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Welcome back, Amazing Leaders.
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I'm your host, Coach Dora Mendez, and today's conversation is one you absolutely need to hear.
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We're diving deep into what it truly means to create a culture where people don't just show up.
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They thrive where inclusion isn't a buzzword, but a lived experience where 600 plus employees across 23 locations feel connected, valued, valued and empowered to reach their full potential.
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Our guest today is doing exactly that work and he's been recognized for it.
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Joining us is Stephan Spilkowitz, executive leader, board member, organizational culture architect, and recent honoree as a nonprofit trailblazer by City and State Magazine.
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By the end of this conversation, you will walk away with actionable strategies to transform your workplace culture a deeper understanding of what inclusive leadership truly requires, and the inspiration to lead with intention, empathy, and impact.
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This episode is your blueprint to build organizations where people flourish, not just function.
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So settle in, take a breath and get ready.
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Hello and welcome to Building Leadership Community Podcast.
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I'm your host, Dora Mendez.
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I am the founder and CEO of Coach Dora LLC.
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Our guests will be entrepreneurs, small business owners, and community leaders that drive social impact.
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It can be lonely at the top, but it doesn't have to be.
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I want to pick up on something that you mentioned about serving others and, I mentioned that I started, a wellness club.
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Right.
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And so, I maybe I'm taking advantage of your expertise, but what do you do to take care of yourself?
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You're giving so much to others, and, you know, 20,000 clients, 600 staff.
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You're giving so much to others.
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What do you do to take care of yourself?
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Yeah. Thank you. Dora.
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I think it's essential, you know, and especially those in leadership roles, you're holding not only for yourself, but you're holding for others.
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You know, add to that I'm. I'm a dad.
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So, you know, first and foremost, my my bosses are my little people running around at home.
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And I don't get quite as much time as I used to, but I still carve out some time to make sure.
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One, I love to find myself in nature, feel really, connected when I am, hiking in the woods or if I'm out on the water, I'm a sailor.
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So again, something I don't get quite as much time as I used to to enjoy.
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But I do sail.
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I do you ride motorcycles as well.
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I'm a little bit of an adrenaline junkie, which is something that's also followed me.
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But that's something that I, you know, I found myself kind of, falling into a bit of a flow state, you know, kind of being one with, with the bike and the road or one with, boat and the wind.
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And, you know, as we find ourselves in colder days now looking forward to hopefully getting on the ski slopes for at least a couple days on my snowboard.
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So those are those are some things that I that really kind of fill my cup.
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And outside of that, I, I just love spending time with with my kids, with my dog.
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He barks a lot, but he's a great little pup.
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And, Yeah, I think it's it's, you know, it's critical to prioritize wildness for yourself, even when it feels like, a nice to have or you don't have time for it.
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You have to remind yourself that, that it's critical, right?
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You know, I think about the, the analogy of the oxygen mask on an airplane.
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Right.
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And what are the instructions you get with an oxygen mask?
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It's always to put it on yourself first, because if you're not helping yourself, you really can't be in a position to help others.
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I, I agree, and I, I have, I have we have, 11 year old and a nine year old, so, I put the I put them first often, like, if if we were ever in an accident, my instinct would be to put the mask on them first, because that's just always how I am. But, we do have to put the mask on ourselves if we can't help.
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If we're not, well, we can't help others.
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So thank you for elevating that. Yeah.
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And I just want to say that, you know, that instinct.
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I mean, that's that's an understandable instinct, right?
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As a parent and truth be told, I would probably do the same thing in that situation.
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But that's, you know, the perfect kind of metaphor for why it's important to be intentional about wellness.
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Right?
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And that's, you know, whether you're providing a wellness program to staff, which is often seen as, okay, that's nice to have, but, you know, we're busy.
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We have a lot of work to do.
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And then there's other critical benefits and one thing or another, but it's about a mindset shift to really kind of dedicate yourself to a practice of wellness that ensures that you're well functioning.
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You know, I'll give you another metaphor there.
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You know, if you have a car that you know is just on the go constantly and you're not gassing up, you're not paying attention to the oil level and you're not paying attention to that check engine light.
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Eventually you're going to break down, and then you're going to be forced to tend to the wellness, so to speak, of that vehicle.
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And we're the same.
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So, you know, being proactive there I think is essential.
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But I feel like, because of your line of work, you work with with, you know, I feel like it's even more important to sort of practice what you preach because you're helping people with their mental health and their, traumas, and you're supporting people.
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And I think it's important to practice what you preach.
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And I think that's why your role, is not a nice to have.
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It is essential, also for burnout, just like for practical, from a practical point of view, as, like an employer and a business, you don't, you don't.
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If people stay and people do their best work when they feel valued and supported and making sure their wellness and having a.
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Well, I mean, I feel like your role is so unique.
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I don't think that that's there are a lot of organizations that even have that specific role.
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It's usually relegated to HR.
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Like when I, I spent many years in HR for nonprofits and and it's like relegated.
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And so I think it's just speaks volumes to your organization to have a role that's really intentional about wellness and really practicing what is preached and walking the walk and talking the talk.
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listening to Building Leadership Community.
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Watch on YouTube @CoachDoraM.
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Listen, wherever you get your podcast, follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube @CoachDoraM.
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Visit me on the web at CoachDoraMendez.com.
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Hosted by me, Dora Mendez.
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Produced by Dora Mendez and Dylan Rogers.
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Graphics, editing, and sound mixing by Dylan Rogers.