Have you ever felt like you couldn’t be your true self at work? Maybe you felt like you had to hide certain aspects of your personality, or you felt pressure to conform to a certain image or standard. If so, you’re not alone!
Join Anders Boulanger and his featured guest Michael Kerr, a Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame inductee. He is an international business speaker, a very funny motivational speaker, and a workshop trainer.
This episode tackles why authenticity is key to building strong relationships with colleagues and superiors while maintaining a professional demeanor.
Watch the full episode on our Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/zt2KotC3kv0
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Our host Anders Boulanger is the founder of Engagify who is dedicated to teaching people in business how to be most effectively understood and heard. He shares that he loves teaching others how to become more engaging. He’s looking to interview those in the role of Director of Sale Enablement, VP of Marketing, or VP of Sales at an industry-agnostic company based in the US.
If you share the same passion, you can be our next guest on the show. Visit our website: https://go.engagify.ai/podcast-guest to apply.
Want to learn more about Anders and his work? Check out Engagify’s website at http://bvp.hdn.mybluehost.me/. You can also connect using your favorite social media platforms:
https://www.facebook.com/GetEngagified
https://www.linkedin.com/company/getengagify/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrXgsV2Syqpj5tWnO6dRfLA
Transcript
WELCOME TO ANOTHER EPISODE OF ENGAGING PERSONALITIES.
Speaker:WE'RE HAVING A GUEST BACK.
Speaker:UM THIS GIVES ME PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE AN
Speaker:AUTHOR OF EIGHT BOOKS INCLUDING THE
Speaker:JERK FREE WORKPLACE.
Speaker:HE'S A HALL OF FAME SPEAKER AND HE'S
Speaker:A WORKPLACE CULTURE EXPERT.
Speaker:AND ONE OF THE FUNNIEST GUYS I KNOW,
Speaker:PLEASE WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM,
Speaker:MR MIKE, HER MIKE.
Speaker:HEY, GOOD MORNING.
Speaker:HELLO, EVERYONE.
Speaker:UH I'VE GOT MY OFFICIAL GOOD MORNING SIGN
Speaker:ACTUALLY READY TO GO.
Speaker:HOW ARE YOU,
Speaker:ANDRE? GOOD,
Speaker:GOOD, GOOD,
Speaker:GOOD. UM THANKS FOR COMING BACK AND
Speaker:I BROUGHT YOU BACK BECAUSE UH I MEAN,
Speaker:WORKPLACE CULTURE,
Speaker:THINGS ARE CHANGING IN TERMS OF UH
Speaker:WORK FROM HOME,
Speaker:IN TERMS OF COVID STUFF HAPPENING.
Speaker:UH VIRTUAL HAS CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS
Speaker:AND I WANTED TO UH UM BRING ON THIS TOPIC
Speaker:OF AUTHENTICITY VERSUS PROFESSIONALISM AND
Speaker:KIND OF AND,
Speaker:AND JUST TO KIND OF PREF FRAME THIS BEFORE
Speaker:WE, WE DIG INTO IT.
Speaker:I FIND MYSELF GIVING ALMOST OPPOSING ADVICE,
Speaker:RIGHT? SOMETIMES.
Speaker:SO I'M TRAINING SALESPEOPLE TO BE
Speaker:MORE ENGAGING,
Speaker:WHETHER IT'S ONLINE OR IN PERSON OR,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:IN INTERACTIONS AND SOMETIMES I'M TRYING
Speaker:TO GET THEM TO DO THINGS THAT ARE AGAINST
Speaker:THEIR NATURE,
Speaker:RIGHT? TO KIND OF,
Speaker:AND, AND SO YOU'RE,
Speaker:AND THEN YOU'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT,
Speaker:WE WANT TO BE PROFESSIONAL AND WE,
Speaker:IT'S LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO COVER UP
Speaker:THINGS AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO BRING
Speaker:OUT THINGS AND IT'S KIND OF ALMOST LIKE
Speaker:THERE'S OPPOSING THING.
Speaker:SO I WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLORE THIS TOPIC
Speaker:WITH YOU AND,
Speaker:AND, AND KIND OF,
Speaker:UM, GET AT IT.
Speaker:SO LET'S START OFF WITH AUTHENTICITY AND
Speaker:PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONALISM.
Speaker:ARE THEY AT ODDS WITH EACH OTHER OR
Speaker:WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
Speaker:I DON'T THINK SO.
Speaker:NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU WERE SAYING JUST
Speaker:EARLIER AND,
Speaker:AND THAT IS IT,
Speaker:IT'S AN INTERESTING TOPIC,
Speaker:RIGHT? BECAUSE WE TALK,
Speaker:SOMETIMES WE,
Speaker:WE GIVE ADVICE TO ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT PROFESSIONALS,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:BE YOURSELF,
Speaker:YOU HAVE TO BE YOURSELF.
Speaker:BUT THEN A FEW MINUTES LATER IT'S,
Speaker:WELL, NOT THAT SELF,
Speaker:MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT SELF
Speaker:THAN THAT SELF.
Speaker:BUT NO, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE OPPOSING
Speaker:FORCES. IN FACT,
Speaker:THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS TOPIC IS IF
Speaker:YOU WANT TO BE MORE PROFESSIONAL,
Speaker:YOU NEED TO BE MORE AUTHENTIC AND AUTHENTICITY
Speaker:WILL HELP YOU BE MORE PROFESSIONAL.
Speaker:WHETHER YOU'RE A LEADER,
Speaker:WHETHER YOU'RE IN SALES,
Speaker:WHETHER YOU'RE A PRESENTER,
Speaker:BEING MORE AUTHENTIC WILL HELP YOU COME
Speaker:ACROSS AS A TRUE PROFESSIONAL.
Speaker:INTERESTING TAKE ON THAT.
Speaker:OK. NOW I'M JUST GONNA PUSH YOU ON
Speaker:THAT MIKE JUST A BIT BECAUSE I THINK MAYBE
Speaker:IF WE DEFINE AUTHENTICITY IN A CERTAIN WAY
Speaker:BECAUSE I THINK LET'S,
Speaker:LET'S LET'S TAKE,
Speaker:FOR EXAMPLE,
Speaker:THE VIRTUAL SIDE OF THINGS,
Speaker:RIGHT? YOU KNOW,
Speaker:UM, NOT CURATING YOUR BACKGROUND OR
Speaker:SOMETHING LIKE IT'S JUST A PIG STY
Speaker:BACK THERE.
Speaker:HEY, THAT'S ME.
Speaker:THAT'S THE WAY I LIVE.
Speaker:THAT'S THE AUTHENTIC ME.
Speaker:RIGHT. YEAH.
Speaker:TO ME THAT DOES KIND OF FLY IN THE FACE
Speaker:OF THE PROFESSIONALISM A LITTLE BIT.
Speaker:SO, UM, FOR SURE.
Speaker:YEAH. AND WHAT,
Speaker:WHAT WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR ON,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:AND, AND IT'S BECOME A BIT OF A BUZZWORD
Speaker:LATELY, RIGHT?
Speaker:AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP.
Speaker:BRING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF TO WORK.
Speaker:UH AND OF COURSE,
Speaker:WE DO HAVE TO CLARIFY THAT THERE HAS
Speaker:TO BE BOUNDARIES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT YOUR
Speaker:AUTHENTIC SELF.
Speaker:WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF
Speaker:THAT YOU WERE AT THREE O'CLOCK IN
Speaker:THE MORNING WHEN YOUR DOG WAS THROWING UP
Speaker:ON THE CARPET IN THE LIVING ROOM.
Speaker:NOT THAT SELF.
Speaker:OF COURSE,
Speaker:WE, WE STILL HAVE TO BE PROFESSIONAL.
Speaker:WE WANT TO,
Speaker:TO BE RESPECTFUL.
Speaker:WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE COMMUNICATING,
Speaker:HOW WE'RE COMING ACROSS EVERYTHING FROM
Speaker:HOW, HOW WE DRESS.
Speaker:I MEAN, AS YOU SAID,
Speaker:THAT'S A GREAT BACKGROUND,
Speaker:RIGHT? OUR,
Speaker:OUR BACK.
Speaker:YEAH, THAT,
Speaker:THAT'S RIGHT.
Speaker:HEY, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.
Speaker:THAT'S HOW I LIVE.
Speaker:MY OFFICE IS A PIG'S TIE,
Speaker:RIGHT? OR UH YOU KNOW,
Speaker:THIS IS JUST HOW I DRESS OR,
Speaker:OR I, I CURSE LIKE A SAILOR.
Speaker:THAT'S I'M JUST BEING THE REAL ME
Speaker:HERE. I, I JUST CURSE LIKE A SAILOR.
Speaker:SO LIVE WITH IT.
Speaker:SO OF COURSE THERE IS THAT OPPOSING FORCE.
Speaker:SO I THINK,
Speaker:I THINK WE DO HAVE TO DEFINE IT UH
Speaker:TO MAKE SURE WE,
Speaker:WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
Speaker:BUT SINCE WE KNOW THAT AUTHENTICITY,
Speaker:WHEN WE SEE PEOPLE,
Speaker:WHEN WE THINK PEOPLE ARE BEING MORE AUTHENTIC,
Speaker:BEING MORE GENUINE,
Speaker:BEING MORE REAL,
Speaker:WE KNOW THAT IT MAKES THEM MORE APPROACHABLE,
Speaker:MORE LIKABLE.
Speaker:I THINK WE TRUST THEM MORE.
Speaker:IT HELPS CREATE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IN
Speaker:TEAMS IN THE WORKPLACE.
Speaker:EVEN WHEN YOU'RE DOING A PRESENTATION,
Speaker:I THINK IT CREATES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
Speaker:WHEN YOU SEE THE PRESENTER BEING AUTHENTIC
Speaker:AND REAL AND VULNERABLE,
Speaker:WHICH IS KIND OF A SUB ASPECT OF AUTHENTICITY.
Speaker:SO I THINK WITH,
Speaker:WITH THAT DEFINITION IN MIND,
Speaker:I THINK OF COURSE IT HELPS YOU BE MORE
Speaker:PROFESSIONAL.
Speaker:YEAH, AND,
Speaker:AND THIS DOES REMIND ME AND WE KIND OF
Speaker:TOUCHED ON THIS JUST IN THE,
Speaker:IN THE GREEN ROOM IF YOU WILL UM ABOUT
Speaker:MISTAKES,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:HUMANIZE US,
Speaker:RIGHT? AND,
Speaker:AND THIS,
Speaker:OH, THAT'S A BONEHEAD MOVE RIGHT THERE.
Speaker:YEAH. THERE,
Speaker:THERE YOU GO.
Speaker:UH SO, SO THIS IDEA THAT,
Speaker:YEAH, THAT IF THINGS ARE TOO PERFECT,
Speaker:SOMETIMES IT IS UM YOU KNOW,
Speaker:UH FORGETTABLE OR SOMETHING,
Speaker:RIGHT? LIKE,
Speaker:YEAH, THERE THERE'S ALMOST A DANGER AND
Speaker:AS PRESENTERS,
Speaker:WE KNOW THIS EVEN AND I'VE ACTUALLY HAD
Speaker:THIS FEEDBACK SOMETIMES OVER THE YEAR
Speaker:WHERE WHERE UM PEOPLE DON'T TRUST YOUR
Speaker:MESSAGE IF IT'S TOO SLICK,
Speaker:IF IT COMES ACROSS SO PROGRAMMED,
Speaker:LIKE YOU JUST PULL THE STRING AND IT'S
Speaker:JUST COMING OUT,
Speaker:WORD FOR WORD AND THEY DON'T SEE ANY
Speaker:KIND OF REAL CONNECTION WITH THE AUDIENCE.
Speaker:THEN PEOPLE DON'T TRUST YOU AND THEY
Speaker:DON'T TRUST THE MESSAGE THEREFORE.
Speaker:AND IT'S INTERESTING YOU TALK ABOUT MISTAKES.
Speaker:I COACH A LOT OF SPEAKERS OVER OVER THE
Speaker:YEARS AND WHEN I'M COACHING,
Speaker:ESPECIALLY SENIOR EXECUTIVES,
Speaker:I ALMOST ALWAYS HAVE THIS SITUATION WHERE
Speaker:A SENIOR EXECUTIVE IS PRESENTING THEIR
Speaker:MATERIAL AND THEY GO INTO SPEAKER MODE,
Speaker:RIGHT? OR,
Speaker:OR LEADER MODE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEIR
Speaker:WHOLE PERSONA CHANGES,
Speaker:THEIR VOICE CHANGES,
Speaker:THEIR MANNERISMS CHANGE.
Speaker:AND NO, I,
Speaker:I'M A SPEAKER AND THEY'RE TALKING BLAH,
Speaker:BLAH, BLAH.
Speaker:I LIKE THIS ROBOT ALMOST.
Speaker:AND THEN THEY MAKE A MISTAKE AND IT'S
Speaker:SO FASCINATING WHAT HAPPENS BECAUSE THEY'LL
Speaker:LAUGH, THEY'LL VERY OFTEN STEP OUT
Speaker:OF THEMSELVES ALMOST.
Speaker:IT'S LIKE THEY'RE STEPPING OUT OF
Speaker:THEIR BODY BECAUSE THEY'LL TAKE A
Speaker:STEP OVER FROM THEMSELVES AND THEY'LL LAUGH
Speaker:AND THEY'LL GO,
Speaker:CAN WE START OVER AND THEN THEY JUST
Speaker:TALK VERY NORMALLY,
Speaker:VERY CONVERSATIONALLY.
Speaker:AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE POINT WHERE I
Speaker:GO THERE.
Speaker:THAT'S THE PERSON.
Speaker:WE ALL WANT TO HEAR THIS PERSON,
Speaker:NOT THE ROBOT PERSON BEFORE THAT PERSON.
Speaker:SO THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT MAKING MISTAKES
Speaker:THAT JUST HELPS US,
Speaker:I THINK, BE MORE,
Speaker:MORE HUMAN,
Speaker:MORE REAL,
Speaker:MORE GENUINE,
Speaker:THOSE FACADES FALL DOWN,
Speaker:THOSE MASKS FALL DOWN THAT WE SOMETIMES WEAR
Speaker:AND, AND AGAIN,
Speaker:IT MAKES US VULNERABLE AND I THINK BEING
Speaker:VULNERABLE LIKE THAT HELPS US AGAIN TO
Speaker:BUILD TRUST BECAUSE WE COME ACROSS MORE
Speaker:GENUINELY.
Speaker:YEAH. YEAH.
Speaker:AND, AND I THINK YOU,
Speaker:YOU, YOU BRING UP A POINT THERE THAT,
Speaker:THAT IDEA THAT PROFESSIONALISM SOMETIMES IS
Speaker:LIKE THE,
Speaker:THE SUIT THAT WE PUT ON,
Speaker:RIGHT? LIKE,
Speaker:OR THE, THE,
Speaker:THIS KIND OF,
Speaker:UM, YOU KNOW,
Speaker:PROFESSIONALISM,
Speaker:RIGHT? AND,
Speaker:UH, AGAIN,
Speaker:GOING BACK TO THE PRE PRESENTATION THING
Speaker:YOU TALKED ABOUT,
Speaker:I ALWAYS FELT THERE WAS LIKE TWO DIFFERENT
Speaker:PRESENTATIONS.
Speaker:THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SHOWS,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:MY BACKGROUND BEING A MAGICIAN IS THE
Speaker:SHOW YOU WANT TO DO.
Speaker:AND THEN THE SHOW,
Speaker:THE AUDIENCE NEEDS RIGHT IN,
Speaker:IN THE MOMENT.
Speaker:AND, AND WHEN I WANTED,
Speaker:WHEN I KNEW THERE WAS A VIDEO RECORD,
Speaker:I MEAN, UH WE WERE RECORDING IT FOR
Speaker:A PER VIDEO OR WHATEVER.
Speaker:IT'S LIKE I WANTED IT TO BE,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:LIKE I WANTED IT TO BE THE SHOW.
Speaker:I WANTED IT,
Speaker:RIGHT? UH AND YET BECAUSE THAT'S HOW
Speaker:I WANTED TO PRESENT IT,
Speaker:BUT IT NEVER,
Speaker:I WOULD ALWAYS THEN,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:GO TO THE AUDIENCE AND GIVE THEM WHAT
Speaker:THEY NEED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WAS RIGHT
Speaker:IN THE MOMENT,
Speaker:RIGHT? SO,
Speaker:UM BUT YEAH,
Speaker:FINDING THAT THAT THING.
Speaker:SO LET'S JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
Speaker:AND DEFINE PROFESSIONALISM THEN LIKE,
Speaker:HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE PROFESSIONALISM?
Speaker:WELL, TO,
Speaker:TO ME PROFESSIONALISM TIES INTO ACCOUNTABILITY,
Speaker:IT TIES INTO,
Speaker:AGAIN, THAT NOTION OF TRUST.
Speaker:I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
Speaker:HERE IS TRUST,
Speaker:RIGHT? SO BEING PROFESSIONAL TO ME
Speaker:IS MAKING SURE YOU,
Speaker:YOU DELIVER ON YOUR PROMISE,
Speaker:YOU DELIVER ON YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE,
Speaker:PROMISE YOUR BRAND PROMISE,
Speaker:WHATEVER THAT MAY BE THAT YOU'RE ENGAGING
Speaker:WITH PEOPLE IN A RESPECTFUL WAY,
Speaker:BUT ALSO IN AN HONEST WAY,
Speaker:RIGHT? I I IT'S,
Speaker:IT'S NOT PROFESSIONAL TO ENGAGE WITH
Speaker:PEOPLE IN A DISHONEST WAY.
Speaker:AND AGAIN,
Speaker:I THINK THERE'S A CONNECTION TO AUTHENTICITY
Speaker:THERE AS WELL.
Speaker:ONE OF THE REASONS WE MISTRUST DISTRUST PEOPLE
Speaker:IS IF WE GET THE SENSE THAT THEY'RE NOT
Speaker:BEING AUTHENTIC,
Speaker:EVEN AT A SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL,
Speaker:IF WE THINK THERE'S SOMETHING OFF BETWEEN
Speaker:MAYBE THEIR FACIAL EXPRESSION AND THEIR
Speaker:WORDS OR THEIR ACTIONS AND THEIR WORDS
Speaker:OR THEIR TONE OF VOICE AND THEIR WORD
Speaker:OR WHATEVER IT IS,
Speaker:EVEN AT A JUST MICRO LEVEL THAT SENDS
Speaker:A SIGNAL TO OUR MIND,
Speaker:IT DISTRACTS US ALMOST AND WE START TO
Speaker:THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF I TRUST THIS
Speaker:PERSON OR NOT.
Speaker:SO I DON'T KNOW IF I TRUST THEIR MESSAGE
Speaker:OR NOT. SO AGAIN,
Speaker:THOSE THINGS ARE TIED TOGETHER IN MY
Speaker:MIND. BEING PROFESSIONAL IS ABOUT,
Speaker:OF COURSE,
Speaker:PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD,
Speaker:BUT PUTTING YOUR BEST AUTHENTIC FOOT
Speaker:FORWARD IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
Speaker:YEAH. AND,
Speaker:AND YOU KNOW,
Speaker:HERE, HERE AT MY COMPANY,
Speaker:WE DEFINE PROFESSIONALISM IS ONE OF
Speaker:OUR, OUR CORE,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:VALUES AND WE DEFINE IT AS MASTERING THE
Speaker:DETAILS THAT MATTER.
Speaker:I LOVE THAT.
Speaker:YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.
Speaker:RIGHT. SO UH TAKING CARE OF ALL THE
Speaker:DETAILS AND THE,
Speaker:AND THE ONES THAT MATTER BECAUSE AND
Speaker:IT AND IT MAKES ME THINK,
Speaker:LIKE, YOU KNOW,
Speaker:I, I'M NOT WEARING A DRESS SHIRT EVERY
Speaker:DAY AT THE OFFICE IF,
Speaker:IF IT'S JUST ME OR WHATEVER,
Speaker:YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Speaker:LIKE, IT'S LIKE THERE ARE THE TIMES,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:IT'S, IT'S,
Speaker:IT'S LIKE WHEN IT MATTERS,
Speaker:RISING TO THE OCCASION AND MAKING SURE
Speaker:THINGS ARE ON POINT.
Speaker:RIGHT. THINGS THAT THEY'RE THERE.
Speaker:AND I HAVE TO ADMIT YESTERDAY,
Speaker:UH, IT WAS A HOLIDAY IN,
Speaker:IN CANADA.
Speaker:RIGHT. AND,
Speaker:UH, AND I ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING WITH
Speaker:A VENDOR IN THE UK AND I TOTALLY FORGOT
Speaker:ABOUT IT.
Speaker:SO I JUMPED ON THE ZOOM CALL,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:LIKE, HADN'T SHAVED T-SHIRT ON AND
Speaker:I WAS KIND OF LIKE,
Speaker:I WAS KIND OF EMBARRASSED.
Speaker:RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST NOT THE
Speaker:WAY THAT I NORMALLY PRESENT.
Speaker:RIGHT. IN,
Speaker:IN, IN THAT SENSE.
Speaker:UM, SO I WAS VERY AUTHENTIC.
Speaker:LET'S CALL IT THAT FOR,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:AAA MORNING MORNING THAT I WASN'T GONNA
Speaker:BE WORKING.
Speaker:UM, BUT YEAH,
Speaker:PROFESSIONALISM,
Speaker:I, I FEEL LIKE TOO,
Speaker:IT'S, IT'S ALMOST LIKE MEETING THE
Speaker:EXPECTATIONS OF THE CONTEXT.
Speaker:DO YOU THINK OF THAT AS A DEFINITION?
Speaker:YEAH, I'D LIKE THAT MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS
Speaker:OF THE CONTEXT BECAUSE OF COURSE,
Speaker:UH, THINGS CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT,
Speaker:DEPENDING ON THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM,
Speaker:DEPENDING ON THE,
Speaker:THE SITUATION,
Speaker:THE EVENT,
Speaker:THE TYPE OF MEETING YOU'RE IN OF THE
Speaker:COMPANY. RIGHT.
Speaker:FOR SURE,
Speaker:FOR SURE.
Speaker:YEAH, ALL OF THAT.
Speaker:SO IT'S VERY CONTEXT SPECIFIC.
Speaker:I HAVE THIS CONVERSATION THOUGH,
Speaker:ESPECIALLY WITH SENIOR LEADERS A LOT.
Speaker:IN FACT, A GROUP OF CEO SI WAS SPEAKING TO
Speaker:RECENTLY,
Speaker:WE GOT INTO THIS DISCUSSION OF,
Speaker:OF WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PROFESSIONAL AND
Speaker:NOT BE PROFESSIONAL AND GOING DOWN THIS
Speaker:REALLY INTERESTING CONVERSATION ABOUT
Speaker:HOW IT, IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT FOR SENIOR
Speaker:LEADERS SOMETIMES TO,
Speaker:TO UH LET THEIR GUARDS DOWN AND BE
Speaker:GOOFY EVEN SOMETIMES BE SILLY SOMETIMES EVEN
Speaker:THOUGH THAT MIGHT SEEM THE POLAR OPPOSITE
Speaker:OF BEING PROFESSIONAL.
Speaker:BUT IN FACT,
Speaker:IN THE BIG PICTURE,
Speaker:IN THE LONG TERM SENSE,
Speaker:THAT'S INCREDIBLY PROFESSIONAL BECAUSE
Speaker:THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF SENIOR LEADERS
Speaker:NEED TO DO TO BUILD TRUST,
Speaker:TO BUILD THEIR CULTURE,
Speaker:TO BUILD SUPPORT IN TEAMS UH IS IS
Speaker:TO PRESENT THAT SIDE OF THEM TO THEIR
Speaker:PEOPLE. SOMETIMES I,
Speaker:I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING AS
Speaker:LEADERS TOO.
Speaker:AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,
Speaker:MIKE IS FOR THE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE
Speaker:COMPANY TO EMBRACE WHO THEY FULLY ARE
Speaker:AND TO BE ABLE TO BE THEMSELVES,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:IN TERMS OF A CULTURE FOR,
Speaker:FOR SURE.
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:WHEN I, I'VE INTERVIEWED UH EMPLOYEES AND
Speaker:LEADERS IN COMPANIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
Speaker:AND SO OFTEN WHEN I'VE GONE INTO WHAT
Speaker:I WOULD CALL TRULY INSPIRING WORKPLACES THAT
Speaker:ARE JUST ROCKING IT.
Speaker:THOSE COMPANIES THAT ARE LISTED AS
Speaker:THE BEST PLACE TO WORK AND ARE JUST KILLING
Speaker:IT WITH THEIR CULTURE.
Speaker:TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
Speaker:WHEN I INTERVIEW THE EMPLOYEES,
Speaker:WHAT DOES IT MAKE?
Speaker:WHY, WHY IS THIS PLACE SUCH A ROCKING PLACE
Speaker:TO WORK. THEY WILL SAY TO ME,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST JOB
Speaker:I'VE EVER HAD WHERE I CAN JUST FEEL
Speaker:FREE TO BE MY REAL SELF.
Speaker:I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO TALK IN
Speaker:THIS FAKE WAY.
Speaker:I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO PUT ON
Speaker:THIS FAKE FACADE.
Speaker:AND WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO THAT,
Speaker:THINK ABOUT THAT,
Speaker:WHEN YOU WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE
Speaker:YOU FEEL YOU CAN'T BE YOURSELF.
Speaker:WHEN YOU FEEL EVEN THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN
Speaker:YOUR PERSONAL VALUES AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES,
Speaker:THERE'S A MENTAL TOLL THERE.
Speaker:I WOULD SUGGEST,
Speaker:IN FACT, I WOULD SUGGEST THERE'S A
Speaker:PHYSICAL TOLL ON YOUR BODY.
Speaker:THERE'S A MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DRAIN ON
Speaker:US WHEN WE CANNOT JUST BE OURSELVES.
Speaker:IT'S ALMOST LIKE PART OF OUR BRAIN HAS
Speaker:TO GO INTO OVERDRIVE MODE AND,
Speaker:AND PLAY THIS DUAL ROLE AND OF COURSE,
Speaker:THAT'S GONNA SUCK UP A LOT OF ENERGY.
Speaker:BUT YEAH,
Speaker:BECAUSE YOU'RE BEING IN A YEAH,
Speaker:IT'S, IT'S,
Speaker:IT'S KIND OF LIKE IT TAKES MORE EFFORT
Speaker:TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR LIES,
Speaker:TO BE HONEST,
Speaker:RIGHT. YEAH.
Speaker:UH WE GOT,
Speaker:WE GOT A QUESTION FROM UH RICHARD LABEL.
Speaker:HOW DO YOU TRAIN LEADERS TO BE THEMSELVES?
Speaker:SO, MIKE,
Speaker:WHAT, WHAT,
Speaker:WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WHEN YOU,
Speaker:WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET LEADERS TO,
Speaker:TO BRING MORE OF THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES?
Speaker:YEAH, RICHARD,
Speaker:THAT'S LIKE,
Speaker:THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND IT'S AN
Speaker:INTERESTING QUESTION,
Speaker:RIGHT? CAN YOU TRAIN SOMEBODY TO BE
Speaker:AUTHENTIC.
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:I'M, I'M PRACTICING IT BEING SINCERE.
Speaker:I'M FAKING IT.
Speaker:THERE'S ALL SORTS OF QUOTES ABOUT THAT.
Speaker:I THINK GEORGE BURNS VERY GREAT.
Speaker:YEAH. IF YOU,
Speaker:IF YOU CAN FAKE SINCERITY,
Speaker:YOU'VE GOT IT MADE.
Speaker:RIGHT. SO CAN YOU REALLY TRAIN SOMEBODY?
Speaker:I THINK PART OF IT,
Speaker:I, I THINK YOU CAN,
Speaker:AND I'VE COACHED LEADERS AND WORKED WITH
Speaker:LEADERS AND,
Speaker:AND I THINK YOU CAN,
Speaker:PART OF IT IS JUST RAISING AWARENESS AND,
Speaker:AND PART OF IT IS GETTING INTO,
Speaker:I THINK A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT
Speaker:SOME OF THEIR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT LEADERSHIP
Speaker:AND ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HOW BUSINESS AND
Speaker:WORKPLACES OPERATE AND CHALLENGING THOSE
Speaker:ASSUMPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE MAYBE BROUGHT
Speaker:ALONG WITH THEM FROM JOB TO JOB OR
Speaker:OVER THE THE SPAN OF THEIR CAREER.
Speaker:AND THAT'S THE PROFESSIONALISM BUTTONED
Speaker:UP, KIND OF KNOW THAT I CAN'T,
Speaker:I'M NOT GONNA BE SEEN AS BEING PROFESSIONAL
Speaker:IF I DO THIS.
Speaker:SO I THINK HELPING THEM SEE THAT,
Speaker:THAT, THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
Speaker:I THINK SHARING EXAMPLES OF LEADERS THAT
Speaker:DO THINGS THAT,
Speaker:THAT WHERE THEY PRESENT THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES
Speaker:UH AND ACHIEVE GREAT RESULTS BY DOING
Speaker:SO. SO I THINK SHARING THOSE STORIES CAN
Speaker:CERTAINLY HELP.
Speaker:I THINK AS WELL,
Speaker:COACHING AND TRAINING LEADERS ON BECAUSE
Speaker:A LOT OF THIS COMES DOWN TO SELF AWARENESS,
Speaker:I THINK, RIGHT,
Speaker:IF YOU, IF YOU'RE NOT SELF-AWARE AS
Speaker:A LEADER,
Speaker:I THINK THIS TOPIC IS GOING TO CHALLENGE YOU
Speaker:A LITTLE BIT.
Speaker:SO IT REALLY IS ABOUT ENCOURAGING LEADERS
Speaker:TO LOOK INWARD,
Speaker:TO BE MORE SELF AWARE,
Speaker:UH TO THINK ABOUT THEIR OWN ACCOUNTABILITY TO
Speaker:THEIR PEOPLE AND HOW ARE THEY COMING ACROSS?
Speaker:AND THAT MIGHT INVOLVE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM
Speaker:THEIR PEERS,
Speaker:FEEDBACK FROM THEIR EMPLOYEES WORKING WITH
Speaker:A COACH, BUT REALLY TAKING A HARD LOOK
Speaker:AT THEIR OWN LEADERSHIP STYLE AND JUST
Speaker:ASKING THEMSELVES I,
Speaker:AM I COMING ACROSS REAL AM I DO?
Speaker:I FEEL LIKE I'M,
Speaker:I'M LIVING MY PERSONAL VALUES WHEN I
Speaker:COME INTO WORK OR DO I HAVE TO LEAVE THEM
Speaker:AT THE DOOR AT EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE
Speaker:MORNING? DO I FEEL LIKE I CAN BE VULNERABLE
Speaker:WITH MY EMPLOYEES?
Speaker:AND WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE?
Speaker:BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THERE'S A
Speaker:LINE THERE TOO,
Speaker:RIGHT? BEING AUTHENTIC DOESN'T MEAN
Speaker:THAT, YOU KNOW,
Speaker:I'M GOING TO USE MY TEAM AS MY GROUP
Speaker:THERAPY SESSION,
Speaker:RIGHT? BECAUSE I'M GETTING AUTHENTIC WHEN
Speaker:WE TRAIN UH SALESPEOPLE AND,
Speaker:AND WELL,
Speaker:AND SOMETIMES EVEN ENGINEERS AND THAT
Speaker:SORT OF THING ON BEING MORE ENGAGING IN
Speaker:THEIR PRESENTATIONS.
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:I TALK ABOUT THE UM THE,
Speaker:THE WORD PERSONA ACTUALLY COMES FROM
Speaker:THE MASKS THAT THE GREEKS WOULD WEAR
Speaker:THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE SOUND BECAUSE THEY
Speaker:WERE ALMOST LIKE LITTLE LOUD SPEAKERS,
Speaker:RIGHT? FOR THE OPEN AIR AMPHITHEATER.
Speaker:AND SO IT WAS THE MASKS WE WEAR AND
Speaker:EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SAME PERSON,
Speaker:WE ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:WHEN WE'RE WITH OUR SPOUSE,
Speaker:WHEN WE'RE WITH OUR KIDS AND WE,
Speaker:WE ARE IN A PROFESSIONAL CONTEXT WHEN
Speaker:WE'RE WITH OUR BUDDIES OR,
Speaker:YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Speaker:LIKE, IF I GO,
Speaker:GO OUT FOR DRINKS AFTER A VOLLEYBALL GAME,
Speaker:IT'S A DIFFERENT,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF YOU THAT'S
Speaker:SHOWN. SO I THINK THAT,
Speaker:LIKE YOU SAID,
Speaker:THAT AWARENESS IS A BIG PART OF THAT.
Speaker:UH, AND THEN GOING BACK TO PROFESSIONALISM AND
Speaker:THIS KIND OF BUTTONED UP KIND OF PIECE
Speaker:AND HOW THAT'S KIND OF TRAINED INTO
Speaker:PEOPLE. UM,
Speaker:I THINK PEOPLE NEED PERMISSION TO UNDERSTAND
Speaker:THAT THEY CAN BE MORE THEMSELVES IN,
Speaker:IN A CONTEXT AND,
Speaker:AND IT REMINDS ME OF A SITUATION WHERE
Speaker:I WAS TRAINING A TEAM AND I WAS CHALLENGING
Speaker:THEM TO DO DIFFERENT UH ARCHETYPES KIND
Speaker:OF SO DO THEIR PRESENTATION,
Speaker:LIKE THEY'RE A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER,
Speaker:DO THEIR PRESENTATION,
Speaker:LIKE THEY'RE LIKE THESE DIFFERENT THINGS
Speaker:THAT WOULD JUST BRING OUT DIFFERENT SIDES
Speaker:OF THEM. AND AT THE END OF THE,
Speaker:THE TRAINING,
Speaker:WE WERE KIND OF DEBRIEFING IT AND,
Speaker:AND FINDING OUT WHAT,
Speaker:HOW PEOPLE FELT AND SOME OF THEM WERE
Speaker:JUST TERRIFIED TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT,
Speaker:THAT WAS NOT THEM.
Speaker:RIGHT. AND THEN AFTERWARDS,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:THE, THE CONSENSUS WAS I,
Speaker:I GUESS I'M MORE THAN I THOUGHT I
Speaker:WAS. RIGHT.
Speaker:AND, AND I JUST THINK THAT'S A LIKE,
Speaker:AND I THINK THAT KIND OF ZEST OR THAT
Speaker:AUTHENTICITY PULLING THAT OUT OF PEOPLE
Speaker:ALLOWING THEM TO BE MORE OF THEMSELVES.
Speaker:YEAH, I LOVE THAT.
Speaker:AND I USED TO DO THEATER IMPROV TRAINING,
Speaker:I USED TO DO SOME THEATER IMPROV PERFORMANCE
Speaker:AND I USED TO TRAIN SENIOR MANAGERS,
Speaker:ESPECIALLY CFO S UH AND SOMETIMES FULL
Speaker:DAY WORKSHOPS ON THEATER IMPROV AND
Speaker:TALKING ABOUT THEATER PROV IMPROV USING
Speaker:IMPROV TO TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP STYLES,
Speaker:COMMUNICATION,
Speaker:CREATIVITY IN THE WORKPLACE.
Speaker:AND OF COURSE,
Speaker:90% OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE TERRIFIED AT
Speaker:THE START OF THE DAY,
Speaker:RIGHT? LIKE THEY WERE JUST FREAKING OUT,
Speaker:BUT BY THE END OF THE DAY,
Speaker:THEY WERE LOVING IT,
Speaker:THEIR MASKS,
Speaker:IT HAD COME DOWN.
Speaker:AND I THINK PART OF THE KEY TO SUCCESS THOUGH
Speaker:WAS THAT WE WENT VERY SLOW.
Speaker:UM SO IT WASN'T DIVING INTO THE DEEP
Speaker:END OF THE POOL.
Speaker:SO WE CREATED COMFORT.
Speaker:WE MADE IT PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE FOR
Speaker:PEOPLE TO LAUGH WITH ONE ANOTHER.
Speaker:WE NEVER PUT ANYONE ON THE SPOT.
Speaker:WE WERE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND IT
Speaker:JUST HELPED PEOPLE GET MORE COMFORTABLE IN
Speaker:THEIR SKIN AT THE SAME TIME THOUGH.
Speaker:THIS RAISES AN INTERESTING POINT TO
Speaker:THE WHOLE TRAINING IDEA IS WE'RE NOT
Speaker:TALKING ABOUT.
Speaker:AND I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS CLEAR
Speaker:TOO. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT NECESSARILY TRANSPLANTING
Speaker:SOMEBODY'S PERSONALITY,
Speaker:RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO I THINK BE CLEAR
Speaker:THAT NO, WE'RE NOT,
Speaker:WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRY AND CHANGE FUNDAMENTALLY
Speaker:WHO YOU ARE.
Speaker:WE'RE JUST GOING TO TRY TO BRING OUT
Speaker:THE BEST OF YOU AND GIVE YOU SOME TOOLS.
Speaker:AND EVEN IF IT'S CONVERSATION FRAMEWORKS THAT
Speaker:ARE GOING TO MAKE YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE
Speaker:WHEN YOU SIT DOWN WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES,
Speaker:MAYBE THAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU ENGAGE
Speaker:AT A MORE AUTHENTIC,
Speaker:REAL LEVEL WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES.
Speaker:SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT JUST,
Speaker:JUST HELPING YOU GROW INTO YOUR TRUE
Speaker:SELF BUT NOT THE FUNDING YOU.
Speaker:AND, AND,
Speaker:AND THAT'S THE THING BECAUSE THAT,
Speaker:THAT WOULD BE FAR FROM AUTHENTICITY CHANGING
Speaker:SOMEONE ELSE,
Speaker:RIGHT? AND,
Speaker:AND SO I THINK THIS IDEA OF WHAT YOU
Speaker:TALKED ABOUT WITH GOING SLOW IN THE
Speaker:COMFORT LEVEL AND KIND OF THAT THAT PIECE
Speaker:AND IT IS REALLY THE CULTURE OF THAT
Speaker:TRAINING IS KIND OF ALMOST THAT THAT
Speaker:SIDE OF IT,
Speaker:RIGHT? SO WHEN COMPANIES UM CAN FEEL
Speaker:UH COMFORTABLE SPREADING THEIR WINGS A
Speaker:LITTLE BIT,
Speaker:I THINK YOU,
Speaker:YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE DOING THAT,
Speaker:RIGHT? AND,
Speaker:AND I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE SHIFT THEIR BEHAVIORS,
Speaker:I'VE SEEN LEADERS SHIFT THEIR BEHAVIORS DRAMATICALLY
Speaker:WHEN THEY'VE JUST LOOKED INWARD,
Speaker:DONE SOME,
Speaker:SOME WORK ON THEMSELVES IN TERMS OF
Speaker:SELF-AWARENESS AND THINKING ABOUT THEIR
Speaker:LEADERSHIP STYLES AND ARE THEY REALLY APPROACHABLE?
Speaker:THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING ACCESSIBLE
Speaker:AND BEING APPROACHABLE?
Speaker:RIGHT. SO ARE THEY AS OPEN AS THEY NEED
Speaker:TO BE TO HAVE RICHER CONVERSATIONS SO
Speaker:THAT EMPLOYEES CAN COME TO THEM WITH
Speaker:THEIR CONCERNS,
Speaker:WITH THEIR OUTRAGEOUS IDEAS,
Speaker:WITH THEIR REALLY DIFFICULT QUESTIONS?
Speaker:YOU HAVE TO AS A LEADER CREATE THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL
Speaker:SAFETY TO ALLOW FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
Speaker:AND SO I'VE,
Speaker:I'VE COME ACROSS LEADERS.
Speaker:ONE OF MY FAVORITE EXAMPLES IS A LEADER
Speaker:WHO I INTERVIEWED MANY YEARS AGO,
Speaker:A CEO OF A COMPANY.
Speaker:AND HE ADMITTED TO ME,
Speaker:HE SAID, YOU KNOW,
Speaker:I'M, I'M ACTUALLY SHY,
Speaker:I'M A SHY PERSON AND I'M AN INTROVERT AND
Speaker:THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
Speaker:BUT HE WAS SAYING,
Speaker:NO, I'M,
Speaker:I'M BOTH,
Speaker:I'M SHY AND AN INTROVERT YET.
Speaker:I'VE REALIZED THAT AS CEO OF A COMPANY
Speaker:AND THE KIND OF CULTURE WE WANT TO
Speaker:BUILD HERE,
Speaker:I CAN'T HIDE BEHIND THOSE NATURAL PERSONALITY
Speaker:TENDENCIES BECAUSE I STILL WANT TO
Speaker:CREATE THIS VERY FUN,
Speaker:OPEN AUTHENTIC CULTURE WHERE PEOPLE ARE
Speaker:ALLOWED TO BE THEMSELVES.
Speaker:SO I NEED TO KIND OF FORCE MYSELF TO
Speaker:GET OUT OF MY OWN COMFORT ZONE SOMETIMES TO,
Speaker:TO SEND THAT MESSAGE TO CONVEY THAT MESSAGE
Speaker:OF AUTHENTICITY AND FUN.
Speaker:AND HE'S DONE VERY WELL.
Speaker:I MEAN, HE SHOWED UP AT MIDNIGHT ON
Speaker:A CALL CENTER FLOOR ONCE WEARING A
Speaker:MATADOR COSTUME ON ROLLER BLADES TO
Speaker:CHECK IN WITH CALL CENTER EMPLOYEES.
Speaker:THAT'S PRETTY GOOD,
Speaker:I WOULD SAY FOR A SHY INTROVERT.
Speaker:YES. YES.
Speaker:UM YEAH, THAT'S UH BEING WHO YOU,
Speaker:WHO YOUR AUDIENCE OR YOUR EMPLOYEES NEED
Speaker:YOU TO BE,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:IN A, IN A SENSE IT,
Speaker:BUT STILL BEING YOURSELF,
Speaker:I GUESS. YEAH,
Speaker:IT'S AN INTERESTING BALANCE,
Speaker:ISN'T IT?
Speaker:YEAH. YEAH.
Speaker:SO, SO LET'S TALK BRIEFLY HERE ABOUT,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:WORK FROM HOME CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS
Speaker:POST COVID WORLD.
Speaker:I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE CAN SAY POST
Speaker:COVID WORLD,
Speaker:BUT LIKE,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:WHATEVER IS THE,
Speaker:THE NEW THING,
Speaker:WE'RE KIND OF POST PRE PRE POST,
Speaker:POST. YEAH,
Speaker:I DON'T KNOW,
Speaker:PRE, PRE POST TO POST.
Speaker:YEAH, THERE YOU GO.
Speaker:WHAT, WHAT DO YOU SEE COMING DOWN THE
Speaker:PIPE IN TERMS OF,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:HOW WE ARE GOING TO NAVIGATE IN THIS
Speaker:NEW, YOU KNOW,
Speaker:WORLD AND,
Speaker:AND KIND OF,
Speaker:I DON'T KNOW,
Speaker:EMBRACING THIS,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:I, I DEFINITELY SEE THIS KIND OF UM
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:PEOPLE EMBRACING,
Speaker:HEY, WE, WE HAVE FAMILIES,
Speaker:WE HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN AT HOME.
Speaker:THIS IS THE REALITY.
Speaker:LIKE I SEE THAT OF MORE,
Speaker:MUCH MORE ACCEPTANCE OF THAT,
Speaker:ESPECIALLY,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:ON THE VIRTUAL SIDE.
Speaker:WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?
Speaker:UH MIKE. YEAH,
Speaker:SIMILAR. I,
Speaker:I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF LESSONS THE
Speaker:LAST FEW YEARS AND TALKING ABOUT JUST
Speaker:THE VIRTUAL WORLD TO START.
Speaker:WE, WE ALL HAD THOSE STORIES AT THE
Speaker:START OF THIS,
Speaker:ESPECIALLY WHERE PEOPLE WERE SHARING STORIES
Speaker:OF MAYBE DISASTERS OF WHAT WAS BEING SHARED,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:BEHIND THE CAMERA,
Speaker:LIKE THE SPOUSE COMING OUT OF THE SHOWER,
Speaker:UH BECAUSE YOU FORGOT TO CLOSE THE DOOR
Speaker:OR THE KIDS AND DOGS BARKING OR COMING
Speaker:INTO THE ROOM AND,
Speaker:AND THAT'S INTERESTING THAT,
Speaker:RIGHT, BECAUSE AGAIN,
Speaker:THAT WAS,
Speaker:THERE WAS SUCH A DEBATE EARLY ON AND
Speaker:I THINK TO SOME POINT THERE STILL IS
Speaker:THIS DEBATE BETWEEN PROFESSIONALISM VERSUS
Speaker:AUTHENTICITY WHERE SOME PEOPLE,
Speaker:I STILL HEAR PEOPLE SAY,
Speaker:WELL, IT'S NOT VERY PROFESSIONAL TO
Speaker:HAVE A, HAVE A CAT COME IN AND WALK ACROSS
Speaker:YOUR DESK DURING A ZOOM MEETING LIKE
Speaker:WE'RE IN AN IMPORTANT ZOOM MEETING HERE
Speaker:AND THEIR CAT CAME ACROSS FOR GOODNESS SAKE.
Speaker:IT WAS SOMEWHAT PROFESSIONAL AND THEN
Speaker:OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING,
Speaker:OH, COME ON,
Speaker:GIVE ME A BREAK.
Speaker:IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE CAT.
Speaker:AND IN FACT,
Speaker:LET'S TAKE A LITTLE TIME OUT AND INTRODUCE
Speaker:THE CAT TO THE TEAM MEMBERS HERE.
Speaker:RIGHT. SO,
Speaker:WE'VE GOT TO MEET PEOPLE'S FAMILIES SOMETIMES
Speaker:THROUGH THIS,
Speaker:THEY'RE DOGS,
Speaker:THEY'RE CATS,
Speaker:WE SEE MORE OF THE REAL SELF.
Speaker:SO I THINK IN SOME WAYS IT'S,
Speaker:IT'S HELPED UH BRIDGE THAT AUTHENTIC PROFESSIONAL
Speaker:GAP IF YOU WILL.
Speaker:RIGHT. SO,
Speaker:SO THERE'S BEEN THAT ASPECT OF IT.
Speaker:ONE THING WE'VE CERTAINLY,
Speaker:I THINK THAT I'VE SEEN THAT WE'VE ALL
Speaker:LEARNED IS UH AND,
Speaker:AND THIS HAS BEEN BORNE OUT IN SO MANY
Speaker:SURVEYS AND SO MUCH RESEARCH IN THE
Speaker:LAST TWO YEARS THAT CULTURE MATTERS NOW,
Speaker:MORE THAN EVER,
Speaker:WORKPLACE CULTURE MATTERS WAY MORE THAN
Speaker:EVER. AND WE KNOW THAT AS ORGANIZATIONS ARE
Speaker:TRANSITIONING BACK TO SOME SORT OF
Speaker:HYBRID MIX IN THE FUTURE OR BACK INTO
Speaker:THEIR OFFICE,
Speaker:THEY HAVE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THEIR CULTURE.
Speaker:WE KNOW SO MANY EMPLOYEES,
Speaker:RIGHT? WHO HAVE MADE THAT TOUGH CHOICE,
Speaker:THAT TOUGH DECISION TO SAY,
Speaker:YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS.
Speaker:THIS IS KIND OF,
Speaker:THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME
Speaker:THAT I DON'T ENJOY WHAT I'M DOING FOR
Speaker:A LIVING ANYMORE.
Speaker:I DON'T WANNA GO BACK ON THE RAT RACE.
Speaker:I DON'T WANT TO COMMUTE AN HOUR AND
Speaker:A HALF EACH WAY TO WORK SO I'M GONNA
Speaker:LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB OR MY SPOUSE AND
Speaker:I HAVE TALKED AND WE,
Speaker:WE'VE REALIZED,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:WE CAN DO WITH JUST ONE SALARY,
Speaker:WE'RE GONNA LIVE A SIMPLER LIFESTYLE OR
Speaker:WE'RE GONNA EVEN MOVE.
Speaker:RIGHT? SO ORGANIZATIONS NEED LIKE NEVER
Speaker:BEFORE TO STEP UP AND BE EXTRA INTENTIONAL ABOUT
Speaker:THEIR CULTURE.
Speaker:TO ME, THAT'S THE KEY WORD,
Speaker:INTENTIONAL,
Speaker:EXTRA, INTENTIONAL ABOUT THEIR CULTURE,
Speaker:INTENTIONAL ABOUT THEIR LEADERSHIP,
Speaker:INTENTIONAL ABOUT BUILDING TRUST IN
Speaker:THE WORKPLACE MATTERS.
Speaker:NOW, MORE THAN EVER.
Speaker:SO AGAIN,
Speaker:IT GOES BACK TO THAT IDEA OF AUTHENTIC.
Speaker:I THINK IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT TO
Speaker:HAVE THOSE REAL HONEST CONVERSATIONS WITH
Speaker:YOUR EMPLOYEES ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT,
Speaker:WHAT THEIR HOPES,
Speaker:THEIR DREAMS,
Speaker:THEIR GOALS ARE AND TO HIT THE RESET BUTTON
Speaker:AND TO READ,
Speaker:THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO
Speaker:REIMAGINE A MORE INSPIRING ROCKING WORKPLACE.
Speaker:YEAH. YEAH.
Speaker:AND, AND I'M GONNA PULL OUT THIS QUOTE
Speaker:THAT WE, WE TALKED ABOUT AUTHENTICITY IS
Speaker:A NEW CURRENCY THAT WAS WRITTEN IN
Speaker:2014. SO,
Speaker:I MEAN, IT'S UH IT'S NOT AS NEW,
Speaker:BUT IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT CURRENCY,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:FROM WHAT,
Speaker:FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING UH MAKING THAT
Speaker:SHIFT BECAUSE RETENTION IS SO HARD,
Speaker:RIGHT? THE GREAT RESIGNATION AND THAT'S
Speaker:WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
Speaker:ABSOLUTELY.
Speaker:YEAH. SO,
Speaker:SO AGAIN,
Speaker:JUST BEING EXTRA INTENTIONAL ABOUT CHECKING
Speaker:IN WITH ONE ANOTHER,
Speaker:UH EXTRA INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE BUILD
Speaker:RELATIONSHIPS,
Speaker:BUILD TRUST ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE ALL
Speaker:OF THAT HAS BECOME SO SO IMPORTANT NOW,
Speaker:SO IF WE WERE TO SUM UP AND,
Speaker:AND AGAIN,
Speaker:I WENT INTO IT THINKING THEY WERE MORE
Speaker:IMPOSING.
Speaker:YOU. YOU'VE WON ME OVER TO THIS IDEA
Speaker:THAT THEY BOTH ARE TRUST RELATED IN
Speaker:A WAY, RIGHT?
Speaker:BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE PROFESSIONALISM OF
Speaker:THE EXPECTATIONS.
Speaker:UM, AUTHENTICITY IS KNOWING THAT WHAT
Speaker:YOU SEE IS ACTUALLY WHAT YOU'RE GETTING
Speaker:IN TERMS OF THE CONGRUENCE,
Speaker:RIGHT? UM AND,
Speaker:AND MAN, I,
Speaker:I WAS GONNA SUM UP,
Speaker:BUT I JUST THOUGHT OF ANOTHER POINT THAT,
Speaker:THAT I WANT TO BRING UP.
Speaker:UM I THINK AGAIN,
Speaker:WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BUTTONED UP
Speaker:PROFESSIONALISM THING,
Speaker:I THINK THAT THAT IDEA,
Speaker:THAT NOTION UM CAN SOMETIMES BECAUSE WE
Speaker:ARE UM MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS THAT
Speaker:ARE FOR THE CONTEXT,
Speaker:RIGHT? THAT THAT CAN BE BORING,
Speaker:RIGHT? AND,
Speaker:AND THEN THAT THERE'S KIND OF SOMETIMES GOING
Speaker:OUT, OUT OF THAT BOX,
Speaker:GETTING OUT OF THAT BOX A LITTLE BIT
Speaker:IS SO REFRESHING THAT IT'S KIND OF
Speaker:LIKE, OH,
Speaker:I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT.
Speaker:THAT'S INTERESTING,
Speaker:RIGHT? AS THE,
Speaker:AS THE PATTERN INTERRUPTIVE OF WHATEVER INTERACTION
Speaker:THAT IS. AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT
Speaker:IS REAL ABOUT THAT PERSON,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:I THINK IT REALLY CREATES A CONNECTION,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:IT'S ABOUT CONFOUNDING OUR EXPECTATIONS,
Speaker:RIGHT? IF YOU GO IN AND MEET WITH UH
Speaker:A PROFESSIONAL,
Speaker:WHAT WOULD TRADITIONALLY BE CONSIDERED A
Speaker:VERY CONSERVATIVE,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:BUTTONED UP KIND OF JOB,
Speaker:A LAWYER SAY,
Speaker:OR A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT PLANNER.
Speaker:BUT THE PERSON JUST COMES ACROSS TOTALLY
Speaker:DIFFERENT THAN ANYONE ELSE.
Speaker:YOU'VE MET WITH BUT IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY
Speaker:STILL. YEAH,
Speaker:I THINK THAT'S GONNA HAVE A HUGE IMPACT.
Speaker:RIGHT. THEY'RE,
Speaker:THEY'RE GONNA STAND OUT FROM THE HERD
Speaker:TO BE HEARD.
Speaker:YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA,
Speaker:IN FACT, PROBABLY TRUST THEM EVEN MORE
Speaker:AND YOU'RE GONNA THINK.
Speaker:WOW, THIS IS SO,
Speaker:THIS IS SO REFRESHING TO SIT DOWN WITH
Speaker:SOMEBODY IN YOUR FIELD WHO'S,
Speaker:WHO'S, WHO'S LIKE THIS.
Speaker:IT'S AWESOME.
Speaker:YEAH. IT,
Speaker:IT MAKES ME THINK OF THE PEOPLE WHO
Speaker:SHARE KIND OF A UNIQUE HOBBY ABOUT THEMSELVES
Speaker:WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR PRESENTATION OR
Speaker:SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
Speaker:AND YOU'RE LIKE,
Speaker:OH, THAT IS LIKE YOU ALL AUTOMATICALLY NOW
Speaker:THINK ABOUT THAT PERSON DIFFERENTLY,
Speaker:RIGHT? AS OPPOSED TO JUST STAY TO THE
Speaker:SCRIPT AND YOU KNOW THAT.
Speaker:AND THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT ANDERS BECAUSE
Speaker:THAT IS SO TRUE.
Speaker:THAT'S WHY I THINK WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THE
Speaker:IMPORTANCE OF FUN EVENTS AT WORK,
Speaker:SOCIAL EVENTS,
Speaker:THE, THE,
Speaker:SOME OF THE EVEN GOOFY THINGS WE DO
Speaker:THAT SOME PEOPLE MIGHT DISCOUNT AS
Speaker:BEING FRIVOLOUS.
Speaker:WHAT I REMIND PEOPLE OF IS,
Speaker:IS, YOU KNOW,
Speaker:WHERE ELSE DO WE BUILD TRUST?
Speaker:WE HAVE TO GET TO KNOW PEOPLE BEYOND THEIR
Speaker:JOB TITLES.
Speaker:AND SO WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE'S FAMILY
Speaker:LIVES, ABOUT THEIR,
Speaker:WHEN YOU MEET THEM WITH THEIR CHILDREN FOR
Speaker:THE FIRST TIME,
Speaker:YOU SEE THEM THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS,
Speaker:YOU SEE THEM AS A FATHER,
Speaker:A MOTHER,
Speaker:YOU, YOU,
Speaker:YOU LEARN ABOUT THEIR HOBBIES AND YOU,
Speaker:YOU THINK,
Speaker:OH MY GOD,
Speaker:I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR 12 YEARS.
Speaker:I NEVER KNEW YOU GO SKYDIVING EVERY WEEKEND.
Speaker:THAT'S JUST CRAZY.
Speaker:AND YOU LOOK AT THAT PERSON IN A DIFFERENT
Speaker:WAY AND I JUST THINK,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:HOW ELSE DO WE BUILD TRUST UNLESS WE
Speaker:GET TO REALLY KNOW EACH OTHER AT A
Speaker:MORE PERSONAL LEVEL.
Speaker:YEAH. YEAH.
Speaker:AND, AND THAT'S,
Speaker:THAT'S HOW WE BUILD CONNECTIONS IS
Speaker:THROUGH, THROUGH,
Speaker:THROUGH UNDERSTANDING THEIR COMMONALITIES AND
Speaker:THE, AND EVEN NONCOM.
Speaker:BUT JUST THAT ARE COOL TO KNOW.
Speaker:RIGHT. EXACTLY.
Speaker:RIGHT. RIGHT.
Speaker:AND AGAIN,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:I HAVE TO MAKE A PLUG FOR IT BECAUSE OF
Speaker:MY BOOK, THE HUMOR ADVANTAGE HUMOR HELPS
Speaker:A LOT WITH THIS.
Speaker:WHEN YOU CREATE A,
Speaker:A WORKPLACE,
Speaker:A MEETING THAT IS FULL OF HUMOR THAT
Speaker:IS FULL OF LAUGH AFTER WE KNOW FROM SO
Speaker:MUCH RESEARCH THAT PEOPLE TEND TO OPEN
Speaker:UP MORE, THEY'RE,
Speaker:THEY'RE MORE HONEST,
Speaker:THEY'RE MORE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE BECAUSE
Speaker:IT CREATES THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFE SPACE
Speaker:TO JUST BE YOURSELF.
Speaker:AND AS A LEADER,
Speaker:IF YOU CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR
Speaker:SENSE OF HUMOR IN A SAFE WAY,
Speaker:IF YOU CAN POKE FUN AT YOURSELF,
Speaker:IF YOU CAN TAKE YOURSELF A LITTLE LESS
Speaker:SERIOUSLY,
Speaker:THAT'S GOING TO CREATE THAT,
Speaker:THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL,
Speaker:SAFE SPACE FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
Speaker:IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND,
Speaker:AND FOR PEOPLE TO JUST THINK ABOUT HOW
Speaker:THEIR HUMOR IS GOING TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE
Speaker:FEEL AROUND THEM IS SO IMPORTANT.
Speaker:YEAH. WELL,
Speaker:THANK YOU,
Speaker:MIKE. I, I,
Speaker:I PUT UP YOUR WEBSITE JUST BECAUSE,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR BOOK.
Speaker:SO, HUMOR IN THE WORKPLACE,
Speaker:JERK FREE,
Speaker:THE JERK FREE WORKPLACE AS WELL.
Speaker:YES. THE NEWEST ONE.
Speaker:THERE'S YOUR WEBSITE.
Speaker:IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN AND,
Speaker:AND BY SOON TO BE,
Speaker:LIKE, IN MAYBE 10 DAYS,
Speaker:A TOTALLY NEW WEBSITE.
Speaker:OK. SO, YEAH,
Speaker:SO COME BACK IN 10 DAYS,
Speaker:WRITE DOWN THE WEBSITE AND THEN COME
Speaker:BACK IN 10 DAYS.
Speaker:UM, VERY COOL.
Speaker:HEY, UH, I THANK YOU FOR,
Speaker:FOR BEING HERE AND HELPING US EXPLORE UM,
Speaker:THIS TOPIC.
Speaker:I JUST THINK IT'S FASCINATING JUST BECAUSE
Speaker:THERE'S SO MANY KIND OF CROSSOVERS AND
Speaker:THINGS. YEAH,
Speaker:IT'S, IT'S JUST KIND OF LIKE,
Speaker:AND, UM, AND,
Speaker:AND IT'S HELPING ME RESOLVE IT TOO
Speaker:AS, AS I TEACH TEAMS BECAUSE IT DID
Speaker:FEEL LIKE I WAS KIND OF SAYING,
Speaker:OK, WE WANT TO,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:PLAY DOWN THIS AND PLAY UP THIS AND
Speaker:YET, RIGHT?
Speaker:LIKE WHAT?
Speaker:SO IT'S ALL GOOD.
Speaker:UH THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Speaker:UM WELL, MAYBE PERHAPS WE'LL DO IT
Speaker:AGAIN. I,
Speaker:I FEEL LIKE WE'RE A LITTLE BIT,
Speaker:UH THIS IS REAL CANADIAN REFERENCE BUT
Speaker:BOB AND DOUG MACKENZIE WHERE IT'S LIKE,
Speaker:OK, NEW TOPIC,
Speaker:YOU KNOW,
Speaker:LIKE I GOT A TOPIC FOR THE SHOW PUT
Speaker:ON OUR TOO.
Speaker:WE, I WOULD LOVE TO WEAR A TUK WITH YOU.
Speaker:I CRACK OPEN A CAN OF BEER.
Speaker:THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
Speaker:I THINK THAT COULD BECOME A THING THAT
Speaker:WOULD BE AMAZING.
Speaker:SO, SO TO JUST WRAP UP THIS TOPIC THEN?
Speaker:ANDERS, I THINK I I PERHAPS LEAVE THE
Speaker:LAST WORDS TO THE,
Speaker:THE, THE BRILLIANT OSCAR WILDE WHO ONCE
Speaker:SAID, BE YOURSELF.
Speaker:EVERYONE ELSE IS TAKEN.
Speaker:THAT'S PRETTY GOOD ADVICE.
Speaker:I THINK IT IS.
Speaker:ALL RIGHT.
Speaker:WE'LL END IT ON THAT.
Speaker:THANKS AGAIN.