Decisive Leadership Conversations

Six months ago, I did a consultation with Alicia Butler Pierre, and several action-items came out of it. After doing my quarterly review, I realized two things: (1) I've completed most of the action-items. (2) What isn't complete is in progress. 

Here's my shortlist: 

1. Update my website and add more pictures and videos of me because people buy from people, not companies.
2. Build my personal brand and then work on the company brand. 
3. Leverage social media. Once I started looking at my business as a media company, using social media became easier.
4. Use Google Alerts to source articles on my area of expertise and leverage the content to develop social media posts. 
5. Use my blog posts and articles to create a book. The book is in progress.
6. Consider podcasting as another medium for getting my message out there.
7. Create a YouTube Channel/Show where I help people, which is what this post is about today. 

Last Month, I recorded the first four episodes of the Decisive Leadership™ Conversations podcast. It started as a brainstorming session and turned into so much more. 

I'm using the YouTube videos to create the audio podcast, taking care of number six.

To watch available episodes:

• Episode 1: How to Find Your Niche, Pt. 1 | Cassandra Govan
• Episode 2: How to Find Your Niche, Pt. 2 | Cassandra Govan
• Episode 3: Why I Started a Podcast | Coach Tarsh
• Episode 4: Hemp Business | Michael Stewart

Career Reinvention

"What used to be a choice is now becoming a guarantee: We will all need to reinvent ourselves multiple times throughout our careers to remain employable."

Entrepreneurs know the necessity of reinvention all too well because if we don't, our businesses die. I have gone through several reinventions in my career from a corporate employee to an entrepreneur, Learning Specialist to Leadership Development Coach, and I'm still remaking myself right now by becoming a podcaster and author. 
The pandemic has shown us all that change is constant, and we must be ready when it happens because we don't always have time to prepare. The old adage of "Stay ready, so you don't have to get ready" rings true today more than ever before.
Here are three tips to ensure we all stay employable in the future:

1. Reinvent expertise. Build new skills through formal learning, online courses, experience, and personal projects. We're responsible for our growth and development. Plain and simple.
2. Reinvent Brand. "Whether or not you're consciously building a brand, others observe what you do and develop their own conclusions." Key decision-makers need to be aware of our knowledge and expertise so that we're not overlooked. I'm currently doing podcasts, being more active on social media, and writing a book to reinvent and build more brand awareness.
3. Reinvent Connections. Our network is the key to opportunities. We must invest time to grow relationships at work, in our community, and through social connections.

To read the full article: 
https://ed.gr/cxsiq

Problem Solver v. Opportunity Finder

Michèle Smole says, "Problem solvers view the world through a problem lens which leads to a negative view. They look at what is wrong instead of what is right, at what has happened in the past, and why and not what can happen in the future.

Opportunity finders on the contrary have a positive long-term outcome in sight. They still solve problems but see them as a barrier to the outcome they want to accomplish. They take responsibility for and make a conscious choice on the way they respond to problems. They don't strive to be the hero manager who saves the day but see every problem as an opportunity to learn and grow.[1]"

I was fortunate to have a manager early in my career that said, "When you bring me a problem, also bring a solution." That simple advice created a permanent shift in mindset and behavior for me. It forced me not just to see obstacles but also to find ways to maneuver around them. It became an SOP that I still follow. I don't always see solutions right away, but I know they're there, and I'll find them given time.

To read the full article: 
https://ed.gr/cxmux

Type Less, Talk More

Several recent experiments suggest that people may underestimate the positive consequences of connecting using our voice instead of text alone. This type of thinking has possibly lead us to a misplaced preference for "typing" to each other instead of "talking.'

There is something to be said for verbal communication. I'm the first to admit that I like to text, email, or IM, but I also value verbal conversations. There are things that you can hear in a person's voice that you miss with words. 

A slight change in inflection can tell us a lot. An upward inflection where people change their voice pitch from low to high could indicate they're questioning what we're saying or feel surprised or confused. Downward inflections or high to low are considered to be more powerful and show confidence and certainty. The perception is that we're calmer when we use downward inflections.

Kumar and Epley say, "If you're sending a simple message, a quick update, or an attachment, then emails and texts are the way to go," which I agree with.

I also think when something is pressing or complex, pick up the phone and call (or talk in-person if you can).

To read the full article: 
http://ed.gr/cwarv

The Link Between Performance & Emotions

Dr. Michael Frisina says, "Human emotions are as complex as they are varied. In a span of one day, we all experience a significant number of emotional highs and lows. An average person in a high-stress environment may experience even more. Emotions do not take a break, and they always influence our behavior, performance, and relationships.

We read about the significance of leaders understanding the effect of their behavior on organizational performance. Rarely do we read about the link between disruptive emotions and achieving key results."

To get the results we want from our teams and be influential leaders, we must manage our emotions. When we are conscious of our emotions, we are also much more aware of what we say and do, and how it affects others. 

To read the full article: http://ed.gr/cwaps

To get help with Emotional Mastery, click HERE.

​Until next time...