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Higher Purpose Podcast 106: Starting Over on Purpose
Kevin Monroe talks with Maryann Kerr, a consultant, and longtime listener and the Unofficial Sponsor of the Gratitude Challenge. They discuss gratitude, the cost of toxicity in the workplace, and how to have a purpose-powered reboot.
Listen to the full episode
Gratitude
Steve is grateful for Maryann and asks her to share why he dubbed her the Unofficial Sponsor of the Gratitude Challenge. Maryann explains that it was of the little thing she did by tagging Steve Foran in a post that Kevin had written on LinkedIn. Both men connected from that post which led to their collaboration. Kevin commented that a lot of the things we do are simple, but can be so significant. Actions do not have to be big to have significance.
What is Wrong With Me?
Maryann posted on LinkedIn about how she had been fired 3 times in the last 9 years. She says that she asked herself, why does this keep happening to me? What is wrong with me? The post generated lots of feedback, with many people telling her thanks because they could relate to what she wrote. She realized she wasn't showing the same kindness and compassion to herself that she showed to a complete stranger.
Shed the Guilt
Kevin says that fear holds a lot of us back from starting over, mainly because of our responsibilities. The purpose of this podcast, Kevin says, is to help people feel free to start over, and to help them shed the guilt of doing so. Maryann adds that the most important questions to ask yourself are Who am I, What am I meant to do, and What might I have to give up to live my purpose?
Starting Over With Purpose
Maryann’s purpose is bigger than herself: there are too many unhappy people in the workplace and her ‘empathy gene’ compels her to do something about it. She comments that if you want to lead your life, nothing is more important than knowing yourself really well. Come at life from a position of strength, knowing what you're good at and what other people whom you admire, say they like about you. Build on your strengths just like elite athletes do. They focus most of their efforts on honing their strengths.
Toxicity at Work Causes Illness
Kevin states that the stress and anxiety at work is the leading cause of chronic disease in North America. Maryann quotes the statistics of toxicity in the workplace and the impact it has on people’s lives. She concludes that if governments are trying to create more productive countries and companies, they could do so by investing in creating kinder, more collaborative, productive workplaces.
How to Have a Purpose-Powered Reboot
Maryann outlines the three steps to take to give yourself a purpose-powered reboot, and shares some stories about how they can work for you.
There may be things we have to give up, but what we are getting in exchange for those tradeoffs is of far more value than what we are giving up. Energy that is directed from purpose is transformative. If you want to have a purpose-powered reboot Maryann advises you to be brave, be kind to yourself, and embrace the support of the people you love and trust the most. Most of all be grateful: if you can step back and look at all the things you're grateful for, it will remind you that you are living in an abundant place and that the world is full of hope and possibility and that we're all here to help one another.
Resources
The Power of Gratitude by Steve Foran
It’s The Manager by Jim Clifton
Higher Purpose Podcast 105: Gratitude is a Way of Life
This week Steve Foran is back on the Higher Purpose Podcast to talk with Kevin about one of their mutual favorite topics - gratitude. They debrief the 10-day gratitude challenges, and the impact they’ve had on people’s lives, and go on to talk about the greater impact of gratitude, and why it’s so critical in this day and age.
Listen to the full episode:
Debriefing the Gratitude Challenge
The hypothesis was that in ten days we could move people from 0-10 in terms of surviving and thriving. The gratitude challenge was 10 days of emails to help people improve their gratitude. The hypothesis was proven right - the needle moved for many, many people, as proven by an avalanche of messages talking about the real, meaningful changes in their lives. The average self-reported change people experienced was a 46% improvement in how they felt. Steve points out that as more people take the challenge, this kind of data, and what it represents could be massively impactful.
What Happens When You Invite Gratitude In?
Steve talks about some of the physical, neurological changes that happen when you’re focusing and prioritizing on gratitude. When stress is one of the leading causes of disease and unhappiness, gratitude is a simple, effective and accessible antidote to the chemicals caused by stress. The hormones that stress causes cannot be produced at the same time as the hormones caused by gratitude. Kevin talks about reading the Abundance Loop, which talks about how negative outcomes have happened when decisions are made on fear. The fix for that is, you guessed it - gratitude. Steve points out that we can be tempted to dismiss the power of gratitude because it is so simple.
Gratitude is Critical
The average North American has the highest quality of life in recorded history. But happiness is not keeping up with the external indicators of happiness and comfort. Steve thinks that the negative is so easy to see, and humans have a tendency to notice and amplify the negative much more than the positive. Kevin and Steve talk about one particular challenge, and how the idea of turning lemons into lemonade can be a useful tool.
Breakthroughs
Kevin had breakthroughs in gratitude and outlook - even as the host of the challenge! Gratitude is the gateway to improvements in all areas of your life. Steve compares it to brushing your teeth. It’s something to do every day. It shouldn’t be rote, and the 10-day challenges are a way to keep your gratitude practice fresh and engaging. Steve asks Kevin to talk a little bit about the change in outlook he had during the challenge. Ultimately, Kevin doesn’t believe they found the gratitude challenge - the challenge found them. Like most things in life, gratitude is better together than alone.
A Grateful Community
The third gratitude challenge - new and improved! - is starting on August 12th. It is the foundation for an extraordinary life. Steve reminds the listeners that even if you’ve taken the first or second challenge - take the third one. There is always something more to learn and experience.
Kevin recalls the line from Steve’s book: “You are worthy and you have much to be grateful for.” Steve talks about what this means, and the way you can use the idea to keep yourself from living in the survival zone. We can all thrive.
Resources
The Power of Gratitue with Steve Foran
Higher Purpose Podcast 104: Exploring Forgiveness
When Anthony Thompson was 7 years old, God spoke to him and said: “you’re going to be a preacher.” He heard from God throughout his life, and his work as a man of the cloth, and again in the summer of 2015 when his wife, Myra Thompson, was murdered by a white supremacist while she was at church. Forgiveness is a pillar of many religions, but practitioners often find it easier to talk about than to put into practice. This is not the case for Pastor Anthony Thompson. In this episode of the Higher Purpose Podcast, he shares with us how God helped him to forgive the perpetrator, and feel peace again.
Listen to the full episode
The Lightness of Forgiveness
Kevin shares a quotation from Called to Forgive, and Anthony talks about how forgiveness is a journey that ultimately, is about the person doing the forgiving, and heals their life along the way. There are different aspects of forgiveness, and Anthony explains what they are, and how they are involved in the process. Forgiveness is a decision that you make.
Incurring a Debt
When you harm someone, Anthony believes you incur a debt. In the case of the murderer, the debt is in the form of multiple life sentences. Paying your debt is different than repentance, and Anthony explores the theological process of forgiveness, debt, and repentance. This process doesn’t necessitate a response to forgiveness, as satisfying as it might be - but it’s important to remember that forgiveness is for the person who was harmed, not the person who caused it. It releases the control the offender has over the victim.
When is Reconciliation the Goal?
Not every event that requires forgiveness gets a reconciliation, and that can be challenging, especially when it’s close to home. Kevin and Anthony discuss how to manage those situations and the feelings that arise because of it. “Forgive and Forget” is a saying that may not mean exactly what people think it means. Forgetting, in this context means not hating, and not taking revenge, but doesn’t mean losing the memory of what happened, or working to prevent it from happening again.
The Consequences of Unforgiveness
Anthony talks about the physical, mental and spiritual consequences of not forgiving those who have harmed you. The impacts of forgiveness and unforgiveness are not just personal, it affects communities, cities and whole countries. The response of the people of Charleston in 2015 was forgiveness, and that allowed them to begin healing. Kevin points out that when we have been wronged, we often want to take things into our own hands, and Anthony talks about what happens when you choose to put it into the hands of God.
The act of unforgiveness, or not forgiving, is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
Remembering
Anthony shares what the community does each year as a memorial for the victims of the shooting. There are several purposes to these memorials: to honor and remember the victims, to connect with members of the community and other denominations, and to work together towards racial reconciliation and repentance.
Anthony and Kevin close the conversation with a reiteration of the power of genuine forgiveness and the benefits of making the choice to do so.
Resources
Victims of the Charleston Shooting:
- Clementa C. Pinckney
- Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd
- Susie Jackson
- Ethel Lee Lance
- DePayne Middleton-Doctor
- Tywanza Sanders
- Rev Daniel L. Simmons Sr
- Sharonda Coleman-Singleton
- Myra Thompson
Rest in Power.
Higher Purpose Podcast 103: The Problems with Purpose
You know Kevin as a Purpose Guy (or Guide) - that’s what this show is about, after all, but today he talks about how sometimes the pursuit of purpose isn’t actually all that easy. His pursuit of purpose often means plowing through or persevering through problems. Sometimes many. This episode is all about helping you navigate through the maze of purpose. All of these problems and their solutions can be useful in your personal life - but the main focus is going to be how purpose applies to business.
Listen to the full episode:
The Bottleneck Problem - there are all sorts of different shapes of bottles - but the neck is always at the top. Similarly, with purpose in businesses, the problem is at the top - people perceive purpose as the privilege of the few rather than the many. Often, many employees in an organization feel disconnected from it, and it is the opposite of how it should be. When every person in an organization has a purpose, they are mobilized in many ways.
The World Peace Problem - or the beauty pageant problem. If you have to look at the entire world and all the problems in it - thinking about how to move forward is paralyzing. The problems are so big, and the pursuit of purpose within that is so grandiose. We want to make our purpose granular, and actionable. Kevin shares some strategies on how to make purpose closer and more personal.
The Plaque Problem - when purpose is enshrined on the walls, but never seen in the halls. You see this when company discussions of purpose are all about PR, and not about actions. This filters down to how team members think about purpose. Kevin talks about the worst version of this - purpose-washing. Purpose should permeate the environment, and be a part of every day’s activities, rather than just the marketing departments.
The Megaphone Problem - this is when purpose is more talk than walk, something we've all seen, unfortunately. The solution is to start *doing* it before you start telling people about it. Put your plans into action, and then talk to people about how they’re experiencing it.
The Rainbow Problem - you see this problem come up when purpose is seen only as a dream, and not a reality, or something you can see in the abstract - but isn’t tangible. This is hard for people to connect with individually - it seems like something impossible to achieve. Kevin talks about how you can bring purpose into the day-to-day by breaking it down into something more actionable.
The (Jackson) Pollock Problem - when purpose is too abstract and open to different interpretations in your organization. Kevin points out that while everyone should have their own understanding of purpose when it’s too abstract, people can’t work towards the same goal. Put purpose into practice, instead.
The Marshmallow Problem - when purpose comes up at special occasions - but has no impact on the rest of the year. Purpose needs to be substantive and transformative - the main course rather than the appetizer.
Kevin talks about how these problems, when taken together, can make purpose something that gets eye-rolls and lip-service rather than the immensely powerful tool it is. There are concrete ways for your organization to use and take advantage of purpose, and when purpose permeates your organization, everything you’re trying to achieve becomes possible.
Right now Kevin is available to work with a select number of organizations as a Strategic Purpose Partner and Advisor, to help them identify, experience and enjoy the results that are possible. Call 678-744-5111, or email Kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com to put purpose to work in your organization.
Resources TheGratitudeChallenge.Community
Higher Purpose Podcast 102: Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
Everyone has had those moments where you have that feeling that everyone else has it all together, and you’re the only one who is completely paralyzed. Hopefully, you know that’s not true, and today, Kevin speaks with Kimberley Davis and Dr. Melissa Hughes, two women who deal with - and work beyond, the impostor syndrome.
Listen to the full episode
The Irony of Impostor Syndrome
More often than not, it is the people who are the most accomplished who suffer from impostor syndrome the most. Melissa talks about how high achievers aren’t always good at reaching out and asking for help. Kimberley agrees and talks about the steps that she’s taking to combat that hesitance to get involved in projects with others and collaborate professionally. That instinct to do it alone is a self-preservation instinct - but one that often backfires.
The Inner Critic
Melissa and Kimberley discuss what the impostor syndrome means to them: sometimes it’s when your inner critic takes over your confidence, sometimes it's about other people’s expectations - or what you think they are. Kimberley makes a powerful statement about giving yourself the right to do what you do, and take up the space you need. Melissa adds that it’s important to share what you’ve done and what you’ve learned without being afraid you’re speaking out of turn, or that you’re not ‘expert’ enough. When you chart your own path, you’ll often be faced with the impostor syndrome.
The Importance of Trust
Trust is a huge and critical part of the human experience. Melissa points out how important having trust for others is when it comes to achieving your goals. Kevin adds that the listeners to this episode are also being entrusted with this kind of vulnerability. Our early experiences can have a huge impact on our ability to trust, our bravery, and our confidence. They often supply the sound and tone of those inner voices that tell us we’re not good enough. Kimberley shares some challenges and experiences she has encountered when talking about her background, and what they have taught her about standing up for herself.
We’re Wired to Connect
Creating a Humans First culture makes a huge difference because it increases the sense of belonging we need to take risks and achieve great things. This matters at the organizational level, but on the personal level, we can’t afford to wait until we're in a fantastic culture - we need to take individual action to feel confident in ourselves. Melissa, Kimberley and Kevin discuss different strategies you can use to defeat your impostor syndrome.
Authenticity and Seeking Truth
It’s important to be aware of the impact you have on others and the world - how you show up and how you treat people matters. All too often, someone who is ‘just being honest’ may be telling the truth, but they’re often not being kind or helpful or supportive. None of us can control how other people will respond or react to us, and not having that control leads to impostor syndrome. Melissa points out that we often wouldn’t speak to others the way we speak to ourselves - and why not? Kimberley talks about faith, and the impact it can have on impostor syndrome.
The Jam Session ends with some final thoughts and reflections on impostor syndrome, connecting with others, and being mindful of the impact that we have on the world. One of the biggest fears leaders have is being exposed as an impostor - these feelings plague everyone on the path of achievement - and there is something validating about knowing you aren’t alone.
Resources
Kimberley Davis | onstageleadership.com | Dr. Melissa Hughes | Brave Leadership
Higher Purpose Podcast 101: The Power of Gratitude
In this week’s episode of the Higher Purpose Podcast, Kevin Monroe speaks with Steve Foran. This episode is one that Kevin has been looking forward to - and it’s actually been saved specifically for this week. The next hundred episodes of the Higher Purpose Podcast are going to be grounded in gratitude - and this conversation is going to begin that.
Steve Foran is a gratitude guide. He has a background in electrical engineering and an MBA - but had a revelation that led him to pursue gratitude as a full-time career. He’s written a book called Surviving to Thriving, and Steve talks about how it came to be, after banging around in his head for several years. Kevin notes that the book ended up cracking him wide open, and helped him solidify his goal of making gratitude his focus for the next 100 episodes of the show.
Listen to the full episode
The Hierarchy of Leadership
Steve talks about the 4 primary points on the leadership spectrum. Underlying them all is Influence.
- Surviving is drudgery.
- Striving is hard work.
- Arriving is a good place to be.
- Thriving is where life is like a playground.
Kevin and Steve discuss where you end up spending most of your time because it has a huge impact on how you feel, and what you’re able to accomplish. In other words: when the sh*t hits the fan - lean into gratitude!
One of the unrelenting forces pulling us back down the hierarchy is negative attribution bias - Steve discusses what they are, and the kinds of impacts they have on us physiologically and emotionally. Kevin notes that this is a good reason to keep your gratitude practice consistent!
You Are Worthy and You Have Much to be Grateful For
Gratitude has a profound way of touching each of our lives, and Steve couples it with the concept of worthiness. When you hold onto the belief that you are worthy - the opportunities to thrive and succeed open up for you. Many of us, deep down, don’t feel as if we are - but Steve (and Kevin!) both fundamentally believe that we are - every one of us.
The Benefits of Gratitude
More and more studies are finding there are physical benefits to expressing gratitude. Kevin asks Steve what the implications of gratitude are in business. Steve talks about increases in collaboration, empathy, successful/positive conflict and a general improvement in morale and profitability. It can be as simple as beginning meetings by asking everyone what they are grateful for.
The Gratitude Challenge
As Kevin was preparing this show, he was thinking about creating a short gratitude challenge - Steve’s immediate response was: Yes! The gratitude challenge is open for registration now - so whether or not you’ve had a regular formal gratitude practice, or you’re an old hand - Kevin and Steve invite you to go to Thegratitudechallenge.community. This is a 10-day challenge, with a daily email that will help you think about gratitude that day. Over the course of 10 days, Kevin and Steve both believe you could experience a major change in your life. If you don’t feel like you have a huge amount to be grateful for - this challenge could change that for you.
Kevin reminds us that gratitude may not immediately change anything about the situation, but it changes us and how we perceive and experience the situation. Steve adds that it’s easy to get complacent in your gratitude practice - and this challenge can be a way to re-invigorate it.
Resources
Use the discount code: Higher Purpose Podcast for $5.00CAD off the price of the book.
Higher Purpose Podcast 100: Waves and Ripples
The Higher Purpose Podcast has reached its 100th episode. Now, that's a cause for celebration. And to mark this significant milestone, we will be hearing from guests all around the world about their experience with our fellow host Kevin Monroe, or their feedback on the podcast. Sit back, and enjoy!
Listen to the full episode
Always Count your Blessings
Kevin asks his audience, what is it they are grateful for? On his end, he proceeds by enumerating everything – and everyone – he is grateful for in his life, ranging from his children and grand-children that offer him humorous coffee mugs for Father's Day, to his encouraging wife Gwen who always believes in him, without leaving out a heartfelt tribute to his parents who he considers to be his heroes – his Mother, which he describes as a faithful servant who taught him humility, and his Father, who modeled authenticity and was the most comfortable-being-himself person Kevin has ever known.
Heroes -- Mentors -- Encouragers -- Allies
Listen to Kevin speak more about his early mentors in the very first episode of the Higher Purpose Podcast - Welcome to the Higher Purpose Podcast
Dick Gourley from Northern California says he looks up to Kevin's leadership and pursuit of a Higher Purpose life.
Some of the other people Kevin would like to express gratitude for are:
Mentors
Allies
Christy Kern and Megan and Audra from One Stone Creative
Mike Vacanti, says it was an honor to be invited on one of the episodes, and how the friendships that have been created between the people that have connected him to Kevin, and Kevin to other people constitute a beautiful journey.
And of course - every guest who has been on the show - and every listener!
Humans First Heroes
Sesil Pir from Zurich loves listening to the podcast because she believes humanity is facing a crisis of leadership, and she loves being able to connect with people who are sitting with deep existential questions.
Many Ways to Celebrate
There are so many possible ways to celebrate the 100th episode of a podcast or any show for that matter. First off, Kevin explains how the 100th-episode-milestone is always a 'big deal' in business, simply because it is a reminder of success – and how many (most, even) podcasts don't get to make it that far. What are some of the ways other podcasters have celebrated their 100th mark? Kevin shares a few such as highlights, navel-gazing – some kind of introspective look on failures, successes, low and high moments of the podcast – and having special guests on the show. Which brings us to our next point…
Some Favorite Episodes...
Garry Turner from the U.K, shares his favorite episode of the podcast: a conversation Bob Chapman. He thanks Kevin, for also connecting him to one guest of the show, Oscar Trimboli who gave him a live coaching session that encouraged Garry to send a proposal to his CEO, which wouldn’t have happened otherwise.
Sonja Gerard says what resonated with her the most was the deep listening session with Oscar Trimboli, which she found to be calming and comforting. It has encouraged her to try and pause before speaking and truly listening to the other person.
Josia Nakash in Israel loves the episode with Traci Fenton and tells us how every time she listens to an episode, she thinks to herself 'this is amazing, it can't get any better than this' but then, she is more amazed with the following week's release. What she loves most is Kevin's passion and his branding.
The Top 10 Episodes from the first 99
10. Cultivating Joy with Rich Sheridan
9. The 7 Laws of Employee Loyalty with Heather Younger
8. Story Driven with Bernadette Jiwa
7. Being a Brave Leader with Kimberly Davis
6. Allowing Humans to be Human with Mark LeBusque
5. How Leadership is Evolving with Sesil Pir
4. Being a Chief Heart Officer with Claude Silver
3. Everybody Matters with Bob Chapman
2. Pivoting your Life and Living Your Purpose with Chris Patton
1. Being Afraid to Hope with Dr. Rick Rigsby
The People's Voice
Kevin mentions all of his guests are special, so none of these methods really resonate with him. That's why he saw it fitting to stay true to the foundation of the Higher Purpose Podcast and apply the three C's: Connection, Conversation and Community - and decided to put together a beautiful 'audio mosaic' for this 100th episode, hearing from fellow listeners just like yourselves from all over the world, about what moved them, inspired and affected them throughout the podcast. Let's have a look!
The Three C’s...
Craig Thomas from South Africa, tells us how he can always count on the Higher Purpose Podcast to lift up his day, no matter how badly it is going.
Megan Dougherty from Canada shares how as a listener she truly enjoys the spirit of generosity with which Kevin and his guests share their passions. Listening to the Higher Purpose Podcast is, as she calls it, 'a bright, calm spot in the week.'
Michael Hudson from Delaware, tells us what he loves most is the thought provocation that comes from the interviews – how it always keeps his mind stimulated because finding your purpose is something he holds dear.
Looking to the Future...
This has been a powerful journey - and what comes next is even more exciting.
Steve Foran from Halifax shares how he gets something from every single episode. He loves Kevin's uplifting energy and is able to share what he learned with friends, colleagues and clients.
A Final Thought
Gab Ciminelli in Japan calls the Higher Purpose Podcast a 'Celebration of People, Life and Love.' He mentions Kevin's wonderful ways of bringing people together for deep and meaningful discussions.
Thanks for joining the celebration of our 100th episode milestone. There’s a quotation attributed to Woody Allen, “80% of success is showing up.” Another way to say that is, you never finish anything you don’t start. I remember receiving an email from a friend in January of this year. “79 episodes? Wow. I’m inspired by your commitment, by the content itself, and by your positive energy. “It really is amazing what you – and I mean YOU can accomplish once you start something and “keep showing up.” How did we get to 100 episodes? One episode at a time…week after week and thanks to the encouragement of others, I just kept showing up.
Thank you for showing up and joining in to listen to Episode 100. I hope you’re inspired to take the next step on your journey – however small or insignificant it might seem. TAKE IT TODAY…and then take the next one tomorrow…
Higher Purpose Podcast 99: A Legacy of Purpose
Last week, I had the privilege of talking with Al Lopez, and today, we get to speak with him again - along with his daughter and son-in-law Harry and Leticia, the 5th generation of coffee farmers in the family - but the FIRST generation of coffee roasters and cafe owners. Harry and Leticia fell in love with their father’s mission of helping others.
Listen to the full episode!
Carrying on a Legacy
Al is thankful that Harry and Leticia have chosen to carry on and extend the legacy he and his family began generations ago. Alma Coffee - the cafe that Harry and Leticia just opened the week this episode was recorded - and being part of history while forging a new path, is something very exciting for everyone involved. This was a huge departure from the couple’s initial dreams of careers in accounting - despite becoming accountants, and getting jobs in their chosen companies, but making a difference through the family’s business was a stronger draw.
Fulfillment is Everything
As accountants, Leticia and Harry had a secure future but were miserable. The long hours, the stress, the whole environment was making them unhappy - and not filling their need for purpose. In being able to spend time at the family farm, and see the work being done - and the difficulties and challenges associated with it - they came to realize they needed to make a change - and fast! They quit their jobs, and committed fully to the family coffee business, learning how to roast and retail the coffee the family had been growing for generations.
Fixing the Supply Chain
For most coffee producers, all of the steps their product goes to - on its path from the farm to peoples cups - involve getting a smaller and smaller portion of the profits. Harry and Leticia believed they could change that, with their understanding of supply chains, marketing, and accounting. They started connecting the farmers directly to the people selling it - and everyone is better off. By controlling (and improving!) every step in the process, they and their clients have a more personal connection to the drink and understand the impact it can have.
Almadoption
Alma coffee adopts farmers they know personally, and that they’re going to re-invest in the industry and their communities - and they pay double the market rate for coffee. They have “Almadopted” three farmers outside of their family - and one of their measures of success is how many other farmers and families they can help. Success means being involved in the communities at all steps along the supply chain: from the farmer to the barista.
Making a Difference
Not everyone moves from prioritizing success to prioritizing significance at all - but by seeing Al make that transition while they were quite young, Harry and Leticia were able to see the value and the benefits of aligning your personal and work lives around your purpose. Making a difference through business isn’t always easy - but can be extremely satisfying. People talk to them and talk about how they can make their own major life changes - becoming an entrepreneur and making a difference in the world. Leticia advises people to discover what gives them purpose, and see what career opportunities are there. Success can be a solo endeavor - but significance almost never is.
Try Alma Coffee by visiting them at their location at The Circuit Co-Working space, or ordering online! Use the discount code Higher Purpose to get 15% off your online order.
Alma Coffee | Alma Coffee on Facebook | The Circuit Co-Working Space |The Second Mountain Book Summary // Get the Book
Higher Purpose Podcast 98: The Definition of Success with Al Lopez
Al Lopez is a fourth-generation coffee farmer, so it’s fitting that today’s episode is recorded in a coffee shop. Al has one of the most amazing stories you’ve never heard, and as he and Kevin share a few cups of Alma Coffee, you’ll discover the heart-filled lengths Al went to as he gave back to his community in Honduras.
Journey to the United States
Al grew up with coffee trees in his backyard, and it was his grandfather who instilled a love for them. He shares the story of how his grandfather encouraged him to pick and process the beans by hand, then took it a step further by allowing Al to sell the coffee and keep the profits. His father moved to the United States and Al joined him there on the promise of his own bicycle, and he shares the story of what it was like coming to a place with airplanes, electricity, indoor plumbing, and Coca-Cola in a can. He also shares the troubles he faced being ‘different’ in public schools, how he ended up in the military, and the injury that landed him in a factory.
Inspiration for the Future
While working in the factory, Al’s foreman kept telling him, “You have a head on your shoulders. Go to school.” So he did. From junior college to university, Al graduated with an accounting degree. As he waited for his first job interview, he had the crushing feeling that he wasn’t good enough to clean the bathrooms. Despite that, he had a phenomenal career there and moved to Sara Lee, where he really took off. He credits part of his success to growing up ‘on the streets.’
The Second Mountain
Al retired from his CEO position at age 42, having achieved his biggest goal. But he wasn’t finished yet; Al had a new purpose and it had nothing to do with his ego. He found himself being drawn back to his home in Honduras. For 800 years, farmers sold coffee and starved to death; they weren’t the ones making the money. Al decided to change that, and he shares the story of how he created Alma Coffee based on the idea of D2R, or ‘direct to roaster.’ But his holistic approach to helping the farmers goes much deeper.
The Real Deal
Al’s company was built, and he needed to find a roaster. He partnered with PJ’s Coffee in New Orleans after taking them to his farm in Honduras. He showed them that the story of his company, how he treats employees, and the difference it makes in the community was much more than a marketing ploy. It was the real deal because Al puts people first. He shares the three foundational pillars: improving lives, sustainable farming, and exceptional coffee. Al also shares his vision for the future; he wants the farming operation to continue 300 years after he’s gone.
The Definition of Success
Before Alma Coffee, the definition of success was the size of the paycheck. The golden parachute. Flying in private jets. But today, Al measures his success very differently: his farm director being able to buy his own home; his employees always having food, shelter, and community; lifting up the small town where he came from by improving the quality of life; his children wanting to continue the legacy. These things are the new definition of success.
Resources
Higher Purpose Podcast 97: Higher Purpose and Self Worth with Traci Fenton
Wouldn’t you love to live, lead, and work in freedom? Traci Fenton is the founder and CEO of a global leadership and transformation company called WorldBlu. What makes her company special is their unique model called ‘Freedom at Work,’ and helping people find freedom in their lives is the WorldBlu’s mission. They’ve worked with Zappos, Groupon, WD40 and 65 other countries worldwide. Listen to the full episode:
Freedom vs. Fear
Traci and WorldBlu teach people to live, lead, and work in freedom rather than fear. To do that, they tap into a deeper sense of love which results in freedom. In 20-something years of teaching this Traci realized something very important. Sometimes she would hit a brick wall with a company for no discernable reason. Traci discovered that most people have negative voices in their heads which directly affect self-worth, and if a CEO has self-worth issues, then they’re going to be threatened by employees with freedom. She shares one of the best - and worst - moments in her life at a Tony Robbins convention that drove this point home. And she also shares the profound reason why she doesn’t have the negative inner voice.
The Self-Worth Test
This isn’t a complicated test. In fact, you can do it right now. Answer this: On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your self-worth right now, and why? When Traci was speaking to a room of about 100 CEOs, she asked them this question and asked them to raise their hands if they had an 8 or higher. You’d expect most of them to raise their hands; they’re successful CEOs, after all. But only 3 raised their hands. That’s one thing, but the more interesting part is when they answer the ‘why’ part of the question. Traci shares some of the answers she received when she asked why people ranked themselves lower.
Why You Are a Perfect 10
True self-worth isn’t tied to anything outside of us. Our worth is inviolate and baked into who we are. Traci points out that our worth is separate from wanting to improve and always be better. She shares some of the common characteristics of people who understand their self-worth: joyous, humble, lifting others up, consistent, loving, and more. She shares something very profound: Your PURPOSE is your reason for being. Your MISSION is what you do with it. Traci shares a story about coaching her nieces and nephews the way she does adult CEOs, and the surprising revelation that came from it.
The Ultimate Protective Factor
Kevin and Traci can both agree that purpose is an anchor. It’s what protects you when the world presses in around you. Consider the connection between purpose and self-worth. When we have low self-worth, it’s ‘me’ thinking, whether it’s negative or not. But when our self-worth becomes higher, infused with purpose, the thinking turns outward and we’re committed to serving others. One exercise that Traci recommends is to have a mantra that you say to the ‘gremlins’ - the negative voices - as soon as they appear. She explains how this simple trick works and why it’s so effective.
Final Thoughts
Here’s a question to ask yourself when you’re dealing with negative gremlins and low self-worth. How would you handle the situation if you WEREN’T afraid, if you WEREN’T listening to those gremlins? Second, if you’re at a 4, what would it take to become a 5? Is it internal or external? Finally, if you decided to spend the rest of your day living and acting like a 10, what would that feel like? Traci encourages you to run an experiment for today: live it as a 10.
Resources
The Freedom-Centered Leader Course
Higher Purpose Podcast 96: The Employee Experience with Ben Whitter
Ben Whitter of the World Employee Experience Institute is known as ‘Mr. Employee Experience.’ It’s a title he’s earned over the years as he worked in over 8 countries, giving him a unique perspective on work, employees, and leadership. Ben’s first book, “Employee Experience,” is due out soon, and today conversation dives into the heart of what the title promises.
Ben’s Path and Inspiration
Ben started work at age 14, and his experiences were on both ends of the spectrum. He points out a very simple way to gauge what kind of experience you’re having as an employee: the way you feel when you walk in the door. Do you feel like you belong, like you’re rewarded for your efforts? Do people ask you how you are? These are some of the basic components of a good experience.
Worldwide Perspective on Work
As we mentioned, Ben has worked as a consultant in over 8 countries, and he’s spent that time observing work across those cultures. He found some striking similarities. That we are all human is obvious, but we also crave the same things regardless of where we are. Ben shares in more detail what those things are, then contrasts how we go about getting those things we crave in different cultures.
How to Observe and Understand
Ben tends to go about observation differently. Where many consultants walk in with a pre-made plan, Ben immerses himself in the culture surrounding him. In other words, experience life as a local, because above all, a sense of community is incredibly important. He shares his experience as a minority in China, and the surprising way people took care of him.
On a deeper level, Ben understood the similarities early in his journey. Humans are very different, but our humanity remains the same. We are emotional creatures experiencing the world through our senses. He explains how being ‘human-centric’ has been his driving focus and what he’s seen that trips up otherwise good companies. He launched the World Employee Experience Institute to help solve these issues, and Ben shares the story of how the Institute was born.
The Employer/Employee Contract
The idea of this is simple: a work relationship provides one thing for the employer, and a different thing for the employee. But have you considered the psychological contract? This revolves around rewards, being celebrated and appreciated, and growing, learning, and thriving within an organization. It’s a relationship rather than a contract or deal. This is the holistic way to look at employee experience.
The Basic Element of Humanity
Belonging is at the top of the list and that’s why Ben has put community first. When you build something people believe in and unite them within the organization, you achieve that sense of belonging. It’s much deeper than perks and ping pong tables. Ben reveals what creates a real sense of community, and how he can ask one question and learn the state of the community.
The Vital Factors
Ben’s book, called “Employee Experience,” dives into some of the vital factors of creating a great work environment. At the center of a good experience, there is a simple, unwavering belief in what the organization is doing. Partly, it’s about the ‘why,’ the passion, but that’s not enough on its own. You also need the ‘how,’ the mission and values of the organization. Ben calls this the ‘truth’ of an organization, which you’ll find instantly when you walk in the doors. It has nothing to do with marketing gimmicks, and Ben shares how organizations can find their own truth.
Resources
World Employee Experience Institute
Higher Purpose Podcast 95: Waves and Ripples with Kevin Monroe and Jason Meucci
This podcast is all about connection, conversation and community. On today’s episode, we’re diving deeper into these three "C's" with the idea of Waves and Ripples. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite stories, and Jason Meucci will join us in a special segment to share the waves and ripples in his life, which he connects to the Higher Purpose Podcast.
Waves and Ripples
Both waves and ripples are movements of water or liquid in response to a stimulus. The scientific definition of a wave is "a moving disturbance in the level of a body of water" — there is motion there. There is action, there is energy. Both definitions include movement and a response to some type of stimulus: something has to start the movement.
The distinction is that waves move you in a specific direction, whereas a ripple is a far-flung effect of something.
Opportunities in action
Imagine yourself sitting at the edge of the water, watching and listening to the waves. That’s one way to enjoy a wave’s impact. But unless you seize the opportunity, take action, and jump into the wave to have it carry you somewhere — you’re just sitting on the shore. You need deliberate and intentional action.
Jason Meucci’s waves and ripples
Jason has not only ridden waves and ripples, but has also created plenty of his own that we can trace through the Higher Purpose Podcast.
He shares the story of getting to work with Jake Haupert after listening to him on an episode. They’re spreading the word about how transformational travel works to make the world a better and more connected place, a project that has potentially global ripples.
He also shares a story about connecting with Bernadette Jiwa through the podcast, who, within a week, had sent him a box of her books from Australia for him to share. That’s a ripple that has bounced from the podcast in Georgia, to Jason in Washington, to Bernadette in Australia, and back to Washington — and who knows where else!
He talks about meeting and becoming friends with Renee Smith and Tyler Adams through the podcast, and says he can list another ten to a dozen people he’s connected with through the podcast. All of this because he decided to take action, get involved, get to know these people and invest in their relationships.
More waves and ripples
The first ever episode with Mark Tim was an introduction through Chris Patten.
The Profile of Purpose Series, made up of conversations with 12 business owners who are in the business of purpose, also came as part of a wave.
My friendship with Marcel Schwantes led to an introduction to Mike Vacanti, which then kicked off the HumansFirst series on the podcast (and the waves and ripples from each of my guests on the series!) and my involvement with the HumansFirst Club — which also led to my hosting the HumansFirst Hangout, which has been another set of waves and ripples all of its own!
A call to action
I want to invite you to share your waves and ripples story that is somehow connected to the tsunami effect of the Higher Purpose Podcast. Go to kevindmonroe.com/waves and you’ll find a page and instructions to record a voice message and share your story.
If you record it by Saturday, June 15, you’ll be able to hear it on our 100th milestone episode airing on June 25.
Resources
Submit your wave and ripple story
Episode 3: The Seven People You Meet on Your Path to Purpose
Episode 35: Transformational Travel with Jake Haupert
Episode 50: Make Work More Human with Renée Smith
Episode 4: Failing On the Quest for Higher Purpose with Mark Timm
Episode 77: Putting Humans First with Mike Vacanti
Episode 78: Creating a ‘Humans First’ Workplace with Marcel Schwantes
Episode 80: Making Work More Human with Renée Smith
Episode 81: The Future of Work with Dr. Heather Hanson Wickman
Episode 82: Being a Chief Heart Officer with Claude Silver
Episode 83: The 7 Simple Superpowers of the HumansFirst Heroes
Episode 84: Finding Real Happiness at Work with Brooke Erol
Episode 85: How Leadership is Evolving with Sesil Pir
Episode 86: Being a Brave Leader with Kimberly Davis
Episode 87: The 7 Laws of Employee Loyalty with Heather Younger
Episode 88: Everybody Matters with Bob Chapman
Episode 89: Allowing Humans to be Human with Mark LeBusque
Episode 63: Abundance and Scarcity Loops with Juliana Park
Episode 64: Experiencing and Cultivating Abundance with Juliana Park
Higher Purpose Podcast 94: Employee Experience and Engagement with Santiago Jaramillo
How can you unlock the true potential of your people in a way that’s good for them and good for business? Join us on this episode with our guest Santiago Jaramillo, the CEO and Co-Founder of Emplify. Today we’re talking about employee experience, employee engagement, and why ping pong tables in the break room aren’t going to cut it.
Spinning plates
As leaders and business owners, we’re keeping a lot of plates spinning — so much so that we end up neglecting employee engagement. But the secret to keeping that employee engagement plate spinning is to realize that it’s not a plate at all. It’s much more foundational and embedded inside of each plate itself.
Santiago tells the story of the moment he realized he’d dropped the ball on his company’s employee engagement, and what he did to turn things around.
Unlocking your potential
Emplify uses data to help business leaders make better decisions and create better and more engaging work environments, with the purpose of helping all people unlock their full potential at work. How do we create an environment that allows you to become a better version of yourself?
We spend half our waking lives at work, and that very much impacts our lives. It’s really difficult for somebody to live a fulfilled and meaningful life when much of their time is spent with an energy-sucking force. This impacts friends and family, and from that, the impact ripples out into society. So one of the ways we can influence the world is by creating better, more human work environments.
Good for business
Santiago shares the story of a manufacturing business that would turn over 100% of their team every single year. Those are massive costs. When they interviewed their employees, their employees revealed that their backs hurt from moving heavy metal sheets every day to get them ready for welding, instead of spending their time welding. One $60,000 investment into a forklift later, the team went from being the lowest engaged in the company to the second most engaged team, they produced more, and helped the company earn an extra 3.8 million dollars every year with the same exact labor costs.
The magic of employee engagement is that it’s not just the right thing to do because it’s good for people. It’s also better for business. If done right, it can be very profitable.
Defining engagement
It’s head, heart, and hands: an employee’s intellectual and emotional connection with their work that causes them to strive with their hands after the company’s goals and mission. If their head and heart are all in, then they want to pursue what the company is about with their full and best self.
Have you ever seen someone innovate in a company who’s had their mind and heart checked out? People have to care deeply to come up with new solutions.
Employee engagement vs employee satisfaction
The goal isn’t employee satisfaction. It’s employee engagement. Engaged employees lean in and put their full hearts and minds into the job. Satisfied employees lean back, and do the bare minimum to keep reaping the benefits and rewards of the job.
It’s not about leadership catering to every whim of their employees. It’s about finding what actions we can take to make people’s lives better and help the business win. And to find that solution, you have to carefully diagnose the problem: a problem well-defined is a problem half-solved.
Resources for Santiago Jaramillo
LinkedIn | Twitter | Email: santiago@emplify.com
Higher Purpose Podcast 88: Everybody Matters with Bob Chapman
Higher Purpose Podcast 93: Bringing HumansFirst Back to the Workplace with Mike Vacanti
How can you make a tangible HumansFirst impact on your business? Returning to the podcast is Mike Vacanti, founder of the HumansFirst Club. We first met Mike and the HumansFirst Club 16 episodes ago, and today we’re talking about what’s new with the HumansFirst Club, what’s next for them, and how to bring these insights and learnings back to your business where the rubber meets the road.
The HumansFirst Club
We’re at an inflection point in business. People aren’t being fulfilled, engagement is low, and mental and physical health ramifications are challenging people and businesses to find their growth rhythm. The old system doesn’t work.
HumansFirst is about actively bringing more humanity into the workplace to elevate people, help them mentally and physically heal, and then advance and evolve the workplace. And HumansFirst is not just about work — it spills into all areas of life, because we bring all areas of life into our work.
At HumansFirst Club Events
Each event is about the participants, so there is no “prepackaged roadshow” that the HumansFirst Club takes on tour. Volunteers come in to share and infuse ideas, topics, and ways forward, and that gets the juices flowing so people can participate. And it’s that participation from the people in the room that makes each event unique.
But though the events aren’t designed the same way every time, some common themes do emerge about what’s broken and what can be repaired, which tells us that experiences are very similar across the country.
On the horizon
The Playground is launching May 21, aligned with a live event taking place in Charlotte, to better serve an audience that is fast becoming global. It’s a virtual place with opportunities for people to come together and continue to experiment and meet other light-hearted people, and start to create what the future looks like.
As for the HumansFirst Club meetings, they will continue, but based on the feedback, people are looking to go deeper on the topics. Extended time will be important, as well as an opportunity to get a larger group of people together, so it may evolve into a one-day event with more time, scope, and scale. Less frequent events but bigger and more engaging.
Where the rubber meets the road
How can you bring the takeaways from the HumansFirst Club experience back to your organization and your daily work life? That’s where it feels like there is a barrier, or no entry point. That’s why Winning Conversations was designed.
This program focuses on open dialogue, very much like during the HumansFirst Club events, and teaches businesses how to have these structured conversations to unleash the brilliance that’s already in your organization. Because it’s interactive and engaging, it drives adoption, accelerates initiatives, and ties multiple initiatives across your company together.
Do we know what’s going on? Do we know what’s going to happen during the day? How do all the pieces fit together? Winning Conversations helps pull all of that into alignment, and builds this whole process into your organizational rhythms. It’s a very different approach to a highly believed and known problem.
When we get people together, stretch them out of their comfort zones, and align to the reality that’s going on, all of a sudden you’ll see the company values come through, the vision becomes clear, and the people attach themselves to it.
We love being busy, but now we can be purposeful. Given the opportunity, people will amaze you.
Resources for Mike Vacanti: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Website | HumansFirst Club
Other resources: X-Factor Consulting | Episode 77: Putting Humans First with Mike Vacanti
Higher Purpose Podcast 92: Psychological Safety at Work with Adair Cates
What kind of energy do you bring into your workplace? Joining us today is Adair Cates, Self-Mastery Coach, Insight Facilitator, and Founder of First Lead You, and today we’re talking about employee experience, employee engagement, and the massive impact your workplace culture has not just on your organization, but on the people you serve.
Culture
Culture is the energy of the place and the people that you work with. It’s very intangible in a lot of ways, but one of Adair’s favorite questions to ask is: are you the type of person who lights up a room when you walk in or when you walk out?
When it comes to employee engagement and experience, it’s become really clear that when people feel inspired, cared for, and connected, they are willing to go to the ends of the earth for the organizations they work for. Conversely, think about how much time, energy, and money is wasted when your employees are unhappy. There’s so much more that can be generated from a positive place.
Ripple effects
Everything is connected. When the energy of the culture is good, then the energy of the people is good, and they’re going to be productive and engaged. You can tell that a company has a good internal culture by the way they treat their customers: take great care of your employees, and they’ll take great care of your people.
Psychological safety
What want psychological safety. If you’re a CEO or leader of a team, make sure that everybody feels like they can come to work, be themselves, and be fully accepted for that. If they can’t, they become stifled, and their full creative energy is no longer available to them.
So create that psychological safety by listening, believing that people inside your business are the best source of ideas, and taking out your ego. Once you become authoritarian and think you have all the best ideas, your culture will erode.
Engagement tools
Engagement tools are just that — tools. They aren’t solutions. So you can’t put something like TINYpulse in place and expect it to fix your culture. That’s like expecting a thermometer to bring down a fever. You need to have a solid, positive culture in place, and then measure it so you can make it next-level. You can’t just gather data without doing anything about it.
Happy companies
One of the organizations Adair was part of won an award for being the happiest company. Their CEOs had read a book called The Dream Manager about helping people achieve their personal goals at work.
They implemented this shift in the company and put a lot of energy on helping people achieve their personal goals, and as a result, people were so invested in the work they were doing that they went above and beyond all the time — not just for their roles, but for their team, and other teams in the organization.
There was a care and concern to help one another achieve their goals, which benefited not just themselves, but the business, too. They won Happiest Company through TINYpulse. They grew so much that they went from 65 employees to 100.
When people feel like they can show up as their full selves, it’s unbelievable what happens.
Final thoughts
Are you doing your best work? Are you being the greatest version of you? How are you becoming your best self every day? Because when we can be our best selves, we put ourselves in a position to make a massive positive impact for others.
Resources
Higher Purpose Podcast 91: The Pulse of Your Organization with David Niu
At any given moment, do you know the pulse of your organization? On the show today we have David Niu, a serial entrepreneur who, after a “careercation,” founded TINYpulse, which gives clients a pulse on how happy, frustrated, and burned out their employees are before they get that surprise two weeks’ notice out of the blue. We’re exploring the topic of employee experience and engagement, and how to make sure you’re creating a culture where your people can thrive. Listen to the full episode:
The Careercation
Burnt out by his own startup, David uprooted his family and bought one-way tickets to New Zealand. During this vacation, he had two main goals: to unplug and connect with his family, and to figure out what was next.
So he conducted a series of interviews with CEOs about their pain points, and from these interviews, a common theme emerged: the haunting feeling when someone would give them their two weeks’ notice out of the blue.
This became the inspiration for TINYpulse. What if we could take the pulse of our employees - in the moment - so leaders could get on top of issues ahead of time and resolve them collaboratively before they spin out of control?
Think tiny
Instead of one huge survey once a year, what about asking people one simple question at a time? For management, it’s much easier to get a picture of what’s going on as there’s much less noise than if you had asked 30 questions. It’s also easier to find themes and actually do something about it.
Characteristics of companies that flourish
One is the importance of recognition. Whether you use TINYpulse or something else, make sure that there are multiple avenues of giving each other recognition, and that it’s very easy to do.
The second thing is the perception of management transparency. One of the biggest drivers of how happy employees say they are is how transparent they believe management is. So David challenges leaders: given your role, how can you be more transparent?
Cheers for Peers
This TINYpulse feature allows colleagues to appreciate one another in real time. Recognition isn’t just a high five, it’s (1) What am I giving you recognition for, specifically? (2) What is the significance or impact of what you did? (3) How did it make me feel? Not only does this boost engagement and morale and build a culture of recognition, but a manager can also check the cheer scanners and see what’s going on. In TINYpulse offices, these cheers are publicly shared and visibly celebrated.
Values
You’ll know if a set of values are your values if it allows the people you want in your company to flourish and the people you don’t want in your company to self-select out. You should be able to make decisions by these values and hire and fire by them.
Here are TINYpulse’s:
Delight customers. This includes internal customers because if you can’t delight each other internally, you can’t delight customers externally.
Spread positivity. When you walk in the door, you can be positive, negative, or neutral. It’s a free choice.
Lead with solutions and embrace change. If you have something to complain about, offer suggestions on how to solve it.
Improve communications by being direct and transparent.
Go the extra mile with passion. It’s super hard but very rewarding.
Hold yourself accountable. You don’t need to be policed. You have the freedom, but you also have the accountability. Balance it.
Treasure the culture of freedom we have. Everyone who comes after you will take their cue on how to act from you.
Resources
Higher Purpose Podcast 90: The Higher Purpose Journey with Kevin Monroe
Our guest on this episode of the Higher Purpose Podcast is … me! Today, I’m having a conversation with my new friend from across the pond, Gary Turner, as I reflect on the journey of this very podcast - what I’ve discovered, how I’ve grown, and why Humans First has become such a big part of it all. Listen to the full episode:
The format of the Higher Purpose Podcast
For this podcast, I just wanted to find people — whoever they are, wherever they’re at, and regardless of title — who are doing amazing things and integrating purpose into their work. And I’ve been blessed to meet and connect with an amazing community of people from around the world.
I also decided I didn’t want to have interviews, I wanted to host conversations. That was a significant shift. I wanted to have unique conversations with my guests that they won’t have with any other podcast host, or that you won’t hear on any other podcast.
The Humans First Movement
The movement began for me through relationships. Marcel Schwantes and I were already connected, and he asked if I knew Mike Vacanti. I said I didn’t, Marcel made the introduction, and what was supposed to be a 30-minute conversation with Mike lasted for two and a half hours.
For some reason, Humans First is a label that just connects like crazy with people. I like to think of Humans First as a multifaceted diamond. You can look at it from different perspectives, and each person will see something unique in the diamond — but we’re all still looking at this same multifaceted gem.
The Humans First Series on the Higher Purpose Podcast
There was no plan of doing a Humans First series on the podcast, but then I began to have conversation after conversation with people, and every time, there was this lift. There was energy. It was fun.
And the guests weren’t showing up to say, I have the answer. No: it was to say, here’s my contribution. And I want to sample what other people are offering. Let’s have a conversation. To me, that’s the single biggest difference that I see characterizing Humans First.
On community
I’ve identified my zone of genius as Create, Connect, Converse, and so to me, podcasting is a conversation that connects people in the community.
I don’t know the scale or the scope, but I’m going to begin hosting some in-person gatherings because we need to get in the room together. These are going to be unique meetings that aren’t going to be built around presentation — they’re going to be transformational conversations with like-minded people from around the world.
Emergence
Rather than trying to make things happen, for me, it’s all about the flow. The flow of energy, the flow of creativity. When you follow the flow, amazing things happen.
Last week, I sent out an email to all the folks that have been in this Humans First series of conversations and I said, here’s an idea. And in a few hours, everybody said they were in. We’re in the process now of planning a series where we’ll have four or five people on the podcast at once, and have an unscripted and unplanned conversation that takes a topic and dives into it. That’s what we’re doing very soon!
I’m electrified, ecstatic, and energized. I’m pretty excited about the things we’re talking about and I’m just thinking, wow, what’s next? What is possible?
HumansFirst Leaders Connect
Join me for the HumansFirst Book Club, where we do a deep dive into a book a month and often engage the authors in conversation.
Higher Purpose Podcast 89: Allowing Humans to be Human with Mark LeBusque
Joining us for another session on what it means to live, love, work, and lead in
An appetite for the conversation
Talking about humanity at the workplace is not your usual business conversation, but an appetite is now growing for it. As one voice speaks, a second one does, and a third, and then thousands.
Leaders are now starting to realize they can drive this movement and have to start to role model to their people what it’s like — and then hold the line and walk the talk. Cultivating humanity in the workplace is no longer a compliance-based conversation with leaders, it’s one of intention. People want to intentionally bring back the human factor to work.
Experimentation
Mark decided he wanted to find out what happened if he treated his people more like human beings in the workplace, and if he was going to experiment, he was going to experiment on himself first and step into his own discomfort. Sometimes it looked like speaking his truth, even if it was a different opinion from the opinions of those in the room. Sometimes it was trusting someone to do good work. In any case, start small, start safe, and build from there.
Mark shares the story about an experiment he ran, where he asked his people to set personal work-life balance goals: goals for themselves, goals for their family and friends, and goals for the community. He talks about the real-life strategies he used, so that you can do this for yourself as well.
A “To Be” List
Most people have such a long to-do list that they never get anything achieved. So he created a to-be list: every day, be intentional about how you’re going to be. How are you going to behave and turn up? Are you going to be authentic? Are you going to be provocative? Because if you put the ‘being’ before the ‘doing,’ the doing happens so much better.
You can get the 50 Day Humannovation Challenge from Mark’s shop here.
Provocation
Mark considers himself a provocateur, but it really goes back to self-awareness and what’s really going on in the room. He only provokes with good intentions, to help the group make progress, and in the service of the people in the room. What he tries to do is help people get past the facade they put on when they walk into the workplace and deal with the real things.
Belonging
Mark shares a personal story about losing his father, who had said before he died that he felt like he didn’t belong. That’s why Mark does what he does. As humans, we crave two things: connection, and a sense of belonging. And for a species that craves belonging, workplaces have become places of social isolation. Are there any other species on the planet that practice social isolation like we humans do? Mark wagers that the answer is no.
A message for you
When Mark was in the workplace, he worked so hard to fit in: he didn’t push the system so it wouldn’t push back on him, and he spent a lot of his energy to stay unremarkable and average. But now with the humans first work that he does in service of the world, there’s a sense of belonging where Mark doesn’t even have to feel like he fits in.
His advice for you is to hold your nerve and do the hard work. This is the hardest work you’ll do, but once you can do this work, you can look outwards and do the other work as well.
Final thoughts
Ask yourself these three questions: Why this? Why now? Why me?
What are the things that you’re doing that are useful for you? What are you doing that isn’t useful? And be prepared to sit with that.
Resources
Being Human: Why Robots Are Not the Answer to Business Success
Higher Purpose Podcast 88: Everybody Matters with Bob Chapman
Adding to this series of conversations we’re having about what it means to approach business from a people first focus is today’s episode with Bob Chapman. Bob is the author of Everybody Matters, and today we’re talking about creating work cultures where people flourish, how that impacts our lives outside of work, and what it means to care about and be a steward for your organization. Listen to the full episode:
The business of caring
We work in a system where people are meant to be managed. But, as Bob realized, you can’t really manage anyone. And nobody wants to be managed. We have a broken language that dehumanizes businesses and focuses on value creation — profits and growth — instead of human dignity.
Bob shares the March Madness story about the time he realized: Why can’t business be fun? Why do we call it work? The number one source of happiness in the world according to Gallup is a good job working with people you enjoy, and that’s denied to most people in this country.
Justifying human leadership
During a talk on truly human leadership, Bob was asked, “How do you justify this truly human leadership?” To which he replied, “Did you just ask me how I justify caring for people?”
The person people report to at work has a bigger impact on our health than our family doctor. The way we treat people at work affects the way they go home and feed their families.
“How,” Bob asks, “do you justify not caring?”
Impact
The Church has people one hour a week, and they already have so much influence. We have people in our care for 40 hours a week. When you think of the time we have people in our care compared to any other institution, we could be the most powerful force for good in the world.
Inspired by parenting
Everything Bob learned about leadership, he learned from parenting. Both are a stewardship of the lives that come into our care — ensuring who they are and what they do matters, and they can return to their homes each night feeling valued.
Stewardship is caring. When we care for somebody, it’s not about being nice and giving in to anything they want. It’s about giving people responsible freedom and preparing them to be good stewards of their own lives when they leave.
Where do we start? Education: teaching people to listen to each other, and letting them know they matter while we give them technical skills. Too much of our education today is financial and strategic and economic, and not enough of it is human. How would you treat your own son or daughter?
The ripple effect
CEOs are all concerned about the rising costs of healthcare, but Bob points out: they are the problem. 74% of all illnesses are chronic, the biggest cause of chronic illness is stress, and the biggest cause of stress is work.
But when people at work are taught to care for each other? They say their marriages are better and their relationships with their kids are great. If you don’t feel good about yourself at work, then you’re not going to be fully present at home and take care of your children, your spouse, and your community.
Listening with empathy
Listening with empathy means being fully present when someone is talking, not judging, and being curious. This makes a big difference because collaboration can only occur if we know how to listen to one another. Most of us are more willing to tell others what we think than to listen to what they think.
Final thoughts
As Bob was being interviewed a few years ago, the interviewer remarked that Bob was the first CEO not to mention his product. He said he did: it’s their people. He isn’t going to go to his grave proud of the machines they built. He’s going to his grave proud of the people who built those machines.
It’s a long-term battle, but genuinely caring for each other can make a material difference in the world. We simply need to care.
Want to grow as a HumansFirst leader and connect in meaningful conversations with other HumansFirst leaders?
Join me for the HumansFirst Book Club, where we do a deep dive into a book a month and often engage the authors in conversation.
Resources
Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family
Higher Purpose Podcast 87: The 7 Laws of Employee Loyalty with Heather Younger
With more and more people switching jobs every few years, how can you as a leader cultivate loyalty in a humans first kind of way? Join us on this episode with Heather Younger, the host of the podcast Leadership with Heart, the author of The 7 Intuitive Laws of Employee Loyalty, and, in her words, an employee advocate. Listen to the full episode:
Employee loyalty in today’s business world
From Heather’s perspective, employee loyalty is more about the bond between the leader and those being led, rather than being bonded to the organization. So the question is: how do we bond people to people? How can leaders create experiences and environments that help bond people to you for the long term?
Even if people aren’t staying in the company for the next few decades, how can we extend their tour of duty? And while they’re with us, what can they achieve for us, and how can we help them get closer to their goals?
Employee loyalty vs. employee engagement
Loyalty is an individual thing. People are loyal usually because they feel there’s loyalty on the other end. There’s reciprocity: I’ll give my all to you, and you give me what I need to excel. Because of that, I’m sticking with you. This can begin from way before they’re even an employee (e.g. from hearing about your company on the news or your website), to well after they’ve left you (e.g. will they refer people to you?).
Engagement is how employees feel at work. Do they feel like their work is meaningful? Are they invested in the company and its mission? Are they willing to go over and above for that mission?
Resonance
Loyalty assumes the work resonates with you in some way and you’re not just there to get a check. It’s that resonance that’s keeping you bonded with the organization. So organizations can curate touch points that make people feel a certain way and get them to stay longer and do more for the organization. These feelings aren’t accidental — they’re created in the back end by processes and systems. These allow you to maintain these “moments of truth” and keep them positive and consistent. This is impact by design, translating the high-level vision into specific actions.
The 7 Intuitive Laws in a humans first context
1. Give them great supportive managers.
This is about relationship, connection, transparency, and vulnerability. When we look at humans first, we’re talking about meeting people where they’re at: imperfect leaders and imperfect employees coming together, and that’s where true humanity comes from.
2. Recognize your employees often.
There is an innate need for us to feel appreciated and valued as people.
3. Give them a voice and do something about it.
Make sure that you hear them, and respond to what they need. Listen, repeat back what you heard, and then act upon it.
4. Grow and promote their talents
As a leader, you should be able to pull out the gifts that each person inherently has, and leverage them. Make sure they’re living up to their higher purpose.
5 & 6. Foster deep connections with them / Make teamwork the focus
Make the team your focus. Through teams, people are able to exhibit their own humanity: they can innovate, collaborate, discover each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and make a lot of great things happen. So you’re connecting with your team and helping them connect with one another, but this idea of connection also means connection with the mission vision and the executive leadership.
7. Pay them equitably
People need to be paid well for the work they do. They need to feel like it’s fair and equitable and that they can feed their families. There’s no greater humanity than that — being able to take care of your family.
Final thoughts
Employee experience is powered by emotions, and leaders get to choose which emotions they unleash from the people they lead.
Want to grow as a HumansFirst leader and connect in meaningful conversations with other HumansFirst leaders?
Join me for the HumansFirst Book Club, where we do a deep dive into a book a month and often engage the authors in conversation.
Resources
The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age (Amazon)