Here’s what I’ve been up to from August to November 2019 and what I’m learning. Highlights & References Capital One Cafe in Portland, Oregon What I’ve been up to the past few months My 6,800 mile road trip The power of de-cluttering and getting rid of stuff Telling more of my story in two interviews Own Your Clarity with John Poelstra (video) by Anthony Ongaro at Break the Twitch How I Came to Coaching and How it Works hosted by Vinod Jain The power of free writing to get to the bottom of things 100% responsibility Getting sick and tired of being sick and tired and what I’m doing about it The power of Ho’oponopono to reduce self-judgement and judgement of others My book fast Parting challenge What are you sick and tired of being sick and tired of? What if you were 100% responsible for those things? What are you going to do about it starting now? Credits Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod Original photo source All songs licensed under Creative Commons The post 83: Slowing Down, Saying No and Taking Full Responsibility appeared first on John Poelstra.
Vinod Jain leads this conversation where I share the path that led me to coaching, what I believe about certain things, and how coaching works. Conversation Highlights More about Vinod Jain (Episode #68) A typical day for John Money Coaching at Capital One Early influences and career path Getting clear on personal beliefs and ultimately personal ownership Early career dissatisfaction and overseas travel Seeing a theme of meaning and seeking more of it through coaching Ending unnecessary suffering The importance of reading Getting into podcasting Untangling Christianity podcast 100 podcasts/blog posts idea The path of following different interests The power of genuine curiosity and deep listening Leading From Within with Stephani Roy McCallum (Episode #65) John’s first coach Carolyn Campbell (Episode #72) Personal insights that come from speaking out loud Coaching the person instead of the problem Resonance as an indicator Holding a perspective that other people are creative, resourceful and whole and what that brings What’s the formula to good coaching? Making money vs. serving Letting go of attachment to outcome Does everyone need a coach? Can you coach yourself? Setting the coaching agenda Credits Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod Original photo source All songs licensed under Creative Commons The post 82: How I Came to Coaching and How it Works appeared first on John Poelstra.
I don’t have a typical work week. However, here’s one I chronicled and reflected on with Mike Vardy as an experiment for his podcast. This is a rebroadcast of 5 Days with John Poelstra which originally aired as Episode #250 on Mike Vardy’s podcast (which I produce): The Productivityist Podcast Detailed episode notes Theme Your Way to Greater Productivity with Mike Vardy (46) — an earlier exploration of Mike’s theme based productivity approach. Credits Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod Original photo source All songs licensed under Creative Commons The post 81: Five Days of My Own (Un)Productivity appeared first on John Poelstra.
Yann Toutant believes companies can be more innovative by creating and working as remote teams. Our conversation explores Yann’s journey and what he’s learning. Highlights Yann Youtant is the CEO of Econocom The main drive for a remote team is innovation Working remote helps you turn the cruise control of your life off Four steps of the remote ladder Be remote in your own office–don’t work from the same desk every day Forces you to digitize everything (no paper) Changes perspectives, neighbors, etc. Be remote within your ecosystem Suppliers, customers business partners Work from their offices Embrace the unique energy of different offices and cultures Work from a co-working space Meet other entreprenuers Take advantage of community vibe Intentionally not at home where you are isolated When traveling for holidays stay one or more weeks longer Find local partners or co-working space Remote does not mean “no structure” Maximum solo focus in a day is two hours Spend the rest of the day collaborating with others Creating silent spaces Managers tend to find remote work more challenging than individual contributors Worrying that their people aren’t working because they cannot see them Redefining the meaning of trust–losing control Providing a safe place to make mistakes Losing control can lead to new discoveries Yann’s Atlantic crossing in a sailboat and the unique way he got the approval of his board Talking to the heart and not the head Setting aside what people will think Living and thinking more from our hearts The challenges and joys of being a CEO The unexpected benefits of remote work Why do we have grass in your yards? Connect with Yann Toutant Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yann-toutant/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/YannTOUTANT Credits Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod All songs licensed under Creative Commons The post 80: Working Remote on Purpose with Yann Toutant appeared first on John Poelstra.
Here are some different ways to prepare and think about your next job interview–as the interviewer or the interviewee. Highlights Block out time to do deep preparation Get clear about the unique strengths and combinations you bring Have a few prepared stories and examples that demonstrate your accomplishments and skills Get clear on your core values Determine how your values would be honored in the new job Be them in the interview Are you running to something or running away from something else? Figure out your “must haves” for you and red flags ahead of time Make the job interview process is a two-way street Put your best foot forward if you have a video interview Get a good camera — Logitech C920 Put the camera at least at eye level–best to have it pointing slightly down at you Practice talking to the camera instead of talking to the screen Make sure you have earbuds or something that sounds good Pick a good place to do the call from with a pleasant background Webcam Glam: 3 Easy Tricks To Look Polished On Video Chats Seth Godin takes things to the next level with his Zoom setup Yes, hiding “self view” definitely reduces exhaustion Consider what you need to do to get into the best mental state Go for a walk Meditate Put some buffers in your schedule Select times of the day when you bring your best energy Get a good night of sleep Remember the interview is looking to hire the awesomeness you bring, not the collective output of your previous team Get your self-awareness dialed in “Everyone likes working with me except when I _______________.” “As a ______________, people experience me as __________________.” Tim Ferriss interview with Stanley McChrystal In the stories you share about your experience, try to demonstrate How deep you go What you accomplished How you got there Your thought process Avoid getting lost in your own story Have questions for the interviewer Use to determine if you are a fit Gather information on what they are looking for in the role Always have questions even if you ask the same questions to multiple people Asking the same question to multiple interviewers can yield interesting results Job Interview Resources 10 Impressive Questions to Ask in a Job Interview How to succeed at Red Hat What to Expect from DoorDash’s Technical Interview Questions not to ask at the interview What to look for that yo
Alexis Monville, Michael Doyle and I talk about working effectively with remote teams when meeting in person isn’t possible. This topic came up as we collaborated on version two of Alexis’ book Changing Your Team From the Inside. Highlights Taking individual initiative How to build remote teams when you cannot meet in person As individuals we can do something Choosing (or not) to work together Learning about others to learn about yourself Using prompts to break the ice and get to know each other Ways to intentionally form remote teams Daily investments Pairing people up and then creating larger feedback loop with the team Thinking of the remote experience first (as opposed to the collocated team) Good audio and video make a difference A good meeting facilitator aides in making sure everyone has a voice Level the playing field by having everyone at the meeting in a unique physical location Your own mindset is an important place to start The importance of celebrations and appreciation Forming culture and traditions Coffee and water cooler time The affects of AI (artificial intelligence) on remote teams Having a mission and vision–raison d’etre Picking tools to manage and capture common goals Changing Your Team From the Inside Learn more about Changing Your Team From the Inside. Credits Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod Original photo source All songs licensed under Creative Commons The post 78: Building and Leading Effective Remote Teams appeared first on John Poelstra.
This episode explores the book A Second Chance by Catherine Hoke, my interest in law enforcement and the complexities of incarceration. Highlights & References Marketing Over Coffee podcast My WSCO Citizen’s Academy experience 13th (documentary on Netflix about over incarceration and it’s roots) The difference between jail and prison Ear Hustle podcast (what it’s like to be incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison in California) Brad Feld’s experiences at San Quentin with Defy Ventures Understanding Privilege – My Experience in Prison Book: A Second Chance The Story of You (And How to Create a New One) by Steve Chandler Several quotes and reflections from A Second Chance: For You, For Me, And For The Rest Of Us by Catherine Hoke What if you were judged for the rest of your life based on the worst thing you’ve ever done? Meaning comes from service The power of writing down your limiting beliefs How Do I Get Rid of the Fear by Seth Godin Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison by Shaka Senghor Credits Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod All songs licensed under Creative Commons The post 77: Second Chances appeared first on John Poelstra.
This riff explores the power of thoughts on feelings and how asking better questions yields better thoughts. Highlights Considering the idea that our thoughts create our feelings The Life Coach School Podcast John Prendergast on the Coaches Rising Podcast (highly recommended)–Opening to Inner Knowing In Touch: How to Tune In to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust Yourself by John Prendergast (quoting from pages 33 and 34) The power of the negative stories we tell ourselves and how to free ourselves–go for the opposite Is a story true or is it serving you? What’s the story you tell about yourself that holds you back? What could be easy? Credits Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod Original photo source All songs licensed under Creative Commons The post 76: How to Create Thoughts and Feelings That Serve You appeared first on John Poelstra.
Michael Doyle is back (Ego is the Enemy episode) to interview John on the importance of values. John also leads Michael through a process of deeper values exploration and clarification in a live coaching session. Values Discussion Highlights Our values Clarify decision making Aid life satisfaction Act as an internal GPS Each person has different values They are not “right” or “wrong” People sharing the same values usually prioritize them differently Misalignment of values causes conflict Values are core to who we are and rarely change dramatically over our lifetime Sometimes our ego gets in the way Things that anger or frustrate you are often The opposites of what you really you value Un-honored values Different approaches to finding values Blank sheet of paper Reviewing a list of values from the internet Considering simple actions that you always take Characteristics of people that you respect or feel naturally drawn to Things people normally say about you Reflecting on things you are obsessed by Card sorting exercise Free online assessments Intrinsic Values Test Life Values Inventory Personal Values Clarifying and refining our values can be a lifelong process Don’t be frustrated if you can’t do it overnight Coaching and working with another person speeds things up John coaches Michael through the process of discovering and clarifying his own values Want Help Discovering Your Own Values? Reach out to me and I”ll lead you through the same process. See the bottom of this page to reach me. More About Values How To Find A Job That Aligns With Your Values from FastCompany Living Into Our Values by Brene Brown: Podcast Worksheet Let Your Values Drive Your Choices by James Clear If you have a list of values and want an easy way to rank them, paste them into Rank: Anything Credits Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod Original photo source All songs licensed under Creative Commons The post 75: Live Coaching: Why Your Values Matter and How to Find Them appeared first on John Poelstra.
Kate Dixon has an extensive human resources background in employee relations and compensation. Her true passion is coaching and leadership development. This conversation explores her discovery of gratitude journaling, all the benefits it has provided and the impact it’s had on John. Conversation Highlights The origins of Kate’s gratitude journaling challenge The mindshift that comes from being thankful for little things Habit stacking when you have an established streak The importance of celebration Being really clear about when you are going to do your gratitude journal or particular habit each day Kate’s weekly review practice each Friday afternoon How to overcome being a celebration-challenged person (like John) Practicing gratitude in corporate environments without being cheesy Proactive gratitude Considering what negative or challenging situation can teach us Sleeping better as a result of meditation and gratitude journaling Always be capturing (Kate likes Evernote for this) How to create a habit around celebration Learn More About Kate Dixon Kate’s Website Kate’s Newsletter sign-up The Mind-Blowing Power of the Gratitude Journal You’re Keeping a Gratitude Journal…Now What? Credits Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod Original photo source: Kate Dixon All songs licensed under Creative Commons The post 74: Creating an Unbroken Chain of Gratitude with Kate Dixon appeared first on John Poelstra.