Shows
SmikleSpeaksVision...What do you see?If you listen to these podcasts, you know I get some of my best inspiration at church. Some of the sermons leave indelible imprints on my heart. Two Sundays ago the minister asked this question: What kind of vision does God have for your life?That question made me think about what kind of vision I have for my life. I know I’m not living in darkness or denial. But I think it’s probably time for me to think about my vision for Joanne. In this short podcast I want to get you thinking about some...2024-12-0415 minSmikleSpeaksWhat would you do? DEI DilemmasI’m doing a few podcasts that are a little bit different. I’m going to share scenarios that I’ve been dealing with in my consulting life. After sharing I’ll then ask you a few questions to get you thinking about your approach to the dilemma. That’s it. I just want you to think about the issue so you're better prepared if it comes up in your world.2022-05-1111 minSmikleSpeaksGet to GO...6 Essential AdvisorsYou made up your mind to make changes, try something new, invent something, to pursue a new path. You have the drive, the motivation and a plan. But you can’t do it alone. You need a team of advisors. I’m going to give you a little guidance on getting to go with your own personal advisory board.. There are 6 advisors who can help get you to go and stay the course.2022-05-0409 minSmikleSpeaksStop with the apologies!Apologizing is good when you’re genuinely sorry. It’s good when you’ve hurt someone. It’s especially good when you’ve made a mistake. The problem is when we over-apologize. That’s a red flag indicating a lack of confidence. It’s also a sign of insecurity. It’s a way to position oneself as powerless.2022-04-2706 minSmikleSpeaksUnleashing Personal PowerPersonal power! We all have it. Some of us fear it. Some of us wield it like a mighty sword. What do you do with yours? Are you willing to unleash it so that you get the results that you want in in your life? This podcast is all about finding and leveraging our personal power.2022-04-2008 minSmikleSpeaksThe Promoted But Not Prepared SyndromeYou were great in your subject matter…maybe an awesome engineer, a great teller, a fantastic professor, a gifted architect, an outstanding doctor. Then, you got promoted. You weren’t prepared for a leadership role but you certainly didn’t want to say no to the opportunity. Or, you’re in a position to add new leaders to your team. You look around and see a few talented people. You know that they don’t have leadership skills but you need to fill the slot and want to fill it internally. So, you promote them and cross your finge...2022-04-1312 minSmikleSpeaksYou're Not Dead Yet!You’re not dead yet! You still have lots of living to do! There are opportunities at every stage of the life span. My sister Susan says that we don’t need bucket lists, we need living lists. What’s on your living list? What have you yet to accomplish? What are your callings that you’ve yet to fulfill? You’re not dead yet! What have you learned and how can you translate it into action for a fulfilling life?Remember this, you have agency, or power, to live fully at each and every stage of your journ...2022-04-0607 minSmikleSpeaksLife Reimagined…Life ReinventedIsn’t interesting how many of us would be doing something different if we could. I mean different in our careers, in our relationship, in our lives. WE can! We really can! This podcast is all about reimagining and reinventing our lives. That means we are intentionally transitioning. We are intentionally veering off the path we’re traveling and taking another one. Or, better still, paving the unique path that we imagine. That may sound like pie in the sky to some of you. You may be thinking about all of your responsibilities, commitments, and entanglements. But it really is p...2022-03-3012 minSmikleSpeaksThe Courage FactorThere are times when I get frustrated, flabbergasted, and flustered with spineless leaders. I know the word spineless sounds harsh but that’s what I see far too often. Leaders who are afraid to take a stand. Leaders who waffle when they should stand tall. That behavior just offends me…that’s my bias and I admit it. We're going to explore how we build and demonstrate courage.2022-03-2311 minSmikleSpeaksPaths to Peace, Featuring Dennis CourtneyPeace is possible. Peace is probable when peace-seekers unite with intention. Dennis Courtney shares strategies that we can use to create peace on the micro and macro levels.2022-03-1614 minSmikleSpeaksSelf-Compassion, Featuring Dennis CourtneySelf-compassion is the ability to be kind, gentle, and loving to ourselves. It enables us to silence our inner critic and give affirming messages. Dennis Courtney explains how we can develop and demonstrate self-compassion.2022-03-0913 minSmikleSpeaksLet go...Let GROWThere are times when we have to let go of people, of habits, of practices. The theme of this podcasts is let go, let grow. My premise is that when we hold on too long and too tight, we stifle ourselves and other people. Let's explore that premise in this podcast.2022-03-0208 minSmikleSpeaksAdvancing Your Brand: Is your face in the place?Is your face in the place? Part of advancing your brand means being seen in the right places by the right people. I’m not saying that you have to attend every conference, cocktail party, and virtual gathering. I am saying that you need to be strategic about where you show up, literally and figuratively. This podcast will give you tools to do that!2022-02-2306 minSmikleSpeaksGet 'em, Grow 'em, Keep 'emThere’s so much talk about getting and keeping talent. It’s giving a lot of my clients heartburn…they’re having a tough time keeping their best people. I’d like to address how to get great people, how to grow them, and how to keep them.2022-02-1705 minSmikleSpeaksJourneying Into Meditation, Featuring Dennis CourtneyThis podcast will take you to a place of serenity as you contemplate starting a medication practice. Dennis Courtney, a certified yoga teacher and longtime mediation practitioner helps us explore ways to center and focus inward. 2022-02-0920 minSmikleSpeaksThe What & Why of Meditation, Featuring Dennis CourtneyHave you ever wondered what mediation is all about? Dennis Courtney makes the concept and the practice accessible to all of us. Enjoy his insights!2022-02-0226 minSmikleSpeaksAdvancing Your Brand: 7 Networking SabotagesThis short podcast is all about what NOT to do when networking. I want to share seven brand sabotage tactics that will kill your networking and self-promotion efforts.2022-01-2608 minSmikleSpeaksSet Yourself Up for SuccessThis podcast draws on the wisdom of Scott LoCastro, my golf coach. Last week’s lesson was another great one! He started out by saying “Set yourself up for success!” He was so emphatic and that cemented it in my mind, I have to set myself up for success with every swing. Let me tell you what Scott said I have to do...2022-01-1906 minSmikleSpeaksThe Potential in the ProblemI freely and willingly acknowledge that there are real problems in every area of our lives. There are times when those problems can be literally exhausting. But I also think that buried in many problems are potential. The nature of that potential is as vast and varied as the nature of the problems we encounter.Let’s think about how to find the potential in the problem. Of course, that requires a reframe. It requires that we be willing to look deeply at the problem and to look at it from different angles. 2022-01-1209 minSmikleSpeaksReady? Set? Go! Preparing for the Next OpportunityIt’s not as simple as ready, set, go…there’s a lot of work to ready, even more work to get set and strategize to go. You’ve got to pay attention to your brand, to the spaces you’re entering. I’m going to give seven strategies to help you get ready for the next opportunity. Whether it’s a promotion or a lateral move, you’ve got to be ready!2022-01-0505 minSmikleSpeaksAdvancing Your Brand: InfluenceWe’re going to look at influence from three different angles. The first is about you---who do you influence and what influence are you having. The second is about who influences you and the influence that you allow them to have on you. The third angle is about the influencers that you want to connect with to advance your career. These are the people with juice who can make things happen for you.2021-12-2913 minSmikleSpeaksGratitude on Dark Days, Featuring Linda Roszak BurtonWe all have tough times, challenges and dark days. Linda Roszak Burton provides strategies for remaining grateful through the storms that inevitably come up. She is the founding partner of DRW, a firm that supports the development of positive cultures, positive leaders, and engaged employees. Linda is credentialed through the International Coach Federation and the NeuroLeadership Institute. She's going to provide tools that we can use to maintain grateful hearts.2021-12-2209 minSmikleSpeaksAdvancing Your Brand: Self-AdvocacyRemember that Bob Marley song: Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights…Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights! Get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight.That’s the best mantra for self-advocacy! And a strong mantra for building your brand.Marley is telling us to stand up for ourselves, to stand up and be counted. So, what gets in the way of doing that? Sometimes we’re afraid. Sometimes we’ve been acculturated to acquiesce. Sometimes we just don’t want to exert the energy.2021-12-1511 minSmikleSpeaksDo you really want to know? Cultivating a Curious MindThis podcast is all about developing intellectual curiosity, about cultivating a curious mind. It’s my challenge to you and to myself to ask better questions that probe the why, the how, and the what. I’m going to offer strategies for cultivating a curious mind. First, we’ll talk about the things that get in the way, the perceptual blocks, and then we’ll move to things you can do to create more curiosity.2021-12-0818 minSmikleSpeaksAdvancing Your Brand: Self-PromotionI’ve had a couple of conversations with my nephew about self-promotion. He didn’t get a promotion in spite of outstanding performance evaluations for lots of years. He debriefed the interview with his boss. As he and I talked about it a few things kept coming to my mind. The reason he didn’t get the promotioSo how do you highlight victories without seeming like an ego maniac? Getting promoted begins long before the interview. It begins with consistent graceful self-promotion.n came down to the fact that he didn’t sell himself strongly enough in the interview.2021-12-0110 minSmikleSpeaksReimagining Organizational CultureI get this question a lot: Joanne how do we change our culture? When I ask how do you want to change it the answers range from we need something different to we want it to be healthier to we want more employee satisfaction. Those are all pretty noble aims but they’re not clear, specific or purposeful. In this podcast we are going to focus on clear, specific, purposeful ways to reimagine and recreate organizational culture. 2021-11-2411 minSmikleSpeaksWhy journal? Featuring Linda Roszak BurtonLinda Roszak Burton is back with us on the SmikleSpeaks Podcast Channel. She’s my go-to person for all things related to gratitude. In this episode she is going to help us understand the power of journaling. Interestingly, she doesn't suggest journaling everyday. Her approach is different. I think you'll find this enlightening!2021-11-1711 minSmikleSpeaksAre you promoting peace, progress, and prosperity?As leaders, as people, we are all promoting something. We may not be fully aware of what we’re promoting but we’re advancing something. This podcast is my effort at helping raise your awareness of what you’re promoting in your leadership role, in your life.2021-11-1009 minSmikleSpeaksCan we develop cultural competence?Can we develop cultural competence? Of course we can! It just takes some work. This podcast gives the basics, a starting point for beginning the work. It’s not intended to be a long roadmap, rather a concise approach to starting your personal development process to raise your level of awareness and competence.2021-11-0315 minSmikleSpeaksFoundations of TrustDo people really trust you? Do they trust your company? Questions worth considering, especially if you want to advance as a leader. Trust is one of those trite words that gets thrown around with very little thought as to what it really means and how it’s demonstrated in day-to-day interactions. In this podcast we will get clear about what trust is and how it's manifested.2021-10-2710 minSmikleSpeaksTransformational LeadershipOf all the approaches to leadership, I find Transformational Leadership to be the most powerful. It has the potential to impact every element of the enterprise…from recruitment and retention to research and design to quality to performance and productivity. It can make or break commitment and engagement, both of which are required to fulfill the organization’s mission and increase shareholder value.I want to introduce to some and review for others the four components of Transformational Leadership.2021-10-1911 minSmikleSpeaksIs gratitude contagious? Featuring Linda Roszak BurtonLinda Roszak Burton is back on the SmikleSpeaks Podcast Channel. She is going to share more of her insights on gratitude. Yes, gratitude is contagious! She is going to explain why and how we can spread more of it.2021-10-1314 minSmikleSpeaksAre you living a peaceful, passionate, purposeful life?This one is all about life, about living on a deeper level. People talk a lot about living your best life. I’m kind of tired of that phrase. My question for you is this: are you leading a peaceful, passionate, purposeful life.2021-10-0614 minSmikleSpeaksLook Good...Feel Good...Play GoodI started golf lessons last year…it was a good foray into the sport. After last year’s group lessons, I decided that I needed more individualized attention. I’m so glad I made that decision because I now work with Scott Locastro. He is not a golf instructor. He’s a golf coach. His coaching continues to inspire me to excellence on and off the greens.He’s the reason for this podcast... “look good, feel good, play good.” 2021-09-2909 minSmikleSpeaksWhat's your networking style?Networking is vital for career success…I think it’s vital for success in life. You’ve got to know how to use yourself to advance your leadership brand. One of the most important ways to do that is by thinking about how you network. Getting connected is an important element of learning to lead more effectively. It’s how you get information, resources and, of course, access to other people. Remember that making connections, expanding your network, starts with you. Don’t wait for other people to open doors…start turning handles yourself. Let’s spend a litt...2021-09-2207 minSmikleSpeaksThe Commitment ConundrumSo many organizations are trying to figure out how to create higher levels of employee engagement and commitment. Some try quick fixes like employee recognition days or on-the-spot awards. Those things are OK. But they’re most useful when integrated into a comprehensive, strategic effort to create commitment and engagement.In this short podcast we’re going to talk about the foundations of commitment. Once you get that and can get beyond the surface ideas, you’ll be better able to address commitment and engagement in your organization.2021-09-1510 minSmikleSpeaksDeveloping Grateful Hearts, Featuring Linda Roszak BurtonLinda Roszak Burton provides practical strategies for developing a grateful heart, no matter the situation. She’s the author of Gratitude Heals, my favorite journal! It’s part book, part journal and all inspiration! Linda is the founding partner of DRW, a firm that supports the development of positive cultures, positive leaders, and engaged employees. Linda is credentialed through the International Coach Federation and the NeuroLeadership Institute. I’m delighted to spend time with her today.2021-09-0816 minSmikleSpeaksCritical Leadership Responsibilities for Today & TomorrowThere’s a classic Harvard Business Review article that’s a must-read for all leaders. The title, “The Work of Leadership,” sums up the theme of the article. It’s authors, Ronald Heifetz and Donald Laurie do a great job presenting five critical leadership responsibilities.Those five critical responsibilities still have utility. They’re grounded in adaptive leadership. I'll review them, provide my editorial comments and offer six more responsibilities that are must-do’s for leadership now. My thought is that if you put their five together with my six you’ll have a sound foundation for leading with max...2021-09-0124 minSmikleSpeaksAre you there yet? Measuring Emotional IntelligenceI use Emotional Intelligence in almost of my leadership development work. One of the questions that I often hear is “How do I know if I’m really Emotionally Intelligent?” My first response is that you absolutely have at least some degree of Emotional Intelligence because you’re asking the question. That shows that you have or want to have insight into the self.But people are typically looking for more than that as a response. They’re looking for ways to measure their own Emotional Intelligence. My goal in this podcast is to review definitions of Daniel Gol...2021-08-2516 minSmikleSpeaksCreating a Solution FocusJust about anybody can spot a problem. It doesn’t often take a whole lot of skill. The real skill comes in creating a solution focus. And that’s what this podcast is about…creating a solution focus and solution generation.2021-08-1824 minSmikleSpeaksThe Detox Decision, Featuring Diane Huey, M.Ac., L.Ac.Diane Huey will help us understand what it means to detox and the reasons for making that decision. She’s a wellness expert, acupuncture practitioner and health coach. She founded Huey Health to help people like you and I get a grip on our wellbeing.2021-08-1111 minSmikleSpeaksAre you listening as an Ally or as an Adversary?I want to quickly focus your attention on listening. It is, in my opinion, one of the most essential competencies of skillful leadership. It’s certainly an integral component of communication. It’s also often the most overlooked.My question for you is this: Do you most often listen as an Ally or as an Adversary?2021-08-0408 minSmikleSpeaksChange the Way You Change...Appreciative InquiryMost of us use deficit-based approaches to change. Another way to describe what we’re most accustomed to is problem-centered change. This approach is so deeply engrained that we don’t even know that there are other ways to approach change.Appreciative Inquiry gives us a totally different way of dealing with our issues, dilemmas and situations. It offers what’s called a constructionist-based approach to change. And I’m talking about change in our homes, our families, our jobs…change in every sphere of our lives.It’s an approach, that once we learn it, we can u...2021-07-2820 minSmikleSpeaksAppreciative Inquiry...A Fresh Approach to Strategic PlanningStrategic planning helps the organization move towards its most powerful, positive potential. Of course, the process is entwined with mission, vision, and core values. However, there’s something obvious that I need to say: Any plan that’s developed should be one that can actually be implemented. It shouldn’t just be a document that sits on the share drive.Develop a plan with methods for on-going evaluation and measurement. The planning process itself should be collaborative, concise, actionable and outcome oriented. Ultimately, the outcomes should strengthen the strategic position of the organization. This podcast is all about...2021-07-2134 minSmikleSpeaksHave No FearThis is the first podcast that I was initially reluctant about recording. Let me tell you the backstory and then I’ll tell you about my reluctance. In the Fall Rev. Virgil Hammett, pastor of Saint Andrew’s AME Church in St. Andrews, South Carolina asked me to be their Women’s Day speaker.I was sure that he’d bumped his head! While I am a woman of faith, I am not a scripture quoter. In Bible study it always takes me twice as long as everyone else to find the books and chapters. I’m admittedly...2021-07-1418 minSmikleSpeaksContinuous Quality Improvement---LUTIEMost of us need a quick refresher on how we can stay on track on our personal improvement path. And that’s what we’re going to do in this short podcast.Years ago I was introduced to something called LUTIE. I can’t tell you who created it, but it wasn’t me. I love LUTIE because it’s easy to remember. It’s also a practical framework for focusing on our never-ending development. It’s a way to handle our personal continuous quality improvement.2021-07-0709 minSmikleSpeaksCommunicating Through ConflictThis podcast focuses on communication checkpoints that can help you develop acceptable, effective tools for dealing with conflict. We all face big and small battles in our lives. The struggles may be at home with a thoughtless spouse, at work with a divisive colleague, in church with a know-it-all deacon, with an incompetent internet provider or with the hairdresser who messed up a dye job…skirmishes can pop up anywhere. I’d like to offer checkpoints that will help you communicate through conflict, de-escalate and prevent a small battle from being an all-out war.2021-06-3011 minSmikleSpeaksWellness...More Than Multivitamins, Featuring Diane Huey, M.Ac., L.Ac.Diane Huey will move us beyond the fad-of-the-week to guidance that will help us focus on core principles of wellness. She’s a wellness expert, acupuncture practitioner and health coach. She founded Huey Health to help people like you and I get a grip on our wellbeing.2021-06-2311 minSmikleSpeaksAction Planning for InnovationMost leaders don’t want things to stay the same. They want to see momentum and progress. Most leaders recognize the need to lead with a forward focus. This is all about developing a simple, clear innovation action plan that you can actually implement…no point in having a grandiose plan that you can never use.Lots of innovators just need a framework for moving forward. That’s what I’m here for…to give you a way to plan. I’m going to introduce a plan with eight elements. Eight elements that can help you move from thought...2021-06-1613 minSmikleSpeaksLeading the 7 Dwarves...It's Tougher Than You Think!This podcast, Leading the 7 Dwarves, is a bit different from what you’re used to hearing from me. Many years ago a client asked me to develop an unusual keynote for senior leaders struggling to move the organization forward. This is what I came up with…First things first, do you remember Snow White? Don’t confuse her with Cinderella and her lost shoe, or Little Red Riding Hood with the wolf chasing her or that Rapunzel chick with the long hair… Snow is the chick all single girls admire. She had seven men following her around.You...2021-06-0919 minSmikleSpeaksProblem SolvingWe all face problems, issues, annoyances, dilemmas. That’s just part of life. And if we’re honest we admit that there are times when we can’t figure out exactly how best to overcome the hurdle. This podcast is going to provide you with tools to test on your next problem.2021-06-0215 minSmikleSpeaksDo you have an allergy to innovation?I wrote an article titled Diagnosing an Allergy to Innovation. This podcast is based on that article. Ultimately what I wanted was to help leaders begin to think about whether they were getting in the way of improvement, innovation and ingenuity in their organizations. I wanted to get leaders thinking about the role they play in creating and keeping ruts in the organization. Inertia and stagnation don’t happen accidentally. They creep in when leaders have an allergy to innovation. (The article is in the library at smiklespeaks.com...get a copy!)2021-05-2612 minSmikleSpeaksSparking InnovationInnovation can be a major reboot, a radical redefinition, a phenomenal transformation. Innovation can happen at the individual level, at the team level, at the organizational level…even in communities and our larger world. In this podcast I’m going to give you a few tips for sparking innovation.2021-05-1914 minSmikleSpeaksMaking Meetings MatterWe’re going to spend time on making meetings more meaningful, especially since most of us are drowning in them. Let’s save ourselves from being slayed by meetings. You’re in a leadership role, take responsibility for preserving time and energy by having purposeful gatherings.2021-05-1217 minSmikleSpeaksThe Well Leader, Featuring Diane Huey, M.Ac., L.Ac.Leaders in every industry sector have so many pressures. Those pressures undoubtedly impact their health on many levels. Diane Huey guides us in exploring how leaders build and maintain optimum health. She is a wellness expert, acupuncture practitioner, and health coach. Diane founded Huey Health to help people find practical strategies for managing their wellbeing. She facilitates workshops for banks, government agencies, and the general public.2021-05-0522 minSmikleSpeaksHow innovative are you? Really?Most, if not many, of us like to think that not only are we imaginative, creative, innovators, but that our teams are too. A lot of us also like to think that our organizations are really on the cutting edge making new, exciting contributions to the world, at least to our industries.This podcast provides several statements for you to consider about your own ability to be an innovator, your team’s ability to innovate, and the same for your organization. Think of it as a thought-starter for moving the needle on creativity and innovation in your li...2021-04-2813 minSmikleSpeaksThe Courage to Try Again (and Again)This episode is all about strategies to build the courage to try again. This courage starts in our minds and moves to intentional action. This podcast is for anyone interested in dreaming new dreams, interested in building the resilience and courage to try again.2021-04-2120 minSmikleSpeaksCoaching Cautions and Boundaries, Featuring Teresita BrrittonTeresita Britton is back with us on the SmikleSpeaks Podcast Channel! She’s one of my favorite special guests because she’s a colleague and a friend. Teresita Britton is an ICF certified Professional Coach. She has more than 20 years of experience guiding leaders in their career development. She helps them understand what it takes to have a well-devised career trajectory.2021-04-1415 minSmikleSpeaksAre you a listening, learning leader?I spend a lot of time working with one-on-one leaders who are moving on up and committed to their individual development. They are taking on larger roles, moving to bigger organizations, accepting more complex responsibilities, entering the C suite. One of the common mistakes I encounter is this: they come into the new role ready to set the world on fire. But that’s not quite how you want to start. Try a different approach. Come in as a listening, learning leader. This will help you whether you’re movin’ on up to a new position or right in your c...2021-04-0708 minSmikleSpeaksYour TrajectoryHave you stopped to reflect on your career trajectory? I mean seriously reflected on where you are, how you got here? Have you stopped to think about your path, your journey, where you’ve been? This podcast is overflowing with questions that will guide you in reflecting on and potentially re-evaluating your trajectory.Full disclosure, this episode came about because I’ve been thinking a lot about my career trajectory, even my life trajectory. I’ve been thinking about how in the world I got to the point of podcasting, offering virtual leadership learning, responding to my call t...2021-03-3123 minSmikleSpeaksStrategic Planning, Part 2In Part One of this series on strategic planning we laid the foundation for a pretty good process. Let’s move forward to formulating your plan.Like the process, your plan is very unique to your organization. That means that I’m not giving you a boilerplate structure for a plan. I’m not giving you a cookie cutter because they don’t work. I will give you elements of a sound plan.2021-03-2417 minSmikleSpeaksStrategic Planning, Part 1I’ve done podcasts on elements of strategy. I think it’s time that I address strategic planning. It’s so important in making an organization maximally effective. I know some people think that in chaotic times strategic plans should go out the window. I don’t agree. I think that even in the most tumultuous times a plan can help steady the course and maintain some degree of alignment.This is a two-part series. We’re going to begin by briefly reviewing some of the terminology that’s foundational in strategic planning. Some of the definitions seem obvious...2021-03-1719 minSmikleSpeaksBeating BurnoutThis whole idea that people burnout is real! It’s not just people whining, moaning and groaning. We’re going to talk about how we beat burnout. I wanted to tackle this topic because I see so many people who seem like they just don’t have any more gas.2021-03-1020 minSmikleSpeaksCoaching Readiness, Featuring Teresita BrittonTeresita Britton is an ICF certified Professional Coach. She has more than 20 years of experience guiding leaders in their career development. Terry coaches executives all over the world. Her clients are leading in some of the most notable organizations around the globe. She provides services to the World Bank, federal agencies and lots of other well-known organizations. We're focusing on coaching readiness and receptiveness.2021-03-0313 minSmikleSpeaksBarriers to Effective CommunicationWe want to communicate effectively. We start our communication, written or spoken, with the best intentions. And yet, there are still communication breakdowns. This podcast will help you identify common barriers and strategize for moving beyond them.2021-02-2413 minSmikleSpeaksDeep Dive DevelopmentI know it’s tempting to ignore your own professional and growth and development when facing crises, challenges and endless uncertainty. I also know that this is exactly the time when a focus on learning is critical. It can be a survival mechanism. If you’re in a leadership role, you have to retool. Sometimes it feels like you’re constantly retooling. You also have to recharge and redirect your energy. This means it’s time for deep-dive leadership development.2021-02-1713 minSmikleSpeaksA Reason, Right & Responsibility for Creating InclusionThis podcast addresses three things: our reason, our right, and our responsibility to create inclusion in our homes, our workplaces, our houses of worship, our communities and our world. My goal is not to pontificate. Rather it’s to move into the realm of thought that guides you to action because we are all authorized to work for justice and peace.2021-02-1017 minSmikleSpeaksAre you ready to write your next chapter?You may be yearning to design an innovative future. You may be nearing retirement. You may be seeking a second career. You may want to do something really different that doesn’t fit into any traditional box. You can write your next chapter! You can transition to the activities that will bring you the most joy. Next chapters can happen at any age and stage. There are no expiration dates on dreams. I’m going to give you ideas for a successful transition. These are ideas that I know work because I’ve watched clients use them to transform their...2021-02-0315 minSmikleSpeaksMaximizing Virtual Leadership LearningWhether we like it or not, whether we’re prepared as individuals and organizations or not, if we’re continuing our leadership development, the education that prepares leaders for the future, is being delivered virtually. Whether through podcasts like this, zoom, YouTube or learning management systems, leadership learning is now different. It may not be this way forever. We need human connections. The interactions, face-to-face, real time connections, they greatly enhance the developmental experience. But, for now, we have to figure out how to maximize virtual leadership learning. This podcast is designed to help you maximize your experiences in the...2021-01-2720 minSmikleSpeaksTeaching Leaders How to Coach, Featuring Teresita BrittonWe have a special guest on this episode. Teresita Britton is an ICF certified Professional Coach. She has more than 20 years of experience guiding leaders in their career development. Terry coaches executives all over the world. Her clients are leading in some of the most notable organizations around the globe. She provides services to the World Bank, many federal agencies, MedStar and lots of other well-known organizations. While Terry coaches executives, she has a lot of insights on how executives can coach their team members. That’s what she’s here to help us with.2021-01-2018 minSmikleSpeaksSelf-Care Check-upHow are you treating you? You’re in a leadership role so I know that you’re probably taking care of everyone else in your world. But, how are YOU treating YOU? In this short podcast I’m going to give you the opportunity to assess your self-care, after all, you are your most valuable commodity!2021-01-1308 minSmikleSpeaksConnecting in a Disconnected WorldI’m tired of zoom, go to meeting, teams, web ex, webinars and all of these other virtual things. I’m even tired of virtual happy hours…if you know me, you know I do not get tired of any kind of happy hour! So this is a serious problem. This podcast is a short one that will give a you few strategies for staying in touch and in tune.Whether we’re leaders or not, we’re all tasked with keeping ourselves and others connected. It’s both a survival and a self-care mechanism. Distancing that leads to iso...2021-01-0509 minSmikleSpeaksThe Power of Language in Justice & PeaceSo many well-meaning messages continue to be released regarding equity, diversity and inclusion. I realize the goal is to address the divides in our nation and in our world. In this podcast we’re going to explore an element of language that I would like for you to seriously consider, and hopefully change. Continuing to use the word "minority" reinforces oppression. The first five letters of the word, the actual root of the word, is minor. The word is deficit-based. It implies less-than. That’s how people of color have been and are often treated in this world, as mino...2020-12-3012 minSmikleSpeaksRules of Engagement...Tips for Team LeadersA hundred years ago I wrote a little book titled Rules of Engagement: Timeless Tips for Team Leaders. Don’t go looking for it on Amazon because it’s out of print and the small publisher went belly up. That said, my goal in writing the book was simply to provide practical tools to help people learn to lead more effective collaborations and to use those collaborations to advance their organizations’ objectives. I decided to resurrect that material. I thought it would be a worthwhile podcast topic, so here we are. The seven Rules of Engagement we’re focus...2020-12-2316 minSmikleSpeaksPreparing for Tough TalksYou know that conversation that you’ve been dreading? The one with the staff person who isn’t pulling his weight? The one about downsizing in your department? The one with the nurse who’s rude to certain types of patients? The one with your spouse about your waning interest in the relationship? The one with the friend who is always late? You know the conversation that you’re just dreading...we all have them. Sometimes we put them off until we can’t avoid them and then blurt out things that we regret. This podcast is going to prep you f...2020-12-1620 minSmikleSpeaksHow inclusive is your organization?As we continue to explore Justice and Peace series, I would like to begin to consider organizations. This podcast is a tool for helping you assess the climate of your organization. It's a thought-starter designed to get leaders thinking about strategically addressing inclusion. How do you figure out if your workplace is committed to justice and peace? Is there more than a lip-service investment in fostering equity and inclusion? This podcast will give you a framework for figuring out where you are as an organization. I hope that you’ll get strategies for moving forward.2020-12-0921 minSmikleSpeaksUsing the Self to Create Positive ChangeMany years ago, Dr. Charles Seashore a renowned organization development expert, coined the term “use of self.” He originally applied it in organization development to aid consultants in understanding how they could be tools in their client’s organizational transformations. As I’ve thought about it through the years, I really think that it is, or could be, a leadership development tool. This podcast explores how leaders can use themselves as tools of positive change in their organizations, in their communities, in our larger world.2020-12-0220 minSmikleSpeaksThe Ingredients of ConflictThis podcast will help you grasp what’s underlying the conflicts that you may be involved in. Our focus is on the ingredients, not strategies for resolution. I want us to develop a deeper understanding of the root causes of conflict and contention.2020-11-2513 minSmikleSpeaksMaking Strategy StickThis podcast is all about making strategy stick…and, yes, it can stick. We spent time exploring strategic thinking in an earlier podcast. Now let’s move to making the strategy sustainable. We’re going to discuss what it takes to make strategy stick. We won’t spend a lot of time on how to craft a strong strategic plan. That’s another topic for another podcast.2020-11-1812 minSmikleSpeaksStrategic ThinkingStrategic thinking…it is THE leadership imperative! Strategy and leadership are inextricably bound. This podcast is designed to help you fine-tune your strategic thinking.2020-11-1118 minSmikleSpeaksEmployee Engagement...It Happens Through Transformational LeadershipThis segment is all about Employee Engagement. And, transformational leadership is the key to employee engagement. Many, many organizations are looking for strategies to keep good people. They struggle with retention and some are at wits’ end as to what they should do. I am often asked to help companies find comprehensive approaches to this dilemma. This podcast presents transformational leadership as a powerful tool for engaging employees, increasing their satisfaction, and positively impacting organizational culture.2020-11-0416 minSmikleSpeaksCareer ResilienceWhat does a resilient career look like? It is characterized by the ability to both pivot and demonstrate elasticity. Resilient people demonstrate the ability to have come backs that allow them to reinvent themselves, redefine their goals and reassess their priorities. Moving forward is inherent in resilience. Getting focused on the future requires the ability to assess, confess and address. We will explore each of those elements of career resilience.2020-10-2820 minSmikleSpeaksTransforming OrganizationsWith resources continuing to be scarce, uncertain events rocking our sense of security, and change coming at an unbelievable pace, it is essential that leaders actively seek ways to revitalize and reinvent their organizations. This is not the time for surface changes. The facade of change will not increase customers, create staff commitment or enhance revenue. Instead, leaders have to be able to consider total transformations that will make their organizations viable today and beyond. This podcast presents a collaborative method for transformation.2020-10-2118 minSmikleSpeaksBuilding a Powerful NetworkLet’s talk about building your network…. Whether personal, professional or both…a network is a wonderful web of people with whom you share mutually supportive relationships. It doesn’t matter if you like networking or not, it’s necessary for advancing a career. We will define networking, consider key questions that will guide you in creating or expanding your network, and explore networking in the virtual world.2020-10-1520 minSmikleSpeaksPipeline Planning...Cultivating Emerging LeadersWhat is your organization doing to ensure that you have a talent pipeline for key positions, especially leadership positions? Are you just identifying heir-apparents? Or, are you investing in strategies to develop lots of people able to take on more responsibility? This podcast provides practical strategies for thoughtful, structured leadership development. Ready your organization to tackle the challenges of the future by investing in your available talent.2020-10-0717 minSmikleSpeaksAssert YourselfAssertiveness allows us to artfully disagree firmly and without aggression. It allows us to honor ourselves and our needs without dishonoring the other person. Developing assertiveness allows us to advocate for ourselves and for what we believe in. It’s a tool that should not be underrated. Not only is it useful in conflict, it is useful in pretty much every aspect of our lives.2020-09-3016 minSmikleSpeaksMentor & Be MentoredThe mentor/mentee relationship can be the most rewarding one in your career. You both get to grow through this connection. Whether you are a mentor or a mentee, this podcast will help you maximize this special relationship. Whether you are in an existing mentor relationship or forming a new one, you will get tools that will help you get the most out of either.2020-09-2324 minSmikleSpeaksAdaptive LeadershipAs organizations continue to move into an unknown, uncertain future it is essential that leaders do what I call “mirror work.” This reflective work requires you to assess your skills and competencies to determine how ready you are to move your organization into uncharted territory. The is the foundation of Adaptive Leadership, the skill that will move you forward in an ever-evolving world.2020-09-1616 minSmikleSpeaksReinventing Your Personal BrandHow do you know if it’s time to reinvent? Are there major changes in your company, in your industry? Have you been passed over for promotion? Do you feel like you have little or no influence in your company? Are you stuck doing what you’ve always done getting the same results? If you answered yes to any of those questions it’s time for brand reinvention! This will change the way you see yourself and the way that others see you. This is an update, a refinement, a reinvention. It will unstick you. It will propel you forwar...2020-09-0419 minSmikleSpeaksEmotional IntelligenceI like the definition Elizabeth Hutchison offers of Emotional Intelligence. She says it is the ability to “motivate oneself and persist in the face of frustrations, to control impulse and delay gratification, to regulate one’s moods and keep distress from swamping the ability to think, to empathize and to hope." We're going to explore the concept and its applications for evolving leaders.2020-09-0410 minSmikleSpeaksWellness in a Wacky World featuring Diane Huey, M.Ac.Featuring wellness expert Diane Huey, this podcast provides seven strategies for staying sane.2020-09-0418 minSmikleSpeaksNavigating Your CareerI like to think of a career as an ocean liner that has to be navigated through calm waters, smooth seas, storms, and all sorts of weather. Even an ocean liner with all of the best compasses, maps and charts can lose its course and stray from its intended destination. The trick for the captain is to make course corrections and get to the destination. You can probably tell that I like cruising….I promise not to wear out the ocean liner analogies during this podcast as we explore practical strategies for managing your career.2020-09-0419 minSmikleSpeaksBuilding a Resilient OrganizationThis podcast is specifically for leaders intent on guiding their organizations through adversity. It is for leaders who don't just want to survive storms, but to thrive post-adversity.2020-09-0322 minSmikleSpeaksEsteem-able Acts: Paths to Justice & PeaceThis segment emerged from a conversation with my friend Corey McCarthy. We are going to address the actions that peace-loving people committed to justice and equality can take to build bridges in our world.2020-09-0321 minSmikleSpeaksThe Gifts of LeadershipExplore your legacy in the work and in the world. This podcast introduces ways to examine your personal footprint. You will get tools to intentionally leave a positive, powerful legacy. 2020-09-0330 minSmikleSpeaksI Don't Know What to Say: Addressing Injustice & InequityWe are going to address the sensitive subject of what to say when uncomfortable with issues of injustice, inequity, bigotry and racism.2020-09-0314 minSmikleSpeaksTell it Before it Gets Told...Crisis CommunicationsIf ever there were a time when a leader’s messaging skills matter, it is now. Whether you're looking for tools to message about the current pandemic or are facing other pivotal junctures in your business, It's important to think about how best to communicate with stakeholders. Knowing how to craft and deliver communication is a critical leadership skill that can be developed and gets stronger with practice.2020-09-0315 minSmikleSpeaksBuilding Personal ResilienceIn this episode we are going to focus on building personal resilience… I am tired of people acting like just because I came through a tough time that I must have developed resilience. It’s not that simple. We're going to explore strategies that will help us rebound and thrive.2020-09-0315 minSmikleSpeaksThe What & Why of ResilienceWe keep throwing around the word “resilience.” It is used so much now that it is almost lacking any meaning. This podcast is The What and Why of Resilience. Beginning with the what. There are so many definitions that it can make my head spin. I’d like to offer a clear definition of the components of resilience so that we start with a shared understanding.2020-09-0311 minSmikleSpeaksHonoring the Human ElementThe underlying reason for thoughtfully addressing the human element is to create environments that spawn and sustain growth. The goal is to develop a culture that focuses on people, all of the varied stakeholders. The end game is to be an employer of choice.2020-09-0315 min