BLOGS & RESOURCES
The Power of Onlyness with Nilofer Merchant
Nilofer Merchant is a famous author and speaker for TED Conferences. Her most recent book, The Power of Onlyness, talks about worthiness and the connected individuality of all human beings. She joins Kevin Monroe to discuss her book and how the principles in it apply to current events.
The New Normal
Nilofer talks about the things people are doing to help those in need. People now have the voice to create change, she says. She gives an example of altruism that arose due to the coronavirus, and states that society may come to the point where we realize our fates are linked rather than ranked or separated. She ponders on the possibility of the care with which we treat others and the connectivity we have established becoming the new normal. Onlyness’ role in this is to be the combination of voice and belonging that creates real change and lasting connection between people.
Making a Difference
There are people who feel like they should be doing more. Part of their struggle is that they think they need to do something of a grander scale to make a difference. All they need to do is care for the person next to them, Kevin says. He shares a story from a children’s book about contribution, explaining that even the smallest thing makes a difference. Nilofer adds that whatever you pay attention to grows, so if you focus more on having a grand plan rather than actually showing love, it’s counteractive. Center on what you know and what you can do right in the moment, and the rest will take care of itself.
Onlyness
Nilofer defines onlyness as the source of all ideas and innovation. Onlyness is contrary to the traditional hierarchy of worthy contribution and holds an egalitarian view that everyone has something of value to add to the world. We have been conditioned to believe that our level of capability relies solely on measures such as level of education, but that is a lie, Nilofer says. For example, we now realize how dependent we are on grocery store workers, a position that has historically been considered low-skilled. They are part of a system that feeds us, which allows us to exist and do our creative work. Contribute, don’t compare.
Part of A System
When you enter a room, your light illuminates the entire space. This makes it difficult to discern your own ‘only’ because the light you shine is also the filter you see the world through. Here is where others come in to help you, as they have the perspective to see the difference in the world when you are present and absent. The meaning of the individual is the smallest measure of humankind, so even alone, you are never disconnected.
Parking Your Fears
Nilofer says she has to park her fears in order to be present for a conversation. Fear always demands to be heard and gets louder the more it is ignored. She believes fear acts as a signal, like every other emotion. It doesn’t have to rule you, but you need to pay attention to it.
Hope Is A Bridge
“Hope is a thing with others that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all,” Nilofer quotes. She shares a past experience in which she thought hope was something lightweight, but now she defines it as the bridge we have to walk across in order to get to a new future. She believes that unity happens because two people are both going toward the same thing together.
Resources
Nilofer Merchant on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Power of Onlyness: Make Your Wild Ideas Mighty Enough to Dent the World
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
There is Hope with Jane Adshead-Grant
Jane Adshead-Grant is an ambassador for Truly Human Leadership and this week’s guest. She was recently a part of the Truly Human Leadership World Tour. She joins Kevin Monroe to talk about the importance of hope, optimism, and connectivity.
Visions of Hope
Jane has been collecting and sharing stories of acts of kindness and compassion, which gives her hope that we will get through this pandemic. She believes that we will also sustain the compassion and connection we are practicing right now. In many situations in life, you have the option to become either better or bitter, Kevin reminds listeners. He is glad that the birds, unlike much of the global population, didn’t get the memo to stop singing and be joyful.
Truly Human Leadership World Tour
Jane describes her experience in the Truly Human Leadership World Tour as profound and meaningful. One point that seemed to resonate deeply with the audience was the concept of treating your team members like they are your precious children. This concept is especially relevant today when leaders are working remotely with team members in this unprecedented time.
How Leaders are Taking Charge
Kevin shares what he learned about Truly Human Leadership from the last episode with Bob Chapman, and asks Jane what it was like to see it in action. Jane mentions what Bob did to make people feel acknowledged and appreciated. She also discloses how the leaders she coaches are navigating through the pivot to a remote work environment, while displaying admirable values in their leadership. Jane believes it is important, during virtual meetings, to let members express how they feel, as it enables them to feel more connected to their team. Acknowledging people by their names with a short, heartfelt greeting as they join meetings (and even in emails) makes them feel seen and cared for.
Why Optimism Is Important
Kevin asks why Jane thinks optimism is essential and not frivolous. She replies that it is a tool leaders can use to lift others up and create a sense of hope. With optimism comes empathy and sensitivity. Jane recounts how Bob answered a difficult question on the tour. When told some people would take him for granted, Bob said that while he is aware it’s a possibility. It’s not his job to focus on those people. It’s important to look at the goodness of people, so they can be who they are meant to be. Jane describes optimism as a grounded reality.
Resources
Jane Adshead-Grant on LinkedIn | Facebook
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
Truly Human Leadership with Bob Chapman
Bob Chapman, author, CEO and Chairman at Barry-Wehmiller Companies, is this week’s honored guest. He joins Kevin Monroe on the Higher Purpose Podcast to discuss the true meaning and responsibilities of leadership.
Perpetual Optimism
Kevin asks Bob how his optimism equips him to navigate seasons of uncertainty. Bob responds that our greatest growth comes from our greatest challenges, and that he takes life on one day at a time. Everybody has a lens, Bob says, and though he’s not sure what creates the lens through which we see the world, he was blessed with one of optimism so he sees the good in people.
Leadership
Bob believes that a leader’s fundamental responsibility is to give the people in their care a sense of hope for a better future. A core issue is that leaders are not taught to care for people, and instead know how to to use people for their success. Bob defines management as ‘the manipulation of others for your success,’ whereas leadership is ‘the stewardship of those entrusted to you.’
Span of Care
Bob describes ‘employee’ as too much of a technical term to apply to humans. He had a key revelation that everyone in his span of care is someone’s precious child. Research shows that the way leaders treat those in their span of care has a profound effect on their health. Every business should be the most powerful force for good in the world because they have people in their care for at least 40 hours a week, every week. The way people are treated will affect not only themselves but their families and lives and communities.
Truly Human Leadership
Leadership during a crisis starts with a fundamental responsibility to both the individual and the organization, Bob says. You can’t decide to do the right thing for the people without considering the impact it may have on the business, because the business provides for the people. Truly human leadership looks at both the organization's health and the people’s health and leads with it in a positive way.
Kevin and Bob hope that leaders are able to keep their feet on solid ground and lift their vision to see beyond this current crisis. Many are making hard decisions that affect the lives and futures of many others, and so, should be a voice of reason and a source of hope for those they lead.
Resources
Bob Chapman on LinkedIn | Twitter
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
Leading with Gratitude with Chester Elton
Chester Elton is a speaker, coach, mentor and best-selling author at Gostick & Elton, as well as a partner and the Founder of “The Culture Works.” His most recent book, Leading with Gratitude: Eight Leadership Practices for Extraordinary Business Results, is the topic of discussion in this week’s episode as he joins Kevin Monroe to talk about gratitude and recognition.
Gratitude
Kevin believes gratitude makes a huge difference in times of calm, crisis, or chaos. Chester adds that we often get caught up in the moment and forget to take a longer view. Even during the chaos of current events, there are many amazing things in your life that you could be grateful for. And when put in perspective, they give you the strength and momentum to overcome hard times, and the opportunity to deepen the relationships you have with people.
Feeling Forgotten
There’s nothing worse, in both the workplace and especially in one’s personal life, than feeling forgotten, Chester says. Nothing connects people more than simple acts of reaching out, such as texts saying ‘I love you’, which affirm feelings of value and importance. People are less likely to express gratitude at work than any place else; consequently, people are more likely to feel forgotten at work. Saying ‘thank you’ in the workplace is the moral equivalent of saying ‘I love you’ in your personal life, Chester adds. A study shows that 82% of people will work harder if their boss expresses gratitude. Gratitude creates feelings of belonging.
Leading with Gratitude
Gratitude attracts gratitude, Chester says. When you’re happy, engaged and motivated at work, you are 150% more likely to be the same way in your personal life. The goal of Chester’s book is to create great workplaces which have that ripple effect into homes and communities. It’s so we can take our best selves home after taking our best selves to work.
Kevin says a sincere ‘thank you’ never gets old, to which Chester adds that general praise has no impact, and specificity is meaningful. In showing gratitude to your employees, you must remember that what works for one person may not work for someone else, which is why it’s important to know your people. Not only must the expression of gratitude be appropriate to the person, it should also be appropriate to the accomplishment.
Find Your Gratitude
Kevin and Chester extend a special invitation for listeners to participate in a new collaborative project. Find out more at FindYourGratitude.community.
Resources
Chester Elton on LinkedIn | Twitter
Leading with Gratitude: Eight Leadership Practices for Extraordinary Business Results
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
Sharing Your Story with Michelle Prince
Michelle Prince, CEO and founder of Performance Publishing Group and the Book Bound Workshop, is this week’s guest. Michelle is a Ziglar Certified Speaker and best-selling author. She joins Kevin Monroe in this week’s episode to chat about her most recent book, The Power of Authority, passion and purpose, and sharing your story.
The GPS of Life
Michelle likens the mind and subconscious to a GPS. You program your GPS to take you to your destination, and often don’t care what route you end up taking, so long as you get there. Sometimes there are potholes and detours, but eventually, you will arrive at the destination you programmed. The opposite is also true, she warns. If you dwell too much on destinations you don’t want to go to, your GPS’ programming will be inclined to take you there. Michelle is a big believer in getting clarity on what you truly want in life and positively affirming where you want to go. It doesn’t prevent difficulties, but it allows you to easily reset your coordinates and get back on track. It comes right back to gratitude, Michelle says, which doesn’t mean that everything is great; gratitude just means you choose to focus on what is good at the moment.
Your Story is Not About You
Michelle recalls that she wrote her first book with the intention of only her family being her readers. However, a friend convinced her to share it to a wider audience so she could make a difference to others. She advertised it on Facebook and people started buying the book, and gradually she began getting calls asking her to speak and coach in many places. Sharing your story is all about serving people, she says. Your story is not about you, but about someone else and the benefit you can provide to them.
Passion and Purpose
Passion is a clue to your purpose. Michelle believes everyone was put on Earth for a reason, and that the intersection of passion and purpose gives people their stories. Most individuals have a measure of pain in their stories, and if there is no connection between your pain and a passion to help others with the same or a similar experience, it may not be sufficient enough to write a book about. Kevin shares some advice that was relayed to him by a friend: it’s helpful when we can talk about our pain from our scars and not our wounds. There needs to be distance between when your pain was first dealt and when you start to share the story behind it because you need enough time to heal.
The Power of Authority
Everyone has a story worth telling, and this book will help you write it. The Power of Authority teaches readers that we all have the power to be the authority in our lives. You can’t spell authority without the word author, Michelle says. She believes that becoming an author is one of the easiest ways to gain authority over one’s niche. However, if you don’t want to write, this book will teach you how to claim the authority of your story.
Resources
PerformancePublishingGroup.com
Michelle Prince on Facebook | LinkedIn
Email: support@michelleprince.com
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
On Purpose-Powered Leadership
Kevin connects with listeners as he reflects on the path that led him to this week’s episode of Higher Purpose Podcast. He shares insights about purpose, culture, and leadership in business and how they are the trifecta for success.
Servant Leadership
If servant leadership is the answer, what question is being asked? Kevin recounts his experiences working with numerous companies who were drawn to servant leadership. Companies that operate on servant leadership usually characterize themselves as either purpose-driven, value-based, or people-focused. They tend to gravitate toward this type of leadership because they feel it is the best approach to achieving their purpose. Servant leadership aligns with the values they want to see come alive in the world.
The PCL Framework
Kevin describes a purpose-powered business as a Venn Diagram of three interlocking circles, with one circle below and two on top. The lower circle is purpose (P) because it is the starting point, direction and destination of a business. When done well, purpose permeates all facets of a business and unites all departments and initiatives into a symphonic endeavor. The top circles are culture (C) and leadership (L). Kevin defines culture as the way things are done daily in an organization. While in most organizations culture happens by default, purpose-powered businesses design their culture, anchor it in a rich set of values and beliefs, and actively cultivate it. In addition, purpose-powered businesses recognize leadership as a function and not a position, and empower employees at all levels to think for themselves. Every purpose powered leader is a coach seeking to encourage everyone on the team to live out the company values and use the values combined with data to make prudent decisions.
Kevin says that to make a difference, purpose needs to be paired with action around culture and leadership. If an organization is strong in purpose and culture but lacks leadership, they may have a high degree of devotion to the purpose, but do not have as much movement toward their results and outcomes. If they are strong in purpose and leadership but do not cultivate culture, they may have a high sense of drive, but it may be to the detriment of their people. Finally, if a company lacks purpose but has leadership and culture, they may have a high sense of duty, but it may be adrift.
Resources
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
The Amare Way with Moshe Engelberg
Kevin Monroe chats with Moshe Engelberg, author and CEO of ResearchWorks, Inc. about his latest book, entitled The Amare Wave: Uplifting Business by Putting Love to Work (The Amare Way). They discuss key points in the book, as well as how they can be applied and practiced.
Writing the Book
Kevin asks Moshe what inspired him to write his book. Moshe answers that it would be more appropriate to say the book wrote him instead. The common business mentality of disdain towards customers, combined with the predatory and warlike language of business, and his own spiritual journey were his muses for the book.
Surfing the Wave
Kevin comments on the bandwagonist behavior that some companies have: he says that they adopt a certain principle or behavior to get ahead, rather than sincerely believing it in their hearts. Moshe shares two perspectives on this: sometimes we need to change our behaviors before we change our beliefs, and so some companies that genuinely want development adopt these practices to promote change. The other perspective is that some companies have an opportunistic view of promoting love in the workplace, and use it for financial benefit.
Love, and Its Many Names
Moshe stresses that it doesn’t matter what you choose to call love; as long as you practice it, you can call it whatever you wish. Some people embrace the concepts of love but are uncomfortable with the language, and so use other words like appreciation as a substitute
Actions, Words and Values
Companies that practice the Amare Way do so by actively expressing authenticity, belonging and collaboration. Their words and actions are consistent with their values. Moshe paraphrases Plato, “What is honored in a company is cultivated there.” The ideal is to achieve alignment between what people believe, say and do.
Moshe hopes that more and more companies will develop the courage to implement love at work, treat their employees well, and have leaders that learn to love themselves. “It starts from the inside and spreads outwards. You can’t give what you don’t have,” he says.
Resources
The Amare Wave: Uplifting Business by Putting Love to Work (The Amare Way)
Moshe Engelberg on LinkedIn
Email: moshe@mosheengelberg.com
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
Why Belonging at Work Matters with Dr. Gabriella Kellerman
Dr. Gabriella Kellerman, Chief Innovation Officer of BetterUp, head of BetterUp Labs and co-author of the article entitled The Value of Belonging at Work, converses with Kevin Monroe about the missing link between diversity and inclusion: belonging.
Listen to the full episode:
The Missing Link
Kevin asks whether BetterUp has uncovered the answer to the question of the missing link between diversity and inclusion. Gabriella answers BetterUp has been able to prove that belonging is, in fact, that missing link. Gabriella describes her organization as a “mobile development platform” that does one-to-one coaching with individuals around the globe on personal professional development. Belonging is one part of BetterUp’s six pillars of employees’ experience index, and, as such, is a significant part of how they help and support their clients in their development.
Unbelonging and Belonging
Researchers at BetterUp coined the term “unbelonging” to describe someone’s internal experience, not considering external factors such as inclusion or exclusion. Kevin adds that the idea of unbelonging expresses one’s personal experience of a group, independent of what may be happening within the group. Gabriella says that BetterUp’s definition of “belonging” is your internal experience of feeling like part of a group which cannot be triggered by people behaving inclusively.
The Impact of Unbelonging
Gabriella shares research recorded by BetterUp Labs. People usually respond to feelings of exclusion in one of three ways:
- You work less hard: If you perceive exclusion, you may have a decreased motivation to work and you would put in less effort.
- There is no impact: You are not affected by feelings of exclusion and it doesn’t affect how you perform.
- You work even harder than you are required to: You feel motivated to go above and beyond in your work to earn your spot.
Belonging in Business
Having a sense of belonging in an organization is good for business. According to Gabriella, people who feel they belong are 50% less likely to quit their jobs and perform up to 56% better than those who feel they do not. Individuals who experience high degrees of belonging take 75% fewer sick days. Gabriella describes the research her team did and the evidence-based practices that lead to a greater sense of belonging they discovered from their investigations.
How to Belong at Work
Positivity resonance is a concept that describes the depth of connection you feel with someone in a particular moment. You have to allow yourself to feel a certain degree of vulnerability in order to have that deep connection. The same is true at work. Feeling connected to your coworkers means that you allow them to get to know the real you, and vice versa.
Gabriella shares practical tips to help you if you feel you don’t belong. If you want to help someone feel like they belong, she has advice for you as well:
- Share your own experiences of feeling like you don’t belong, and how you got through it;
- If you’re in a position to effect change, create more conditions of belonging for them. Simply being a fair-minded ally can be of tremendous help.
Resources
The Value of Belonging at Work (Report)
The Value of Belonging at Work (Whitepaper)
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
The Power of Self-Compassion with Laurie Cameron
Laurie Cameron, founder of PurposeBlue and bestselling author of The Power of Self-Compassion, talks with Kevin Monroe about the benefits of mindfulness and the journey to self-compassion, as well as the hurdles one might come across on that journey.
Listen to the full episode:
A The Inner Critic
Laurie shares a disheartening experience with someone in which her trust was broken. Her first thought was critical of herself and the red flags she ignored: her “inner critic” had reared its head. The inner critic is part of our biology and is there to protect us to ensure we survive both physically and emotionally, Laurie says. The first step in practicing self-compassion is not ignoring the inner critic, but acknowledging it and moving past the cognitive analysis of the hurtful event.
Shifting Your Perspective
Laurie communicates that some of our feelings of being hurt are due to a narrative that we tell ourselves. Mindfulness training helps you to observe your narratives, and analyse how you interpret others’ actions and intentions. Only then would you be able to shift your perspective to objectively understand your situation and avoid miscommunication.
Touch as Self Care
Kevin quotes from Laurie’s book, “Touch activates the physiology of care,” and comments that he hadn’t considered an individual’s touch to themselves falling under that category. He now realizes that you can apply the physiology of care to yourself. Laurie adds that the tool of touch is one of many approaches to practicing self-compassion and is a primal development of our biology.
I’m Not That Voice
We’re born with a negativity bias that has good intentions - to protect us - but is counterproductive as it creates a fixed mindset which is demotivating and stunts growth. The voice may be more dominant in individuals conditioned to be critical. We may associate our identity with that negative inner voice instead of seeing certain behaviors and patterns as transient. Thankfully, Laurie conveys, we can recondition or unlearn the negative voice and relearn a positive voice.
Self-Compassion is Not Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is tied to ranking, rating, and comparison to others. Comparison has caused much emotional suffering and loneliness in society. On the other hand, self-compassion has nothing to do with metrics; it’s all about how we see and treat ourselves in the moment. Laurie offers some insight and practical tips on how to practice self-compassion. She hopes that people can engage in mindfulness, self-awareness, and self-acceptance. Mindfulness is accepting that life is messy and mistakes are normal, she adds. It’s the practice of accepting what is and amplifying the good.
Resources
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
A Textbook About Love At Work with Dr. Bruno Cignacco
Dr. Bruno Cignacco’s latest book - entitled, The Art of Compassionate Business: Main Principles for the Human-Oriented Enterprise - is one of the only textbooks about the importance of love at work. He chats with Kevin Monroe about the book and why love is good for business.
Listen to the full episode:
A Textbook
Kevin says that he was surprised that Bruno’s book is a textbook. Bruno responds that it’s both an entrepreneurial book and a textbook, about how companies can be more humane in the business environment. His research goal was to gather some principles about human-oriented enterprises that could be applied to any company, regardless of size, sector or nationality.
Love Is Good For Business
At the heart of compassionate business, Bruno says, is the principle of love. Business is based on relationships, so if you only focus on KPIs, you’re dismissing an important part of your business activity: the human aspect. If your business treats stakeholders - employees, customers, community, even the government - in a loving way, your KPIs will improve automatically as they are a natural result of a healthy relationship between your company and its stakeholders. He is gratified that there is a new generation of businesses that adopt a human-oriented approach.
Holistic vs Fragmented
Kevin quotes Bob Chapman’s book, Everybody Matters, to point out that employees would give their best if they are respected and cared for. Bruno agrees that leaders need to see their employees as whole human beings with different needs. He says that the principle of reciprocity suggests that how you treat your employees influences the way they treat your business. If you adopt the fragmented approach, where you only see them as cogs in your organizational wheel, they would take a defensive mode, and only do the minimum. However, treating employees in a loving way by embracing their humanity, encourages them to give their best.
A Definition of Love
Bruno says that there are two incompatible polarities in business: love and fear. Some workplaces are full of fear, while others operate through love. When you’re focused on love, you connect with others, you feel that you belong, and you’re warmer, kinder and more supportive. Love is much broader than romance, Bruno points out. It includes care, empathy, respectfulness and willingness to help. Love people because they are human, he says, because we’re all interconnected. Kevin mentions that there are over 30 definitions of love in Bruno’s book. He asks Bruno which is his favorite. Bruno replies that he likes the definition of love as service to others.
Love vs Fear
“Love is the natural heightener of people’s human qualities,” Bruno writes in his book, a quote which Kevin shares. “In other words, when people adopt a loving attitude, their positive human side is gracefully enhanced. On the other side, when people adopt an unloving attitude, even their greatest human qualities are degraded.” Love is always expansive, Bruno adds: it helps us to connect with and trust one another; it helps us cooperate better and think more creatively; it makes us more intelligent. Fear, on the other hand, makes us focus only on a narrow set of factors when we perceive a threat. It is immobilizing and does not bring about any positive change within a company.
Bruno offers some practical tips for leaders to build a loving environment. He hopes that love and the idea of embracing the whole human being in the world of work, become common practice. Focus on growing your relationships, and your business will naturally flourish, he advises. When you focus on the people, they will help you achieve your objectives.
Resources
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
Bringing Love To Work with Lorie Corcuera
Kevin Monroe starts the show with two heartwarming messages he received from listeners. These connections and interactions are what this podcast is truly about, he comments. He then introduces this week’s guest, Lorie Corcuera, who is a consultant and speaker, and author of the soon to be released book, Love First, The Rest Will Follow.
Listen to the full episode:
Live Wow
Lorie’s life mission is to “live wow and love completely.” She defines living wow as the intention to create wow experiences, and loving completely as a reminder to love herself and others completely because it’s only when we accept our whole being that we can love others more freely. Kevin responds that ‘wow’ is the perfect response when something happens that grabs your attention and your heart.
Love Belongs In The Workplace
It all comes down to love, Lorie says. Workplace culture is something that is felt. In a fear-based organization we can’t be our real selves because we don’t feel psychologically safe. Love is what we need, even though the word seems inappropriate in a professional setting. To ease their dissonance with the word love, Lorie asks her clients to think about what they want their customers to say about their products, or their staff to say about the company. Usually, they want customers to say that they love their product, and staff to say that they love working there. She then tells them that if they want customers and staff to love, they need to love as well.
Amazing Results
Kevin asks Lorie to define love as it relates to the workplace. She responds that when love exists in the workplace, people feel connected, they work well together, they’re fully engaged and excited about making a contribution. In order to achieve this, leadership has to feel the same way. Imagine if every team member feels worthy, valued, seen and cared for, she says. We would be able to create amazing things together.
Love By Example
Lorie wants people to love by example. We may not all be leaders at work, but we are leaders in our own lives. The best leaders are good with themselves, Lorie comments. Start with embracing and accepting who you are as a person. That will build your confidence to show up as your authentic self. Then you can focus on loving others. Her dream is for a workplace where every person feels love for themselves so that they can love others. That loving energy is shared with customers and team members, and ultimately with their families. “At the end of the day,” Lorie says, “it's all about relationships. Love is the key, because that's the basis of relationships.”
Kevin adds that in a fear-based environment you leave work drained and there’s nothing left for your family or community. On the other hand, when you work in a love-filled organization you may be physically tired at the end of the day, but you are not emotionally drained. You can be fully present with your loved ones. Lorie comments that we all want to look back and say we had an amazing life because we were fulfilled in so many ways. It all starts with love. Kevin challenges listeners to love by example: do something every day for the next seven days to lift and encourage others, he says.
Resources
Lorie Corcuera on LinkedIn
Radical Loving Care book
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
What Is Your Dream?
Kevin Monroe chats one-on-one with listeners this week. He shares gratitude and encouragement as well as the uplifting backstory that inspired this week’s show.
He’s Grateful For…
It’s amazing how projects like the Gratitude Challenge bring like-hearted people together in community, Kevin says. We find one another, engage in conversation and encourage one another. Sharing our stories allows us to connect and build friendships. He is grateful that he is able to provide opportunities for people to connect, collaborate and become friends.
Who’s Your Mahalia?
Kevin sat down to write the blog post for the Big Dreams challenge on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Naturally, he began to reflect on MLK’s famous I Have A Dream speech, and its inspiring backstory. He relates that 10 minutes into Dr. King’s prepared message, he went off script. At one point he paused, and famed gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who was standing behind him, encouraged him. “Tell them about the dream, Martin,” Mahalia urged him. It was then that Dr King ad libbed - vividly and passionately - about his cherished dream. His inspiring speech breathed new life to the civil rights movement, and gave hope to millions.
What’s the dream in your heart? Who is your Mahalia, the person in your life who knows you have a dream inside of you that needs to find fulfillment and expression, and encourages you to keep going?
Kevin’s Dream
Sharing your dream is what allows it to take root and grow, Kevin says. Certainly Dr. King didn’t have a 12-step plan of how his dream would be accomplished, but that didn’t stop him from sharing it. In the same way, Kevin shares his dream with listeners.
Kevin has a dream of a world where:
- Everyone sees themselves as difference makers and gives some part of themselves to making a difference for others.
- We all take a moment every day to share an act of compassion and kindness with those around us.
- Difference makers from around the world connect and collaborate with one another so that together we are inspired to take action on a larger, broader scale than any of us could take alone.
- Everyone has the opportunity to be involved in meaningful work and workplaces around the world are filled with love, dignity, freedom and respect. Where workers return home safely at the end of each day with energy and zeal for their families, because they feel valued, appreciated and respected at work.
- Leaders see themselves as serving those they lead, as shining the spotlight on the great work of others, and creating environments where people flourish and thrive.
- Everyone has a strong sense of belonging; where acceptance is extended as a birthright rather than earned as a bonus for good behavior and performance.
Resources
How Martin Luther King Jr Went Off Script in ‘I Have A Dream’
Kevin Monroe on LinkedIn | Twitter
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
From Burnout to Belonging with Rachel Druckenmiller
This week’s guest is Rachel Druckenmiller, speaker and founder of Unmuted. Host Kevin Monroe promises that their conversation will be inspiring and enjoyable, but also a bit challenging and controversial.
- Rachel says that she has always been an overachiever. Once she realized that she could be successful at school, she decided to keep at it and carried the same attitude into her career. Kevin reflects that the hustle for approval started very early for him as well. Approval is dangled in front of us as a carrot, he says, and it’s the reward that keeps us performing.
- We have this idea that if it's worthwhile, it's going to be hard; and if it's not hard enough, we're going to make it harder.
- Rachel says that she had to be the best, and that meant constantly looking for ways to prove herself to people. When we're insecure, she says, we have this tendency to oversell ourselves instead of just letting our work speak for us. Kevin posits that more money is traded on the Insecurity Exchange than the Securities Exchange. We do all these things to prove that we’re good enough.
- Tying your identity, self-worth and sense of belonging to your achievements is a very dangerous place to be, Rachel warns. Kevin calls this the “will be when ____” phenomenon, because we think we will belong or will be good enough when we achieve something or check some box. He argues that there’s never an end to the boxes we need to check because once we’ve checked one box, we replace it with another. As such, we never feel like we belong or that we are good enough. Rachel agrees; she says that she always felt that love and acceptance were on the other side of achievement.
- Rachel relates that she burned out three years ago, and how that experience led her to realize her value as a person.
- Kevin talks about Dr. Emil Brunner’s Cycle of Grace. Flip the cycle and start with acceptance, he says.
- We punish ourselves mercilessly to get acceptance, which is really a free gift, Kevin says.
- None of us can make any impact on anybody else in isolation, Kevin points out. Even if you work by yourself, he advises you to find a way to connect with other people.
- Start with what brings you joy, Rachel says, and invite others into that joy. Reach out and have a conversation. Take the initiative to join or create the kinds of communities that you want to be a part of.
- Rachel lives by these principles now:
- What is meant for you will not pass by you. If you're meant to do something in the course of your life, everything will conspire to make it happen despite how you might try to prevent it.
- No amount of achievements and accomplishment will ever fill the hole left by a lack of connection and belonging.
- You were born to belong. The fact that you exist means that you’re wanted in the world.
- Kevin asks Rachel how she experiences life differently now. She says she now makes it a priority to make time for the people who mean the most to her. She quotes a poem by Bruce Wilmer, Be Yourself.
Resources
Rachel Druckenmiller on LinkedIn | Instagram
Cycle of Grace by Dr. Emil Brunner
Episode 127: Living an Inspired Life with Debbie LaChusa
Episode 116: Are You Listening? with Jane Adshead-Grant
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
Be Yourself
(Poem by Bruce Wilmer)
The world would like to change you;
There are pressures all around.
You must decide just who you are,
Then firmly hold your ground.
You have an image of yourself,
An ideal sense of you;
And to this vision you must always
Struggle to be true.
You know what you are good at,
And you know where talents lie;
But if you're ruled by others,
Your uniqueness could pass by.
Remember, there is much to learn;
But all new things aren't good.
Wisdom lies in what we learned,
And what we have withstood.
So, be yourself and don't allow
The world to take control.
Preserving your identity,
Is life's most precious goal.
Helping Others Grow with Claude Silver and Cody Royle
This week’s inspiring guests are Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia, and Cody Royle, author, podcaster and head coach of the AFL Team Canada. Host Kevin Monroe is excited that they both are travelers on the Road Less Traveled. They chat about creating a workplace culture that helps people grow.
- One of the most enlightening challenges of the Gratitude Challenge, Kevin says, is Phone-A-Friend. You ask someone else, If you were me, what would you be grateful for? Kevin poses that very question to Claude and Cody. They bring tears to each other’s eyes with their answers.
- The #1 request Claude hears from employees is “Help me grow.” This is what people are actually saying when they ask for feedback or when they want to improve their skills, she says. Along their journey, they’re going to experience many micro-journeys - some successes, some failures - and that is what they’ll remember in life.
- People want to get from point A to point B. As a leader, what are you doing to coach and mentor to get there?
- Cody is happy that the conversation is moving away from management towards coaching and mastery. The sports world can teach us so much about this, he says.
- When you master your craft, you notice that the game slows down, Cody says. The coach’s job is to get the athlete to reach that point by honing skill as well as removing barriers. Kevin finds this a beautiful description of the idea of mastery. He comments that the game slows down because you’ve grown and developed your skill, so you are now able to show up in the environment differently.
- Claude says you can help others grow by creating an environment of psychological safety. Be real, inspire them and live by example so that they feel comfortable to talk about anything with you. She shares a game she uses with employees that opens them up and helps them to talk about what matters to them personally. Cody adds that everyone has to be involved in creating a psychologically safe environment. We can all help each other then because we all feel safe.
- Kevin, Claude and Cody discuss the difference between drinking the water vs drinking the Kool Aid.
- Kevin asks, “What does it take for people to shift and get comfortable with a trusting, welcoming human environment?” Claude says that her company gives trust first not last. It takes time for people and interaction with other workers to accept that it truly is as good as it sounds. Cody comments that it starts with being truthful at recruitment. It’s just like dating: if what you deliver is not what you promised, things go south pretty quickly.
- We have the impression that someone has to stay at an organization for a long time in order to have an impact. We need to rethink this idea, Cody argues. A more productive approach is to ask, How can I help this person right now and maybe momentarily in their life, whether that's with us or not? A good coach helps his players grow so much that they don’t need him anymore, Cody says. Accept that they may leave, but ask them to give you their best while they’re with you, and be the best coach and mentor to them you can be.
- If you want your company culture to change, you be the change, Claude encourages listeners. Find a mentor to guide you if you need to.
Resources
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
Invitation To Live A Decade Of Difference
Happy New Year!
As Kevin Monroe reflects on 2019, he is grateful for all the people he has met. He is also grateful for hope of a brighter future and fresh clarity about who this podcast serves best. In this first episode of 2020, he invites listeners to look at business, leadership and life through a different lens by embracing a decade of difference.
You’re Qualified!
This takeaway from episode 125 with Tim Arnold resonates with Kevin: Everything in your life up to this moment - the good, the bad and the ugly - has prepared you for your present and your future. Therefore, nothing disqualifies you from making a decade of difference. In fact, the things that you think count you out, actually attract people to you. Your life message resonates with others who have had a similar experience, so you have the moral authority to reach them in a way no one else can. Your past lights the way for you and for others who have known the same struggles, difficulties, and challenges. Kevin invites you to make peace with your past, so it no longer casts a shadow over your future.
Characteristics of Difference Makers
Here are some traits that difference-makers commonly share:
- They are other-centered. They’re focused on making a difference in the lives of others, rather than making things better for themselves.
- They are purpose-powered. There’s a purpose that inspires and motivates them to do what they do.
- They are ‘tragically optimistic’. No matter how difficult the circumstances, they believe that good will emerge in the end.
- They are dealers in hope. They inspire others by depositing hope into their lives.
- They are kind, compassionate, caring and humble.
Ripples of Influence
When you make a difference in someone’s life, Kevin says, you may not even be aware of it. There’s no way of knowing how far the waves and ripples of your influence will reach, so don’t even try to track it. The important thing is to realize that your decade of difference cannot be outsourced. It must be insourced; that is, it starts with you thinking differently, seeing the world differently and living differently. Start with your own personal development, and your influence will ripple out to your family, and community, and maybe even the world.
Permission To Live A Decade of Difference
Whether you know exactly what difference you want to make in the world, or you’re not quite sure, Kevin is cheering you on. He invites you to give yourself permission to dream, imagine and discover your decade of difference. You live a decade of difference one day at a time, he says. If you go off-track, reorient yourself and keep moving forward. Connect with a community of others who are also on the journey. Prepare for challenges and tough times because they will inevitably come, but seize the decade nonetheless, and be a difference-maker whatever arena you’re in.
Resources
Episode 125: Managing Tension On Your Journey To Greatness with Tim Arnold
Episode 127: Living An Inspired Life with Debbie LaChusa
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Join the community: KevinDMonroe.com/decade
Living an Inspired Life with Debbie LaChusa
When you get out of your own way and stop trying to make things happen - when you pay attention to what’s calling on your heart - you end up exactly where you’re supposed to be. Following where inspiration leads is the subject of Debbie LaChusa’s book, The Following Inspiration Experiment. She joins Kevin Monroe on this week’s show to talk about living an inspired life.
- Following inspiration means listening to that little voice in your head, Debbie says. It’s trusting your gut, listening to your intuition, or it can be feeling called to do something. For her, it meant stepping away from planning every aspect of her life, and just paying attention to the people, events, and opportunities that showed up.
- Kevin and Debbie relate how they came to this view of life. Kevin says that four words came to his mind one Sunday: “More led, less driven.” Since then he has been intentional about following the invitations that show up in life, rather than trying to make them happen. When Debbie started to let go and started doing what showed up, amazing things began to happen.
- Following inspiration has been a 10-year experiment for Debbie. Kevin asks if she is there yet. She responds that there is no ‘there’. There, she says, implies that happiness and success are someplace else. The best place to be is right here, right now, because when you’re present you notice the inspired path, you pay attention to the ideas that show up, and they stick. It’s simple, but it’s not always easy to practice, she points out.
- Your work will be harder, frustrating, and not as good when you force it. Kevin says that he has never produced inspired work in make-it-happen mode. Debbie adds that the recipients of your work can tell the difference: there’s an energy in your work when you do it from an inspired place that’s just not there when you plow through.
- We’re all going to end up where we’re supposed to be if we pay attention to what speaks to us. We each have our own path, and it’s different from everyone else’s. If we open ourselves to what shows up, our purpose will find us.
- Flow is being in the zone. It’s when life and work feel effortless, peaceful, and purposeful. Debbie says that being in flow is all about getting out of your head and into your heart. Kevin adds that it’s moving effortlessly with energy and direction towards an intention. Drifting, on the other hand, is feeling lost; it’s aimless.
- Synchronicity is a perfect, meaningful coincidence: it’s something that happens that you just couldn’t plan, but feels right. Let yourself follow through on the ideas and opportunities that feel right to you, Debbie advises. Trust that there’s a reason you’re being attracted to them. Ultimately, that’s what synchronicity is, and it’s one of the ways inspiration shows up.
- Living an inspired life makes you feel at peace. Even when bad things happen, you find the lessons and the good that comes from the bad.
- Debbie describes how her book title came about. It was an inspiration in itself, she relates. She says that her ‘marketing’ strategy has been to put her book out there, and trust that it will get in front of the people that it needs to. “That's what's happened,” Debbie says.
- She urges listeners not to be afraid to try something different. If life seems harder, and you’re feeling unsettled, if you’re thinking that there must be a better way, just give it a try, she says.
Resources
The Following Inspiration Experiment
Join the Joy Challenge
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111Schedule a call: KevinDMonroe.com/2020
Holiday Wishes from the Higher Purpose Podcast
Merry Christmas!
In this special holiday episode of the Higher Purpose Podcast, Kevin Monroe takes the opportunity to reflect. He begins by expressing gratitude to listeners and collaborators. He also counts down the top 10 episodes of 2019. Finally, he shares his wishes for listeners for 2020 and beyond.
So Much To Be Grateful For
More than any other time of the year, its popular to express gratitude during the holidays. Kevin asks listeners to think about something they are grateful for in this moment. He shares that he is grateful for the gift of podcasting which gives him the privilege of engaging in conversations and forming relationships with guests as well as listeners. He quotes Barbara Sable who said, “Relationships are primary. All else is derivative.” Kevin reflects that 90% of his guests in 2019 were new relationships that came to be because someone he knew introduced him to someone they thought he should know. None of us knows everybody we need to know, he says, but everybody we do know, knows someone we need to know. When they open the door, beautiful things happen. He goes on to thank his collaborators, without whom the podcast and his other projects would not have been possible.
Clarity Comes Through Action
2019 was a year of experimentation, Kevin reflects. Years ago his mentor Rich Sheridan taught him to stop overthinking and just “run the experiment.” As a result, most of what he now does in life starts as an experiment. Major projects in 2019, such as the Gratitude Challenge, the Humans First Hangout, and the This Extraordinary Life community, came about because of experiments. Kevin points out that clarity comes through action: as he took action, the next steps became clearer, and he is ending 2019 with greater clarity than he started with. His wish for listeners is that clarity comes for them as well.
Top 10 Episodes of 2019
There were several episodes that resonated most with listeners in 2019. Kevin recalls the Top 10 episodes of the year. He wants you to take time to celebrate your progress and come up with your own list of your Top 10 Moments of 2019. Make peace with your past, he urges; celebrate your progress, and prepare for the future.
Holiday Wishes
Kevin wishes you a Merry Christmas. May peace, love and joy be magnified in your life. May you have true peace, which is wholeness and harmony in every dimension of your life. May you have abiding joy even in difficult times. May you have the deep and unconditional love you deserve.
Resources
Top 10 Episodes of 2019:
- Episode 88: Everybody Matters with Bob Chapman
- Episode 101: The Power of Gratitude with Steve Foran
- Episode 82: Being a Chief Heart Officer with Claude Silver
- Episode 102: Dealing With Impostor Syndrome with Kimberly Davis and Melissa Hughes
- Episode 91: The Pulse of Your Organization with David Niu
- Episode 117: Are You Listening? with Jane Adshead-Grant
- Episode 97: Higher Purpose and Self Worth with Traci Fenton
- Episode 96: The Employee Experience with Ben Whitter
- Episode 105: Gratitude Is A Way of Life with Steve Foran
- Episode 98: The Definition of Success with Al Lopez
Join the Joy Challenge
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Schedule a call: KevinDMonroe.com/2020
Managing Tension On Your Journey To Greatness with Tim Arnold
Tim Arnold, this week’s guest on the Higher Purpose Podcast, is no stranger to tension. He was a team building and leadership development consultant for 10 years before starting and running a homeless shelter. Today he is the author of The Power of Healthy Tension as well as a sought after speaker. A critical lesson he learned throughout his career was that decisions - and life! - are not always this OR that; many times it’s a matter of managing this AND that. These dilemmas are called key tensions. He chats with Kevin Monroe about these key tensions and how to manage them on the road less traveled.
It’s All Preparation
When Tim decided to leave the consulting business to open a homeless shelter, he felt that he was starting a totally new chapter in his life. He soon realized, however, that his prior experience was preparing him for this new path. He says that when you choose to live a purpose-oriented life you should assume that your experiences - good and bad - have all been preparation for the present. Teaching the concept of healthy tension for so many years prepared him to apply it at the shelter, often in very challenging situations.
Healthy Tension
Kevin asks Tim to define the concept of healthy tension. Tim explains that we’ve been conditioned to see things from an either-or perspective, that decisions are problems to solve and we should choose the right answer. While problem-solving is a critical and laudable skill, there are situations in life that are not problems to solve but tensions to manage. In these moments we have to be able to hold two opposing positions in tension, or adopt an ‘and’ mindset instead of an ‘either-or’ one. For example, manage both flexibility AND structure, don’t try to choose either only flexibility OR only structure. If we want to achieve our higher aspirations, there are some underlying tensions in work and life we should embrace rather than avoid.
What Does It Look Like To You?
Choosing one side may feel good but it will work against you in the long term, Tim points out. Rather than picking one side, he advises, think about what living on both sides looks like for you. Many times an ideal, such as fairness, means different things to different people. The goal is not to compromise your values, but to embrace both sides fully. Kevin comments that oftentimes organizations would choose words to portray their values without fully defining what those words mean to their business. Tim adds that if you don’t fully understand the underlying tensions you have to manage to live out those values, then they are just words. Dig into those underlying tensions and learn how to leverage them.
Key Tensions on the Road Less Traveled
Kevin and Tim discuss a few key tensions that difference-makers need to leverage on their journey to greatness. These include:
- Fun and seriousness;
- Purpose and profit;
- Caring about the right people’s opinions and not caring what everyone else thinks;
- Idealism and realism.
Tim says that once we realize that idealism and realism go together, we will be able to hold on to our vision while accepting the reality of what needs to be done now.
A Challenge For Listeners
Tim’s challenge to listeners is to think about what tensions they are going to manage in the coming year. Are you willing to embrace them? What would it look like to get the value of both sides? Kevin has his own questions for listeners:
- Are there any issues that you previously saw as problems to solve that you now realize are actually tensions to manage?
- What are the key tensions you face as a difference-maker?
- What do you plan to do with what you've learned today? What’s your next step and how can we help?
Resources
Book and other resources: ThePowerOfHealthyTension.com
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Schedule a call: KevinDMonroe.com/2020
The Road Less Traveled in Leadership with Mike Vacanti
The Higher Purpose Podcast’s new intro clarifies what the show is about and that it is for people who have chosen the road less traveled in business, in leadership and in life. Host Kevin Monroe says who better than Mike Vacanti to share the first conversation under this new banner? Mike is the first guest to appear on the show three times in a calendar year.
- Kevin congratulates Mike on the launch of his first book, Believership: The Superpower Beyond Leadership.
- Both Kevin and Mike choose not to accept commonly held beliefs or ‘best practices’ if those beliefs and practices do not make sense to them. Mike calls it having the strength to resist becoming someone else.
- Mike shares an experience of corporate culture, of “feeling that I had to conform and become one of them rather than the best of me.” To his mind, if you’re going to work together, you should enjoy the experience. His way of leading his team was producing high-level results, yet he was told they didn’t like his methods. It led him to make the difficult decision to leave the company in order to stay true to himself. He saw their entrenched ideas of how he should behave as a leader as authority, not leadership. The way he led his team was the way he believed leadership should be.
- Mike’s book, Believership, emerged from his exploration of the question, What happens because of me? He discovered that his teams performed well together because they all believed in what they were doing and they believed in each other. He comments that we’re in a new era of business so a lot about leadership needs to change. He wants to open up the dialogue about what that change looks like and what we need to discard to get there. Kevin admires that Mike’s approach is not prescriptive; rather, it is an invitation into a conversation.
- An idea from Mike’s book that Kevin loves is, Lift Others. Mike says that it is an intention that he starts each day with.
- There are repeatable things that we can do to make work better, Mike says, and we should apply those patterns. When they no longer work, we should look for alternatives. Mike is resistant to the term “best practices” as it’s often used as an authoritative statement - the one best way - which closes off ideas, creativity and ingenuity.
- Mike talks about his upcoming book launch event at VaynerMedia in New York City.
- We can do better, Mike says. Things can improve and we can lift others along the journey with us. He sees a decade of difference as an invitation to become excited about the challenges and opportunities in front of us. He encourages listeners to imagine how much we can accomplish this decade simply because of the technology and tools we have available to us.
- Kevin asks Mike to encourage listeners who may be facing difficult times. Mike responds that we need each other. As such, we should be there for one another. When we can support each other, especially when it’s most needed, we’re actually doing greater service. That is when we’re actually winning, he says.
- The road less traveled is lonely when you try to go it alone. When you realize that there are people on the same journey as you, it motivates you and gives you hope. There is a ripple effect that multiplies to others. Kevin sums it up in a phrase: Open hearts, love others, multiply impact.
- To become comfortable with only knowing the next step and taking it, Mike says we should realize that when we take that step forward, our vantage point changes. We can see more clearly what’s possible, and maybe the end result will be much better than what we imagined at the beginning.
Resources
Believership: The Superpower Beyond Leadership
Mike Vacanti on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Email: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com
Call or text Kevin: 678-744-5111
Schedule a call: KevinDMonroe.com/2020
Sailing To An Extraordinary Life with Piers Thurston
This week’s guest on the Higher Purpose Podcast is mindset transformation coach, Piers Thurston. He joins host Kevin Monroe for what the latter calls “a unique, different kind of conversation.”