Unmuting Yourself ???

In episode 307 of the Who Ya Know Job Networking Show, we invite Rachel Druckenmiller. Rachel is on a mission to humanize the workplace by igniting resilience, connection, engagement, and compassion in organizations, leaders, and teams. She has facilitated nearly 300 virtual learning experiences since March 2020 as a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and leadership trainer.

On the show, Rachel talks about how her parents helped in shaping her journey. She says, "One of the reasons I'm drawn and connected to you and your message is my dad's company, for a long time it was called career transition services and it helped people who were in career transition. My parents were both teachers and they decided to teach through the work that they do. I remember when I was in middle school and my parents came home from a Tony Robbins conference. They walked in the door and my dad was like, mom is gonna start her own business. And she has had her own company for almost 25 years and so the greatest gift they gave me is that I never saw them hate work. They really encouraged me to pave my way and talk about who you know."

Talking about the beginning of her professional career in public speaking, Rachel says, "A lot of times people see someone do what I do and they are like, oh you have just always been confident extroverted and you were probably in theater in school and this is a thing for you. But the reality is, that is so untrue. I actually avoided public speaking classes, I avoided debate classes. I love singing but I avoided choir. I was actually terrified to speak in front of people and it wasn't until I started to get asked. One of the things that I have come to learn throughout my career. And I tell people this all the time that are doubting themselves that an invitation is an indication of a qualification."

Talking about overcoming her stage fear, Rachel says, "What propelled me beyond my fear is this belief I have in my bones. I'm alive if these things are not happening to me, these things are happening for me. Because I'm in a position to do something with it to inspire, awaken and activate and give hope to other people."

Rachel talks about how singing has sparked her personality. According to her, "I love singing. But like a lot of us, I kept my light under a bushel. I love to do this thing, but just for myself. It wasn't until my senior year of high school I took voice lessons. They made me sing at the concert, and I hated it. I couldn't wait to sit down and then my junior college came back from a semester abroad in Spain. It's the power of having novel experiences of going someplace new and challenging yourself. I came back and something in me was different. I tried out for the College Gospel Choir."

Rachel also shares some tools and practices for job seekers that help in building confidence. She says, "There are a couple of things that I like to do. Some involve other people and some you can do by yourself. There is a practice I learned inside the university of Michigan called the reflected best self. And the way that works is you make a list of 68 people that know you pretty well across different areas of life. And you reach out to them and say, 'Hey I'm doing some professional growth in this transition point of my career and you're somebody who knows me well. Can you tell me about a time when you have seen me at my best?' By allowing other people to reflect back on the goodness they see in us, we start to get a clearer picture of what it is that we do well that oftentimes we take for granted."

Rachel also talks about some of the things that you can do to get your energy back. According to her, "One of the things that I like to do is look back at what I call a proof in your past. Remind yourself. Might be helpful to journal about this. Jot down. Tell yourself a story about a time in the past when you went through something difficult and you got through it. Connection is the thing, even if you're an introvert. Just knowing that you're not alone and knowing that you're heard by somebody else and seen by somebody else is so healing and so powerful."

Talking about her work in dietary and culinary, Rachel says, "I'm very intentional about how I nourish myself.? I'm like a fitness wearable junkie. For me, I do my best to eat really nourishing whole foods. I eat a lot of plants. I found that certain foods don't agree with my body. I used to have a food blog and teach healthy cooking classes at companies which gave me a lot of practice and improvement."

On the importance of incorporating empathy and relatability into training, Rachel says, "I do it through storytelling. I find that I'm a facilitator and a speaker. So a lot of times people that do this work are one thing or the other. They come in, they speak and they kill it and they inspire people and then people walk away. What gives people the opportunity to feel like that experience was meaningful is when they get to reflect and connect with each other. I find that one of the greatest ways to build empathy is to invite people into meaningful conversation and connections with each other and share, and not think that I, as the expert speaker, have all the insights that are worth sharing. I really believe in activating the collective wisdom of the group that I'm with."

?? Rachel at 24:20 - The greatest gift they gave me is that I never saw them hate work.?

?? Rachel at 25:35 - I was very entrepreneurial and paved my own path by pursuing things that interested me, made me feel alive and two and a half years ago, I left and did my own thing.?

?? Rachel at 27:06 - An invitation is an indication of a qualification.?

?? Rachel at 28:25 - The first time I got paid to speak, was 2 years out of college. I was asked to go and speak back at my alma mater which is a small liberal arts school and it was the human resources program. So again, ‘Who You Know.’

?? Rachel at 30:28 - I'm in a position to do something with it to inspire, awaken and activate and give hope to other people.?

?? Rachel at 33:13 (singing) - I know Lord will take care of me, will provide for me, lead and guide me all the way, yeah, all the way.?

?? Rachel at 36:00 - We minimize the thing that’s our gift.?

?? Rachel at 40:05 - Help yourself. Step into what you’re meant to do. That is not selfish. That’s not self serving.

?? Rachel at 41:33 - Don’t hesitate. Initiate!

?? Rachel at 45:10 - Turn off the fifth episode of whatever. Netflix is not going away. And go to sleep.

?? Rachel at 55:25 - Be open to what’s trying to make its way in. And be willing to borrow other people’s belief in you.

?? Rachel at 58:40 - Everybody has something to teach. Everyone has something to share to inspire somebody else.?

?? Mark at 59:05 - This is your story. That’s your life. It’s you on the resume. You should have a story to be able to tell and share about each and everything. And it shouldn’t be that hard because that’s you. You have done it. You are putting it on the resume. Share that story.

?? Rachel at 01:08:50 (singing) - This little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine.

Coming up Next - 03/30/2022

Pair your channels & Go ?????????? ?? https://lnkd.in/eKbSNVEQ

Mike Mehterian is an IT Service Delivery Manager who says his life was transformed by attending the WYK Career Transition Summit in June of 2020. Results since attending the summit:

• Landed employment
• 2.5 Million Views on LinkedIn
• Interviewed on Nationwide News
• Featured on WYK Show
• Stories Featured on LinkedIn News
• Speaking Engagement at (AOTMP)

Paul Hagerty is an HR professional who started his consulting company 6 years ago but due to covid was unemployed for a long time. He has recently landed with VCFO and says the WYK Show has been a gift that supported his search and always lifted him up!

Joelle Frye is an Executive Operations & Customer Excellence Leader who helps to optimize her clients processes, performance and potential. She is passionate about creating value add differentiation which drives employee/customer satisfaction & loyalty.

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