leadership Archives - Page 6 of 12

Future Proof Me – Citizen Branding

July 27, 2021
by Claire

This week’s mini episode features a global branding and design icon talking about the renewed power branding has in today’s ‘social’ world to create change-making movements.

When we invited the designer, author and podcaster, Debbie Millman, on the show last year she talked about how branding has evolved in the past decade and how the power has shifted to us as consumers and citizens. She explained it in a historical context that really stuck with us and we thought it was so important, we wanted to share it with you again.

Debbie is a global authority on brands, as well as creating them, she co-created and teaches a Masters in Branding at New York’s famed School of Visual Arts.

Understanding how branding, as well as content, has been democratised and how it can be harnessed for good and even turned into social movements is important; not just for future proofing our careers but also for future proofing our planet as well.

On that note, sit back, pretend you’re in NYC and drink in Debbie’s wise words now!

Useful Links

https://www.debbiemillman.com/

Debbie’s TED talk – How Symbols and Brands Shape our Humanity

Society 6 Debbie Millman – various designs by Debbie that you can buy

How to Build Your Personal Brand – A Course with Debbie Millman

The Art of the Story – Creating Visual Narratives

Debbie’s reading list

Future Proof Me Mini Episode

Future Proof Me – Mastering Your Ego

July 13, 2021
by Claire

This week’s Future Proofing mini episode is all about not letting your ego get the better of you.

We were blown away by the maturity and wisdom of young New Zealand entrepreneur, Brianne West, the founder and CEO of Ethique, the global and sustainable cosmetics company. We spoke to her on the show last year.

Brianne’s mission is to rid the world of single-use plastics and Ethique replaces bottled products like shampoos with solid bars of concentrated product.

Brianne has won all kinds of honours including New Zealand’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year and she was named an Obama Leader for Asia Pacific.

With these accolades Brianne could be forgiven for running her global business exactly as she pleases. But what’s so refreshing about this entrepreneur in her 30’s is that she’s well aware she’s never worked in any other business and so she knows she needs other people’s expertise to help her succeed.

And that’s where mastering your ego comes into it. Brianne is so authentic and open about what she does and doesn’t know.

In a world where it’s so easy for all of us to think we have to role play and claim more experience and capability than we may have, one of the secrets to Brianne’s success is that she’s learnt her business needs her to listen to the recommendations of others in order to succeed. She leaves her ego at the door when she goes to work and so do her colleagues.

Take a listen and be inspired how vulnerability really can be the best way forward.

Useful Links

Brianne’s Full Interview with us – Brianne West – Running the World’s most Sustainable Cosmetics Company

Ethique Website

Brianne on Instagram

Interview

Allison Kent-Smith – Not your Typical Entrepreneur

June 22, 2021June 29, 2021
by Claire

Our episode this week features an American woman who abandoned the security and prestige of working with some of the world’s most sought after ad agencies to start her own businesses.

Her name is Allison Kent Smith and one thing that really stands out about her is that she has consciously refused to pretend to be someone she’s not when trying to find VC investors for her startup.

That startup, giide.com, is a new platform for creating rich audio learning experiences featuring a host of multimedia options such as links, articles and graphics.

In our conversation you’ll hear how

Allison has experienced a few seminal moments when she just knew she had to leap out of her comfort zone work-wise
What a Silicon Valley VC told her when she met with him for funding that nearly made her give up
Why she asks herself how can she do less when she wakes up
And how she’s found her tribe of investors and supporters by staying true to herself

So sit back and enjoy this episode with the not so typical entrepreneur, Allison Kent Smith.

Useful Links

Giide Website

iOS app in the app store

Allison on LinkedIn

Future Proof Me Mini Episode

Future Proof Me – Courage for All Things

June 16, 2021June 17, 2021
by Claire

Our mini episode this week is packed with wisdom from one of our most thoughtful guests.

Social entrepreneur, author and one of Forbes Magazine ‘100 Greatest Living Business Minds’, Jacqueline Novogratz, blew our socks off with her inspiring purpose and thoughtful wisdom when we spoke with her last year.

We particularly loved how Jacqueline spoke inspiringly about courage and creating change, and she uses the analogy of bulls and doves in a brilliant way. At the time she was releasing her latest book, Manifesto for a Moral Revolution.

Jacqueline starts by stressing how important it is not to spend ages thinking about doing something but to make a start, even if it scares you.

You’ll also learn how she channels her inner bull and dove and how she overcame her fear of public speaking.

Enjoy this episode.

Useful Links

Our full interview with Jacqueline Novogratz

Acumen Website

Jacqueline’s Books:

Manifesto for a Moral Revolution – Practices to Build a Better World

The Blue Sweater

How To Episode

How To Be A Great People Person

June 9, 2021
by Claire

This week’s episode is all about becoming a great ‘people person’. It’s something we believe is probably the most important trait of a great leader.

Of course, it’s not always easy to do, particularly these days when many of us are working from home at least some part of each week.

Thanks to Covid, we’re all losing a bit of ‘muscle tone’ when it comes to building and maintaining healthy working relationships with our colleagues, direct reports and networks.

But fear not as we have just the info you need to hear to reinvigorate your working life!

In this episode you’ll hear:

How one CEO was advised not to think she was running a company and instead to think of it as managing a group of individuals;
Great advice on the key ingredients for strong working relationships even when everyone is working remotely;
What mistake younger women make in particular when it comes to interactions at work;
And the one special ingredient you need to build enduring relationships in ways that are otherwise impossible.

So rediscover the ‘people person’ you want to be, and enjoy this episode!

Useful Links

Link to Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas Interview

Link to Connie Mckeage Interview

The Trust Equation by Charles Green

Interview

Adina Jacobs – Win-Win Relationships

May 11, 2021June 1, 2021
by Claire

This week’s episode features one of the most unassuming and humble entrepreneurs we’ve met.

Adina Jacobs is the Co-Founder of an international technology accessories company called STM Goods that basically created a whole new category of product when it launched it 23 years ago. (Think really functional and yet not boring laptop backpacks and bags, ipad and tablet covers, chargers, and a whole host of other accessories.)

Adina’s success as a young entrepreneur is testament to the power of building win-win relationships; whether it’s with manufacturers or retail clients. It was thanks to great relationships with Apple resellers that led to her products landing coveted space in Apple’s own destination retail stores when they launched.

And not only does Adina work with Apple but STM are also key suppliers of Microsoft accessories as well, plus many other brands.

Adina is also Co-Founder of Mentor Walks in Australia, a not-for-profit expanding all around the country with its ‘walk and talk’ model. We had her Co-Founder, Bobbi Mahlab, on the show some months back.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How a creative use for a padded postal envelope 23 years ago was the genesis of a new product category, and an internationally successful business
How Adina thinks, and goes about, building win win relationships
How STM has succeeded getting things successfully manufactured in China and elsewhere in the past two decades; and
How to set yourself up for success with your Co-Founder.

So sit back, relax and enjoy this episode with the humble and high achieving Adina Jacobs.

Useful Links

Heidi Hackemer – On Navigating the Worst

April 27, 2021June 1, 2021
by Claire

We have a very special episode this week because we’re sharing the vulnerable story of how one of our guests was subsequently fired from a high profile role in the US and how she navigated her way through the dark times that followed.

That guest is Heidi Hackemer and what she shares in this episode is so generous and valuable for all of us to hear; after all nothing is permanent and plans fall over on a regular basis.

Heidi is a leading creative who had her own brand agency in New York and also headed up the Creative Studio at the philanthropic Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) in California.

Not long after our first conversation with Heidi in July 2018 things went wrong, very wrong. Heidi was fired from CZI and not only that, when she got back to New York, she had to close her brand strategy agency, W&W too. We learnt about this because Heidi wrote an extremely brave and vulnerable article on Medium (link below) describing what had happened and how low she was feeling.

Admiring her generous honesty, we reached out to her just as COVID was taking hold everywhere round the world last year. Heidi agreed to speak with us.

After our conversation, we made a decision not to publish the interview last year, as it just felt too raw. With Heidi’s permission, we’ve all agreed that now is the right time to share the story she has been so generous in sharing with us. She’s well and truly bounced back from the lows she describes and is now the Executive Creative Director for North America at the booming global company, Oatly.

In this episode Heidi shares:

How, after being fired, she initially couldn’t stop worrying about money
Her advice for others who lose their jobs
Heidi’s generous sharing of all the things she did to pull herself out of depression and bounce back,
And the inspiring reason she shared her extraordinary piece on Medium

Even if you are securely employed right now, we really recommend you listen to this unique conversation. And if you know someone who’s lost their job make sure they listen to this too! They’ll thank you later.

Enjoy this episode with the generous, and very thoughtful, Heidi Hackemer …

Useful Links

Our first conversation with Heidi in July 2018

Medium article that prompted this second interview

Future Proof Me Mini Episode

Future Proof Me – Master Meetings

April 20, 2021June 1, 2021
by Claire

This week’s future-proofing mini episode is all about making the most of meetings you attend at work. And seriously, this is one of the most important tools you have to develop your visibility and your reputation.

How many times have you sat through a meeting trying to jump in and contribute, or worse, left a meeting realising you hadn’t said anything at all?

As you’ll hear in today’s show, more than one senior executive uses the ‘15 minute Rule’ to hold themselves, and sometimes their direct reports, to account. In other words, have you contributed something or asked a question within the first 15 minutes of any meeting you attend?

Hear some terrific advice from corporate highflyer and Honeywell’s President & CEO of Honeywell Connected Enterprise, Que Dallara who’s a strong believer in making sure you’re visible if you’re at the table.

So do not miss this episode if you sometimes leave a meeting wishing you’d made a particular point or had had the courage to ask that question that had been on your mind….

Useful Links

Link to Que’s Full Interview

Que’s LinkedIn

Future Proof Me Mini Episode

Future Proof Me – It’s Not Personal!

April 6, 2021
by Claire

This week’s mini episode is about keeping things in perspective and not taking things personally at work. We hear great advice from one of our wisest guests, Julia Paige, Uber’s global head of Social Impact.

How often have you been rattled by something someone has said to you at work, then spent hours ruminating and worrying about how you’re perceived by others?

We both have in our time, and the wasted hours of angst trying to second-guess the motivations of others or their perceptions of us, were truly a waste of time.

Spare yourself the pain and check out this mini episode to help you realise if it’s work …it’s not personal!

Useful Links

Link to Julia’s full interview

Julia on LinkedIn

How To Episode

How to Say ‘No’ at Work

March 31, 2021March 31, 2021
by Claire

A recent Microsoft trends in work report showed that 40 billion more emails were sent in February 2021 than the previous February, due to the increase in remote working. No wonder so many of us are feeling burnt out and that our work/life boundaries are all askew!

We’re happy to say our latest ‘How To’ episode is jam-packed with tips on how to appropriately say “No” at work, whether you’re an employee or work for yourself.

We’re not saying it’s always right or easy to say “No” but what we do observe in our leadership work around the world is that some people say “Yes” way more than they need to and can be taken advantage of.

If you think this might be you, then don’t miss this episode where you’ll learn:

The reasons why we often find it hard to say “No”
Great responses you can try when asked out of the blue to do something for someone
A useful framework one professional speaker and author uses to work out what to say “No” to; and
An intuitive way to figure out what your true priorities are.

So before you reply to any more emails 😉, enjoy this episode!

If you’d like to receive and exercise we’ve adapted from one of podcast guests Dr Jacinta Jimenez that helps you define your values and then set your boundaries around your values. Send us an email at hello@dontstopusnow.co and we’ll send you the exercise.