Episode 175: Is Your Team Missing Something? To Find Out, You Must Know What You Have vs. What You Don't

As a Communication & Inclusion Trainer, Alissa guides people in addressing awkward situations, helping them quickly adjust to things out of their control.

In a recent training, when she had to demonstrate that kind of adaptability because of technical glitches, she realized what a gift it ended up becoming for her and for the participants.

Diversity Isn't Enough, We Must Value and Celebrate Differences to Maximize the Extraordinary Benefits of a Diverse Team

Episode 175 Podcast Cover Art with image of Alissa Carpenter and quote from episode

As a Communication & Inclusion Trainer, Alissa guides people in addressing awkward situations, helping them quickly adjust to things out of their control.

In a recent training, when she had to demonstrate that kind of adaptability because of technical glitches, she realized what a gift it ended up becoming for her and for the participants.

By having to shift gears quickly and abandon her slides - her plan - she connected more deeply with the audience. They couldn't help but see how she navigated the technical challenge, move through it and adapt, and end up with an even better product in the end.

When she acknowledged the challenge, Alissa demonstrated a level of vulnerability that had a positive impact on her audience, likely far bigger than if everything had gone as planned.

Episode 175 Podcast cover art with quote from Alissa Carpenter

During our conversation, we talked about the situation as an opportunity, a gift, even though in the moment we rarely can see it in that light. But our reality is that lots of lessons happen that way.

We also covered a lot of ground about Strengths, where we've seen our own strengths as talents vs. obstacles, and how we've guided our clients toward valuable self-reflection about where their strengths might also be getting in their way.


Connect with Alissa on LinkedIn, grab a copy of her book, How to Listen and How to Be Heard: Inclusive Conversations at Work, and check out her website, Everything's Not Okay and That's Okay.


ABOUT SARAH:

Elkins Consulting logo with image of Sarah Elkins and book cover

Elkins Consulting logo with image of Sarah Elkins and book cover

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

Audiobook promotional image

Audiobook promotional image

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

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Episode 169: Do You Have a Diverse Personal Board of Directors?

Humans are biased. We're designed to identify people who are different from us, people we have things in common with, and people who pose a threat to our safety - emotional & physical.

It's easier for our brain to make a decision about a person when we allow our bias to control it. But how many times have you misjudged someone you met, for better or for worse? When we rely on our bias to make decisions about a person's potential as a friend, foe, or neutral, we seriously limit the potential of the relationship.

Personal Growth is Dependent on Your Direct Circle of Influence

Adrienne Kimball and Karen Cohen met when Karen was interviewing for a job where Adrienne worked. At first glance, Adrienne assumed the two would have little in common, but midway through the conversation, her opinion shifted.

Adrienne Kimball podcast cover art

Adrienne Kimball podcast cover art

Humans are biased. We're designed to identify people who are different from us, people we have things in common with, and people who pose a threat to our safety - emotional & physical.

It's easier for our brain to make a decision about a person when we allow our bias to control it. But how many times have you misjudged someone you met, for better or for worse? When we rely on our bias to make decisions about a person's potential as a friend, foe, or neutral, we seriously limit the potential of the relationship.

In this episode, Adrienne and Karen talk about what it's like to work together, a black woman and a white woman, and the expectations they have for each other and their relationship.

You might be surprised that this is even a thing, that people are talking about something that should be so basic, so common, so - not something we need to talk about. But you're wrong. We have to have these conversations in order to grow, and to address the issues of our time: racism, white supremacy, hate.

Karen Elkins Cohen podcast cover art

What I love about this conversation and these two women is their commitment to having a solid relationship based on respect and love. They offer gentle corrections when needed simply because the health of their relationship depends on it.

Our conversation describes why it's critical for personal and professional growth - and for our community health - to look closely and honestly at our networks, at our closest relationships. Are they diverse? Are there people who think differently from you? Are there people who come from completely different backgrounds, different socio-economic and educational upbringing? Do they look significantly different from you and your family, maybe even speak a different native language?

Take a hard look, friends, be real about this. And then take the slow road toward diversifying your network and circle of friends. Ask people you trust about others you should follow and connect with.

There are plenty of resources out there to find the voices of BIPOC (black, Indigenous and people of color) and of LGBTQ professionals, writers, and artists. Find people whose messages resonate with you and simply following them on your favorite platforms to learn more.

Open your eyes and heart to a world of possibilities, build a diverse personal board of directors.

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Adrienne Kimball is the Chief Talent Officer at Rubicon Programs in northern California. She's a keynotes speaker, culture champion, equity evangelist and mentor.

Karen Elkins Cohen is the Director of Human Resources at Rubicon Programs. 

These two women are fantastic facilitators of discussions on the topics of diversity, inclusion, equity, and building a culture of equity and inclusion. They hosted a session at the No Longer Virtual Summit in Atlanta in 2019 that was engaging and thought-provoking, a session people continue to talk about, two years later.

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Sarah and her dog, Toby, winter on Mt. Helena in Helena, Montana

ABOUT SARAH:
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

Audiobook cover promotion

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

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Episode 164: Why I Added #Pronouns to My LinkedIn Profile Name

I added the pronouns (she, her) to my profile name on LinkedIn a couple of weeks ago, and left a comment on a friend's post shortly afterward.

That was the first time my name came up with the pronouns, and someone I love promptly responded with "lose the pronouns" in his response to my comment.

I was annoyed, why would he care what my title says? It felt insulting, critical, like a condescending comment you'd expect from your older brother when you were teenagers. I was being judged.

A Story of Being Intentional About Signals

Quote from podcast episode 164

Quote from podcast episode 164

I added  the pronouns (she, her) to my profile name on LinkedIn a couple of weeks ago, and left a comment on a friend's post shortly afterward.

That was the first time my name came up with the pronouns, and someone I love promptly responded with "lose the pronouns" in his response to my comment.

I was annoyed, why would he care what my title says? It felt insulting, critical, like a condescending comment you'd expect from your older brother when you were teenagers. I was being judged.

Sometimes those things that trigger us are important cues for room for self-reflection and personal growth, right? This was one of those triggers.

Now I have nothing but appreciation for that snide remark.

Mt Helena, Helena, Montana February 2021

As I took my walk on the mountain behind my house later that day, I thought more about his comment. It was really bothering me and I couldn’t pinpoint why I was feeling triggered and defensive.

Then it dawned on me, it was the same feeling I had as a teenager and young adult when my brother or sister would give me a hard time about something I said or did. It was the feeling of self-consciousness about not actually thinking through what I said or did, though they could have presented it more gently, there was merit to the criticism. That never feels good.

In this case, I was feeling self-conscious because I hadn't truly considered why I added the pronouns. So there was some merit to my friend’s critical comment. I realized how important it was for me to have clarity around the action of adding pronouns. Otherwise, it’s meaningless. My friends and connections know how much the word intention fills my world… I had done something without fully considering the intention behind it.

The evening before I added pronouns I participated in a webinar "The 5 Languages of Appreciation at Work" hosted by my dear friend Amy Ashworth (who nailed it, by the way.) 

In the beginning of the webinar, one participant said that in other small, interactive webinars he attended, guests introduced themselves and added their pronouns to their name. That made sense to me, so I changed my name in Zoom to include my pronouns. I added them in LinkedIn at the same time, to be consistent. 

The lightbulb went on in my brain as my heart rate went up, climbing a steep part of the mountain. (That's generally where I find my most meaningful ideas and inspirations.)

I had a vivid memory from just over five years ago: I was looking through my LinkedIn connections and realized the majority of them looked like me. Then I took a hard look at my connections on Facebook and locally, right here in my close community. Again, I was struck by the homogeny of what I was seeing.

Startled and disappointed, I began the work of intentionally broadening my network across political, ethnic, religious, gender identity, sexual preference, and all other communities that have significantly different life experiences from mine. Through a combination of curiosity and intention, I started to build a community that was far more diverse, not for the sake of diversity, but for the sake of inclusion, personal growth, and yes, love. I love people, even the ones I don’t like very much. And when I became aware of my limited circle of friends and acquaintances, I felt like a fraud. It seemed hypocritical for me to share my thoughts about love, justice, community, and communication, given my limited exposure to people who think and look and have experiences that are significantly different from mine.

In these past 5 years, my world has expanded and my feelings of connection have deepened. It hasn't always been easy, especially given the polarization of communities over the past 4 years. I've had to listen carefully, consider how my world view and experiences have created my biases and filters, and have experienced gentle and not-so-gentle correction for stepping in it with people I care deeply about.

Our micro-aggressions run deep, that's why they can be so hard for us to see, and why it hurts when someone points it out. 

I’ve continued to practice my own gentle corrections when I’ve experienced bias, whether as a woman, a Jew, a mother, an American, and one time – as a Jewish woman living in Montana.

(My go-to demonstration of a micro-aggression is when a bartender said to me a few years ago: "You look really good for 40!" after asking to see my ID. I gently corrected him. "No need to qualify that compliment. Just tell me I look good.")

So why did I suddenly add pronouns?

I hadn't added pronouns before because I have a feminine name, and believe it's obvious that I identify as a woman. It didn’t seem necessary.

When our older son was the only Jewish kid in his class in kindergarten, and the teacher offered to let him put a birds nest on the top of his Christmas Tree calendar instead of a star. That way he could call it a Winter Tree instead.

MtHelenaMTWinterSnow.jpg

When I added pronouns it wasn't for me. It isn't about me. 

It’s about normalizing something for those who feel marginalized by having to point it out.

That was it. My "ah ha" moment on the mountain.

Adding pronouns was a simple and effective indication to my network that my world is broadening. Because what we share about ourselves, images, words, stories, and yes, pronouns, are all signals for the people around us. 

I’m indicating that my love and care for people isn't despite their differences, but because of them.

Our differences aren't something to be tolerated, they're something to explore, to value, and to celebrate.


Sarah and chocolate lab, Toby, snow, Mt Helena, Helena, Montana

Sarah and chocolate lab, Toby, snow, Mt Helena, Helena, Montana

ABOUT SARAH:
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

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Episode 157: What if You Were Compelled to be a Chameleon to Succeed?

Jason Greer can be a chameleon when necessary. When Jason Greer and his co-author Phil Dixon began the journey of writing their book, Bias, Racism, and the Brain, Jason didn't consider how writing the stories of racism in his life would impact his internal messages, and how they would affect the simmering of those experiences under the surface of his life.

How Would Your Stories Shift, And What Does That Mean for Your Internal Messages?

JasonGreerPodcastCover.png

Jason Greer can be a chameleon when necessary. When Jason Greer and his co-author Phil Dixon began the journey of writing their book, Bias, Racism, and the Brain, Jason didn't consider how writing the stories of racism in his life would impact his internal messages, and how they would affect the simmering of those experiences under the surface of his life.

At one point after sending a story to his co-author, Phil sent it back, saying that Jason had to go into more detail, to dig deeper if their intention to guide readers to empathy and compassion was going to be successful.

What Jason didn't realize was that though he had these vivid memories, he had largely buried the emotional connection to them. And when he began to write, truly write them down, that simmering often came to a boil, not just of anger and injustice, but of frustration and concern that he had not yet addressed these experiences in a way that would allow him to be truly comfortable in his skin. His brown, beautiful skin.

Jason told me that he often had to be a chameleon in his life, adjusting how he speaks, dresses, and carries himself depending on his audience. In his book, he mentions "the clutch", his reference to when white women clutch their purses to them when he walks nearby.

He finds himself shrinking his posture and speaking more softly to make people around him more comfortable.

Jason with his parents, Elaine & Dr. Jerome Greer

Jason with his parents, Elaine & Dr. Jerome Greer

We talked about how that impacts his inner voice and sense of identity, that requirement to be different somehow, just to make himself less ... well... himself, less of a perceived threat, no matter whether he's wearing a fine tailored suit or workout clothes.As I read this book, I felt anger, frustration, grief, a sense of helplessness. Mostly I felt anger that these things happened to anyone, and that so many people continue to experience these acts of subtle and overt racism and bigotry.

A couple of things that really stuck with me were that I felt I could relate to some of the stories, even as a white woman, because every one of us has experienced bigotry at some point. Against our gender, where we grew up, our education or lack of, our accent... the list goes on.

But the other thing that stuck with me is more relevant: How little we notice and acknowledge this common experience of bigotry in our lives in order to stop ourselves from doing it to others.

Lucky for us readers, Phil Dixon explains a lot of why this occurs, what kind of bias that is, and offers some strategies to notice, reduce, and adjust those biases.

Jason & his wife, Tiffany

Jason & his wife, Tiffany

This was a conversation I will remember for years, I'm sure. And I sincerely hope listeners will read this book, absorb it, and get embarrassed and angry enough to step up to address our complicit behaviors when people around us experience bigotry and racism of any kind.

During this episode, I shared that when our boys were little, I gave Hanukkah presentations to the students in their elementary school every year. I knew that if I didn't do this, the majority of these students in Montana wouldn't be exposed to Judaism by a Jewish person. I bought dreidels (spinning top game for Hanukkah) in bulk and gave away hundreds of them over the years. A local bakery would make miniature jelly doughnuts (an Israeli Hanukkah treat) by the multiple dozens for me and I'd distribute both to hundreds of students each year.

2010: Photo courtesy of Dylan Brown, Helena Independent Record

2010: Photo courtesy of Dylan Brown, Helena Independent Record

During my presentation I would explain that tolerance is only the beginning. Tolerance is putting on blinders and saying: "I don't care what you do as long as it doesn't affect me." (It's kind of like telling people you're color blind.)

We must go far beyond tolerance to acknowledging and valuing the differences among us. Not to just accept those differences, but to embrace them as beautiful contributions to our communities.

Start here. (Link to Jason & Phil's book.)

Tolerance is only the beginning…

Tolerance is only the beginning…

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Jason Greer (also known as the "Employee Whisperer") provides expertise and solutions for companies on how to empower and retain employees and managers while also helping these systems to remain union free.

Jason previously served as a Federal Agent with the National Labor Relations Board where he managed private sector labor relations’ issues and worked to improve the labor petition filing process.

Jason has been recognized as an Employee/Labor Relations and Diversity expert by Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, ABC, CBS and Fox News. Jason was named one of the Top Entrepreneurs To Watch in 2020 by Thrive Global. He is also the author of the Amazon #1 Best Selling Book “People Matter Most”.

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn, and visit his website to learn more.

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About Sarah:

sarahelkins_blue_hat.jpg

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

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Episode 155: Some of the Most Precious Gifts Come from Great Sacrifice

She was miserable in those first few months of her senior year of high school, studying abroad in the United States, thousands of miles from her home and family in Brazil. It’s not because she didn’t fit in, or she wasn’t making friends. What made her miserable was that she was working so hard in academics and sports, and not meeting her own expectations of achievement.

Our Stories Honor Those Sacrifices When We Push Ourselves Out of Our Comfort Zones

MarcelaNiemeyer.png

Marcela Niemeyer has always been an achiever, driven to be the best at whatever she sets her mind to do. In some families, that can create conflict, particularly when a parent doesn’t have the same drive, and cannot understand why a child would put so much pressure on herself to meet and exceed her goals.

But Marcela’s father understood her. He knew that if she gave up on something, it would haunt her for many years, that she would face regrets and those “what if” questions for decades.

She was miserable in those first few months of her senior year of high school, studying abroad in the United States, thousands of miles from her home and family in Brazil. It’s not because she didn’t fit in, or she wasn’t making friends. What made her miserable was that she was working so hard in academics and sports, and not meeting her own expectations of achievement.

Marcela was starting from scratch when she decided on track & field, her sport at home was swimming. Her placement in the group was the lowest of the athletes, and she wasn’t used to starting at the bottom.

Academics were a struggle too, and for the first time, she saw low grades that crushed her confidence. She called her father: “I want to come home.”

He told her she couldn’t come home. He was adamant that she stay and work through the challenges. He absolutely refused to let her give up, despite her desperate tears over the phone.

As I heard this story, I was moved to tears. I’m a parent, and I know the sacrifice her father made to say those words, to turn away from his child and tell her no, she must continue to struggle. There isn’t much worse for a parent than to witness that pain and not be able to - or to know better than to - fix it for your child.

She’s driven, and her father knew she’d figure out what to do next to make life bearable. Marcela worked hard to improve, finishing the year at the top of her team, and graduated with her class, her mother and father traveled from Brazil to watch her cross the stage and receive her diploma.

Her whole life follows that course, trying things others might be too afraid to attempt, full of curiosity about herself and the world around her, and in a constant state of learning and growing. She’s a force of life.

Enjoy learning more about Marcela Niemeyer, you’ll love her stories, her tenaciousness, and her love for life and people.

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Marcela Niemeyer has decades of experience in a variety of HR roles, and is currently on the lookout for her next adventure. Connect with her on LinkedIn to learn more about her adventurous spirit and her gift for bringing people together, finding the diamond in the rough, no matter where she sits.

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About Sarah:

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

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Episode 138: One Family Story Can Shift Our Identity

Being Jewish was always part of his identity, but it didn't seem particularly meaningful until that moment. He and his sisters started to ask questions, and learned more about the incident and the events that took place afterward. It was those stories that shifted Alan's perspective about hate, about racism, and about bigotry of every kind.

Stories of Family History Can Shift How We See Ourselves, and How We Show Up in the World

Well into his adulthood, Alan Samuel Cohen heard a family story that shifted his sense of self, his identity.

While sitting together at a family dinner with his adult siblings and aging aunts, one of those older women mentioned a specific violent incident that occurred before the family moved to America. She spoke of it clinically, historically, without anger or emotion, though it involved a violent murder that her father, Alan's grandfather, had witnessed.

AlanSamuelCohen.png

Being Jewish was always part of his identity, but it didn't seem particularly meaningful until that moment. He and his sisters started to ask questions, and learned more about the incident and the events that took place afterward. It was those stories that shifted Alan's perspective about hate, about racism, and about bigotry of every kind.

In this episode of Your Stories Don't Define You, Alan and I discussed the story, how it affected him, and how he's showing up differently now, when it comes to racism and hate.

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From his website: "For over three decades Alan Cohen has worked with business leaders as an executive coach, senior marketing professional, and human resources consultant. As a sought-after speaker, author, leadership instructor and executive coach, he has helped and inspired senior-level executives and teams to become more connected to their lives and business goals, resulting in greater performance and highly improved business results."

Connect with Alan on LinkedIn, and be sure to order his recently published book.

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Sarah Elkins delights in guiding individuals and teams to improve communication, using storytelling as the foundation of her work. She is a Gallup certified Strengths coach and uses that tool to coach her clients to improve their communication in all relationships, and to find more satisfaction at work and at home.

Her book, Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will is available on bookshop.org (supporting independent booksellers), and on Amazon. The audiobook will be available in fall 2020.

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Episode 86: The Importance of Inauthenticity with Mark Bowden

Mark Bowden’s TEDxToronto in 2013 had a huge impact on how I think about authenticity. As I was laboring over my book, Your Stories Don’t Define You, I realized the influence that talk has had on me over the past 5 years in my work with coaching clients. When I encourage people to step out of their comfort zones to discover their hidden talents and joy, I often refer to Mark’s work.

You Don’t Know How Amazing You Can Be. Stories You Tell May Be Limiting Your Growth and Success

Mark Bowden, Truthplane

Mark Bowden, Truthplane

Mark Bowden’s TEDxToronto in 2013 had a huge impact on how I think about authenticity. As I was laboring over my book, Your Stories Don’t Define You, I realized the influence that talk has had on me over the past 5 years in my work with coaching clients. When I encourage people to step out of their comfort zones to discover their hidden talents and joy, I often refer to Mark’s work.

As always, I asked my guest to share something about himself that most people don’t know, something we wouldn’t find in his bio or his LinkedIn profile, something he hasn’t written in one of his many books and articles, something that would connect our audience to him in a personal and intriguing way. He did not disappoint! Mark has been a traditional Morris Dancer for many years. I had to do a little digging into this because I was completely unfamiliar, and I’m so glad I did! Here’s an example from YouTube:

Our conversation centered on why Mark believes authenticity isn’t something everyone should strive for, necessarily. What I loved about this discussion was what seemed like a direct conflict with so much of what is being written and talked about in relation to that word: Authenticity.

As we explored Mark’s work, I realized it isn’t necessarily in conflict. For instance, though Kimberly Davis’ book, Brave Leadership, centers around the word authenticity, she states: “Your brave unfolds one situation at a time.” Mark and I spoke a little about that, but using the word authenticity instead of brave. “Your authenticity is discovered one situation at a time.”

Mark spoke about the two major dangers in trying to define authenticity or use it as a litmus test for personal behavior:

  1. Authenticity Shaming - This has become even more common, and a much bigger issue as we use authenticity as a buzzword across all aspects of life. How can we make a judgment about what is authentic for someone else? It’s like telling someone their feelings aren’t valid; we cannot know what is authentic for anyone but ourselves.

  2. Authenticity as an Excuse - How many times have you heard someone say they chose not to take a certain path because it didn’t “feel authentic?” The danger in focusing on a solid, foundational definition of personal authenticity is the limits that places on you in terms of growth and adaptability. If you decide one version of you is your authentic self, where does that leave you in terms of curiosity and stepping out of your comfort zone?

Mark got particularly excited when he spoke about his mentor, Robert Anton Wilson, philosopher, author, and playwright. He mentioned Orson Well’s movie, F is for Fake, and the Banksy film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, in the context of making judgments about what is fake vs. what is real, and the philosophy that when we see things as black and white we will experience the death of intelligence. The key to the concepts here is that oftentimes when you’re in the midst of transformation, you may not feel like your own authentic self. Building your Self takes time and curiosity, and sometimes it gets broken and rebuilt in the midst of major transformation. One of his early memories of exploring the concept of Self as a growing, changing, very personal experience is when he worked with Phillippe Gaulier, a brilliant and controversial figure in British theatre.

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Many quotes from the conversation are memorable, and I particularly appreciated our discussion of the depth of beauty and humanity in Jim Henson’s The Muppet Show. Here’s one I’ll hold onto forever.

Another one that struck me was this: “Coincidence, traced back far enough, becomes inevitability.” Found in a Hindu Temple near New Delhi, India.


Learn more about Mark Bowden, and visit the Truthplane website to contact him.

Expert Body Language Keynote Speaker Mark Bowden

Voted the #1 Body Language Professional in the world for two years running, Mark Bowden is passionate about giving your audience the most influential and persuasive communication techniques to stand out, win trust, and gain credibility every time they speak. Inspiring, energetic, engaging, and entirely entertaining, Mark’s memorable talks and training programs not only educate but have proven life-changing in helping people and organizations grow across all industries and sectors.

Mark’s work is consistently invaluable to sales and leadership teams, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, and prime ministers of G7 powers. His highly acclaimed TEDx talk has reached millions of people, and he has presented to many of the biggest, coolest, and most innovative organizations in the world, including Shopify, Dell, Viacom, RBC, Fidelity, Amex, Unilever, Daimler, Microsoft, Toyota, VW, Samsung, KPMG, GSK, Walmart, Nestle, and even Real Madrid.


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