I’m excited to share my conversation with Dr. Todd Dewett in Episode 57 of the Impact Makers Podcast!

I met Dr. Dewett several years ago, when I was just getting my start as a professional speaker, and we both shared the stage at a regional conference.

At that time, he was a successful university professor teaching leadership and innovation to MBA students – but he didn’t look or sound like most of the professors that I’d come across in my academic career. Big, tall, bald, and covered in tattoos had never greeted me when I walked into a classroom in school.

So, of course I was intrigued to hear what this guy had to say about leadership, and I was not disappointed. With a fresh perspective, an authentic message, and some great stories, he captivated the audience, and inspired people to be bold, and think differently.

Since that time, we’ve become friends, and I’ve continued to learn from him over the years as he wrote books, left the academic world to pursue a career as a full-time speaker, and became one of LinkedIn Learning’s most popular trainers.

Now, with his unique brand of edgy leadership, Dr. Todd Dewett is a best-selling author, one of the most in-demand leadership keynote speakers in the world, and he’s motivated millions to perform at higher levels, and lead with true authenticity.

His latest book is called Live Hard, and it’s a collection of twenty inspiring stories packed with advice about living life more fully.

I think you’ll find Todd’s frank advice and unique perspective refreshing, and I’m sure you’ll get some great takeaways from our conversation.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• What prompted Dr. Dewett to leave the corporate world to pursue a PhD in Organizational Behavior, and then leave a great job as a university professor to become a full-time author, speaker, and trainer.
• Interesting and creative ways that Dr. Dewett encouraged students to embrace discomfort in order to open themselves up to creativity and innovation.
• Dr. Dewett’s advice for living a more authentic life.
• What happens when we don’t push ourselves to be more authentic with others and take principled risks.
• Two things Dr. Dewett recommends to avoid plateauing in your life and career in your 20’s and 30’s.
• What Dr. Dewett thinks we all need to get serious about in 2021 and beyond to ensure career and life success – even those who feel secure in their current job.
• Dr. Dewett’s best advice for living hard, embracing the future, and creating success.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 57

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“No growth ever happens until you get uncomfortable, and you certainly can’t develop a team to care about creativity, innovation, and change until they become moderately okay with discomfort. That’s just the nature of learning.” ~ @Dr. Todd Dewett

“We know that breaking routines behaviorally breaks mental routines, and really does improve perspectives and increase creativity. So that’s all I’m essentially trying to do is to get people uncomfortable and out of routines in the classroom, because it does tend to enhance learning – at least in the areas where I’m teaching.” ~ @Dr. Todd Dewett

“You’ve got to stop censoring – as much. We over censor because we have a sensitivity to norms.” ~ @Dr. Todd Dewett

“You have to accept that people will not always universally love you. Stop trying to maximize how much people like you. Because, it turns out, happiness isn’t about maximizing how much everyone likes you. It’s about building a tribe of people that are similar-ish in values and interests, because then, liking each other is freaking easy.” ~ @Dr. Todd Dewett

“You are never universally loved. Your brand is a unique search for people that get it, not an expenditure of energy about those who don’t get it. And that is okay. If you can accept that, then the nebulous thing called authenticity is within your reach.” ~ @Dr. Todd Dewett

“Where are you going to try? Stop saying it’s not the right time. There’s never a perfect time.” ~ @Dr. Todd Dewett

“Life is very very short. What in the heck are you so scared of? Try, fail, learn, try again, and you are very likely to have lived a life that makes you content, and you got the most out of it you possibly could.” ~ @Dr. Todd Dewett

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Dr. Todd Dewett website

LIVE HARD: Thoughts on Living Fearlessly, Creating Success, and Embracing the Future by Todd Dewett, PhD

Show Your Ink: Stories About Leadership and Life by Todd Dewett, PhD

Find Dr. Todd Dewett’s blog, newsletter, books, online courses, social media profiles, and more

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

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When I think about people in my life who have truly had an impact on me, and have changed my life for the better, it’s a relatively small list. And my guest on Episode 56 of the Impact Makers Podcast – Mike Sipple, Jr. – is most definitely on that list, along with his father, Mike Sipple, Sr.

After leaving my last corporate job as an HR executive in late 2005, I knew I wanted to pursue a different path – and maybe even start my own business.

Thankfully, with the help of a great coach (who also happened to work in the firm owned by the Sipples), I was able to get some great advice by networking with a whole bunch of people who were much smarter than me.

Pretty much all of them didn’t feel that I was ready to start my own business, and many of them suggested that I find an organization where I could learn from someone who’d be willing to teach me how to develop the relationships necessary to grow my own business some day.

I’ll always believe that there was a bit of divine intervention in my situation at that time, and that it wasn’t an accident that I ended up connecting with the good folks at Centennial.

After speaking with Mike’s dad – Mike Sipple, Sr. – he was kind enough to offer me a chance to join their well-respected executive search firm. He was willing to show me how to build relationships, and to develop business, if I was willing to do the work.

So I joined Centennial in early 2006, with the goal of learning from Mike Sr. – which I most certainly did. But there was also an added bonus with joining the Centennial team. I got to know, and work with Mike Sipple, Jr. as well. Mike was about 20 years younger than me, but already a powerhouse relationship builder, and doing great work as an executive search consultant for a variety of clients in our region, and beyond.

If you’d like to hear more about that story, and the Sipple’s influence in my life, I shared about it on Episode 7 – titled How I Became a Speaker and Entrepreneur. I’ll link to that episode in the show notes if you’ve not had a chance to listen to that yet.

I think you’ll benefit from learning more about Mike today, and I’d highly encourage you to follow him, as well as the work that his teams are doing. So without further ado, let me introduce you to my friend and mentor Mike Sipple, Jr.

Mike is President of the third-generation boutique executive search firm Centennial, Inc. and Co-Founder and CEO of the global leadership platform and consultancy, Talent Magnet Institute®.

As an advisor, writer, and public speaker on holistic leadership, inclusive and equitable workplaces, and how organizations can become a “talent magnet,” Mike has supported leaders from all over the world for more than two decades in hiring the right talent, building inclusive and equitable teams, and developing holistic leaders who care about the impact of their leadership.

As the host of the Talent Magnet Institute podcast, Mike shares conversations each week with leaders from around the world, with a focus on equipping leaders to succeed in relationships, work, community, and life.

Mike is married to his high school sweetheart, has three children, 13, 11, and 9, and both a Goldendoodle and Shih-tzu, who were both COVID-19 puppies, added over the last year of a global pandemic. Most evenings and weekends, Mike and his wife Amber can be found cheering for their kids at a basketball court, or a baseball field, or creating conversations with the global community on social media.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• How and when Mike got his start working in the family executive search business.
• What Mike’s Dad has taught him as a business leader, husband, and father.
• How listening to Centennial, Inc.’s customers has helped to shape the company’s focus and future, which is leadership succession, and building high performance teams.
• How executive search consultants begin the search for the right candidate for a position, and how leaders can position themselves to be found
• The best career advice that I’ve learned from Mike.
• How the Talent Magnet Institute came into existence, and what the purpose of the organization is.
• How Mike manages the many requests and inquiries from people both in his network, and those who are interested in connecting with him.
• What the future holds for Mike, his businesses, and his community of relationships.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 56

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“Relationships are borderless.” ~ Mike Sipple, Jr.

“Stop trying to hope another leader swoops in to change the world. YOU are the leader. You are the one who can do it.” ~ Mike Sipple, Jr.

“If you layer value adds around you, there’s other beautiful bouquets of flowers people can pick up. They don’t need one from you directly.” ~ Mike Sipple, Jr.

“At the end of the day, we’re put on this earth, hopefully we have one life we can impact. You know, I use the quote often by Jackie Robinson – ‘A life is not important, except for the impact it has on others.’” ~ Mike Sipple, Jr.

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Mike Sipple, Jr.

Connect with Mike on most social platforms or through links at https://www.mikesipplejr.com

Centennial, Inc.

Talent Magnet Institute

Talent Magnet Institute podcast

Mike Sipple, Sr.

Susan Sipple

Goering Center for Family & Private Business

HR Social Hour Half Hour podcast

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 007 – How I Became a Speaker and Entrepreneur

Here are some awesome free resources to support you in leading well -> https://www.talentmagnetinstitute.com/resources

The team at Talent Magnet would also like to offer the Impact Makers community a 30-day $1 trial to become a talent magnet – 

https://www.talentmagnetinstitute.com/trial

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Since it’s a new year, I’m already hard at work on achieving the goals that I set for myself, and my businesses in 2021. And one of my goals this year is to read 24 books.

Thankfully, I’ve got some good friends who are helping to fill my reading list with books that they’ve written, which were set for January 2021 release dates!

I spoke with my best friend Laurie Ruettimann about her new book, Betting On You, which released a couple of weeks ago in Episode 53 of the podcast, and in this episode, I’m chatting with my friend Lars Schmidt about his new book – Redefining HR – which releases worldwide on January 26, 2021.

I really enjoyed my conversation with Lars, and he has a great grasp on how leaders in all areas – not just human resources – should approach building strong and capable organizations through implementing modern people practices.

Lars Schmidt is the Founder and Principal of Amplify – a firm that helps progressive people leaders and companies navigate the future of work.

Long interested in emerging work trends, tech, and people practices, his curiosity fueled a career that has afforded him the privilege of solving complex talent challenges for some of the biggest brands in their respective fields including NPR, Ticketmaster, SpaceX, Duo Security, and Hootsuite. He’s always been drawn to HR leaders who operate at the leading edges of the field, who embrace 21st Century HR, and who are redefining people practices through their vision, experience, and approach.

Lars has long worked to accelerate the evolution of Human Resources’ capabilities and impact through efforts like co-founding the HR Open Source initiative, by contributing regular columns for Fast Company and Forbes, and also writing books, including Employer Branding for Dummies in 2017, and his latest book – Redefining HR, which will release worldwide on January 26, 2021.

Redefining HR provides a framework for leaders to build modern and world-class people teams, enabling them to create people-centric organizations that lead to long-term success.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• Lars’ transition from recruiting leader, to employer branding expert, to HR and People Operations community leader and curator.
• How Lars and Ambrosia Vertesi applied the Open Source concept to create a platform for HR leaders to share case studies, templates, and learnings to accelerate innovation.
• How curation of resources, experts, and the work of others can be an important part of building credibility, and a personal brand.
• 7 communities Lars suggests where HR and people leaders can get learning and development opportunities.
• 5 visionary leaders in the HR and people space Lars suggests that others follow and learn from.
• 3 skills that Lars believes modern people leaders need to master or develop in 2021 and beyond.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 55

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“To me, one of the most significant changes in the field of HR over the last 5 years is our evolution from black box, to open source. That’s the single most important enabler of the shift from legacy HR to modern HR.” ~ Lars Schmidt

“I think, in legacy HR, your role was based upon having HR acumen. Modern HR is based on having business acumen AND HR acumen. HR acumen is table stakes. You have to understand how to do x, y, or z  depending upon what your job is, but you have to understand how that connects to the business, how that supports the business, how is that going to enable to the business to achieve its goals.” ~ Lars Schmidt

“Don’t limit yourself to HR resources and communities. Especially if you’re in a leadership role – you need to sharpen your business acumen. So whether that’s other forums – like Harvard Business Review or The Economist – or other platforms and publications that aren’t necessarily looking at things purely from an insular HR perspective, but more of a broader business perspective. You’ve got to be plugged into those other networks as well.” ~ Lars Schmidt

“Find some of the leading thinkers in the space, and absorb not just their own content, but find out who they are reading, where they are learning from, and where they’re getting their ideas from.”  ~ Lars Schmidt

“If we’re not diversifying our sources, if we’re not diversifying the perspectives and the voices that we’re taking in, our outlook is going to have deep blind spots. You do need to be intentional and deliberate about diversifying the voices that are informing our perspective on the field.” ~ Lars Schmidt

“For leaders, your value to your organization, to your employees, to your company – it’s not just the knowledge that you have, it’s the knowledge that you have access too.” ~ Lars Schmidt

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Amplify Talent

Redefining HR

Book -> Redefining HR: Transforming People Teams to Drive Business Performance by Lars Schmidt

Podcast -> Redefining HR

Newsletter / Blog  -> Redefining HR

Book -> Employer Branding for Dummies by Richard Mosley and Lars Schmidt

Lars Schmidt LinkedIn

Lars Schmidt Twitter

Lars Schmidt articles on Fast Company

People Geeks – a Culture Amp community

Workhuman

HR Open Source Community

Hacking HR

DisruptHR

Google Rework 

Bersin Academy

Redefining HR Episode 37 – Reddit VP People & Culture, Katelin Holloway

Redefining HR Episode 40 – Spotify CHRO, Katarina Berg

Redefining HR Episode 28 – VaynerMedia Chief Heart Officer, Claude Silver

Erin L. Thomas, PhD – Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging and Talent Acquisition at Upwork

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

One of the best things about the work that I do is that I have the opportunity to connect with so many talented people doing great things to make the world of work – and the world – better for us all in the future.

Early last year, while looking to expand my network of leaders with diversity and inclusion expertise, I reached out to my network and asked a simple question – “Who should I know that does great work in this area?”

What followed were over 90 recommendations, and I was able to make some great new connections, have some great conversations, and add to my list of potential referral partners in the future.

The first person who responded to my question was Daniel Chait, the CEO & co-founder of Greenhouse, an HR tech company that helps organizations become great at hiring.

Daniel was quick to recommend that I connect with one of his mentees – Ariel Lopez.

Ariel followed up with me shortly thereafter, and suggested that we connect briefly to get to know each other better. I enjoyed chatting with her so much, that I made introductions for her to a couple of leaders in my network as well, not because she or they had any specific need at the time, but because I could see that Ariel is someone who is making things happen, and I felt that they needed to know more about her and her work as well.

Which brings us to where we are today, where I’m also introducing Ariel to many of you. Pro tip: that’s how effective networking, relationship building, and follow up works, and you’ll hear more about how Ariel values that process in our conversation today.

So, without further adieu, let me introduce you to Ariel Lopez – a career coach, entrepreneur, and public speaker with an expertise in digital media and technology. Ariel is the Founder and CEO of Knac, a platform that provides recruiters with a more efficient tool for screening applicants, managing their pipeline, and ensuring that they don’t miss out on great talent.

With over a decade of recruiting experience, Ariel has had the privilege of helping some of the biggest brands in the world to build great teams, and as a career coach, she’s worked with thousands of marketing, advertising, and tech professionals to help them grow in their careers and find lucrative opportunities.

Passionate about the future of work and making the job search more humane, Ariel’s ultimate goal is to help people to find career happiness, and to live their best lives.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• Why Ariel loved coaching people in their career journey, and how that experience set her on the journey to helping people to find jobs that they’re passionate about, and care for.
• Ariel’s recommendation for people interested in finding a career that they love.
• The importance of resilience and confidence for reaching career goals.
• How identifying your leverageable skills can help you take charge of your career, and make wise choices.
• Ariel’s tips for networking and building relationships during COVID times.
• The importance of figuring out your values, and the pillars that you will focus on and speak to as a thought leader.
• What inspired Ariel to start a company focused on helping candidates to break through barriers and gain access to opportunities.
• The trait that most Founders need in order to keep pressing ahead on any Founder’s journey.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 54

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“Keep the why strong. If your why is strong, you’ll be flexible with the how.” ~ Ariel Lopez

“Take your ego out of it. That’s very helpful in knowing that it’s not about you. Anything that happens in your journey that doesn’t work out, ultimately wasn’t meant for you.” ~ Ariel Lopez

“Figuring out what your leverageable skills are is probably one of the things that most professionals don’t know how to do well. You have to review your experience and your background, and figure out what skills are transferable into the new job that you want. The funny thing is that you probably have more transferable skills than you think.” ~ Ariel Lopez

“You’re going to have great conversations, and people are going to say no. You’re going to have great conversations, and people are going to say, this sounds cool, but I can’t do anything right now. And, you can’t take that personally, You have to accept it as ‘this is a no for right now, but that doesn’t mean a no forever.’ Having that approach to some of the people in our network has been life changing.” ~ Ariel Lopez

“Network you ass off is always my piece of advice — and trust the process.” ~ Ariel Lopez

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Ariel Lopez

Ariel Lopez LinkedIn

Ariel Lopez Twitter

Knac

Knac on Twitter

Knac on LinkedIn

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

I’m coming in hot into 2021 with Episode number 53 of the Impact Makers podcast!

Seriously.

I’m ready to emerge from my 2020 coronavirus induced cocoon, and to make great things happen in my world, and for you in this shiny and promising new year. And I can think of no better way to kick off the year, than with my BFF, Laurie Ruettimann.

Laurie is back as a guest on the podcast to chat about her first traditionally published book – Betting On You – which will be released on January 12, 2021.

And that’s truly a big deal.

In Episode 002 of the Impact Makers podcast, I shared a little bit about how I originally found Laurie online through one of her early blogs – Teambuilding Is For Suckers. She wrote every day about work, life and cats – among other things – and even though I didn’t always agree with her, or share some of her views, her writing style was totally engaging, and she always had an informed point of view that made me think.

Over the last 15+ years, she’s evolved online from the anonymous voice behind the Teambuilding Is For Suckers blog, to being the pixie of the apocalypse who penned the wildly popular Punk Rock HR blog, and then the successful blogger who blew everything up to rebrand, and become The Cynical Girl for awhile.

A few years ago, she took all of her great writing and talents over to her own online domain – laurieruettiman.com – and resurrected Punk Rock HR as the name of her popular weekly podcast.

And while she’s become my best friend over the last 11 years, I’m also her biggest Fan. She’s simply one of the best writers out there, and can always be counted on to share frank, informed – and sometimes contrary to popular opinions – career and life advice, which is what is needed in a world where many of the so-called career experts sound very much the same.

It’s always been a personal dream of Laurie’s to write a book, and to have it published by a traditional publishing house, and she’s finally made that dream come true. Her book – Betting On You: How To Put Yourself First And (Finally) Take Control Of Your Career – will be published and released by Henry Holt & Co on January 12, 2021.

So, of course, we needed to talk about this moment in time, and what it took to accomplish this major life goal. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m so glad that Laurie pushed through the challenges, did the hard work, and has reached the point where the book will go from a dream to reality next week.

In this episode, Laurie will share a couple of the career and life stories that are included in the book, and she’ll also unpack the framework she proposes for fixing work by fixing yourself – which includes focusing on self leadership, well-being, continuous learning, and risk taking.

I’m so proud of my friend. And I’m really proud of this book.

I’ve read an advance copy, have pre-ordered a hardback version, and will also purchase the audio book. I hope that you’ll buy at least one copy too, and will connect with Laurie to continue to follow her journey, as well as learn from her in the future.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• The steps Laurie took in the long process of selling her book proposal for Betting On You, and ultimately signing with a major publisher.
• The project plan that Laurie and her team created to ensure that the book was written, and delivered on time.
• The role that her husband, and a bottle of tequila, played in the receipt of the long awaited initially proposed book cover for Betting On You.
• The framework for fixing work by fixing yourself: self leadership, well-being, continuous learning, and risk taking.
• What the buyer of Betting On You is going to get – a fresh take on the world of work, and also life. Also, good stories, well told.
• The role that punk rock singer Courtney Love played in Laurie deciding to put herself first, and reclaim her life.
• Why everybody good gets fired at least once – and the lessons that can be learned in that process.
• How using the pre-mortem process can help you approach your life and career more effectively.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 53

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“You fix work by fixing yourself. People really get sick and tired of me saying that. I don’t care. I’m going to say it until I die. You fix work by fixing yourself. When you look at your employer for the answer, you’re never going to be satisfied. When you look for your HR lady to swoop in and solve a problem, even if she nails it, it’s never going to feel good. Because most of the problems we have at work reflect the problems we have in our own personal lives. I’ve never dealt with someone who was chronically late at work that didn’t have something going on in their personal life that was driving some of those attendance issues. For me to just sit there and blather on about an attendance policy was a failed way to solve that problem. We had to drive in deeper. And it’s not just attendance. It’s attention, it’s attitude, it’s engagement. All of this doesn’t start at work, it starts at home. That’s what I believe.” ~ Laurie Ruettimann

“Your worth is not your work.” ~ Laurie Ruettimann

“If you’ve been fired, know that you’re in really great company. But beyond that, know that it’s not the defining moment of your life – or it doesn’t have to be.” ~ Laurie Ruettimann

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Order your copy of Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your Career by Laurie Ruettimann

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 002    – The Thriving Contrarian with Laurie Ruettimann

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 036    – The Random Show — Conversations with My BFF Laurie Ruettimann

Laurie Ruettimann Website

Laurie Ruettimann books

Betting On You Book Resources

Laurie’s LinkedIn Learning courses on Self-Leadership & Managing Conflict

Punk Rock HR podcast with Laurie Ruettimann

Danny Ozment / Emerald City Productions

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

Blake Mycosckie / Madefor

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

My guest today is a senior executive at Workhuman®, a company that helps forward-thinking organizations energize their cultures, unlock their employees’ passion and potential, and unite around a shared purpose. I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Workhuman® team for over 5 years now, both attending and speaking at their amazing and unique Workhuman Live annual Conference.

Each year, the conference is kicked off by the colorfully and impeccably dressed Derek Irvine, who is Workhuman’s Senior Vice President of Client Strategy and Consulting. Derek is one of the world’s foremost experts on social recognition, continuous performance management, engagement, and the future of work, and he’s passionate about helping business leaders to elevate their vision and ambitions for their company culture.

Derek is also a renowned speaker and co-author of three books, including “Winning with a Culture of Recognition”, “The Power of Thanks”, and the latest – Making Work Human: How Human-Centered Companies are Changing the Future of Work and the World, which he co-authored along with the CEO of Workhuman, Eric Mosley. Their book is full of practical strategies based upon wide-ranging research, extensive data and analysis, and real-world case studies, and also covers how weaving the three pillars of THANK, TALK, and CELEBRATE into the daily lives of employees can reinforce an organization’s purpose, improve productivity, and even magnify the social impact of the business.

Derek always shares a ton of great wisdom and advice in his keynotes and books, and I think you’ll really enjoy this conversation. You’ll also come away with some practical action steps that you can take to create a more human-centered workplace for the people that you lead and serve.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• What the research shows, and the argument for why human connection makes a tremendous difference for businesses.
• Is it possible for high-achieving and results focused cultures to achieve results while focusing on human connection?
• What the Workhuman Charter of Workplace Rights is, and how it can help organizations to progress faster.
• Three powerful words that bring humanity forward in the workplace – Thank, Talk, and Celebrate.
• How technology can help organizations to create more human centered workplaces.
• The difference between meaning and purpose at work.
• The role that gratitude plays in motivating employees to do their best work.
• Why expressing gratitude is more effective than saying “thank you”.
• Three actions that leaders can take to create a more human-centered workplace.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 52

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“When you achieve human connection in the workplace, it’s everything. In fact, it’s the number one thing that humans who come to work are looking for. A connection to not only the other people that they work with, but also a connection to the purpose for the company. Because when you get a connection to the purpose of the company, it builds your personal meaning for what you’re doing. And that unleashes this virtuous circle that’s good for everybody involved.” ~ Derek Irvine

“True human-centric cultures embrace our differences, allow more variety of thought and behavior, and that in itself is what creates the virtuous circle of feeling like you work in a more human workplace, where people can really bring their whole selves to the workplace.” ~ Derek Irvine

“Purpose is something that is shared across the wider organization, whereas meaning is what it comes down to for me personally.” ~ Derek Irvine

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Workhuman

Workhuman Live Conference

Making Work Human: How Human-Centered Companies are Changing the Future of Work and the World by Eric Mosley and Derek Irvine

Brené Brown

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

My guest on Episode 51 of the Impact Makers podcast is Jennifer Ingram.

Jennifer is the Founder and CEO of Calibrated Lens LLC,where she specializes in helping organizations to enhance their performance, productivity, and brand presence by centering equity and inclusion.

Jennifer has previously served as the first Vice President of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, which is the sixth largest United Way in the nation, and has also led DE&I  strategies at two nationally ranked academic medical centers – The Mayo Clinic and Henry Ford Health System.

She’s passionate about her work, and describes herself as an Equity & Inclusion Evangelist.

I think you’ll learn a lot from the fresh perspectives she shares in this episode.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• What Jennifer learned by being a member of a Diversity and Inclusion committee back in elementary school, and how those experiences still impact her today.
• How diversity should be an outcome of our work, instead of the driver of it.
• Why the head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion should be a member of the executive team, reporting into the CEO.
• The importance of clarifying how diversity programs have changed as a result of introducing equity into the equation.
• What does equity look like from a strategic perspective?
• Where many organizations miss the mark when trying to improve their diversity recruiting efforts.
• Creative approaches to establishing equity programs in your organization.
• How we’ve created a false sense of inclusion within organizations, and perpetuated that with diversity and inclusion programs.
• Is it possible for a white person to be the head of diversity and inclusion?
• Thoughts on incentivizing DE&I efforts for leaders of organizations.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 51

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“If you have a head of D&I that is not a member of the executive team, you’re missing the mark. Not to say that you can’t do good work, but it  won’t be as deeply impactful at achieving some of those desired outcomes as it could be.” ~ Jennifer Ingram

“What does equity look like from a strategic perspective? Diversity is happening, inclusion in intentional, equity is deliberate. It’s taking a deliberate look at your systems and understanding where you may be producing disparity.” ~ Jennifer Ingram

“Equity work is deliberate. It won’t just happen.” ~ Jennifer Ingram

“Folks love to say that diverse teams outperform more homogeneous teams. That’s not true. Well-managed diverse teams outperform teams that lack diversity.” ~ Jennifer Ingram

“Oftentimes we confuse the goal of reaching this kumbaya state, it’s not. The desire is not always to change everyone’s beliefs. That’s not success. It’s teaching how to be mutually respectful of differences and understanding and seeing and valuing those differences in others, and understanding that those are the things that make us better – not everyone singing from the same hymn book of sorts.” ~ Jennifer Ingram

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Calibrated Lens LLC

Jennifer Ingram LinkedIn

Navigating Uncertainty and Unrest in 2020 by Jennifer Ingram

RESOURCE GUIDE: Exploring Differences, Reducing Harm, Evolving Strategies

Mishawn Styles

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

If you’re a regular listener of the podcast, you’ve heard me talk with several previous guests that I first connected with back in the somewhat golden days of blogging, and the beginnings of social networks like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Although I’m not sure how I originally came across my guest on this episode, I know that I was a regular reader of her very popular blog called Brass Tack Thinking during that time frame.

Through great writing and a relatable voice, she shared experiences, practical advice, and marketing expertise, that was extremely helpful to me, and thousands of others, in building a personal brand, and in building a business that connected with those that I wanted to serve.

Then, one day in January 2010, she wrote a blog post that was titled – “The Equestrian’s Guide to Reaching Your Goals” – and as a fellow adult amateur equestrian, I loved how she linked lessons she had learned from horseback riding to setting foundational goals for the next year.

That was it. We were destined to be the best of friends. Or, at least virtual horse buddies.

To this day, we love sharing, commenting and liking pictures of our horsey adventures online, and I hope we’ll actually get to meet at a horse show or an industry conference or event sometime in the future.

But, since that doesn’t look like it will be able to happen any time soon, I thought that asking her to join me on the podcast would be fun, but also really valuable for both me and you. She’s still doing great work, and continues to share her thoughts and ideas freely in order to help others.

Amber Naslund is a 20-year veteran marketer, and in that time she’s worked with some of the biggest companies, the freshest startups, and everything in between.

In her current role as a senior consultant at LinkedIn, she advises top global clients on their digital content marketing strategies, and their overall approach to using LinkedIn, while on a mission to prove that companies can build compelling, authoritative B2B brands without being dull.

Amber is also the co-author of the best-selling social media handbook The Now Revolution, and when she’s not working on her next book, article, or industry talk, she’s restoring her brain cells on horseback, or spending time with her kid (who’s also an accomplished equestrian already), and her rescue dogs.

In this episode, Amber and I chat about what it was like for her to go from industry darling, to best selling author, to failed entrepreneur, and what she discovered about herself in that journey that helped her to rebuild her confidence, and fuel her success today.

We also talk about what it takes to build a strong and authentic personal brand and platform in today’s noisy world, as well as what to consider when balancing a strong personal brand with a high profile corporate career.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• What an entrepreneurial failure taught Amber about herself, and how it set her up for future success.
• What it’s like being a woman out front in the tech industry sharing your ideas.
• Advice for someone who asks how they can build a loyal following online.
• Amber’s thoughts on whether it’s necessary to be on all of the online platforms if you’re trying to build your personal brand.
• The difference between being authentic and being genuine, and why it’s important for personal brands.
• Why Amber is comfortable talking online about sensitive topics like mental health, imposter syndrome, and failures in business.
• Amber’s journey toward understanding imposter syndrome, and how she’s come to view it as a normal, and real, part of the process.
• How sharing your own vulnerabilities can be helpful with addressing imposter syndrome, and foster trust with your community.
• 3 tips for those who are interesting becoming thought leaders.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 50

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“Being a thought leader isn’t the goal, it’s the result. So, every “thought leader” started as a nobody that no one had ever heard of, that didn’t have an audience. That stuff comes with your willingness to show up first, and put more into the community than you’re asking to take out. So make all of the deposits up front, share the knowledge, be generous, be effusive with how much you’re willing to put in, and the results come. But it has to go in that order.” ~ Amber Naslund

“When we feel seen, and we feel that sense of belonging to something that is bigger than us, but still imperfect, it’s okay for us to be imperfect. That’s an incredibly relieving, reenforcing and validating feeling as humans, and we could all use a little bit more of that right now.” ~ Amber Naslund

“The world doesn’t have your point of view, so there’s really no harm in seeing what you can add that’s unique, even if the conversation itself is not.” ~ Amber Naslund

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Amber Naslund

Amber Naslund LinkedIn

Amber Naslund Twitter

The NOW Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter and More Social by Jay Baer and Amber Naslund

Laurie Ruettiman

Tim Sackett

William Tincup

Brené Brown

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 049 – Discovering the Hidden Forces That Drive You to Do Your Best Work With Todd Henry

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

On Episode 49 of the Impact Makers Podcast, I’m speaking with someone that I admire and respect, and whom I’ve learned a great deal from over the past 10 years through his podcast, his books, and also by sometimes sharing stages with him speaking at conferences and events around the world.

Todd Henry positions himself as an “arms dealer for the creative revolution”, and he teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance.

He’s the author of five books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, and the latest – The Motivation Code), and he speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work.

Todd is also the host of The Accidental Creative podcast, where he offers weekly tips for how to stay prolific, brilliant, and healthy, and it’s been downloaded over 10 million times.

When I saw that he was releasing his latest book – his fifth – in early October, I immediately bought a copy to keep my streak going of having read all of his books, and I also reached out to ask if he would join me on the podcast to share more about it with you. I was thrilled when he said yes right away, and I think you’ll enjoy learning more about his books, as well as how you can do the best work of your life.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• How starting a podcast in 2005 as a fun side project and creative outlet led unexpectedly to a book deal with a major publisher, and invitations to speak at events all over the world.
• Why persistence is the key to success at work and in life.
• What a 5-time published author who hates the writing process loves about writing books.
• How to structure your life in a way that you’re going to produce great work.
• How to avoid the seven forces that disrupt your ability to produce work you can be proud of.
• The five key elements needed when putting your work into the world to ensure it will resonate with people.
• The leadership framework necessary to lead highly creative people, and to provide the stability and challenge they need to thrive.
• How identifying your core motivators can help you understand what drives you, and also how you can mitigate any of their negative effects.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 49

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“Part of the key to life and to success is that success comes in layers, and it’s just showing up over and over and over and over and over. Because you might show up today and get rejected, and then six months later you show up to the exact same person but the circumstances have changed, and you’re the greatest thing in the history of the world. All of a sudden, now you’re exactly what they’re looking for.” ~ Todd Henry

“For me, my love of the writing process has little to do with the actual writing, and more to do with the fact that it introduces the opportunity for me to put ideas out into the world in the way that they’re accessible to people.” ~ Todd Henry

“Every motivation is a gift. We should not feel guilty for the way that we’re motivated.” ~ Todd Henry

“Motivation is the base layer for everything else we do. If we understand what drives us, so much of our other behavior is explainable and we can mitigate so many of the negative effects of our actions.” ~ Todd Henry

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Todd Henry

Todd Henry LinkedIn

Todd Henry Twitter

Todd Henry Facebook

The Accidental Creative podcast

The Motivation Code / The Motivation Code Assessment

The Motivation Code: Discover the Hidden Forces That Drive Your Best Work by Todd Henry, Rod Penner, Todd W. Hall, and Joshua Miller

Herding Tigers: Be the Leader That Creative People Need by Todd Henry

Louder than Words: Harness the Power of Your Authentic Voice by Todd Henry

Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day by Todd Henry

The Accidental Creative: How to Be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice by Todd Henry

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

With the Impact Makers Podcast, my goal is to inspire you to identify ways that you can make a difference at work and in life — either through providing education on a topic to increase your influence, clarify your message, or lead with greater impact, or to bring you conversations with interesting guests who are doing just that.

In Episode 48, I’m chatting with someone who not only inspires me, but who often pushes me to think bigger, and to think differently, and to take action.

My friend Kate Bischoff is a mom, a former US Foreign Service worker, an employment lawyer, a social justice warrior, and an avid adventurer.

Whether she’s working with clients, doing a free webinar on the latest rules and regulations affecting the workplace, or providing manager training, she brings an educated, experienced, and often witty perspective towards bringing about her goal of making both the workplace, and the world, better for all.

Kate has an incredibly positive outlook about life, accompanied by a thirst for adventure. After listening to this episode, I hope that you’ll be inspired to think about your own life, and how you can find meaningful ways to do work that you love, while living life on your own terms.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

• How joining the foreign service on a whim resulted in Kate working as the Head of Human Resources for the Consulate General in Jerusalem and the US Embassy in Zambia.
• What inspired Kate to become a lawyer, and to ultimately focus on making workplaces and the world better places.
• Kate’s advice for how we can all add more adventure to our lives.
• How the #MeToo movement, the global pandemic, and recent social unrest has impacted the work that Kate does, as well as the workplace.
• What and why Kate is planning for her next travel adventure to Antarctica.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 48

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“Well, my life is kind of like that, you know, I’ve practiced in big management side firms, I’ve practiced in small firms, I’ve started my own business. My whole life has kind of been – I don’t set a goal for where I’m going to be in five years, I want to see how much adventure I can have in the next five years. I just sat and discussed dates for when I’m going to go to Antarctica hopefully next February, and that’s kind of what my life has been. I have this passion of trying to make workplaces and the world better, but I need to have adventure too and fun. And so I try to seize on those opportunities as they come.” ~ Kate Bischoff

“There’s no good reason not to be helping people when you have the time and the resources to do it.” ~ Kate Bischoff

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Kate Bischoff LinkedIn

Kate Bischoff Twitter

tHRive Law & Consulting

Hostile Work Environment Podcast

Marc Alifanz

Hostile Work EnvironmentPodcast S2E4 – The Poop Rails Come Off

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker