WEBVTT
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Welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable
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Connections, the podcast where relationships
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create opportunity and authentic leadership builds
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lasting success. I'm your host, Michael Foreman.
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You've probably heard the saying, your network
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is your net worth. But what if your real net
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worth isn't measured by how many people, it's
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measured by how deeply people trust you. Today's
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guest and I explore authentic leadership, living
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your truth, and why the right relationships come
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from becoming the right person. If you're ready
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to build a network that's grounded in purpose
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instead of appearances, this episode is for you.
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And I just want to say, Lashondra, that I go
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across the country speaking about this exact
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topic. So I'd like to introduce LaShondra to
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my podcast. I think it's going to be a great
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podcast. And why don't you give us a kind of
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a cliff notes of how you got where you are today?
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Yes, absolutely. So thank you so much for having
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me, Michael. So I spend 35 years working in different
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corporate environments. 20 plus of those in Fortune
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15 companies. And so I understood how to navigate
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highly complex, highly matrixed organizations
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by connecting with the right people. So it's
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always, sometimes it's a game of telephone when
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you're trying to figure out who does what. And
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so I've made it literally my life's purpose to
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understand the who, the what, and the how, and
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to get it done as quickly and effectively as
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possible so that everybody wins. Good, perfect.
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Okay, I've got a bunch of questions for you.
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And let's see what you're really worth here,
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okay? Okay. Okay, we hear the phrase, your network
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is your net worth all the time. Yes. Do you think
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we've misunderstood what that really means? I
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do. Thank you for asking that question, Michael,
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because I think it's, you said earlier in the
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introduction, you think, oh, if I have... 50
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,000 people than I have in my network. No, if
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you had five people who were just really connected
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and they understood you, they understood what
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you did, that's more valuable than the 50 ,000.
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So I think the numbers that we have is not as
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important as the depth of the relationships and
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like you said, how much they trust you. There's
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a piece of it that I think is so much around
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how you build your brand and your reputation
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and how you hold to that and what people can
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expect every time they reach out to you or connect
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with you or partner with you. Those things are
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actually what are the value of your network.
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So when people know that they can reach out to
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you, they know they're getting the right thing
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at the right time. They know you're dedicated
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and committed. And so they want to continuously,
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repeatedly work for you and with you. And they
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also speak your names in rooms that you're not
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in. Absolutely. There's a mantra within networking.
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It's if they know you, if they like you and they
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trust you, they'll do business with you. And
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it's very simple for everybody to know you that
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your 50 ,000 people can know you because your
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face, but like you, that kind of narrows it down
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just a little bit, but then trust because you
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would never do business with somebody that you
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don't trust. Absolutely. Absolutely. And I'm
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sure a lot of your listeners get the same thing
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I get. When you're on LinkedIn, you get bombarded
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by just random people on, hey, I want to help
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you do this. Join me and do this. I'm like, I
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don't even know you. You haven't asked me one
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question about myself, about my business. You're
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just trying to hit as many people as possible
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to try to get one to bite. And I'm like, that's
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not how I do business. And so I'm sure that's
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effective to some people in some ways, but that
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would never work on me. Absolutely. Me either.
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So that works. Okay. You talk about authentic
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leadership. How does authenticity influence the
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kinds of people we're able to attract into our
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lives and businesses? Yeah, absolutely. So I
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think so many times, especially when you're getting
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into corporate leadership, like I spent so much
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time doing, is people tell you, oh, you have
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to act this certain way or be this certain way
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to get results. And so what that actually does
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is telling you that the way you are is not. acceptable
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or not valuable. So you're working so hard trying
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to be this other person that you miss out on
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all the what I call the zone of genius, right?
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So you can't be as productive as innovative and
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creative as you'd like to be, because you're
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too busy trying to be this other person in this
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box. So what I think about authentic leadership
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is that it unleashes all of the true value that
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you bring to the organization, to your team,
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to yourself. And so it's important for you to
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be able to be authentically who you are, how
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you think, how you critically make decisions,
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how you bring, you know, creativity to the work.
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And that's important on so many levels. So when
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you are actually authentic, you get much more
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done. You're much more effective. effective and
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much more efficient. And so it's important for
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people to create processes and abilities so people,
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you can live your authentic life. So as a leader
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or supervisor or a manager, your job is to remove
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the barriers from people so that they can do
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that authentic leadership. Yeah, that's so profoundly
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put. I go across and I teach everybody about
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authenticity. And first of all, authenticity,
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that word is being thrown around. It's, oh my
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God, I'm not ready. But being yourself. And I
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never heard it quite put that way where it's
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perfect. You have to be yourself and you have
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to allow yourself to go out and think outside
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the box. And you really can't do that when you're
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trying to be somebody else. Exactly. That's exactly
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right. I have to tell you, that was perfectly
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put. Thank you, Michael. It really was. Thank
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you so much. Okay. Many people network while
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trying to impress others. After all, that's what
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networking is. What changes when someone is comfortable
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enough to simply be themselves? First of all,
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I love that question so much. It gives you a
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chance to just listen. Because to me, anytime
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you're thinking about networking or partnering
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with somebody, you're listening for something
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that's a connection point for the two of you,
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right? Whether it's something that you have in
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common, maybe even interests and hobbies, because
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I like to talk about the person. I don't just
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say, who are you in terms of what you do? I'm
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like, who are you in terms of who you are? One
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of my favorite sayings is we are human beings,
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not human doings. And so just being has value,
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but the doing also adds to that. And so when
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I'm asking people questions, I really want to
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understand who they are. So when I make that
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connection point, I'm like, okay, that's good.
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Now we can connect on that level. And I'm continuing
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to be able to be a really good listener because
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that's the way you're going to be a great partner
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or a great business. say, I can meet your needs,
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you got to understand what those needs are. And
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if you don't perfect yourself as being a good
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listener, you'll never understand those needs.
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And so to me, that's what's so important is when
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you're comfortable in who you are, you can just
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listen and then be able to actually interact
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with that person in a way that really is meaningful
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to them. Absolutely. Let me ask you a question.
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What would you do if you go up to somebody and
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say, okay, what do you do? And they give you
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that canned 30 second elevator speech. So the
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first thing is, I don't even ask them the question,
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what do you do? I say, tell me who you are. And
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they want to immediately start with, I work in
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this job and I do this. And I said, not what
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you do. Tell me who you are. And so I always
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make that distinction to ask the very specific
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questions so that they understand what I'm trying
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to get at. Because that has opened up so many
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more doors for me networking, Michael, than asking,
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oh, what do you do? Because I don't want the
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canned answer. I want the authentic, what it
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is from the heart. What drives you every day?
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What wakes you up? What's that purpose that you're
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living that makes? the difference. And that's
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what I want to know about. Very good. Very good.
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Because what I teach is when I ask you that question
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and they give me a 30 second elevator speech,
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I said, okay, let's perfect your 30 seconds and
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we perfect it. Say, okay, now throw that out
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and bring it down to 10 seconds. That usually
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throws them for a loop. We get it down to 10
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seconds. I said, that's great. Now throw it out.
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Yep. Because I want to know the feeling that
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you give to the other person about what you do.
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And that tells so much more than what you do.
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So I introduce all the different things. But
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that's really what I'm after is the feeling that
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I'm a public professional speaker. I'm an executive
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business coach. And what do I do? I turn conversations
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into clients. without leaving money on the table.
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That's what I do. And then I'll tell you, oh,
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I'm a business coach. Sure, fine. But that's
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what I do. Okay. So many people network while
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trying to impress others. What changes? Oh, I
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just asked you that question. That's silly, isn't
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it? That's okay. Let's go to number four. Okay.
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So living your truth sounds inspiring, but it
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can also be uncomfortable. Have there ever been
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moments when staying true to your values cost
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you an opportunity, yet ultimately led to something
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better? Oh, absolutely. I love this question.
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Probably the most of anything you've asked me
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so far. That's one of my favorite pieces because
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I think when you are your authentic self, you
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attract the power. The clients, the partners,
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those people who want to do business with you.
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I'm a very specific kind of brand. I tell people
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all the time, I'm a storyteller. I'm a very public,
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very loud, very dynamic storyteller. If you want
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somebody who's quiet and reserved, that's not
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going to be me. So anything about my branding
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does not look like that at all. So when I'm living
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my truth, I come out and I'm funny. I'm a little
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quirky, but I always come rooted in real data
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and lived experience. And so if people are looking
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for that, kind of interaction, then that's what
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they get with me every single time. Like every
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single time, which is around the brand. If you're
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building a brand, they need to have that experience
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every time they do with you or anybody working
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on your team. And so that is what's super important
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to me is that I live exactly what I say I am
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and people get that. And they keep coming back
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and I get referrals all the time. And that is
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the biggest honor for me is to have repeat business
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and referrals from those I've done business with.
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And that to me is the ultimate pinnacle of doing
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business. being a good business person. Absolutely.
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And you told me that you put humor into everything,
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as do I, because it's usually self -deprecating,
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right? Because I'm not going to make fun of somebody
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else. And when you turn it on yourself, they
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start laughing and they're not sure why they're
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laughing, but they're laughing at you as I join
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the party because everybody else is laughing
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at me also. Exactly. You make the room more fun
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and people become more interested and pay attention
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a little bit more. So yeah, that's exactly what
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I do also. Very good. Yes. And it delivers humanity.
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First of all, we want to everybody know, hey,
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I'm human. I'm not robot. So if I mess up some
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words or something, one of my favorite things,
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if you as a public speaker, you probably know
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I was saying something and a whole bunch of spit
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just flew right out of my mouth. And I'm like,
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front row, if you didn't expect the second shower
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today, I'm so glad I was able to meet that need
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for you. So it's like you just say stuff like
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that because you want to. It's human to do that.
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So you just humanize it all. And it makes people
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feel a lot more comfortable. Absolutely. I have
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to tell you, there was one time I was on stage,
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and it was just about a stage that was about
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a foot and a half high, and then the room. And
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as I'm speaking and talking, the stage collapsed,
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right? And I went down about a foot and a half.
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I was still standing about a foot and a half,
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and everybody was like, and I said, I'm feeling
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mighty low. I owned the situation. I got out
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of it. And I went on with the show. And that
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was really it. And afterwards, the event planners
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came up to me and said that was perfect. They
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apologized and everything, but it was perfect.
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That's wonderful. Love that. Do you believe people
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are attracted more to confidence, competence,
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or authenticity? Which one creates the deepest
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trust over time? That's such a great question,
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Michael. And I honestly think it might be based
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on the situation. I was having this conversation
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actually just last week about confidence and
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walking in your confidence. And you could be
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confidently wrong in a lot of cases, right? You
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can walk in and you can present yourself as knowing
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what you're talking about and you sound good,
00:13:00.289 --> 00:13:03.269
but you're literally making stuff up. So I think
00:13:03.269 --> 00:13:05.570
that's a challenge. But people look at that as
00:13:05.570 --> 00:13:07.090
maybe, oh, do they really know what you're talking
00:13:07.090 --> 00:13:08.750
about? You need to do a little bit of investing.
00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:12.200
Right. And then the competence piece to me is
00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:13.980
you can be competent what you're doing, but you're
00:13:13.980 --> 00:13:16.620
a little timid to share it. So there's a piece
00:13:16.620 --> 00:13:18.779
of this like, oh, I don't know if I can really
00:13:18.779 --> 00:13:20.820
trust this person because I know this is true,
00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:22.299
but I'm not sure. And they're not looking at
00:13:22.299 --> 00:13:23.799
you and they're looking down. You're like, so
00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:26.580
that doesn't really show it. To me, authenticity
00:13:26.580 --> 00:13:30.159
brings both of those together. If you're confident
00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:32.330
in knowing, hey. I really know this or, hey,
00:13:32.370 --> 00:13:34.129
I don't know this at all. I need to research
00:13:34.129 --> 00:13:36.610
this. I think that's a beautiful thing. And when
00:13:36.610 --> 00:13:38.809
you show up in that authentic way saying this
00:13:38.809 --> 00:13:40.669
is what I do really when I'm really competent
00:13:40.669 --> 00:13:43.149
in this. But then this is what I know I do really
00:13:43.149 --> 00:13:44.929
when I'm confident in it. So that authenticity
00:13:44.929 --> 00:13:48.129
to me brings both of them together in a marriage
00:13:48.129 --> 00:13:50.870
that is exactly what people need to build the
00:13:50.870 --> 00:13:55.009
most trust. Yes, absolutely. And you hit it when
00:13:55.009 --> 00:13:57.889
you said you can be confident not knowing what
00:13:57.889 --> 00:14:00.269
you're talking about, but you can be confident.
00:14:00.350 --> 00:14:03.470
But then that chisels away your authenticity.
00:14:03.870 --> 00:14:07.309
Yes. So it chisels it away a little bit. So you're
00:14:07.309 --> 00:14:10.210
right. Authenticity brings about all three together.
00:14:10.450 --> 00:14:13.090
And so that's a very good answer. Thank you.
00:14:13.129 --> 00:14:17.629
In today's AI driven world where polished content
00:14:17.629 --> 00:14:21.100
is everywhere. Do you think authenticity has
00:14:21.100 --> 00:14:24.519
become one of the rarest and most valuable leadership
00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:29.450
qualities? I really do. I struggle with this
00:14:29.450 --> 00:14:32.049
one so much because when I talk to a lot of my
00:14:32.049 --> 00:14:34.230
clients, they're like laying people off saying,
00:14:34.289 --> 00:14:37.090
we got to make room for AI. And I say, AI is
00:14:37.090 --> 00:14:40.549
a tool, y 'all. It's not to replace people. It's
00:14:40.549 --> 00:14:43.129
to help them be more effective, more efficient,
00:14:43.190 --> 00:14:45.830
and to focus on the things that they do best,
00:14:45.970 --> 00:14:47.929
right? There will never be a time we don't need
00:14:47.929 --> 00:14:50.629
human skills. There will never be a time that
00:14:50.629 --> 00:14:53.710
we don't need human skills. And so I appreciate
00:14:53.710 --> 00:14:55.960
what AI can do. For me, it's just like a Google
00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:57.919
search or if you're old enough to understand
00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:00.860
Encyclopedia Britannica, when you get those subscriptions,
00:15:01.299 --> 00:15:04.539
there are tools to help you understand how to
00:15:04.539 --> 00:15:06.860
develop arguments, how to gain more knowledge
00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:08.840
and to be able to do your job more effectively.
00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:12.889
And so for me. AI is just the tool. And what
00:15:12.889 --> 00:15:15.710
we have to do is continue to help humans know
00:15:15.710 --> 00:15:18.690
how to utilize that tool to the best of their
00:15:18.690 --> 00:15:21.309
ability so that their authenticity can shine,
00:15:21.470 --> 00:15:23.590
where they can take away some of those more mundane,
00:15:23.809 --> 00:15:26.049
menial tasks that take so much of their time
00:15:26.049 --> 00:15:28.950
and effort and burns people out, honestly. And
00:15:28.950 --> 00:15:31.970
now you can really focus on that value that you're
00:15:31.970 --> 00:15:34.710
bringing to not only the organization, but to
00:15:34.710 --> 00:15:37.919
the clients that you serve. I'm so glad that
00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:41.399
you said AI is a tool, right? Because it's just
00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:44.399
a quiver in your arrow and it's a tool and you
00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.100
don't have to get rid of people. You can make
00:15:47.100 --> 00:15:50.919
the people who are there better and be more effective.
00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:55.580
So instead of hiring another person, the people
00:15:55.580 --> 00:15:59.360
there can do more with less. That's exactly right.
00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:03.039
So I frown upon employers that are getting rid
00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.970
of people. To bring in AI tools because it is
00:16:06.970 --> 00:16:10.610
a tool, as you said. Yes, that's exactly right.
00:16:10.730 --> 00:16:12.470
Because I don't know any person in construction
00:16:12.470 --> 00:16:14.590
that leaves a hammer on the table and says, okay,
00:16:14.629 --> 00:16:16.169
that hammer is the tool that's going to do everything.
00:16:16.570 --> 00:16:19.789
No, it's not. That's right. That's right. That's
00:16:19.789 --> 00:16:22.830
a very good analogy. I'm going to write that
00:16:22.830 --> 00:16:25.950
down as a matter of fact. A carpenter, a construction
00:16:25.950 --> 00:16:28.970
worker, it's a tool. It's like you can't lay
00:16:28.970 --> 00:16:31.309
it on the table and say, okay, go to work. Exactly.
00:16:31.929 --> 00:16:33.830
It's not going to do anything. You've got to
00:16:33.830 --> 00:16:38.370
be the one behind it. So very good. Okay. What's
00:16:38.370 --> 00:16:41.450
the difference between attracting a large network
00:16:41.450 --> 00:16:45.250
and attracting the right network? And how can
00:16:45.250 --> 00:16:48.110
someone tell when they're building relationships
00:16:48.110 --> 00:16:53.120
that truly fit their values? I love this question
00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.500
too. You come up with some really great questions,
00:16:54.580 --> 00:16:57.700
Michael. I'm loving this. I think about the influencer
00:16:57.700 --> 00:17:00.139
market that we're in right now, right? So you
00:17:00.139 --> 00:17:02.139
see so many people on social media that's like,
00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:04.680
I'm an influencer and I have 100 ,000 followers,
00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:07.160
so you should just trust me. And I'm like, okay,
00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:09.640
that's cool, but how did you get those 100 ,000?
00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.359
And then what is the value that you're giving
00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:13.960
to them? But what is also the value they're giving
00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:16.259
back to you? Because if I had 100 ,000 followers,
00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:18.160
and I'm not mad at anybody who has 100 ,000 followers,
00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:20.519
there's no way you can make authentic relationships
00:17:20.519 --> 00:17:23.279
with 100 ,000. thousand people. There's zero
00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:26.759
way. Zero way. And most of it is just noise.
00:17:26.980 --> 00:17:29.700
But if you, again, come back to having, I have
00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:33.339
10 people that have got my back, that understand
00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:37.180
me, that see the value that I bring, those 10
00:17:37.180 --> 00:17:40.160
are the multiplier factor that you need. And
00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:42.279
to me, that is the most important. How can you
00:17:42.279 --> 00:17:45.640
go deep as much as you can, not necessarily wide,
00:17:45.859 --> 00:17:48.380
but you can go wide and deep to a certain amount,
00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:50.960
but not everybody. And so really understanding
00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:53.039
first and foremost, what is it you're actually
00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:56.200
going after? ask the right questions first to
00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:58.960
understand the outcomes that you want. And then
00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:01.099
I always work backwards. Okay. If this is the
00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:03.660
outcome I want, what are the steps I need to
00:18:03.660 --> 00:18:06.039
do to get there? And so I try to trace that back
00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:08.819
to one, I say. And so that is the most important
00:18:08.819 --> 00:18:11.440
thing is first and foremost, decide what is the
00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:13.920
outcome you actually want with that network and
00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:16.240
then work your way backwards to think how is
00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:20.299
the most effective way I can get that done. That's
00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:24.410
a very good. That's a financial and a marketing
00:18:24.410 --> 00:18:27.329
tool that you always look at your end results.
00:18:27.470 --> 00:18:30.410
Okay. That's how I got here. That's what I want
00:18:30.410 --> 00:18:34.009
to do. How can I get there? And you dissect it
00:18:34.009 --> 00:18:37.150
right down to, okay, I have to get three clients
00:18:37.150 --> 00:18:40.230
this week, right down to that point. So that's,
00:18:40.230 --> 00:18:44.509
and I use that all the time. So you're hitting
00:18:44.509 --> 00:18:47.329
it right on the nail, right on the head. Thank
00:18:47.329 --> 00:18:50.730
you. Okay. When you've built your strongest partnerships.
00:18:51.589 --> 00:18:54.710
What mattered more in the beginning, shared goals
00:18:54.710 --> 00:18:58.730
or shared values? Ooh, a hundred percent shared
00:18:58.730 --> 00:19:02.589
values. It's always to me, you got to appreciate
00:19:02.589 --> 00:19:04.529
and respect the people that you're working with.
00:19:04.829 --> 00:19:07.930
It brings so much more to the table. And I will
00:19:07.930 --> 00:19:11.009
tell you from examples of me working in those
00:19:11.009 --> 00:19:13.730
larger matrix companies, we worked with some
00:19:13.730 --> 00:19:17.289
folks that I feel like were some suspect and
00:19:17.289 --> 00:19:20.650
shady and I didn't like doing it, but I was beholden
00:19:20.650 --> 00:19:22.609
to a corporate paycheck. So I did what I had
00:19:22.609 --> 00:19:25.430
to do. But as a business owner, I get to make
00:19:25.430 --> 00:19:27.789
a different decision. And I say, these are the
00:19:27.789 --> 00:19:30.069
values and I wear them loud and proud on my sleeve,
00:19:30.109 --> 00:19:32.170
on my website, everywhere. So people know what
00:19:32.170 --> 00:19:34.309
they're getting into as soon as they. connect
00:19:34.309 --> 00:19:37.250
with me or see me anywhere on social media. And
00:19:37.250 --> 00:19:39.309
so that's the first thing. So I'm going to ask
00:19:39.309 --> 00:19:41.390
them, how do you treat your people? First and
00:19:41.390 --> 00:19:43.269
foremost, I'm human centered and I'll tell people
00:19:43.269 --> 00:19:46.369
that 100%. I'm not just about the financial aspect.
00:19:46.529 --> 00:19:48.329
How are you treating your people and how are
00:19:48.329 --> 00:19:50.210
you helping them with the financial aspect of
00:19:50.210 --> 00:19:53.130
their lives? And if we mesh there, then we can
00:19:53.130 --> 00:19:55.589
continue the conversation about what the mutual
00:19:55.589 --> 00:19:57.789
goals are that we have for each other and how
00:19:57.789 --> 00:20:01.569
we can help each other get there. Hey, all right.
00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:04.660
All right. I like that answer too. This is great.
00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:09.799
Okay. How do leaders create environments where
00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:12.720
people feel safe enough to be honest, vulnerable,
00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:16.240
or fully engaged instead of simply performing?
00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:19.900
Absolutely. First, they lead by example. I always
00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:22.160
tell my leaders, I said, the most important ways
00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:24.859
that you can show up as a leader is through vulnerability,
00:20:25.319 --> 00:20:28.380
humility, and authenticity. And if you know something,
00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:30.099
say you know it. If you don't know something,
00:20:30.140 --> 00:20:32.380
say, I don't know that, but I can find out. People
00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:36.279
love truth and they love humanity. So all of
00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:38.720
us, as we know, we're flawed as humans. So just
00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:41.359
saying, hey, I don't know, but. Together, we
00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:43.660
do know. And I think that's the biggest piece
00:20:43.660 --> 00:20:46.839
is always people want things done with them,
00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:49.279
not to them. So when you address it with your
00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:51.299
team and say, hey, we have this problem we need
00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:54.160
to solve. I have this much information, but I
00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:56.200
know each of you have information as well. How
00:20:56.200 --> 00:20:58.319
can we bring all the relevant information together
00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:01.140
to make a solution that we can all work toward
00:21:01.140 --> 00:21:04.299
together? That buy -in means so much to folks.
00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:06.940
They really say, oh, you value what I bring to
00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:10.299
the table. I'm not just a task doer. I'm actually
00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:12.900
a part of seeing the success of this organization.
00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:15.779
And so when leaders are able to create that kind
00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:17.960
of environment where it's two -way communication,
00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:20.720
two -way communication, and that everybody's
00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:23.500
involved in it, decision -making, that is so
00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:26.119
important. And that doesn't mean abdicating your
00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:29.420
responsibilities as a leader for leading the
00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:32.240
team. It's saying, I need input from all of you
00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:34.660
to make the best decisions that we can move forward
00:21:34.660 --> 00:21:38.920
together. That was very good. And I noticed that
00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:42.640
you constantly use the word leader instead of
00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:46.619
boss. Yes. Okay. Because there is such a difference
00:21:46.619 --> 00:21:49.680
between being a leader and being a boss. And
00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:53.579
part of my workshop that I do is brings that
00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:56.000
into it. The difference between being a leader
00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:59.420
and a boss. And you always say you want to be
00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:03.079
a leader instead of a boss. A boss, you can go
00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:07.049
on the street and find a boss. right? To regurgitate
00:22:07.049 --> 00:22:10.589
your policies. But to be a leader, that's so
00:22:10.589 --> 00:22:13.089
different. You have to be part of that. But yeah,
00:22:13.170 --> 00:22:16.910
so before I give you the last question, if your
00:22:16.910 --> 00:22:20.009
network became a mirror of your character tomorrow,
00:22:20.390 --> 00:22:24.799
what would you be proud of that reflection? I
00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:28.720
would be so proud of how we think about not only
00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:31.079
ourselves, but each other. Whenever we make a
00:22:31.079 --> 00:22:33.119
decision, we're like, how is this going to impact
00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:35.819
the greater good, the greater world, our team?
00:22:35.900 --> 00:22:38.259
You start with yourself as a small circle and
00:22:38.259 --> 00:22:41.220
it's, okay, myself, then my team, then my company,
00:22:41.339 --> 00:22:43.579
then my world, right? So I always think about
00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:45.480
the ripple effect. If you throw a stone in the
00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:48.240
water, it starts small and it ripples out. And
00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.839
that's what I always think about in terms of
00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:53.700
how my... my network looks at me and reflects
00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:56.880
me and I reflect them is how do we start small
00:22:56.880 --> 00:22:59.799
and let that ripple effect multiplier just continues
00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:02.599
to go out so that everybody can win. It's not
00:23:02.599 --> 00:23:04.960
a win -lose situation. It's a win -win all the
00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:08.940
time. Very good. Very good. Okay. So let's bring
00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:12.259
this podcast full circle. If someone listening
00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:15.099
wanted to build a network that reflected the
00:23:15.099 --> 00:23:19.119
person that they aspire to become, not just the
00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:22.420
career they hope to have. What would you encourage
00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:26.640
them to start doing today? I would encourage
00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:28.819
them number one to start doing wherever you are.
00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:31.500
Are you in a company? Have you talked to your
00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:34.359
team? Have you talked to teams that are completely
00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:36.859
right adjacent to you? How have you built relationships?
00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:39.900
Not just about, hey, I need a transaction. I
00:23:39.900 --> 00:23:41.900
need you to do this thing for me. How have you
00:23:41.900 --> 00:23:44.460
built a relationship? And those kinds of things
00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:46.940
are super important. I come from a hospitality
00:23:46.940 --> 00:23:48.960
background and I say there's a difference between
00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:51.579
hospitality and customer service. Customer service
00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:53.740
is transactional. Hospitality is relational.
00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:56.799
We're building long -term relationships. So I'm
00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:59.799
always practicing hospitality. And I think everybody.
00:24:00.109 --> 00:24:03.329
has the ability to do that, you have to put your
00:24:03.329 --> 00:24:05.869
hand out first and say, hi, I'm Law Baker, and
00:24:05.869 --> 00:24:08.410
I want to get to know you and how you work and
00:24:08.410 --> 00:24:10.730
how you think. And I want to be able to see how
00:24:10.730 --> 00:24:13.410
can we partner together to us be successful together.
00:24:13.609 --> 00:24:16.410
And when you say that, that opens up a whole
00:24:16.410 --> 00:24:19.049
nother door for people to be able to like, oh,
00:24:19.230 --> 00:24:21.890
okay, let's talk a little bit. Let's share and
00:24:21.890 --> 00:24:24.109
let's build together. Because it's not about
00:24:24.109 --> 00:24:27.859
extraction. It's about how do you actually build
00:24:27.859 --> 00:24:33.200
each other and grow together now you said law
00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:36.980
baker You don't use LaChandra? I do, but most
00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:39.319
of my people just, because I'm just, I'm so simple.
00:24:39.380 --> 00:24:41.480
I'm just regular all the time, Michael. So people
00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:45.059
just call me La most of the time. Okay. I want
00:24:45.059 --> 00:24:47.079
to make sure because if I was calling you something
00:24:47.079 --> 00:24:49.980
wrong this whole time and you didn't say anything,
00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:51.940
okay, I just want to make sure. No, you're not
00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:54.200
at all. Just people just, once you get more familiar
00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:56.059
with me, everyone just calls me La. So you can
00:24:56.059 --> 00:24:58.039
call me La going forward, Michael, because we're
00:24:58.039 --> 00:25:01.299
familiar with each other now. Thank you very
00:25:01.299 --> 00:25:04.339
much. Thank you. La, I want to. Thank you so
00:25:04.339 --> 00:25:07.319
much for coming on the podcast because this was
00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:11.579
extraordinary. We are so much on the same level
00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:15.779
thinking -wise that it's uncanny. But listen,
00:25:16.059 --> 00:25:18.779
if somebody wanted to get hold of you, either
00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:21.700
to be mentored by you, to be coached by you,
00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:25.799
or just to say hi, how would they do it? Absolutely.
00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:29.519
So my website is LBB Edutainment because it's
00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:32.019
my initials, LBB and then Edutainment because
00:25:32.019 --> 00:25:34.799
we're the juxtaposition of educating and entertaining
00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:37.500
like yourself. We bring that together. And then
00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:41.039
I'm all socials at LBB Edutainment so they can
00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:44.720
find me anywhere. Absolutely. This was so inspiring.
00:25:45.059 --> 00:25:48.839
Okay. The biggest takeaway, the strongest relationships
00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:52.519
aren't built by trying to impress people. They're
00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:55.730
built by... being genuine enough to people to
00:25:55.730 --> 00:25:58.869
trust you. If you enjoyed this episode, follow,
00:25:58.990 --> 00:26:02.029
subscribe to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable
00:26:02.029 --> 00:26:04.990
Connections for more conversations on networking,
00:26:05.089 --> 00:26:07.910
communication, leadership, and business growth.
00:26:08.190 --> 00:26:10.869
And if this episode made you think differently
00:26:10.869 --> 00:26:13.930
about relationships, make it with somebody who
00:26:13.930 --> 00:26:18.140
believes success begins with authenticity. If
00:26:18.140 --> 00:26:20.539
you're looking for a keynote speaker or executive
00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:23.299
communication coach to help your organization
00:26:23.299 --> 00:26:26.460
build stronger relationships, communicate with
00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:29.339
greater impact, and create meaningful business
00:26:29.339 --> 00:26:33.519
connections, visit michelaforman .com. So until
00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:36.619
next time, remember, your network isn't built
00:26:36.619 --> 00:26:39.420
by collecting contacts. It's built by earning
00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:43.039
trust, living your values, and becoming someone
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:46.700
people are proud to know. La, I will tell you
00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:50.089
again. This was a great podcast. Thank you so
00:26:50.089 --> 00:26:56.269
much for having me, Michael. Oh, I would like
00:26:56.269 --> 00:26:59.829
to welcome you to the Fusion Alliance Business
00:26:59.829 --> 00:27:04.450
Expo 2. That's right. We're having another. networking
00:27:04.450 --> 00:27:07.470
expo. Now, this one is going to be even better
00:27:07.470 --> 00:27:10.490
than the first one in March. This one is October
00:27:10.490 --> 00:27:14.869
22nd, held at iPhone Restaurant and Event Center,
00:27:15.029 --> 00:27:20.329
6000 Medlock Bridge Parkway, Georgia. Now, this
00:27:20.329 --> 00:27:23.109
is your chance. This is your chance to showcase
00:27:23.109 --> 00:27:26.309
your business, connect with the community, and
00:27:26.309 --> 00:27:30.069
gain unmatched exposure. This event is designed
00:27:30.069 --> 00:27:33.470
to highlight your thriving business and is a
00:27:33.470 --> 00:27:36.549
must -attend gathering for most local leaders
00:27:36.549 --> 00:27:41.109
and entrepreneurs. So now, what is there going
00:27:41.109 --> 00:27:43.210
to be? First of all, it's free admission to the
00:27:43.210 --> 00:27:46.650
public. So come one, come all. There's going
00:27:46.650 --> 00:27:49.150
to be a large audience to see your business.
00:27:49.410 --> 00:27:52.329
You're going to gain new customers, build your
00:27:52.329 --> 00:27:55.680
brand, and establish strategic... partnerships.
00:27:55.859 --> 00:27:58.980
So whether you're looking to gain new customers,
00:27:59.339 --> 00:28:02.940
build your brand, or establish strategic partnerships,
00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:07.720
Business Expo 2 is the place to be. Don't miss
00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:10.519
your chance to be part of this exclusive annual
00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:14.660
showcase of Johns Creek's best businesses. Remember,
00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:19.619
it's October 22nd. Remember that. October 22nd
00:28:19.619 --> 00:28:23.599
between the hours of 11 a .m. and 4 p .m. The
00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:27.990
location? 6 ,000 Medlock Bridge Parkway, Johns
00:28:27.990 --> 00:28:32.509
Creek. You can go to the website, and it's www
00:28:32.509 --> 00:28:39.569
.fusionalliance .info. F -U -S -I -O -N -A -L
00:28:39.569 --> 00:28:44.250
-L -I -A -N -C -E .info. You can get all of it
00:28:44.250 --> 00:28:46.690
there. You can be a vendor. You can be a sponsor.
00:28:46.950 --> 00:28:49.789
Or if you want, you can just come on and enjoy
00:28:49.789 --> 00:28:52.470
it. So come on down. Everyone else is going to
00:28:52.470 --> 00:28:56.599
be there. And just... Enjoy yourself. That's
00:28:56.599 --> 00:28:59.200
a wrap, folks. A huge thank you to our guests
00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:02.519
for sharing such incredible insights today. And
00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:05.359
of course, a big shout out to you, our amazing
00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:08.359
listeners, for tuning in and spending your time
00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:11.460
with us. If you're interested in my digital courses,
00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:14.619
being coached, or having me come and talk to
00:29:14.619 --> 00:29:18.059
your company, just go to Michael and fill out
00:29:18.059 --> 00:29:21.640
the request form. Remember... Networking isn't
00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:24.279
about being perfect. It's about being present.
00:29:24.740 --> 00:29:27.440
So take what you've learned today, get out there,
00:29:27.559 --> 00:29:30.579
and make some meaningful connections. If you've
00:29:30.579 --> 00:29:33.339
enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to
00:29:33.339 --> 00:29:36.539
subscribe. Leave us a review and share it with
00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:38.839
someone who could use a little networking inspiration.
00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:42.750
Let's keep the conversation going. You can find
00:29:42.750 --> 00:29:47.089
me on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or my
00:29:47.089 --> 00:29:50.970
website, foreman .com slash podcasts.
00:00:00.590 --> 00:00:04.089
Welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable
00:00:04.089 --> 00:00:06.710
Connections, the podcast where relationships
00:00:06.710 --> 00:00:10.589
create opportunity and authentic leadership builds
00:00:10.589 --> 00:00:13.849
lasting success. I'm your host, Michael Foreman.
00:00:13.929 --> 00:00:16.690
You've probably heard the saying, your network
00:00:16.690 --> 00:00:20.129
is your net worth. But what if your real net
00:00:20.129 --> 00:00:23.210
worth isn't measured by how many people, it's
00:00:23.210 --> 00:00:27.059
measured by how deeply people trust you. Today's
00:00:27.059 --> 00:00:30.719
guest and I explore authentic leadership, living
00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:33.960
your truth, and why the right relationships come
00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:37.700
from becoming the right person. If you're ready
00:00:37.700 --> 00:00:40.399
to build a network that's grounded in purpose
00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:44.140
instead of appearances, this episode is for you.
00:00:44.420 --> 00:00:48.100
And I just want to say, Lashondra, that I go
00:00:48.100 --> 00:00:51.799
across the country speaking about this exact
00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:56.649
topic. So I'd like to introduce LaShondra to
00:00:56.649 --> 00:00:59.770
my podcast. I think it's going to be a great
00:00:59.770 --> 00:01:03.549
podcast. And why don't you give us a kind of
00:01:03.549 --> 00:01:06.909
a cliff notes of how you got where you are today?
00:01:07.469 --> 00:01:09.689
Yes, absolutely. So thank you so much for having
00:01:09.689 --> 00:01:13.329
me, Michael. So I spend 35 years working in different
00:01:13.329 --> 00:01:16.349
corporate environments. 20 plus of those in Fortune
00:01:16.349 --> 00:01:19.609
15 companies. And so I understood how to navigate
00:01:19.609 --> 00:01:22.269
highly complex, highly matrixed organizations
00:01:22.269 --> 00:01:25.150
by connecting with the right people. So it's
00:01:25.150 --> 00:01:27.230
always, sometimes it's a game of telephone when
00:01:27.230 --> 00:01:29.510
you're trying to figure out who does what. And
00:01:29.510 --> 00:01:32.390
so I've made it literally my life's purpose to
00:01:32.390 --> 00:01:34.650
understand the who, the what, and the how, and
00:01:34.650 --> 00:01:36.750
to get it done as quickly and effectively as
00:01:36.750 --> 00:01:40.590
possible so that everybody wins. Good, perfect.
00:01:41.500 --> 00:01:44.659
Okay, I've got a bunch of questions for you.
00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:46.959
And let's see what you're really worth here,
00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:51.140
okay? Okay. Okay, we hear the phrase, your network
00:01:51.140 --> 00:01:54.900
is your net worth all the time. Yes. Do you think
00:01:54.900 --> 00:01:58.340
we've misunderstood what that really means? I
00:01:58.340 --> 00:02:00.500
do. Thank you for asking that question, Michael,
00:02:00.599 --> 00:02:02.980
because I think it's, you said earlier in the
00:02:02.980 --> 00:02:06.000
introduction, you think, oh, if I have... 50
00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.939
,000 people than I have in my network. No, if
00:02:08.939 --> 00:02:11.460
you had five people who were just really connected
00:02:11.460 --> 00:02:13.500
and they understood you, they understood what
00:02:13.500 --> 00:02:15.900
you did, that's more valuable than the 50 ,000.
00:02:16.039 --> 00:02:18.879
So I think the numbers that we have is not as
00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:21.360
important as the depth of the relationships and
00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:24.080
like you said, how much they trust you. There's
00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:25.960
a piece of it that I think is so much around
00:02:25.960 --> 00:02:28.240
how you build your brand and your reputation
00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:30.780
and how you hold to that and what people can
00:02:30.780 --> 00:02:33.259
expect every time they reach out to you or connect
00:02:33.259 --> 00:02:35.740
with you or partner with you. Those things are
00:02:35.740 --> 00:02:38.560
actually what are the value of your network.
00:02:38.780 --> 00:02:40.580
So when people know that they can reach out to
00:02:40.580 --> 00:02:42.360
you, they know they're getting the right thing
00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:44.240
at the right time. They know you're dedicated
00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:46.939
and committed. And so they want to continuously,
00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:49.699
repeatedly work for you and with you. And they
00:02:49.699 --> 00:02:51.840
also speak your names in rooms that you're not
00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:56.120
in. Absolutely. There's a mantra within networking.
00:02:56.770 --> 00:02:59.610
It's if they know you, if they like you and they
00:02:59.610 --> 00:03:02.590
trust you, they'll do business with you. And
00:03:02.590 --> 00:03:05.229
it's very simple for everybody to know you that
00:03:05.229 --> 00:03:09.050
your 50 ,000 people can know you because your
00:03:09.050 --> 00:03:13.030
face, but like you, that kind of narrows it down
00:03:13.030 --> 00:03:16.530
just a little bit, but then trust because you
00:03:16.530 --> 00:03:18.590
would never do business with somebody that you
00:03:18.590 --> 00:03:21.479
don't trust. Absolutely. Absolutely. And I'm
00:03:21.479 --> 00:03:23.699
sure a lot of your listeners get the same thing
00:03:23.699 --> 00:03:25.740
I get. When you're on LinkedIn, you get bombarded
00:03:25.740 --> 00:03:28.400
by just random people on, hey, I want to help
00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:30.719
you do this. Join me and do this. I'm like, I
00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:32.180
don't even know you. You haven't asked me one
00:03:32.180 --> 00:03:34.740
question about myself, about my business. You're
00:03:34.740 --> 00:03:36.780
just trying to hit as many people as possible
00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:38.840
to try to get one to bite. And I'm like, that's
00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:41.219
not how I do business. And so I'm sure that's
00:03:41.219 --> 00:03:43.300
effective to some people in some ways, but that
00:03:43.300 --> 00:03:46.879
would never work on me. Absolutely. Me either.
00:03:47.229 --> 00:03:50.750
So that works. Okay. You talk about authentic
00:03:50.750 --> 00:03:55.229
leadership. How does authenticity influence the
00:03:55.229 --> 00:03:58.710
kinds of people we're able to attract into our
00:03:58.710 --> 00:04:01.969
lives and businesses? Yeah, absolutely. So I
00:04:01.969 --> 00:04:04.169
think so many times, especially when you're getting
00:04:04.169 --> 00:04:06.430
into corporate leadership, like I spent so much
00:04:06.430 --> 00:04:08.629
time doing, is people tell you, oh, you have
00:04:08.629 --> 00:04:10.389
to act this certain way or be this certain way
00:04:10.389 --> 00:04:13.129
to get results. And so what that actually does
00:04:13.129 --> 00:04:16.620
is telling you that the way you are is not. acceptable
00:04:16.620 --> 00:04:18.959
or not valuable. So you're working so hard trying
00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:21.800
to be this other person that you miss out on
00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:23.759
all the what I call the zone of genius, right?
00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:26.220
So you can't be as productive as innovative and
00:04:26.220 --> 00:04:28.120
creative as you'd like to be, because you're
00:04:28.120 --> 00:04:30.220
too busy trying to be this other person in this
00:04:30.220 --> 00:04:33.339
box. So what I think about authentic leadership
00:04:33.339 --> 00:04:37.019
is that it unleashes all of the true value that
00:04:37.019 --> 00:04:39.639
you bring to the organization, to your team,
00:04:39.779 --> 00:04:42.519
to yourself. And so it's important for you to
00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:44.680
be able to be authentically who you are, how
00:04:44.680 --> 00:04:47.019
you think, how you critically make decisions,
00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:49.779
how you bring, you know, creativity to the work.
00:04:49.939 --> 00:04:52.579
And that's important on so many levels. So when
00:04:52.579 --> 00:04:55.420
you are actually authentic, you get much more
00:04:55.420 --> 00:04:57.959
done. You're much more effective. effective and
00:04:57.959 --> 00:05:00.160
much more efficient. And so it's important for
00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:02.959
people to create processes and abilities so people,
00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:05.579
you can live your authentic life. So as a leader
00:05:05.579 --> 00:05:08.879
or supervisor or a manager, your job is to remove
00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:11.240
the barriers from people so that they can do
00:05:11.240 --> 00:05:14.959
that authentic leadership. Yeah, that's so profoundly
00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:18.839
put. I go across and I teach everybody about
00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:21.120
authenticity. And first of all, authenticity,
00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:24.040
that word is being thrown around. It's, oh my
00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:27.839
God, I'm not ready. But being yourself. And I
00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:32.139
never heard it quite put that way where it's
00:05:32.139 --> 00:05:35.160
perfect. You have to be yourself and you have
00:05:35.160 --> 00:05:37.800
to allow yourself to go out and think outside
00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:40.699
the box. And you really can't do that when you're
00:05:40.699 --> 00:05:43.720
trying to be somebody else. Exactly. That's exactly
00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:47.600
right. I have to tell you, that was perfectly
00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:50.060
put. Thank you, Michael. It really was. Thank
00:05:50.060 --> 00:05:53.620
you so much. Okay. Many people network while
00:05:53.620 --> 00:05:56.459
trying to impress others. After all, that's what
00:05:56.459 --> 00:06:00.100
networking is. What changes when someone is comfortable
00:06:00.100 --> 00:06:04.540
enough to simply be themselves? First of all,
00:06:04.579 --> 00:06:07.160
I love that question so much. It gives you a
00:06:07.160 --> 00:06:09.699
chance to just listen. Because to me, anytime
00:06:09.699 --> 00:06:11.699
you're thinking about networking or partnering
00:06:11.699 --> 00:06:13.360
with somebody, you're listening for something
00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:15.300
that's a connection point for the two of you,
00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:17.420
right? Whether it's something that you have in
00:06:17.420 --> 00:06:19.300
common, maybe even interests and hobbies, because
00:06:19.300 --> 00:06:20.939
I like to talk about the person. I don't just
00:06:20.939 --> 00:06:23.819
say, who are you in terms of what you do? I'm
00:06:23.819 --> 00:06:25.660
like, who are you in terms of who you are? One
00:06:25.660 --> 00:06:27.680
of my favorite sayings is we are human beings,
00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:30.879
not human doings. And so just being has value,
00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:34.009
but the doing also adds to that. And so when
00:06:34.009 --> 00:06:35.850
I'm asking people questions, I really want to
00:06:35.850 --> 00:06:37.629
understand who they are. So when I make that
00:06:37.629 --> 00:06:39.990
connection point, I'm like, okay, that's good.
00:06:40.069 --> 00:06:42.610
Now we can connect on that level. And I'm continuing
00:06:42.610 --> 00:06:45.050
to be able to be a really good listener because
00:06:45.050 --> 00:06:47.050
that's the way you're going to be a great partner
00:06:47.050 --> 00:06:51.040
or a great business. say, I can meet your needs,
00:06:51.259 --> 00:06:53.160
you got to understand what those needs are. And
00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:56.060
if you don't perfect yourself as being a good
00:06:56.060 --> 00:06:58.360
listener, you'll never understand those needs.
00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:01.100
And so to me, that's what's so important is when
00:07:01.100 --> 00:07:03.399
you're comfortable in who you are, you can just
00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:06.259
listen and then be able to actually interact
00:07:06.259 --> 00:07:08.500
with that person in a way that really is meaningful
00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:11.939
to them. Absolutely. Let me ask you a question.
00:07:12.300 --> 00:07:16.240
What would you do if you go up to somebody and
00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:18.990
say, okay, what do you do? And they give you
00:07:18.990 --> 00:07:23.350
that canned 30 second elevator speech. So the
00:07:23.350 --> 00:07:24.970
first thing is, I don't even ask them the question,
00:07:25.009 --> 00:07:27.670
what do you do? I say, tell me who you are. And
00:07:27.670 --> 00:07:30.129
they want to immediately start with, I work in
00:07:30.129 --> 00:07:32.189
this job and I do this. And I said, not what
00:07:32.189 --> 00:07:35.069
you do. Tell me who you are. And so I always
00:07:35.069 --> 00:07:37.889
make that distinction to ask the very specific
00:07:37.889 --> 00:07:39.850
questions so that they understand what I'm trying
00:07:39.850 --> 00:07:42.370
to get at. Because that has opened up so many
00:07:42.370 --> 00:07:45.410
more doors for me networking, Michael, than asking,
00:07:45.470 --> 00:07:47.610
oh, what do you do? Because I don't want the
00:07:47.610 --> 00:07:50.529
canned answer. I want the authentic, what it
00:07:50.529 --> 00:07:52.529
is from the heart. What drives you every day?
00:07:52.610 --> 00:07:55.550
What wakes you up? What's that purpose that you're
00:07:55.550 --> 00:07:57.579
living that makes? the difference. And that's
00:07:57.579 --> 00:08:01.019
what I want to know about. Very good. Very good.
00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:06.399
Because what I teach is when I ask you that question
00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.560
and they give me a 30 second elevator speech,
00:08:08.699 --> 00:08:11.879
I said, okay, let's perfect your 30 seconds and
00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:14.660
we perfect it. Say, okay, now throw that out
00:08:14.660 --> 00:08:17.740
and bring it down to 10 seconds. That usually
00:08:17.740 --> 00:08:20.660
throws them for a loop. We get it down to 10
00:08:20.660 --> 00:08:23.500
seconds. I said, that's great. Now throw it out.
00:08:24.180 --> 00:08:27.459
Yep. Because I want to know the feeling that
00:08:27.459 --> 00:08:31.959
you give to the other person about what you do.
00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:35.860
And that tells so much more than what you do.
00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:40.200
So I introduce all the different things. But
00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:43.580
that's really what I'm after is the feeling that
00:08:43.580 --> 00:08:46.740
I'm a public professional speaker. I'm an executive
00:08:46.740 --> 00:08:50.899
business coach. And what do I do? I turn conversations
00:08:50.899 --> 00:08:54.000
into clients. without leaving money on the table.
00:08:54.019 --> 00:08:56.299
That's what I do. And then I'll tell you, oh,
00:08:56.340 --> 00:08:59.000
I'm a business coach. Sure, fine. But that's
00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:02.379
what I do. Okay. So many people network while
00:09:02.379 --> 00:09:07.120
trying to impress others. What changes? Oh, I
00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:09.940
just asked you that question. That's silly, isn't
00:09:09.940 --> 00:09:13.299
it? That's okay. Let's go to number four. Okay.
00:09:13.419 --> 00:09:18.700
So living your truth sounds inspiring, but it
00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:22.100
can also be uncomfortable. Have there ever been
00:09:22.100 --> 00:09:25.700
moments when staying true to your values cost
00:09:25.700 --> 00:09:29.360
you an opportunity, yet ultimately led to something
00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:33.799
better? Oh, absolutely. I love this question.
00:09:33.820 --> 00:09:35.899
Probably the most of anything you've asked me
00:09:35.899 --> 00:09:38.480
so far. That's one of my favorite pieces because
00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:41.539
I think when you are your authentic self, you
00:09:41.539 --> 00:09:44.429
attract the power. The clients, the partners,
00:09:44.629 --> 00:09:47.070
those people who want to do business with you.
00:09:47.169 --> 00:09:49.909
I'm a very specific kind of brand. I tell people
00:09:49.909 --> 00:09:52.649
all the time, I'm a storyteller. I'm a very public,
00:09:52.990 --> 00:09:57.289
very loud, very dynamic storyteller. If you want
00:09:57.289 --> 00:09:59.190
somebody who's quiet and reserved, that's not
00:09:59.190 --> 00:10:01.570
going to be me. So anything about my branding
00:10:01.570 --> 00:10:04.090
does not look like that at all. So when I'm living
00:10:04.090 --> 00:10:06.970
my truth, I come out and I'm funny. I'm a little
00:10:06.970 --> 00:10:09.769
quirky, but I always come rooted in real data
00:10:09.769 --> 00:10:12.070
and lived experience. And so if people are looking
00:10:12.070 --> 00:10:14.279
for that, kind of interaction, then that's what
00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:16.629
they get with me every single time. Like every
00:10:16.629 --> 00:10:19.549
single time, which is around the brand. If you're
00:10:19.549 --> 00:10:21.710
building a brand, they need to have that experience
00:10:21.710 --> 00:10:24.370
every time they do with you or anybody working
00:10:24.370 --> 00:10:26.950
on your team. And so that is what's super important
00:10:26.950 --> 00:10:30.370
to me is that I live exactly what I say I am
00:10:30.370 --> 00:10:32.909
and people get that. And they keep coming back
00:10:32.909 --> 00:10:34.990
and I get referrals all the time. And that is
00:10:34.990 --> 00:10:38.509
the biggest honor for me is to have repeat business
00:10:38.509 --> 00:10:40.830
and referrals from those I've done business with.
00:10:40.950 --> 00:10:44.570
And that to me is the ultimate pinnacle of doing
00:10:44.570 --> 00:10:48.029
business. being a good business person. Absolutely.
00:10:48.289 --> 00:10:52.429
And you told me that you put humor into everything,
00:10:52.649 --> 00:10:57.210
as do I, because it's usually self -deprecating,
00:10:57.230 --> 00:10:59.049
right? Because I'm not going to make fun of somebody
00:10:59.049 --> 00:11:02.309
else. And when you turn it on yourself, they
00:11:02.309 --> 00:11:04.549
start laughing and they're not sure why they're
00:11:04.549 --> 00:11:07.049
laughing, but they're laughing at you as I join
00:11:07.049 --> 00:11:08.710
the party because everybody else is laughing
00:11:08.710 --> 00:11:11.919
at me also. Exactly. You make the room more fun
00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:15.279
and people become more interested and pay attention
00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:17.600
a little bit more. So yeah, that's exactly what
00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:20.649
I do also. Very good. Yes. And it delivers humanity.
00:11:20.970 --> 00:11:23.190
First of all, we want to everybody know, hey,
00:11:23.289 --> 00:11:25.889
I'm human. I'm not robot. So if I mess up some
00:11:25.889 --> 00:11:27.330
words or something, one of my favorite things,
00:11:27.389 --> 00:11:28.929
if you as a public speaker, you probably know
00:11:28.929 --> 00:11:31.769
I was saying something and a whole bunch of spit
00:11:31.769 --> 00:11:33.230
just flew right out of my mouth. And I'm like,
00:11:33.289 --> 00:11:35.129
front row, if you didn't expect the second shower
00:11:35.129 --> 00:11:37.710
today, I'm so glad I was able to meet that need
00:11:37.710 --> 00:11:40.210
for you. So it's like you just say stuff like
00:11:40.210 --> 00:11:42.230
that because you want to. It's human to do that.
00:11:42.289 --> 00:11:44.669
So you just humanize it all. And it makes people
00:11:44.669 --> 00:11:47.700
feel a lot more comfortable. Absolutely. I have
00:11:47.700 --> 00:11:50.019
to tell you, there was one time I was on stage,
00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:52.700
and it was just about a stage that was about
00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:55.960
a foot and a half high, and then the room. And
00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:59.879
as I'm speaking and talking, the stage collapsed,
00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:03.259
right? And I went down about a foot and a half.
00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:05.600
I was still standing about a foot and a half,
00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:09.779
and everybody was like, and I said, I'm feeling
00:12:09.779 --> 00:12:14.370
mighty low. I owned the situation. I got out
00:12:14.370 --> 00:12:17.009
of it. And I went on with the show. And that
00:12:17.009 --> 00:12:20.389
was really it. And afterwards, the event planners
00:12:20.389 --> 00:12:22.549
came up to me and said that was perfect. They
00:12:22.549 --> 00:12:24.529
apologized and everything, but it was perfect.
00:12:24.929 --> 00:12:28.450
That's wonderful. Love that. Do you believe people
00:12:28.450 --> 00:12:32.389
are attracted more to confidence, competence,
00:12:32.610 --> 00:12:36.730
or authenticity? Which one creates the deepest
00:12:36.730 --> 00:12:41.330
trust over time? That's such a great question,
00:12:41.690 --> 00:12:45.669
Michael. And I honestly think it might be based
00:12:45.669 --> 00:12:48.090
on the situation. I was having this conversation
00:12:48.090 --> 00:12:50.309
actually just last week about confidence and
00:12:50.309 --> 00:12:52.750
walking in your confidence. And you could be
00:12:52.750 --> 00:12:56.230
confidently wrong in a lot of cases, right? You
00:12:56.230 --> 00:12:58.629
can walk in and you can present yourself as knowing
00:12:58.629 --> 00:13:00.190
what you're talking about and you sound good,
00:13:00.289 --> 00:13:03.269
but you're literally making stuff up. So I think
00:13:03.269 --> 00:13:05.570
that's a challenge. But people look at that as
00:13:05.570 --> 00:13:07.090
maybe, oh, do they really know what you're talking
00:13:07.090 --> 00:13:08.750
about? You need to do a little bit of investing.
00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:12.200
Right. And then the competence piece to me is
00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:13.980
you can be competent what you're doing, but you're
00:13:13.980 --> 00:13:16.620
a little timid to share it. So there's a piece
00:13:16.620 --> 00:13:18.779
of this like, oh, I don't know if I can really
00:13:18.779 --> 00:13:20.820
trust this person because I know this is true,
00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:22.299
but I'm not sure. And they're not looking at
00:13:22.299 --> 00:13:23.799
you and they're looking down. You're like, so
00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:26.580
that doesn't really show it. To me, authenticity
00:13:26.580 --> 00:13:30.159
brings both of those together. If you're confident
00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:32.330
in knowing, hey. I really know this or, hey,
00:13:32.370 --> 00:13:34.129
I don't know this at all. I need to research
00:13:34.129 --> 00:13:36.610
this. I think that's a beautiful thing. And when
00:13:36.610 --> 00:13:38.809
you show up in that authentic way saying this
00:13:38.809 --> 00:13:40.669
is what I do really when I'm really competent
00:13:40.669 --> 00:13:43.149
in this. But then this is what I know I do really
00:13:43.149 --> 00:13:44.929
when I'm confident in it. So that authenticity
00:13:44.929 --> 00:13:48.129
to me brings both of them together in a marriage
00:13:48.129 --> 00:13:50.870
that is exactly what people need to build the
00:13:50.870 --> 00:13:55.009
most trust. Yes, absolutely. And you hit it when
00:13:55.009 --> 00:13:57.889
you said you can be confident not knowing what
00:13:57.889 --> 00:14:00.269
you're talking about, but you can be confident.
00:14:00.350 --> 00:14:03.470
But then that chisels away your authenticity.
00:14:03.870 --> 00:14:07.309
Yes. So it chisels it away a little bit. So you're
00:14:07.309 --> 00:14:10.210
right. Authenticity brings about all three together.
00:14:10.450 --> 00:14:13.090
And so that's a very good answer. Thank you.
00:14:13.129 --> 00:14:17.629
In today's AI driven world where polished content
00:14:17.629 --> 00:14:21.100
is everywhere. Do you think authenticity has
00:14:21.100 --> 00:14:24.519
become one of the rarest and most valuable leadership
00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:29.450
qualities? I really do. I struggle with this
00:14:29.450 --> 00:14:32.049
one so much because when I talk to a lot of my
00:14:32.049 --> 00:14:34.230
clients, they're like laying people off saying,
00:14:34.289 --> 00:14:37.090
we got to make room for AI. And I say, AI is
00:14:37.090 --> 00:14:40.549
a tool, y 'all. It's not to replace people. It's
00:14:40.549 --> 00:14:43.129
to help them be more effective, more efficient,
00:14:43.190 --> 00:14:45.830
and to focus on the things that they do best,
00:14:45.970 --> 00:14:47.929
right? There will never be a time we don't need
00:14:47.929 --> 00:14:50.629
human skills. There will never be a time that
00:14:50.629 --> 00:14:53.710
we don't need human skills. And so I appreciate
00:14:53.710 --> 00:14:55.960
what AI can do. For me, it's just like a Google
00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:57.919
search or if you're old enough to understand
00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:00.860
Encyclopedia Britannica, when you get those subscriptions,
00:15:01.299 --> 00:15:04.539
there are tools to help you understand how to
00:15:04.539 --> 00:15:06.860
develop arguments, how to gain more knowledge
00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:08.840
and to be able to do your job more effectively.
00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:12.889
And so for me. AI is just the tool. And what
00:15:12.889 --> 00:15:15.710
we have to do is continue to help humans know
00:15:15.710 --> 00:15:18.690
how to utilize that tool to the best of their
00:15:18.690 --> 00:15:21.309
ability so that their authenticity can shine,
00:15:21.470 --> 00:15:23.590
where they can take away some of those more mundane,
00:15:23.809 --> 00:15:26.049
menial tasks that take so much of their time
00:15:26.049 --> 00:15:28.950
and effort and burns people out, honestly. And
00:15:28.950 --> 00:15:31.970
now you can really focus on that value that you're
00:15:31.970 --> 00:15:34.710
bringing to not only the organization, but to
00:15:34.710 --> 00:15:37.919
the clients that you serve. I'm so glad that
00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:41.399
you said AI is a tool, right? Because it's just
00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:44.399
a quiver in your arrow and it's a tool and you
00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.100
don't have to get rid of people. You can make
00:15:47.100 --> 00:15:50.919
the people who are there better and be more effective.
00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:55.580
So instead of hiring another person, the people
00:15:55.580 --> 00:15:59.360
there can do more with less. That's exactly right.
00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:03.039
So I frown upon employers that are getting rid
00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.970
of people. To bring in AI tools because it is
00:16:06.970 --> 00:16:10.610
a tool, as you said. Yes, that's exactly right.
00:16:10.730 --> 00:16:12.470
Because I don't know any person in construction
00:16:12.470 --> 00:16:14.590
that leaves a hammer on the table and says, okay,
00:16:14.629 --> 00:16:16.169
that hammer is the tool that's going to do everything.
00:16:16.570 --> 00:16:19.789
No, it's not. That's right. That's right. That's
00:16:19.789 --> 00:16:22.830
a very good analogy. I'm going to write that
00:16:22.830 --> 00:16:25.950
down as a matter of fact. A carpenter, a construction
00:16:25.950 --> 00:16:28.970
worker, it's a tool. It's like you can't lay
00:16:28.970 --> 00:16:31.309
it on the table and say, okay, go to work. Exactly.
00:16:31.929 --> 00:16:33.830
It's not going to do anything. You've got to
00:16:33.830 --> 00:16:38.370
be the one behind it. So very good. Okay. What's
00:16:38.370 --> 00:16:41.450
the difference between attracting a large network
00:16:41.450 --> 00:16:45.250
and attracting the right network? And how can
00:16:45.250 --> 00:16:48.110
someone tell when they're building relationships
00:16:48.110 --> 00:16:53.120
that truly fit their values? I love this question
00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.500
too. You come up with some really great questions,
00:16:54.580 --> 00:16:57.700
Michael. I'm loving this. I think about the influencer
00:16:57.700 --> 00:17:00.139
market that we're in right now, right? So you
00:17:00.139 --> 00:17:02.139
see so many people on social media that's like,
00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:04.680
I'm an influencer and I have 100 ,000 followers,
00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:07.160
so you should just trust me. And I'm like, okay,
00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:09.640
that's cool, but how did you get those 100 ,000?
00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.359
And then what is the value that you're giving
00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:13.960
to them? But what is also the value they're giving
00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:16.259
back to you? Because if I had 100 ,000 followers,
00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:18.160
and I'm not mad at anybody who has 100 ,000 followers,
00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:20.519
there's no way you can make authentic relationships
00:17:20.519 --> 00:17:23.279
with 100 ,000. thousand people. There's zero
00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:26.759
way. Zero way. And most of it is just noise.
00:17:26.980 --> 00:17:29.700
But if you, again, come back to having, I have
00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:33.339
10 people that have got my back, that understand
00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:37.180
me, that see the value that I bring, those 10
00:17:37.180 --> 00:17:40.160
are the multiplier factor that you need. And
00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:42.279
to me, that is the most important. How can you
00:17:42.279 --> 00:17:45.640
go deep as much as you can, not necessarily wide,
00:17:45.859 --> 00:17:48.380
but you can go wide and deep to a certain amount,
00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:50.960
but not everybody. And so really understanding
00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:53.039
first and foremost, what is it you're actually
00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:56.200
going after? ask the right questions first to
00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:58.960
understand the outcomes that you want. And then
00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:01.099
I always work backwards. Okay. If this is the
00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:03.660
outcome I want, what are the steps I need to
00:18:03.660 --> 00:18:06.039
do to get there? And so I try to trace that back
00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:08.819
to one, I say. And so that is the most important
00:18:08.819 --> 00:18:11.440
thing is first and foremost, decide what is the
00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:13.920
outcome you actually want with that network and
00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:16.240
then work your way backwards to think how is
00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:20.299
the most effective way I can get that done. That's
00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:24.410
a very good. That's a financial and a marketing
00:18:24.410 --> 00:18:27.329
tool that you always look at your end results.
00:18:27.470 --> 00:18:30.410
Okay. That's how I got here. That's what I want
00:18:30.410 --> 00:18:34.009
to do. How can I get there? And you dissect it
00:18:34.009 --> 00:18:37.150
right down to, okay, I have to get three clients
00:18:37.150 --> 00:18:40.230
this week, right down to that point. So that's,
00:18:40.230 --> 00:18:44.509
and I use that all the time. So you're hitting
00:18:44.509 --> 00:18:47.329
it right on the nail, right on the head. Thank
00:18:47.329 --> 00:18:50.730
you. Okay. When you've built your strongest partnerships.
00:18:51.589 --> 00:18:54.710
What mattered more in the beginning, shared goals
00:18:54.710 --> 00:18:58.730
or shared values? Ooh, a hundred percent shared
00:18:58.730 --> 00:19:02.589
values. It's always to me, you got to appreciate
00:19:02.589 --> 00:19:04.529
and respect the people that you're working with.
00:19:04.829 --> 00:19:07.930
It brings so much more to the table. And I will
00:19:07.930 --> 00:19:11.009
tell you from examples of me working in those
00:19:11.009 --> 00:19:13.730
larger matrix companies, we worked with some
00:19:13.730 --> 00:19:17.289
folks that I feel like were some suspect and
00:19:17.289 --> 00:19:20.650
shady and I didn't like doing it, but I was beholden
00:19:20.650 --> 00:19:22.609
to a corporate paycheck. So I did what I had
00:19:22.609 --> 00:19:25.430
to do. But as a business owner, I get to make
00:19:25.430 --> 00:19:27.789
a different decision. And I say, these are the
00:19:27.789 --> 00:19:30.069
values and I wear them loud and proud on my sleeve,
00:19:30.109 --> 00:19:32.170
on my website, everywhere. So people know what
00:19:32.170 --> 00:19:34.309
they're getting into as soon as they. connect
00:19:34.309 --> 00:19:37.250
with me or see me anywhere on social media. And
00:19:37.250 --> 00:19:39.309
so that's the first thing. So I'm going to ask
00:19:39.309 --> 00:19:41.390
them, how do you treat your people? First and
00:19:41.390 --> 00:19:43.269
foremost, I'm human centered and I'll tell people
00:19:43.269 --> 00:19:46.369
that 100%. I'm not just about the financial aspect.
00:19:46.529 --> 00:19:48.329
How are you treating your people and how are
00:19:48.329 --> 00:19:50.210
you helping them with the financial aspect of
00:19:50.210 --> 00:19:53.130
their lives? And if we mesh there, then we can
00:19:53.130 --> 00:19:55.589
continue the conversation about what the mutual
00:19:55.589 --> 00:19:57.789
goals are that we have for each other and how
00:19:57.789 --> 00:20:01.569
we can help each other get there. Hey, all right.
00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:04.660
All right. I like that answer too. This is great.
00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:09.799
Okay. How do leaders create environments where
00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:12.720
people feel safe enough to be honest, vulnerable,
00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:16.240
or fully engaged instead of simply performing?
00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:19.900
Absolutely. First, they lead by example. I always
00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:22.160
tell my leaders, I said, the most important ways
00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:24.859
that you can show up as a leader is through vulnerability,
00:20:25.319 --> 00:20:28.380
humility, and authenticity. And if you know something,
00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:30.099
say you know it. If you don't know something,
00:20:30.140 --> 00:20:32.380
say, I don't know that, but I can find out. People
00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:36.279
love truth and they love humanity. So all of
00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:38.720
us, as we know, we're flawed as humans. So just
00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:41.359
saying, hey, I don't know, but. Together, we
00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:43.660
do know. And I think that's the biggest piece
00:20:43.660 --> 00:20:46.839
is always people want things done with them,
00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:49.279
not to them. So when you address it with your
00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:51.299
team and say, hey, we have this problem we need
00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:54.160
to solve. I have this much information, but I
00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:56.200
know each of you have information as well. How
00:20:56.200 --> 00:20:58.319
can we bring all the relevant information together
00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:01.140
to make a solution that we can all work toward
00:21:01.140 --> 00:21:04.299
together? That buy -in means so much to folks.
00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:06.940
They really say, oh, you value what I bring to
00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:10.299
the table. I'm not just a task doer. I'm actually
00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:12.900
a part of seeing the success of this organization.
00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:15.779
And so when leaders are able to create that kind
00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:17.960
of environment where it's two -way communication,
00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:20.720
two -way communication, and that everybody's
00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:23.500
involved in it, decision -making, that is so
00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:26.119
important. And that doesn't mean abdicating your
00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:29.420
responsibilities as a leader for leading the
00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:32.240
team. It's saying, I need input from all of you
00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:34.660
to make the best decisions that we can move forward
00:21:34.660 --> 00:21:38.920
together. That was very good. And I noticed that
00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:42.640
you constantly use the word leader instead of
00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:46.619
boss. Yes. Okay. Because there is such a difference
00:21:46.619 --> 00:21:49.680
between being a leader and being a boss. And
00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:53.579
part of my workshop that I do is brings that
00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:56.000
into it. The difference between being a leader
00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:59.420
and a boss. And you always say you want to be
00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:03.079
a leader instead of a boss. A boss, you can go
00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:07.049
on the street and find a boss. right? To regurgitate
00:22:07.049 --> 00:22:10.589
your policies. But to be a leader, that's so
00:22:10.589 --> 00:22:13.089
different. You have to be part of that. But yeah,
00:22:13.170 --> 00:22:16.910
so before I give you the last question, if your
00:22:16.910 --> 00:22:20.009
network became a mirror of your character tomorrow,
00:22:20.390 --> 00:22:24.799
what would you be proud of that reflection? I
00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:28.720
would be so proud of how we think about not only
00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:31.079
ourselves, but each other. Whenever we make a
00:22:31.079 --> 00:22:33.119
decision, we're like, how is this going to impact
00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:35.819
the greater good, the greater world, our team?
00:22:35.900 --> 00:22:38.259
You start with yourself as a small circle and
00:22:38.259 --> 00:22:41.220
it's, okay, myself, then my team, then my company,
00:22:41.339 --> 00:22:43.579
then my world, right? So I always think about
00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:45.480
the ripple effect. If you throw a stone in the
00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:48.240
water, it starts small and it ripples out. And
00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.839
that's what I always think about in terms of
00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:53.700
how my... my network looks at me and reflects
00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:56.880
me and I reflect them is how do we start small
00:22:56.880 --> 00:22:59.799
and let that ripple effect multiplier just continues
00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:02.599
to go out so that everybody can win. It's not
00:23:02.599 --> 00:23:04.960
a win -lose situation. It's a win -win all the
00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:08.940
time. Very good. Very good. Okay. So let's bring
00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:12.259
this podcast full circle. If someone listening
00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:15.099
wanted to build a network that reflected the
00:23:15.099 --> 00:23:19.119
person that they aspire to become, not just the
00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:22.420
career they hope to have. What would you encourage
00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:26.640
them to start doing today? I would encourage
00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:28.819
them number one to start doing wherever you are.
00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:31.500
Are you in a company? Have you talked to your
00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:34.359
team? Have you talked to teams that are completely
00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:36.859
right adjacent to you? How have you built relationships?
00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:39.900
Not just about, hey, I need a transaction. I
00:23:39.900 --> 00:23:41.900
need you to do this thing for me. How have you
00:23:41.900 --> 00:23:44.460
built a relationship? And those kinds of things
00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:46.940
are super important. I come from a hospitality
00:23:46.940 --> 00:23:48.960
background and I say there's a difference between
00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:51.579
hospitality and customer service. Customer service
00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:53.740
is transactional. Hospitality is relational.
00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:56.799
We're building long -term relationships. So I'm
00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:59.799
always practicing hospitality. And I think everybody.
00:24:00.109 --> 00:24:03.329
has the ability to do that, you have to put your
00:24:03.329 --> 00:24:05.869
hand out first and say, hi, I'm Law Baker, and
00:24:05.869 --> 00:24:08.410
I want to get to know you and how you work and
00:24:08.410 --> 00:24:10.730
how you think. And I want to be able to see how
00:24:10.730 --> 00:24:13.410
can we partner together to us be successful together.
00:24:13.609 --> 00:24:16.410
And when you say that, that opens up a whole
00:24:16.410 --> 00:24:19.049
nother door for people to be able to like, oh,
00:24:19.230 --> 00:24:21.890
okay, let's talk a little bit. Let's share and
00:24:21.890 --> 00:24:24.109
let's build together. Because it's not about
00:24:24.109 --> 00:24:27.859
extraction. It's about how do you actually build
00:24:27.859 --> 00:24:33.200
each other and grow together now you said law
00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:36.980
baker You don't use LaChandra? I do, but most
00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:39.319
of my people just, because I'm just, I'm so simple.
00:24:39.380 --> 00:24:41.480
I'm just regular all the time, Michael. So people
00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:45.059
just call me La most of the time. Okay. I want
00:24:45.059 --> 00:24:47.079
to make sure because if I was calling you something
00:24:47.079 --> 00:24:49.980
wrong this whole time and you didn't say anything,
00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:51.940
okay, I just want to make sure. No, you're not
00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:54.200
at all. Just people just, once you get more familiar
00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:56.059
with me, everyone just calls me La. So you can
00:24:56.059 --> 00:24:58.039
call me La going forward, Michael, because we're
00:24:58.039 --> 00:25:01.299
familiar with each other now. Thank you very
00:25:01.299 --> 00:25:04.339
much. Thank you. La, I want to. Thank you so
00:25:04.339 --> 00:25:07.319
much for coming on the podcast because this was
00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:11.579
extraordinary. We are so much on the same level
00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:15.779
thinking -wise that it's uncanny. But listen,
00:25:16.059 --> 00:25:18.779
if somebody wanted to get hold of you, either
00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:21.700
to be mentored by you, to be coached by you,
00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:25.799
or just to say hi, how would they do it? Absolutely.
00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:29.519
So my website is LBB Edutainment because it's
00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:32.019
my initials, LBB and then Edutainment because
00:25:32.019 --> 00:25:34.799
we're the juxtaposition of educating and entertaining
00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:37.500
like yourself. We bring that together. And then
00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:41.039
I'm all socials at LBB Edutainment so they can
00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:44.720
find me anywhere. Absolutely. This was so inspiring.
00:25:45.059 --> 00:25:48.839
Okay. The biggest takeaway, the strongest relationships
00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:52.519
aren't built by trying to impress people. They're
00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:55.730
built by... being genuine enough to people to
00:25:55.730 --> 00:25:58.869
trust you. If you enjoyed this episode, follow,
00:25:58.990 --> 00:26:02.029
subscribe to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable
00:26:02.029 --> 00:26:04.990
Connections for more conversations on networking,
00:26:05.089 --> 00:26:07.910
communication, leadership, and business growth.
00:26:08.190 --> 00:26:10.869
And if this episode made you think differently
00:26:10.869 --> 00:26:13.930
about relationships, make it with somebody who
00:26:13.930 --> 00:26:18.140
believes success begins with authenticity. If
00:26:18.140 --> 00:26:20.539
you're looking for a keynote speaker or executive
00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:23.299
communication coach to help your organization
00:26:23.299 --> 00:26:26.460
build stronger relationships, communicate with
00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:29.339
greater impact, and create meaningful business
00:26:29.339 --> 00:26:33.519
connections, visit michelaforman .com. So until
00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:36.619
next time, remember, your network isn't built
00:26:36.619 --> 00:26:39.420
by collecting contacts. It's built by earning
00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:43.039
trust, living your values, and becoming someone
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:46.700
people are proud to know. La, I will tell you
00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:50.089
again. This was a great podcast. Thank you so
00:26:50.089 --> 00:26:56.269
much for having me, Michael. Oh, I would like
00:26:56.269 --> 00:26:59.829
to welcome you to the Fusion Alliance Business
00:26:59.829 --> 00:27:04.450
Expo 2. That's right. We're having another. networking
00:27:04.450 --> 00:27:07.470
expo. Now, this one is going to be even better
00:27:07.470 --> 00:27:10.490
than the first one in March. This one is October
00:27:10.490 --> 00:27:14.869
22nd, held at iPhone Restaurant and Event Center,
00:27:15.029 --> 00:27:20.329
6000 Medlock Bridge Parkway, Georgia. Now, this
00:27:20.329 --> 00:27:23.109
is your chance. This is your chance to showcase
00:27:23.109 --> 00:27:26.309
your business, connect with the community, and
00:27:26.309 --> 00:27:30.069
gain unmatched exposure. This event is designed
00:27:30.069 --> 00:27:33.470
to highlight your thriving business and is a
00:27:33.470 --> 00:27:36.549
must -attend gathering for most local leaders
00:27:36.549 --> 00:27:41.109
and entrepreneurs. So now, what is there going
00:27:41.109 --> 00:27:43.210
to be? First of all, it's free admission to the
00:27:43.210 --> 00:27:46.650
public. So come one, come all. There's going
00:27:46.650 --> 00:27:49.150
to be a large audience to see your business.
00:27:49.410 --> 00:27:52.329
You're going to gain new customers, build your
00:27:52.329 --> 00:27:55.680
brand, and establish strategic... partnerships.
00:27:55.859 --> 00:27:58.980
So whether you're looking to gain new customers,
00:27:59.339 --> 00:28:02.940
build your brand, or establish strategic partnerships,
00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:07.720
Business Expo 2 is the place to be. Don't miss
00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:10.519
your chance to be part of this exclusive annual
00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:14.660
showcase of Johns Creek's best businesses. Remember,
00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:19.619
it's October 22nd. Remember that. October 22nd
00:28:19.619 --> 00:28:23.599
between the hours of 11 a .m. and 4 p .m. The
00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:27.990
location? 6 ,000 Medlock Bridge Parkway, Johns
00:28:27.990 --> 00:28:32.509
Creek. You can go to the website, and it's www
00:28:32.509 --> 00:28:39.569
.fusionalliance .info. F -U -S -I -O -N -A -L
00:28:39.569 --> 00:28:44.250
-L -I -A -N -C -E .info. You can get all of it
00:28:44.250 --> 00:28:46.690
there. You can be a vendor. You can be a sponsor.
00:28:46.950 --> 00:28:49.789
Or if you want, you can just come on and enjoy
00:28:49.789 --> 00:28:52.470
it. So come on down. Everyone else is going to
00:28:52.470 --> 00:28:56.599
be there. And just... Enjoy yourself. That's
00:28:56.599 --> 00:28:59.200
a wrap, folks. A huge thank you to our guests
00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:02.519
for sharing such incredible insights today. And
00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:05.359
of course, a big shout out to you, our amazing
00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:08.359
listeners, for tuning in and spending your time
00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:11.460
with us. If you're interested in my digital courses,
00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:14.619
being coached, or having me come and talk to
00:29:14.619 --> 00:29:18.059
your company, just go to Michael and fill out
00:29:18.059 --> 00:29:21.640
the request form. Remember... Networking isn't
00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:24.279
about being perfect. It's about being present.
00:29:24.740 --> 00:29:27.440
So take what you've learned today, get out there,
00:29:27.559 --> 00:29:30.579
and make some meaningful connections. If you've
00:29:30.579 --> 00:29:33.339
enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to
00:29:33.339 --> 00:29:36.539
subscribe. Leave us a review and share it with
00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:38.839
someone who could use a little networking inspiration.
00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:42.750
Let's keep the conversation going. You can find
00:29:42.750 --> 00:29:47.089
me on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or my
00:29:47.089 --> 00:29:50.970
website, foreman .com slash podcasts.
