Listen Now

After spending 10+ years as an F-16 fighter pilot and finishing his career as a US Air Force Weapon School instructor, Steven C. Shallenberger is grateful he didn't listen to the Air Force instructor who visited his school when he was in seventh grade and told him he'll never be a fighter pilot, that it wasn't for anybody.   Today, I am pleased to welcome one of my sons, Steven C. Shallenberger, CEO of ElementOne, a startup focused on restoring clean air while allowing the continued use of our modern transportation economy. He holds a BS in Engineering Mechanics from the United States Air Force Academy and an MBA in Financial and Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Pennsylvania.   In this episode, Steven shares his experiences as a fighter pilot, the challenges he overcame during that time, and how those experiences helped him upgrade his leadership abilities. We have an inspiring conversation about leadership, humility, resilience, and situation awareness. Steven kindly shared the mantra that helped him successfully carry on with the privilege of being part of the 1% of pilots and technicians that turn into instructors of the Weapons School.   Tune in to Episode 290 of Becoming Your Best, and enjoy the inspirational insights Steven shared with us.   Some Questions I Ask: Could you give us a little background and share a couple of key points from the Air Force experience? (3:06) For anybody interested in getting into the Air Force Academy, could you tell us what the process is? (4:21) Can you talk about some of the adversity that you had? How are you able to overcome adversity and setbacks? (13:17) From your experience, what are the traits of a successful leader within the fighter pilot community? And how can these be applied in everyday life? (17:26)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Steven talks about the sensation of making his dreams come true by getting into the US Air Force (7:05) The relevance of having a clear purpose for overcoming adversity (8:09) What it was like to be in hostile environments as a fighter pilot (10:52) Steven talks about how understanding the struggle between humility vs. ego helped him overcome setbacks (13:20) Steven explains the mantra: being humble, approachable, credible (17:34)  Connect with Steven: LinkedIn  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It doesn't matter how long we've worked in any industry; there is always room to improve and we must be humble enough to recognize it and dedicate time to educate ourselves constantly. That is one of Dr. Kizzy Parks' secrets to success; she is aware that she does not know it all, and she let herself go following her curious nature.   Dr. Kizzy Parks is the CEO of KPC, GovCon Winners, AmPar, and Adult Fluent. She specializes in helping service-based small business owners learn how to win profitable government contracts, and she is the host of the Adult Fluent Podcast. Kizzy holds a B.S. in Psychology from Alfred University, a Master of Science, and a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the Florida Institute of Technology.   Since she was little, Kizzy knew she would be an entrepreneur; her adoptive parents instilled in her the idea that everything is possible. Kizzy's household was the mecca of positive reinforcement, and so she became what she wanted.   In this episode, Kizzy shared her infectious optimism and experience. We had a fantastic conversation about her expertise and her teaching methods, like her CTC technique to win profitable government contracts. We also spoke about her background, her first experiences as an entrepreneur, and why she decided to dedicate her efforts to teach others and help them grow. Kizzy talked about what is, in her opinion, a straight path to becoming the best version of ourselves, and then she explained how she maximizes her teams' performance.   Tune in to Episode 289 of Becoming Your Best, to enjoy Kizzy's expertise in winning government contracts and lead successful teams.   Some Questions I Ask:  Our listeners would love to hear about your background. And how did you know this is what you wanted to do? (2:59) Something that's been in your heart and mind is becoming the best at what you do. So what does becoming your best mean to you? (8:56) How do you maximize the performance of your team? (15:50) What do you look for in a leader? (19:19) If someone would ask you for advice on how to be successful in business or be successful in life, what would you recommend to them? (25:37)  In This Episode, You Will Learn:  How Kizzy discovered her passion for helping others to clinch government contracts (4:12) The difference between teaching what others should do, and teaching from first-hand experiences (7:19) The perks of staying humble and always willing to learn (10:13) How Kizzy maximizes her teams' performances (15:44) The importance of taking time to experience; there is no rush nor the right moment to do something (27:13)  Resources:  K. Parks Consulting (KPC) website AdultFluent Podcast Sam.gov website  Connect with Kizzy: LinkedIn  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hearing about self-compassion and "soft" stuff like hugs and empathy made Steven think that wasn't for him; a 6'5", 240 pounds, former boxer and football player didn't resonate with all that. But after some exercises his mentors suggested, he started realizing that being in our corner, being there for ourselves facing adversity and setbacks was actually excellent. That would be the first step of an incredible and transformational journey for Steven, where he would learn the power of self-compassion and kindness to himself.   Steven Griffith is the Founder of High Performance Coaching. He is also a Psychology of Productivity, Time Management & Performance Expert, Speaker, and Author of " The Time Cleanse," a book that provides a proven system to eliminate time waste, acknowledge our full potential, and invest our time in what matters most. Steven is a former Chicago Golden Glove Boxer and Illinois State Heavyweight champion. For the last 25 years, he has helped as a trusted advisor and coach to CEOs, entrepreneurs, Olympic athletes, the U.S. Military, Jimmy Kimmel, NBA players, and many more.  In this episode, we had an inspiring conversation about time management, self-compassion, the A-Game, and mindfulness. Steven kindly shared the three steps of his self-compassion formula and some brilliant insights about how we can help our children thrive in their personal and professional lives. Then, we talked about Steven's most significant challenges of his life and their effect on his development as a coach and as a person.  Tune in to Episode 288 of Becoming Your Best, to learn more about timefulness, the importance of self-compassion, and what matters most in life.   Some Questions I Ask: Can you please tell us a bit of your background, and who you are? (1:59) What are the core concepts that make up the A-Game? (2:57) What are some of the biggest challenges that you see facing student athletes, parents, and coaches today? (11:57) What are some things parents can do to support their kids' success? (20:07)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: What mindfulness is really about, and how it can help us perform at the highest level (4:57) The three steps to self-compassion (7:39) What changes when we start being compassionate to ourselves (11:01) The meaning of timefulness, and its effect on our lives (17:05) It’s not about the scholarship or the championship, it’s about who they will become (29:26)  Resources: Steven Griffith website Book: Steven Griffith - The Time Cleanse: A Proven System to Eliminate Wasted Time, Realize Your Full Potential, and Reinvest In What Matters Most  Connect with Steven: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter YouTube Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Having a successful business and being a prosperous entrepreneur was a priority for Randy, but his driving force and inspiration came from his parents. Seeing his friends coming up to his house to hang out with his father gave Randy a clear picture of what he was supposed to pursue in life: being a good husband, father, and friend was way more important than anything else.   Today, I have the pleasure to receive a dear friend and a great person, Randy Garn. Randy is an Entrepreneur, Investor, Advisor, and Coach. He is the author of the book "Prosper", recently re-edited and relaunched. Randy specializes in guiding leaders through a personal and professional transformation; he is a High-Performance Coach and Partner at High-Performance Institute with Brendon Burchard.   In this episode, we had a fantastic conversation about the journey of becoming who we want to be, how our habits impact our lives, and the importance of valuing people over things. Randy shared some takeaways from his book and some nuggets of wisdom about the 6 high-performance habits. We also talked about gratitude, personal and professional relationships, and the relevance of defining our goals.   Tune in to Episode 287 of Becoming Your Best to learn more about Randy and his quest for making the world a better place.   Some Questions I Ask: What's one thing that you learned from your parents that has really stood out to you through the years? (4:59) What's the big picture of "Prosper"? What's the book about? (7:42) Let's talk about something you're really passionate about - high-performance habits (18:55)  What challenges did you go through in your life that you would feel comfortable sharing? (24:14)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: People are most important than things. One of Randy's biggest takeaways from his father (5:51) Articulating the balance between wealth, happiness, and sustainability (8:44) If you don't have a goal, someone will use you to reach theirs (10:16) The purpose of challenging times and how they can help us find who we are surrounded by (26:31)  Resources: Randy Garn website Book: Randy Garn - Prosper: Create the Life You Really Want  Connect with Randy: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Being able to breathe, walk, or talk are some of the things we get used to and most often take for granted. The same happens with freedom; we are so used to choosing a religion, having access to clean water, or the right to express our political opinion that we lose sight of how valuable it is.   In this special episode, we want to celebrate our Independence Day by honoring freedom, highlighting its importance, and talking about our role in keeping it. We explore some aspects of freedom most of us take for granted and reflect on how grateful we should be for such a wonderful gift. Today, we remind ourselves that freedom is not free, and we honor those who gave their lives for us to experience it. Finally, we travel back in time and relive the moments that gave birth to our country and remember the people that made their dreams, our reality, possible.   Tune in to Episode 286 of Becoming Your Best, and let's celebrate and value our freedom together.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: The price of freedom (2:07) The world we live in is not the same a lot of people get to live in (3:53) How can we appreciate our freedom for what it really is (5:03) One generation away from extinction. What is our role in maintaining our freedom (6:39) Our flag was still there. The poem after the bombardment of Fort McHenry (9:14)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Book: Do What Matters Most: Lead with a Vision, Manage with a Plan, Prioritize Your Time Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Traveling lowers the chances of heart disease; it enhances our creativity and the sense of happiness and satisfaction. It is also very efficient for relieving stress and anxiety - and the list of benefits goes on and on. And if we pay enough attention, it can be a teaching experience; we can grow and change the way we see things.  In this episode, after coming back from a trip to Peru with my family, I wanted to share some of the beautiful experiences we had in this fantastic place and the four lessons I've learned. I talk about the things we discovered about ourselves throughout the entire trip, the value we got from enjoying simple things, and how important it is to take ourselves out of our comfort zone and explore new things.   If you would like to join me on this trip of amazing discoveries and breathtaking views, tune in to Episode 285 of Becoming Your Best.  In This Episode, You Will Learn: The power of perseverance and trust in ourselves (3:15) It is about the journey AND the destination (6:03) How powerful and fulfilling it can be going outside (9:24) Freedom requires effort. The importance of being involved in our communities (13:08)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For this episode, we prepared something special. This episode is about inspiring and motivating you to become the best version of yourself. I'll share more than 50 motivational phrases and aphorisms I've collected over the last five decades that helped and inspired me along the way.   These are phrases a friend, a guest to the show, or a colleague at work told me, and quotes from brilliant minds I've read or heard that impacted me - and I hope they do the same to you.   If you would like to experience a wave of inspiration and get some motivation to stay on the tracks of becoming the best version of yourself, tune in to Episode 284 of Becoming Your Best.  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Thomas Edison and the beautiful story with his mother (4:05) The right way to approach today's business (7:21) The one that survives is the one who adapts better to change (9:04) Great advice from my great, great uncle, Mark Twain (12:01) The best way to deal with the past (15:49) The thing that couldn't be done (21:47)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Undoubtedly, having an upbeat personality coupled with the correct principles will make a huge difference in anyone's life. Whether it is in their professional or personal lives, people choose to be around those with a positive mindset, those who are kind, pleasant to be with, and always open to learning from others.   Today's episode was inspired by our last guest's concluding comments when we asked him what advice he would give as an onboarding message to people joining his company. Bob Marquardt's response was to have a positive personality and be eager to learn. We felt so inspired by Bob's powerful words that we decided to create this list with the 6 keys to have a positive personality and an eagerness to learn.   If you want to find out more about the advantages of having an upbeat personality and being an avid learner, tune in to Episode 238 of Becoming Your Best.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: The power of starting your day with a positive routine (3:17) How having a positive vision can help us achieve more (5:56) Doing what matters most and organizing our day (9:18) Triggering small doses of dopamine. The curative power of smiling (13:17) Respect goes a long way. Being the type of people we would like to hang out with (15:47) Having a sponge mentality. The benefits of being eager to learn (17:26)  Resources mentioned: Book: James Allen - As a Man Thinketh: The Original 1902 Edition Book: Og Mandino - The Greatest Salesman in the World  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Being task saturated at work causes several problems in our professional and personal lives. One of the many effects of this is that we keep ourselves busy with what is urgent, and we push away and postpone what is essential.   We've conducted research with over 1200 managers from 108 different organizations, and we've found out that the primary concern of over 68% of them was prioritizing their time. To overcome this, we need a tool that provides us with powerful habits to schedule our priorities rather than prioritizing our schedule, and that is why we've written: "Do What Matters Most."  In this episode, I'm joined by my son Rob Shallenberger to talk about our latest book, "Do What Matters Most." We talk about the reasons behind creating this book, its primary purpose, and the results you can expect from reading it. We go through the three pillars that sustain the book's idea for you to understand how they interact with each other. We dive deep into Rob's breaking point in his life and its effect on his parenting, and we also analyze the importance of equipping our teams with powerful tools to help them become their best.   If you want to know more about Do What Matters Most, tune in to Episode 282 of Becoming Your Best to understand why implementing three simple habits can be a life-changing experience.  In This Episode, You Will Learn: How the book came about and what is its purpose (2:30) The three life-changing habits the book offers (6:42) Rob's and Steve's favorite habit and why (8:41) Why pre-week planning is so powerful, and how it can improve our professional and personal lives (22:19) The importance of growing our mindset and our skillset and equipping our teams to do the same (30:04)  Resources Mentioned: Book: Steven R. Shallenberger, Robert R. Shallenberger - Do What Matters Most: Lead with a Vision, Manage with a Plan, and Prioritize Your Time Book: Dale Carnegie - How To Win Friends and Influence People   Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Running a successful organization can become a power trip for some people; they make it about themselves and not the organization in some cases. That is why for Bob Marquardt, humility is the number one characteristic every leader should focus on. Be aware that no one is irreplaceable and give proper credit to every team member and appreciative words about the work being done by them.   Joining us today is Bob Marquardt, the President of Management & Training Corporation (MTC). His company is a leader in corrections, education, and job training, with more than 10,000 employees in the US, United Kingdom, Australia, and Egypt. He has been active in YPO/YPOG for 35 years and served on the Utah State Board of Regents for twelve years. Bob cherishes humility, performance, innovation, and integrity. As the President of a second-generation family business, Bob worked with his father, absorbing values that he naturally spilled over his own children and MTC's employees.   In this episode, we talked about Bob's priorities as a leader and what kind of work he expects from his employees. We also talked about the importance of positive affirmation and creating a positive work environment. He kindly shared the experiences of teachers working in prisons and the importance of their work as rehabilitators. He talked about how he manages to inspire his employees to become their best and two of the most valuable lessons he learned in his extensive career as a leader.   Listen to Episode 281 of Becoming Your Best, to learn how to help your employees become their best by leading them with humility and integrity, as well as how to improve their outcomes through innovation.  Some Questions I Ask: What are some of the professional lessons learned that have helped you and your business be successful? (4:26) How do you create that culture of innovation, integrity, and performance in such a large company? (9:08) How do you bring out the best in people, your employees, and people in the job centers? (17:33) If you had the chance to sit down with someone who was just joining your team, what would you say to them about what it means to be a great team member? (20:43) Would you mind sharing MTC's program to fight discrimination? (24:27)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: The importance of staying humble when leading a successful company (4:26) MTC's core values (6:03) Most decisions are made for a small group of people. The importance of the performance culture (9:23) How critical it can be to raise high expectations for people who haven't experienced that before (14:20) The importance of presenting a positive spin to every negative situation (22:03)  Resources: Management & Training Corporation website  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ron Williams believes that our bodies tell stories of how we feel about ourselves. When someone asks him for help to improve their health, one of his many techniques is chasing down the beliefs, the stories that hold people down and won't let them thrive. He believes that the body will never do something without the mind's permission, and that is why having a solid mindset is the key to a healthy life.   Joining me today is Ron Williams, CEO and Lifestyle Coach at Ron Williams Champion Life, Inc. He is one of the most decorated Natural Bodybuilders globally and the sole recipient of the "Natural Bodybuilder of the Decade" award. Ron is the author of the award-winning and best-selling book "Faith & Fat Loss". He is a multiple bodybuilding award winner, and in 2008, he made it into the International Natural Bodybuilding Association's Hall of Fame. Ron is also the creator of the Iron Chest Master, a device designed to develop the upper body. Among many other achievements, Ron is a seven times Mister Univers, seven times Mister World, and seven times Mister Olympia.   In this episode, Ron kindly shared a bit of his wisdom in fitness, weight loss, and overall health. We have an inspiring conversation about the importance of a strong mindset regarding achieving body changes and sustainable eating habits. We also spoke about Ron's Iron Chest Master's benefits and the keys to a successful body transformation.   Some Questions Asked: What are some of the critical lessons that you've learned throughout your career that are helpful for people to get into a sustainable fitness regimen? (6:32) What are your recommendations to help people develop the right kind of mindset? How do you do that? (8:10) Tell us about the Iron Chest Master, about the resistance bands, and about the home exercise program you have (14:19) How about diet, Ron? Any recommendations on a diet? (20:19) Tell us about your book, Faith & Fat Loss (23:51)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Steve's experience with Ron's program and training and his results (3:01) The importance of having a solid mindset and two training programs, one for the gym and another for the house (7:16) The body tells a story (8:58) Consistency, the key to succeeding in any endeavor (11:38) Setting a goal first and then adopting a routine to fuel that goal (22:53)  Resources: Ron Williams Champion Life website Iron Chest Master Book: Ron Williams - Faith & Fat Loss  Connect with Ron: LinkedIn Facebook YouTube  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The things we do in the morning set the pace for the day; if we establish a positive and upbeat routine, it will have a snowball effect on our mood, performance, and our health in the long run. On a previous podcast, one of our guests, Dre Baldwin, shared with us the cornerstones of any successful routine: discipline, confidence, imagination, and innovation. Mastering discipline will lead to being more confident, and confidence in what we do will open the door for imagination, which we will use to innovate and find new ways of doing things more efficiently.   In this episode, we will talk about the seven steps of the Becoming Your Best Morning Routine. We will go through each one of the steps that will grant you are getting the best out of your days, every day. This routine can take you anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes to perform, and it will allow you to improve your inner strength and clarity. We will discuss the benefits of completing this routine and the science behind every step, and how they will help you enhance your daily performance, your mood, and your overall health.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: The cornerstones of every successful routine and how they work together (1:59) The importance of adequate sleep and rest (5:23) Make your bed. Starting the day with a victory (6:47) Stay hydrated. The benefits of drinking water (8:46) Insulating ourselves from negative forces. Reflect, pray, be grateful (10:03) Growing the hippocampus. Keeping mind and body healthy (11:17) Benefits of setting a positive mind frame (13:48) Planning for what is coming and imagining what might come (16:30)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Feedback is a big word in the office. It generally has a bad reputation and it's associated with negative experiences and emotions. But it’s time to start changing this trend because frequent, action-oriented, specific, and timely feedback can do wonders for an organization’s culture. Growing this muscle will help everyone communicate and work together better.  Joining me today is Jill Katz, Founder and Chief Change Officer at Assemble HR Consulting, a boutique Human Resources firm committed to taking leadership to the next level. She is an influencer, speaker, and strategy coach passionate about turning the workplace into a people-focused environment. Jill has over 20 years of a successful career in several industries like retail, fashion, digital technology, media, among many others. She is the creator of the Candor, Courage, and Care model designed to transform how feedback is offered and received at work.   In this episode, we had a fantastic conversation about Jill's journey from working over 60 hours a week to starting her own business. She kindly talked about what made her decide to completely change her life to save her mental and physical health. We also spoke about feedback at work, its importance, and why we should lose our fear of it. She kindly explained the Candor, Courage, and Care model and how we can use it in our daily routines.   If you want to learn more about when and how to offer feedback and the positive impact it can have when appropriately done, tune in to Episode 278 of Becoming Your Best.   Some Questions I Ask: We would love to hear about your background, including any turning points that have impacted you. How did you get to where you are today? (3:29) What are the components of your Candor, Courage, and Care model? How is it used? And why can it be helpful for us? (10:31) Let's say that a person has something that's been burning on them or feels like they should say. Is there a way to make it easier, to be more collaborative than in conflict? (16:21) If I would like to get feedback, what is the best way to ask for feedback from others? (21:01) What are some of the tips that you would give to our listeners to improve communication? (26:09)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: "Having a portfolio career before it was cool." What Jill decided to do differently in her career (5:01) Jill’s passion about changing the way people work (8:35) The Candor, Courage, and Care model explained (10:26) The importance of honesty when giving feedback (16:43) What is a myth and what is real about feedback at work (22:45)  Resources: Assemble HR Consulting website  Connect with Jill: LinkedIn Instagram  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We live in times of heightened cynicism, where people don't believe things at first blush anymore. People, in general, tend to resist new information in a protective response to the countless lies without consequences from politicians or the feeling that behind every conversation, someone is hiding, trying to sell them something. As people feel they can't trust any external sources, they only accept the truth that resonates with them; they adopt the facts that match their identities. Joining us today is Margot Bloomstein, Author, Keynote Speaker, and Content Strategist at Appropiate, Inc. She is a Lecturer in Content Strategy at FH Joanneum, and she offers industry-leading training and consulting at Rosenfeld Media. She holds a BFA in Design and Anthropology from Carnegie Mellon University. Margot is considered one of the leading voices in content strategy of the moment. She published two books, Content Strategy at Work and her recently published, Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap.Margot kindly shared her journey in the content strategy business, how it was to grow simultaneously with the intaernet emerging industry. She talked about the humbling experience of working in an industry in constant development, where there are lots of things to learn every day. Margot brilliantly explained why cynicism grew that much in our society and why people decide to wall themselves from new information. We also discussed what companies can do to overcome the lack of trust in communication. If you want to learn more about communication, lack of trust, and overcoming the wall of cynicism around the audiences, tune in to Episode 277 of Becoming Your Best. Some Questions I Ask:Tell us about your background, including any turning points in your life that's had a significant impact on you. (2:33)Brands use voice, volume, and vulnerability to bring people closer and then drive brand engagement? How does this happen? (7:58)How do we use voice, volume, and vulnerability to overcome that barrier? (18:05)Is there a way for organizations to measure how effective they are right now with voice, volume, and vulnerability to bring their people closer and drive their brand engagement? (24:11)If you have a low return rate and high satisfaction rates, does that mean you're close to communicating in the right way? (26:45)In This Episode, You Will Learn:A humbling experience in an industry in constant growth (6:35)Companies need to rebuild trust and confidence (10:18)What happens when no new information is accepted (13:43)How can the 3 V's - voice, volume, and vulnerability - help a business to grow trust (18:39)Why vulnerability is considered a strength, not a weakness (29:10)Resources:Appropiate, Inc. WebsiteBook: Margot Bloomstein - Content Strategy at Work: Real-world Stories to Strengthen Every Interactive ProjectBook: Margot Bloomstein - Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust GapConnect with Margot:LinkedInTwitterBecoming Your Best Resources:Becoming Your Best WebsiteBecoming Your Best University WebsiteBecoming Your Best LibraryEmail: support@becomingyourbest.com Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful LeadersBook: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your PerformanceFacebook Group – Conquer Anxiety See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Working fewer hours earning a full-time shift salary sounds like the perfect job for any worker, and it also sounds good from the company's point of view; happier workers producing more in less time. However, it can backlash; workers might consider their job a side hustle, lose connection with the company's values, and leave their jobs regardless of the benefits of shorter working shifts.   In this episode, we talk with Stephan Aarstol, Shark Tank Alum, Founder and CEO of The No Middleman Project, Founder and CEO of Tower Paddle Boards, and Author of The Five Hour Workday. Stephan was named Entrepreneur of the Year, Top 10 Most Influential Business Leaders in San Diego, one of Shark Tank's all-time best investments (Mark Cuban's best) in ABC 20/20 Special, named "World's Best Boss" by Germany's MorgenPost Newspaper, to name some of the more than 20 distinctions worldwide as an entrepreneur.   We talked about his experience participating in ABC's Shark Tank and how that participation on TV helped his business. He kindly shared his learnings while setting the 5 hours workday in his company, what he feels that worked well, and what happened with the things that didn't work at all.   Listen to Episode 276 of Becoming Your Best, to find out the best way to retain high-performing individuals and the biggest takeaways from Stephan’s entrepreneurial experience so far.   Some Questions I Ask: Tell us about your background and how did you get to where you're at today? (2:37) What it was like being on Shark Tank? (6:49) What prompted you to move your company to a five-hour workday? (10:37) What are the lessons you've learned over the years after implementing a shorter workday? (13:18) How did you ultimately find out a shorter workday doesn't make business sense, businesses more profitable and productive, and employees happier, healthier, and more loyal? (17:43)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: How the 5-hour shift idea was born (11:26) Offering freedom and adding pressure to get the expected outcomes (12:29) Money or hours don't retain people (14:28) How being in a show like Shark Tank can leverage a company (22:41) The importance of using productivity tools (27:42)  Resources: Tower Paddle Boards Tower Electric bikes The No Middleman Project Book: Stephan Aarstol - The Five-Hour Workday: Live Differently, Unlock Productivity, and Find Happiness   Connect with Stephan: LinkedIn  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To get where we want to be and doing what we love to do, most of us try to figure out what we need to do to reach our goal, and it makes sense; it seems fair to assume that there must be an action plan to follow. The truth is instead of asking ourselves what we need to do, we should ask ourselves who do we need to be, then become that individual. After we achieve that, the actions that will take us to the place we want will flow naturally.   Joining us today is Dre Baldwin, a former Professional Basketball Player, Author of 27 books, YouTube Content Creator, Podcaster, TEDx Speaker, and Owner of Work On Your Game Inc. He is the living proof that a solid mental framework can take anyone anywhere. That discipline, confidence, mental toughness, and personal initiative can turn any person into the best version of themselves, regardless of their age, the moment in their lives, or social condition.  In this episode, Dre kindly shared his fantastic story of how he became a professional basketball player and a pioneer in content creation on YouTube at the same time. Always creating his own opportunities, Dre developed a system to help athletes reach their maximum potential and soon discovered that his system's four principles applied to any aspect of life, not only to sports.   If you want to learn more about where confidence, determination, and a bulletproof mindset can take you, tune in to Episode 275 of Becoming Your Best, and listen to Dre Baldwin's inspiring story.  Some Questions I Ask: Where did you grow up? And how did you end up to where you are now? (2:12) You've talked a little about the Work On Your Game system; how can an everyday person use it? (8:28) How does discipline create confidence? (14:38) What is one of the toughest challenges you've had in life? (17:55) What's the most valuable thing people get from you? (22:41)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Handling resumes in an exposure camp (4:31) Elite athletes' mental tools applied to the business world (6:24) Work On Your Game's four principles (8:35) Systems help discipline and replace will power (12:37) No one can give us initiative; we must take it (20:24)  Resources: Dre Baldwin website Dre All Day Podcast  Connect with Dre: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It is hard to find a company more customer-centric than Amazon, not only in America but globally. The company's "obsession" with client satisfaction drives its constant innovation, offering great deals and benefits for its Prime members, relentless price competition policy, efficiency, and sometimes threatening behavior. They see no boundaries, from healthcare to satellites; Amazon is constantly expanding, growing, and competing for a share of the market it lays its eyes on.   Today, I'm joined by Dr. Robin Gaster, Visiting Scholar at George Washington University Institute for Public Policy, President at Incumetrics, and author of the book Behemoth, Amazon Rising. Robin grew up in England; he got his Bachelor's Degree in Politics, Economics, and Philosophy at the University of Oxford. He earned a Master's degree in Philosophy at the University of Kent. Robin moved to America and got his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, in Berkeley.   In this episode, we talk about Robin's latest book's main subject, Amazon. He believes that Amazon is losing billions in internet retail, and he kindly walks us through how he got to that conclusion. We also talked about Amazon's most vital attributes and the bold yet brilliant idea of the Marketplace creation. Robin explained why Amazon is the world's most innovative company, its effects on customers and workers, and the business opportunities that mentality creates. Finally, Robin shared his prediction of what we can expect from the company in the next 5 to 10 years.   If you want to learn more about the company that has the most extraordinary business story of our time, tune in to Episode 274 of Becoming Your Best.  Some Questions I Ask: Could you share any turning points in your life that had a significant impact on you and how did you end up where you are today? (2:57) Why is Amazon losing money in internet retail? (5:10) What are Amazon's five defensive moats? And how do they make Amazon unbeatable? (14:47) Why is Amazon the world's most innovative big company? (24:22) What can we expect from Amazon in the next 10 years and beyond? (28:27)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: How Amazon lost $40 billion in retail operations (5:19) Why Amazon divides revenues into five different segments (10:12) Five keys to Amazon's success (15:12) Amazon doesn't need to profit but to grow (24:21) How Amazon encourages innovation (26:19)  Resources: Incumetrics website Book: Robin Gaster - Behemoth, Amazon Rising: Power and Seduction in the Age of Amazon  Connect with Robin: LinkedIn  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While leaders have to be held accountable for their relationship with the people underneath them, both leaders and followers are responsible for the quality of the relationship they develop. Leaders' goal should be to build a solid relationship with the staff members, where there is space to offer feedback without fear of being reprimanded. As long as the employee is not the destructive kind, if they are treated fairly, well remunerated, and not verbally abused by the manager, they'll respond in the best of ways. Productivity and happiness will increase, stress and bad experiences will go down, and the work environment will be healthier.  Joining us today is the brilliant Sherri Malouf, Chair and Principal at Situation Management Systems Inc, Ph.D. in Human Development, and author. She also has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Law from the University of Plymouth and a Master's in Philosophy from the University of Bath. At SMS Inc, they teach to successfully handle lateral, upward, and downward influence situations without getting positional power involved. Their focus is on helping people be authentic and successful when working with others.  Sherri kindly shares her knowledge and expertise on building stronger and healthier relationships between leaders and followers. She explains how good relationships between managers and employees translate into engagement, productivity, and satisfaction growth. We also talk about her theory on how idealized images of leaders and followers in our minds will lead us to make automatic, unconscious decisions about who's worthy of our time and who’s not.   If you want to better understand the leader-follower dynamics and how to enhance your experiences at the workplace, tune in to Episode 273 of Becoming Your Best and listen to Sherri's beautiful insights.   Some Questions Asked: You have a new book coming out about the science behind the leader-follower relationship. Can you tell us a little about the book? (5:19) How do you help somebody that is misusing their power in an organization? (9:52)  What actions should the followers take to strengthen their relationship with their boss? (15:02) How do you help people get in this frame of mind? To create a positive plan, get things on track, and rather than blame to take control of the things they can control? (17:56) What is the science behind the leader-follower relationships? (22:57)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Some of the turning points that led to Sherri's realization: there are always ways to grow and evolve (2:54) People don't leave their jobs; they leave managers (6:59) Leaders have to be held accountable for the relationship with people underneath them (10:08) The secret to a strong, healthy leader-follower relationship (13:56) Who's responsible for having an excellent manager-employee relationship (16:22) Every person requires something different from their leaders (22:29)  Resources: Situation Management Systems Inc website Situation Management Systems Inc Twitter Book: Sherri Malouf, Wally Bock - Science and the Leader-Follower Relationship: The Implicit Social Elements  Connect with Sherri: LinkedIn Twitter Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What we want, what we need to do to achieve it, and the way we organize our schedule to meet our expectations are intimately connected. Without a clear direction, planning and reaching isolated goals is hard to do. But with the right vision and prioritizing our time correctly, we can achieve much more in our lives.  In this episode, we will talk about the book we’re preparing to launch on May 18th, Do What Matters Most, and its life-changing content. This book is mandatory reading for those struggling to prioritize their time, and for those who are usually overwhelmed solving the urgent and never having time for the important. We will give you a preview of the book, and we will explain briefly the three life-changing habits the book dances around.   In this book, you will learn the importance of having a written personal vision, personal and professional roles and goals, and regular and consistent planning of your weeks. This will lead you into a more intentional existence, making reaching your life goals not a dream but a measurable, achievable purpose.   If you want to know more about Do What Matters Most, tune in to Episode 272 of Becoming Your Best and learn how to change your life by adding three habits into your daily routine.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: Tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us; we need to have a meaningful life starting today (2:02) We all have the desire to make a difference. The good news is we have the tools to do it (5:20) Discipline: doing the right thing at the right time, regardless of how we feel about it (10:12) The Do What Matters Most Matrix (11:02) What is a written personal vision, and why it is so essential (14:44) Why should we have clear roles and goals (19:08) Scheduling priorities instead of prioritizing our schedule (23:30)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Book: Do What Matters Most - Pre-order Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sometimes we attack an urgent problem without putting too much thinking into our action plan, and even when we solve the issue, we end up having a negative outcome in the long term. This could be the result of forgetting one of the seven universal laws, the cause and effect law; every action is bound to a reaction.   In this episode, we talk about the parable of the stick. Some time ago, a friend gifted me this unique stick with some inscriptions on it, designed to remind us that we embrace our acts' consequences when we decide to do something.   When we consider our next steps, having this idea in mind will allow us to see the big picture, having a smaller error margin. It will also show us the path to the place we want to be. We must consider the result of our actions, who those results would affect, and how. We should also consider other ways to solve our problems, contemplating the alternatives and their outcomes.   If you want to know more about the parable of the stick and what it can teach us, tune in to Episode 271 of Becoming Your Best and learn to be mindful today of the results you will get tomorrow.  In This Episode, You Will Learn: A very unique stick (00:56) The kid in the shopping cart situation (3:28) Three different styles of people and what they can achieve (6:57) Taking the time to know people's stories, to understand their point B of the stick (10:32) A funny example of how our point B might look like, based on what we do in point A (17:33) The dreamers of the day are dangerous (23:17)  Resources: Book: Ron Chernow - Alexander Hamilton  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.