Learn what mindset really is and how it can (and must) be applied beyond just learning and performance. It was actually inspired by Stanford psychologist Dr. Alia Crum's study of hotel workers that revealed how an instantaneous perspective shift can occur from a simple suggestion. You'll be amazed at the profound impact that the team's new mindset had on the physiological level - and hopefully become inspired to try planting similar seeds with your service team. We discuss... The unexpected...

It seems like there's a lot that can go wrong when implementing something like mindfulness, coaching,  or any mental wellness modality into your workplace culture. You might be thinking, "What if everyone thinks it's weird ?" or "What if they don't like the facilitator?" or "What if they're tired of trainings and just don't wanna show up?" This episode answers all of these questions, and more, discussing creative (and sometimes surprising) solutions to these common uncertainties. We explore...

Do you do a one-off workshop or offer continuous support? Do you offer mindfulness, coaching or some other brain-tweaking modality? Do you bring in a third party or give your team the training to build an in-house program?   If you're looking to begin a mental wellness program in your organization, these are good questions to be asking. Each organization has a unique culture with its own wellness needs so knowing determining the right fit for you is the name of the game. Why should you even...

We live in a time where it never feels like there's enough mental energy to go around. A big part of my mission is certainly to help people build more of this energy so that can be happier, healthier and more successful. But on the other side of this equation is the importance of acknowledging the limited inner resources of others. You can make an extraordinary difference in your relationship with a team member or customer by acknowledging the effort put into simple every day tasks. This...

Maybe you say "yes" to too much, or pick up the slack of negligent co-workers, or get pushed around by customers or managers. Feelings of resentment are probably one of the most common experiences in the workplace that nobody wants to deal with. Why? Maybe we don't like our resentful selves. We'd rather not feel so petty, grumpy and victimized as it concerns our daily commitments.  But what happens when we don't like a feeling? You guessed it: we avoid it! It doesn't get the attention and...

I think this is the perfect holiday practice and also has a profound impact on the people-management skills you need for true  service (AKA: the part that really counts). I challenge you to practice it using the person in your life that you find most different from you, most difficult to understand, or just straight-up most annoying. This is a practice that uses visualization and intention-setting to prepare your mind for whatever all the crazy humans in your life might throw at you, making...

The holidays provide an opportunity to connect to the aspects of service that are truly meaningful to you. And this is the key to really serving to your highest potential: doing what makes YOU feel good (not just what you think you have to do). This episode shows you how to go beyond just the transactional job requirements of service and access your natural motivation to serve REGARDLESS of what you're getting out of it. Also discussed... How to respect your customer's/client's individuality...

If a customer or colleague is being unkind, why do we insist on feeling personally attacked by it? Well, we're designed to. We can try as hard as we want to not take things personally, but we all know that never works. So what do we do? You're going to learn a much different approach to keeping your sense of self from getting affected by someone else's foul mood so you can continue to perform and enjoy your service-oriented work. We'll learn... Why most of the advice your...

Do you find yourself making assumptions, criticisms or unfair evaluations of the people you serve or work with? These ideas may just float by your mind and remain internal, or they'll slip out at the wrong time and wound a relationship. Either way, being judgmental might feel like it really gets in the way of your success and happiness. Be sure to listen to the end of this episode  since you're going to be left with powerfully simple methods to master your judgmental mind. Expect to...

Do you find yourself making assumptions, criticisms or unfair evaluations of the people you serve or work with. These ideas may just float by your mind and remain internal, or they'll slip out at the wrong time and wound a relationship. Either way, being judgmental might feel like it really gets in the way of your success and happiness. Be sure to listen to the end of this episode  since you're going to be left with powerfully simple methods to master your judgmental mind. Expect to...

Loved having a dialogue-style session with my homie Neal Woodson, who was kind enough to return to jam out on some of our mutually-beloved topics like empathy/compassion, service cultures, dealing with difficult humans, and how to help professionals feel empowered to serve to their highest potential. Other questions we chewed on... Are we getting more empathetic/compassionate as a society?How has COVID made us better at understanding the people we serve?How can “seeing the iceberg” transform...

"Ummmmmm, excuse me? I thought you always start with 'Why?'" I know, I know - sorry Simon Sinek fans. Him and all those other Why-seekers out there are not misguided, they just maybe haven't experienced the volatility and unreliability of 'Why?' questions.  In this episode I wanted to talk about contacting the purpose that drives your service and the key foundation of awareness that's good to have before the 'why's' are able to take you anyway. What the heck am I talking about? The...

What a great conversation with a fellow service superhero, Molly Bruttomesso of Wunderkind, a company that's become a darling of the digital marketing world and seems to remain in a continual phase of blossoming. We covered a lot of ground around organizational culture, professional growth, true customer support, and more, so I definitely recommend this episode if you are a service leader or a service professional looking to grow into your potential. Some of the points we covered...

This guided practice combines a lot of tools into one big activation of your very best qualities. By envisioning yourself handling challenges, creating positive impact and generally being the person your want to show up as, the mind will begin to habitually think, act and crush it as the superhero you already know you are. To maximize this session... Find a comfortable spot, where you won't be disturbed. (Do NOT attempt this while driving).Hit play.Follow the instructions. Embrace doing any...

As service professionals, our work gets super-powered by the need to help others, bring happiness, solve problems, etc. The problem is: we get so latched onto these outcomes manifesting that we get crushed by things not turning out how we want. What to do? You can't control people's disappointing responses to our good service intentions. But if we let go of our need for positive outcomes, we may lose the very spark that motivates us! Guess what... Letting go is an art that you simply haven't...

Relationships to customers are everything - same with relationships to coworkers, friends, family and (maybe most of all) ourselves. This episode looks at the inevitability of stress - especially in a role as stressful as service - and how to not only be able to handle the discomfort of it, but also rise to meet the challenges ahead of you. Inside: What stress really is - and how often you experience it - may surprise you.Do we really need stress to perform?How your mind prolongs what...

What would service life be like if stress wasn't a problem? Thus begins a series tackling the obstacle to service success that is so pervasive, its influence cannot be understated. Inside: Stress release: effective and ineffective ways to actually get the stress out of your physiology. Keeping stress from messing up your work life is not just a matter of "reducing" it, but becoming resilient to it. How stress affects you and lives in your body - and what you can do about it. The...

Service professionals are especially required to show that they are in pleasant emotional states - cheerful, calm, friendly, etc.  But when you're not feeling that way, it's often difficult and straining to fake these emotions. This episode talks about these struggles of "Emotional Labor" and how to emerge victorious in what can often feel like a miserable trap of performance expectations. You'll learn... How to get better at feeling unpleasant emotions and the surprising positive impact...

Important stuff we make sure you walk away with in this episode... No more fear of being "selfish". Selflessness is not what you think it is.The importance of understanding and meeting your needs (as well as your customers'/coworkers'/employers')Do you feel "forced" to serve a certain way (by clients or management? Here's how to work with this.How to make everything feel voluntary (esp. service!) - AKA: like it's your choice. Freedom is a mindset!The importance of boundaries (personal and...

Do you think that the principles of running an organization and the best practices of piloting a commercial jet are an unlikely combo for a leadership guide? You won't think so by the end of this discussion with dynamic duo Octavian Pantis and Emil G Dobrovolschi. They share pearls of wisdom from the book they recently co-authored, Dark Cockpit: How to Communicate, Lead, and Be in Control at All Times Like an Airline Captain. Get ready to learn some interesting and powerful new perspectives...

Being able to connect with people and navigate a social situation is not a “have it or you don’t” quality. It’s a learnable skill that gets nurtured by surprisingly simple practices. In this episode you’ll get connected with some of the ways that I broke out of emotional illiteracy. You’ll also learn ... How to build your social capabilities without learning “charisma tricks”.How restoring your mental and emotional health is  the root structure of social competency in service.A 3-step process...

An inspiring discussion with Kass Thomas, entrepreneur, coach and communication expert. Learn how to discover and pursue what lights you up (it might be so natural that you don't even notice it). Other riches inside: The effect that work culture and management has on the ultimate experience of the customer. How to stop devaluing the contribution you make to others through the work you do.How to own your role rather than worrying about your status.Presence = there are no bad experiences.How...

I'm very excited to share this conversation with Kenneth Starr, who served as solicitor general of the United States from 1989-1993. Though he's probably best known for leading the perjury investigation of president Bill Clinton from 1994-98, he may not be as well known for his lifelong work as a public servant and legal education leader. Currently, he serves on the boards of Christian Legal Society, Advocates International and Alliance Defending Freedom. Throughout his career, he has...

This week we talk about the belief responsible for continuous and untold damage to your workplace well-being: "I am looked down upon and not respected." This belief is all-too-common - and understandable - in service-oriented roles so having the tools to kill the negative impact of it is super game-changing.  I show you some simple techniques, plus more! Recommended Pairings: Podcast Episode: Next-Level Gratitude Practices That’ll Fill Your Service Tank Go Deeper Into the Mindful Service...