432: The Power of Kindness featuring Joe Emery
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Joe Emery discuss the importance of dispelling misconceptions, serving our communities, and elevating voices of kindness and positivity.
432 The Power of Kindness featuring Joe Emery
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Joe Emery discuss the importance of dispelling misconceptions, serving our communities, and elevating voices of kindness and positivity.
Highlights
The beauty of visiting places we’ve only seen in pictures or film.
Misconceptions about places and people and learning the truth to be able to see the world for the better.
Emotional storytelling and the importance of making people see the humanity behind the story.
The importance of being kind, patient, and empathetic in a world that is becoming more jaded.
Remember that there is a human on the other side of the screen that doesn’t deserve to be treated poorly because you don’t like a post.
Quotes
“That’s something I really like doing, helping people who really need it.”
“We all see things everyday that we’re not interested in, and it’s amazing how many people stop to take time out of their day to comment.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
What is it that drove you to be a fan of something? What is your obsession? Have you ever thought about where that could lead you or how it has contributed to where you are now? I think about a lot of the things in my childhood that made me want to meet people or to learn something or to read more and I’m curious what that is for you. And the other thing I want to know is what are you doing when it comes to seeing the one comment that is mean or one boss that treated you badly, are you still holding on to that or are you starting to see it for exactly what it is, that those people who are cruel have their own reason for being that and when you give them the greater voice over the people who are kind you’re giving them this power and you’re taking away and reducing the power of people who are doing good in the world.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Joe
About Sarah
Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team’s results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other’s “language”, learning to value each other’s strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.
Sarah’s nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness.
Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.
212: Micro Adjustments For The Win
Most of us would like to improve ourselves- the way we are viewed by others and the inner voice in our head that guides us to decisions.
During this episode, you will learn more about how small things can make a huge difference. Listen in as Sarah shares her stories, the small adjustments that lead to bigger changes in her relationships with family and friends.
Want A Change In Your Life? Make Small Adjustments to Shift Your Story
Most of us would like to improve ourselves- the way we are viewed by others and the inner voice in our head that guides us to decisions.
During this episode, you will learn more about how small things can make a huge difference. Listen in as Sarah shares her stories, the small adjustments that lead to bigger changes in her relationships with family and friends.
Tune in to begin your journey towards your authentic self.
Discovering Clarity One Bite at a Time course is now available!
"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.
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.
211: Authenticity is Overrated
"Authenticity isn’t a static fixed thing. We grow, we transform, we collect people and information throughout our lives that influence our identity. Sometimes dramatically, sometimes in more subtle ways."
Choose your identity and grow into it
Do you believe the statements about yourself that you tell others? Do they fit you now, or are they labels from your past?
In today’s episode, Sarah dives into the topic of authenticity- or rather what that looks like for each individual and the power it gives for personal growth and transformation. Sarah also shares her own story of genuineness, the change of a label from her teenage stage to a self-employed communication coach with her own podcast.
Tune in to begin your journey towards your authentic self, wherever that may lead you.
"Authenticity isn’t a static fixed thing. We grow, we transform, we collect people and information throughout our lives that influence our identity. Sometimes dramatically, sometimes in more subtle ways."
Discovering Clarity One Bite at a Time course is now available!
*podcast show notes contributed by Tracy Ackeret
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.
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.
210: Your Strengths Are Your Stories, Tell Them With Confidence and Intention
Hey friends, happy new year to you!
I have a feeling 2022 will be a big year for all of us, a good feeling in fact, that we will make some magic happen this year.
Listen to the latest episode of Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will in which Sarah discusses how you can use your natural talents to be successful and stay motivated.
Using Your Natural Talents to Guide You in Your Work and Relationships
Hey friends, happy new year to you!
I have a feeling 2022 will be a big year for all of us, a good feeling in fact, that we will make some magic happen this year.
Listen to the latest episode of Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will in which Sarah discusses how you can use your natural talents to be successful and stay motivated.
Discovering Clarity One Bite at a Time course is now available!
"I remind them [clients] that they’ll get from point A to point B one way or another. They may as well use their natural talents rather than trying to do it how someone else would do it."
*podcast show notes contributed by Tracy Ackeret
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.
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.
209: Transition and Transformation Are Painful, Recruit a Guide
Just in time for the New Year, join in with Sarah Elkins as she talks about her change over the past few years- from someone with a draining job to happily self-employed. Sarah shares the steps and activities she learned along the way that assisted in developing her own “satisfying menu”.
Find Clarity, One Bite At A Time
What does it take for you to transform and discover your strengths?
Just in time for the New Year, join in with Sarah Elkins as she talks about her change over the past few years- from someone with a draining job to happily self-employed. Sarah shares the steps and activities she learned along the way that assisted in developing her own “satisfying menu”.
Tune in to hear more about Sarah’s journey, as well as the new course she will be offering on finding clarity.
“That exercise eventually lead me to where I am now. Happily self-employed with incredibly rewarding impactful work.”
*podcast show notes contributed by Tracy Ackeret
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.
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.
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’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:
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.
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.
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.
Episode 83: Your Strengths are Your Stories
Lisa was promoted and knew she would work hard to be a great manager. She had enough experiences, good and bad, to know what she didn’t want to do. But she had an immediate challenge in one of her employees, and had almost decided to find a way to let her go, to fire her. Something about having that kind of power, the ability to make a decision that would at least temporarily have a big impact on a person’s life, made her question her decision, thank goodness.
Personality Assessments are Meaningless Unless You Find Application For What You Learned
Lisa was promoted and knew she would work hard to be a great manager. She had enough experiences, good and bad, to know what she didn’t want to do. But she had an immediate challenge in one of her employees, and had almost decided to find a way to let her go, to fire her. Something about having that kind of power, the ability to make a decision that would at least temporarily have a big impact on a person’s life, made her question her decision, thank goodness.
That was when she was introduced to StrengthsFinders. She took the assessment, began digging into applying what she was learning about herself through the reports generated for her results, and realized she could be a much better manager as she became more self-reflective. What really opened her eyes, though, was the realization that she could be an even better manager if she knew the results of her staff using that assessment. She recognized the value of better understanding not only what motivated them, but what they were particularly good at - what lit them up.
She used that tool for years, uncovering strengths in her staff while becoming more and more aware of her own filters and bias' in how she saw her team. With the woman she had considered letting go, she realized how great a complement that woman could be on the team because she thinks so differently from Lisa.
In this episode, we spoke about some of our strengths, and discussed how we coach people within their specific themes. The Maximizer theme came up a couple of times, and I referred to the movie This Is Spinal Tap, a mock-umentary, a fake rock band documentary. Here’s the scene I mentioned:
A maximizer is someone who sees something that’s a 7.5 or an 8 on a 10 point scale and immediately has ideas about how to make it even better, they want to make it an 11. Think about the person in your life who always has an idea about something to add to improve an already awesome recipe. They’re usually perfectionists and have a hard time stepping away from something. The only time you’d hear this person say: “That’s good enough.” is when they weren’t all that excited about the project to begin with - they didn’t see the potential for it to be GREAT.
We also spoke about the differences in how people get from point A to point B, and the fact that there are always multiple ways to do that, but most of the time we have a narrow vision based on our own experience and strengths. When we recognize others for the value they bring, we find more effective ways to accomplish our goals.
Connect with Lisa Cummings on LinkedIn, and check out her website Lead Through Strengths.
Speaking of strengths, have you seen Heather Younger’s TEDx about finding strength in adversity? I highly recommend you listen in: