as giving it at an unemotional time and with a healthy amount of detachment.

I take you through three tips to help you effectively position yourself in using your voice authentically and building trust:

1. Know what you do and don’t stand for
2. Connect to your values
3. Take action using practical strategies

Speaking up for yourself isn’t easy at first, but remember: practice is progress. If you just start doing it, whether it’s at home, work or out in society, you’ll soon feel empowered to use your voice where and when it really matters.

LINKS

Resources mentioned: Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

Order My New Book “You Always Have A Choice” here

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.