315: The Lens You Choose Shapes Your Life

Have you ever noticed how two people can experience the same event but walk away with entirely different perspectives?

In this episode, I share a striking contrast between two individuals on a birdwatching trip.

Their reactions caused me to reflect on how our attitudes shape our experiences and the energy we bring to those around us.

I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders. We’ve created online resources that help leaders strengthen their character and communication skills to build strong relationships and inspire others to perform at the highest level.

You’ll discover:

How your words and reactions influence those around you
The key mindset shift that leads to greater joy and connection
How to become more intentional about the perspective you bring to every situation
A simple yet powerful way to enhance your leadership and relationships

Watch the episode:

Connect with Meredith

Meredith’s Resources

Website

Grow Strong Leaders

Books

Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Listen to the GSL Podcast on Apple Podcasts

Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon

310: Moving Past Perfectionism

Have you ever taken on a project that you thought would be straightforward…and then discovered it wasn’t?

Sometimes that occurs because of the expectations we put on ourselves to perform at a certain level.

That’s what happened to me when I tried to record a headshot video.

In this solo episode I describe the situation, how I handled the setbacks, and what I learned from the experience that might be helpful for you, too.

I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders. We’ve created online resources that help leaders strengthen their character and communication skills to build strong relationships and inspire others to perform at the highest level.

You’ll discover:

The challenge I was given in a LinkedIn course
How I define perfectionism
Why I struggled initially to complete this assignment
What slowing down and reflecting helped me realize
3 insights that allowed me to relax and enjoy the process

Watch the episode:

Connect with Meredith

Meredith’s Resources

Website

Grow Strong Leaders

Books

Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Grow Strong Character

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon

301: Are You Living a Life That Matters?

Twelve years ago, when my father died, the funeral director made a statement to my mother, my sister, and me that I’ve never forgotten.

In this solo episode, I share what he said and how it applied to my father. I also describe seven ways Dad lived that have had a lasting impact on all of us who knew him.

I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders. We’ve created online resources that help leaders strengthen their character and communication skills to build strong relationships and inspire others to perform at the highest level.

You’ll discover:

Why my father never made one enemy throughout his entire life
How a strong work ethic drove everything he did
What Dad did to build trust instantly
The 3 words of sage advice Dad passed on to everyone in the family
Questions you can ask yourself as you reflect on your life and how you want to be remembered

Watch the episode:

Connect with Meredith

Meredith’s Resources

Website

Grow Strong Leaders

Books

Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon

299: An Inspiring Immigrant’s Leadership Journey

Immigrants to the United States are not always welcomed with open arms, but that doesn’t stop them from pursuing their dreams. Cynthia Torres arrived in the U.S. from Colombia when she was 25, and she’s a beautiful example of someone who started a business and is having a very positive impact on the people in her community. You’ll be inspired by her story and her accomplishments.

Cynthia Torres is a Colombian American who has resided for over 25 years in Oxnard, California, west of Los Angeles. She’s a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and is leaving an indelible mark in service to its vibrant and dynamic Latinx population. Her professional journey is nothing short of remarkable.

Cynthia is the founder and CEO of the local for-profit business, New Dawn Counseling & Consulting. She also recently assumed the Executive Director position of a thirty-year-old nonprofit organization called City Impact, Inc.

You’ll discover:

What brought Cynthia to the U.S. from Columbia when she was 25 years old
Important lessons Cynthia has learned as a leader of two organizations
How she’s incorporated the teachings of compassionate communication into the culture of New Dawn
The startling statistic about Latinas in the C-suite in US companies
What Cynthia recommends to young Hispanic women about overcoming barriers they face

Watch the episode:

Connect with Cynthia

Cynthia’s Website

New Dawn Counseling & Consulting

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon

298: How to Build a Hybrid Workplace That Works

There’s been a lot of controversy post-pandemic between companies and employees about returning to the physical workspace. This episode’s guest, Wayne Turmel, is uniquely qualified to discuss this topic.

Wayne was my guest on episode 77 in the fall of 2020 when we were dealing with the early months of COVID-19, and most people were working remotely. In that conversation, we discussed the book he and his co-author, Kevin Eikenberry, published PRE-COVID. It was called The Long-Distance Leader and focused on leading remote teams, so they were ahead of their time.

They’ve recently released the second edition of The Long-Distance Leader, subtitled Revised Rules for Remarkable Remote and Hybrid Leadership. In his interview here, we discussed key ideas from the updated book.

Wayne Turmel has been writing about developing communication and leadership skills for nearly 30 years. He’s also taught and consulted at Fortune 500 companies and startups around the world. For 18 years, he’s focused on the growing need to communicate effectively in remote and virtual environments.

In addition to his writing, Wayne is a sought-after speaker at business and leadership conferences and events. He’s the author of 15 books and a frequent guest at events such as ATD’s International Conference and Exposition and the European Digital Learning Expo. He’s also the host of the Long Distance Worklife Podcast. Marshall Goldsmith calls him “One of the most unique voices in leadership today.”

You’ll discover:

What happened after the first edition of the book that caused Wayne and Kevin to conclude they needed to update it
What Wayne means when he uses the word HYBRID and how it differs from the commonly understood meaning
The importance of factoring in TIME as part of a hybrid work schedule
The 3C model that needs to be considered when an organization wants to define its culture
Three reasons why young people want in-person time at the office

Watch the episode:

Connect with Wayne

Wayne’s Resources

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon