Episode 14: CONFLICT – Feedback; To Give and to Receive

11 February 2020

Part of healthy conflict is having an open, and even eager, pathway to both giving and receiving feedback. That said, feedback is never easy so the Sisters are bringing you their best advice on getting it right.

During our first segment, we talk about the keys to giving good feedback:

  • BE CONSISTENT and TIMELY with feedback; this is not a once per year event
  • PROVIDE FEEDBACK IN ALL DIRECTIONS: manager to employee, peer to peer, employee to manager
  • STATEMENTS should be direct and clear.
  • REINFORCE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR in addition to providing opportunity to improve
  • PRACTICE giving feedback. This is a skill worth building!

Our episode also provides some insight into receiving feedback like a pro. Finding the truth in any feedback, enlisting someone to work on the opportunity with you, asking question and following up will all make you a better employee and industrious leader.

The Sisters have a lot of passion for the topic of feedback because it helps us all grow in our industrious lives. We hope you gain some insight that you can put to work in this episode!

Episode 13: CONFLICT – Disagreeing Well

4 February 2020

We are surrounded by conflict. But we are terrible about managing it well. Join the Sisters in a revolution to learn how to fight cleanly. Listening, learning from each others and using conflict to help us grow in our industrious lives.

Managing conflict is a leadership challenge that few are willing to take on. Isn’t it easier to just pretend things are all agreed, going well and no further discussion is necessary? NO. Please, NO. It is time that we not only acknowledge that conflict exists, but look it square in the face and address it.

The Sisters start this series on conflict with some guidance on how to fight clean, respect opinions of others, find solutions and, yes, be industrious even in the case of conflict. Along the way, we’ll provide guidelines for disagreeing well that include:

  • Depersonalizing the conflict
  • Listening to understand, not react
  • Acknowledging the conflict, no avoiding
  • Identifying your sacred cows – or, entrenched ideas

This episode is full of bad analogies, conflicting views of how Jenn fell over a fence in our childhood and the acknowledgement that cookie dough makes everything better. Listen in at this link today!

Episode 12: FEELINGS – Forward Facing Fear

28 January 2020

Join the Sisters in this episode for the final week of our series on FEELINGS. Today we tackle fear. Giving it a voice, addressing it and allowing it to teach us. And, gain some final insights on how to manage emotions as industrious leaders.

FEAR is a really difficult emotion, and one many of us do not want to admit we face. The reality is that all leads have fears. Irrelevance, failure, disappointment, embarrassment… anyone?? This week we talk about how to take that fear, give it a voice and own it.

The Sisters also close this series about feelings with some guidelines for how to manage any and all feelings.

  • Recognize your triggers for negative emotions.
  • Build a support network.
  • Establish coping techniques.
  • Seek feedback on how you are doing.

We hope you have enjoyed this series on feelings and look forward to hearing your feedback as you put what you have learned into practice!

undefined

Episode 10: FEELINGS – Anger to Action

14 January 2020

Last week the Sisters started to talk about feelings. How do we recognize them and use them as a power source. This week, our episode speaks directly into the feeling of anger. Have you ever let anger get the better of you at work? There’s a cost to losing it, but there’s also an opportunity to channel it into something helpful. Let’s take charge!

This episode explores ANGER. It is impossible to avoid getting angry in life. Or having someone angry with you. Join us for this episode as we help you work through this volatile emotion. What action is the right action? Pause. Talk to someone trusted, but not the entire office. DO NOT EAT THE FEELINGS! Acknowledge and address is. Do not pretend it isn’t there.

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured

Mark Twain

We are honored to be joined in this episode by John Johnson, an HR Specialist with a Fortune 50 company. You can hear more from John on his blog at four4soaring.com and follow him on Insta (@fourforsoaring). John is full of wisdom, including sharing with us how to deal with those co-workers and friends that are “full of CHIT”.

Also mentioned on today’s episode is the book “Emotionally Healthy Relationship” by Peter & Geri Scazzero.

Episode 9: FEELINGS – Harnessing Passion

7 January 2020

Feelings. Nothing more than feelings. Are you singing with us yet? You know the tune. And you know that we all have feelings. The question is: what should we do with them and how do we make them work for us? Join us this week for the first in our four-part series on feelings. This week we begin with PASSION. Are you ready?

This episode explore PASSION. How we control it, how we make it work to motivate our team and what to do when it has passed us by. The Sisters share their experience with overwhelming the team with passion, demonstrating transparency for better and for worse and the pitfalls of letting passion take over.

We’ll provide an outline for how to take your passion and put it to good use for your organization, team and family. Feelings are of God – let’s use them!

Episode 6: Technology, Stay or Go

17 December 2019

Technology allows us to communicate globally and instantaneously, leaving us with the question: “Should I stay or should I go.” Join the Sisters as we discuss planning your next visit. Is virtual viable or is it time to use planes, trains and automobiles?

The trials of traveling for business are real. With today’s technology, we have the opportunity to avoid the airport delay, the crowded train, the mind-numbing drive. But should we? Join us as we discuss some guidelines for making the choice to stay or go.

In this episode, we are also joined by George Spanos, Vice President and expert emeritus in all things information technology. With humor and clarity, George digs into everything from how technology is driving our lives to managing multiple personalities on virtual meetings — including the eater, the mumbler, the interrupter and the multi-tasker. And make sure you watch the YouTube video “A Conference Call in Real Life” after you listen for an added laugh!

Our “Memory Lane” moment this week takes us West to the Rocky Mountains and Real Talk south to Peru. Buckle up and get ready to travel with us… virtually.

The Rocky Mountains. GO THERE ASAP. Reference memory lane moment!

Episode 5: Technology, For or Against Us

10 December 2019

Technology is necessary, but it quickly becomes more than we can handle. We want to use it well, but not be controlled by it. On this episode, the Sisters tackle some guidelines on making sure technology is for us and not against us.

Are you managing your notifications or are they managing you? Do you let technology connections replace conversation? Do you need a “digital declutter”? Ask yourself these questions and join the sisters as we discuss how to manage technology in our life. And how to make it work for us.

During the episode, we’ll provide some guidelines on structuring your technology use. They include:

  • Conversation is always better
  • Make technology use part of your repertoire, not your only act.
  • Are you using only the functions that help you?
  • Are you enhancing your message or distracting from it when you deploy technology?
  • Are you being you with technology. Actively use the “would you say that in person” test .

Our “Memory Lane” moment this week takes us back to the days of the cutting-edge technology of the Apple II GS. Yes, we had one! And here is the photographic evidence.

Christmas morning and the Apple II GS. Ah, I wish I still looked that fresh and bright eyed first thing in the morning!

This episode drawings inspiration from and frequently mentions the book Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport. Buy a copy today! There is much to be learned from this work.

Episode 4: Not Limitless

3 December 2019

LIMITS. We have them. We are not limitless, no matter what anyone tells us. Is this opinion popular? No. Do we want to believe we can just keep going and going? That we are invincible? Of course we do! As we close this series about balance, we are going to take a hard look at our limits. Admitting we have them, and choosing to live within them.

Leaders are often asked to work without limits. Be available all the time. Push through the difficult. Take on any challenge sent their way. While this can even happen with good intent, there are unintended consequences. And the pace is not sustainable.

Let’s own the reality that we NOT LIMITLESS. Join us in this episode as we admit we have to make choices, talk about how to make them and set a course to thrive, not just survive, and live at a sustainable pace that enables us to lead with conviction, innovation and energy. And, get some guidelines on when it is okay to do “WHATEVER IT TAKES”.

Mentions in this episode include:

  • Bobby Gruenewald, Pastor and Innovation Leader at Life.Church and the founder of the YouVersion Bible App. Years later, Jenn recollects wise words from him about innovation and limits.
  • The movie Apollo 13 and THIS powerful scene. Leaders: this movie is full of great lessons if you watch ready to observe and learn!

Episode 2: Balancing the WHO and the WHAT

19 November 2019

BALANCE. We are told we need it. We even want it. But how do we find it in this world constantly finding ways to knock us, well, out of balance. Last week we talked about finding balancing between working hard and working too hard. In this episode, we explore the balance between PEOPLE and PROFIT.

Leaders are often called to make hard decisions that impact the lives of those they lead. When placed in this position, how do you think about people first and still make the right business decision? Is it possible to be an advocate for people and still have an eye on the bottom line? The Sisters say “YES!” and offer some insight into how to make that a reality.

In this episode, we are also joined by Devaun Walker, Associate Director of Operations at Phase Family Center in Atlanta, GA. He shares some insight into operating a for-profit business, built to benefit community.

You can find Devaun at devaunwalker.com and learn more about Phase Family Center at www.phasefamilycenter.com.

Episode 1: INDUSTRY, What are you?

12 November 2019

Welcome to the first episode of “The Sisters of Industry.” We are excited to have you join us for this learning adventure. Learning about leadership, how to be productive (not busy), having a positive impact on those near and far and, of course, laughing along the way.

  • Meet Jenn Williams and Laura Brown, your hosts of “The Sisters of Industry”
  • Join us as we discuss what industrious living is and what we hope to accomplish in our weekly time together.
  • Start a four-week series with us digging into BALANCE. In this episode we explore balancing working hard. Industriously. And working too hard.
  • Find out what Christmas Eve was like in our family — hard work or hardly working?
  • Discover Jenn’s favorite song to belt in the shower. Yes, because shower singing is an important part of finding balance.