Welcome to my first LIFT by Body Talk Newsletter!

Welcome to the very first LIFT by Body Talk newsletter, where you can learn how to achieve your goals by LIFTing others.?

Here you will gain insights and top tips from another new project: the LIFT podcast! Leadership is not about power or status, but about serving and transforming how people feel or perform. My guests will help show you how to achieve this as easily as possible.??

My first featured guest is Brian Covey, a former Olympic US soccer player, and now he’s VP of one of the largest mortgage companies in America. He prioritizes growth mindset, staying physically fit, winning in business, and also being a husband and father of three children. Here’s what Brian has to offer you:

BRIAN COVEY

Brian is all about taking care of yourself mentally and physically. He loves his morning routine, arguing that your first choice of the day is going to set you up for success.

“Do something every morning to get your mind and your body moving in the right direction.”

We spoke about what it was like for him to build his career. He says you’ve got to figure out what skills you need to do the work in less time, more efficiently. You have to figure out what you want—money, family, vacations—and ask yourself, What are the skills that I need to get great at in order to get there?

Brian also emphasizes the importance of accountability. Where can you find people that can hold you accountable and also present new ideas so that you can collaborate?

You have to lift the people around you while also looking after yourself.?

Brian and I share a desire to constantly improve ourselves. I have always considered myself what I like to call a “thoughtful” reader. This year, I’m working on speeding up my reading so I can learn more and grow. Are there particular skills leaders and teams can lean into?

Brian provides actionable steps around time management, leveraging the technology at our disposal, and learning and growing to eliminate “fluff” in his schedule.?

A former professional athlete, Brian applies the lessons he learned as a soccer player to his role as a leader. When there’s no longer a scoreboard, how do we measure how we win at life? How do we create a scoreboard for ourselves?

“As I’ve started to win more, things do get a little bit easier, because I know what winning looks like for me, I know how to win, and I know how to teach others how to win as well.”

Too many people hope that they’ll wake up and learn their purpose. How do you get that sense of purpose and meaning in your life? How do you improve communication? What do you like to focus on to make your communication successful?

What are your best techniques for approaching someone who needs to be elevated?

“If you can do this every week, every day, you’re going to win.”

Brian is active on Instagram, and you can follow him @thebriancovey.

If Brian’s theme is win, then John Baldoni’s theme is grace. John has written 15 books on the subject of leadership. He is a Top 20 Global Leadership Expert and was invited into coaching by Marshall Goldsmith himself.

JOHN BALDONI

John’s message is to help people live with greater purpose and grace.?

I asked him how the pandemic affected leadership.?

“The need for empathy became critical.”

Strong organizations are those that create a culture of coaching from a developmental sense. People will come out better, stronger, and more resilient. John likes to refer to people as “coaches” rather than “managers.” How can you bring the energy of coaching to your organization?

We spoke about the great resignation. While it’s been more prevalent in retail and restaurants, white collar employees are reflecting. Should I stay where I am? Should I do something different??

What can a leader do to make sure they’re retaining the good people on their teams that they want to stay with them in the future??

“Put people first.”

John insists on the importance of leading with grace. So what do leaders need to do? How do you define grace in leadership?

One actionable way for leaders to do better is to maintain John’s three habits for leaders on Monday mornings: Be seen. Be heard. Be there.

Burnout has become a common challenge in the workplace. We discuss John’s advice for people experiencing burnout.

“If you’re burned out, you cannot be the leader they deserve or that you want to be.”

How can we combat burnout? How can we lead with gratitude? How can we practice self-gratitude? How can we define the ways in which we can be better?

You can learn more about John at www.johnbaldoni.com. Stay tuned for John’s new course (which we discuss in the podcast), Leading Through Change and Crisis, and check out his article, You Have A Big Problem If Your Staff Is Too Nice.

And speaking of changes in leadership, my guest Deepa Purushothaman and I discuss her new book, The First, The Few, and The Only, and how supporting diversity in leadership creates a better future for all of us.

DEEPA PURUSHOTHAMAN

Deepa wrote the book that she wishes she had as a deeply personal call to action for women of color, so if you are not a woman of color, try to keep in mind the name of both the podcast and the newsletter: LIFT. This is an opportunity to learn about the current challenges that some people are facing, and what we can do to build a better future for everyone.?

I asked Deepa: How would you like to see the future??

“Nothing about what exists can’t be changed. Together we can remake what has come before.”?

Deepa speaks about how for women of color, it is necessary to understand that you have agency. People often believe that later down the line, then they’ll find their power. It is a daily practice. How you come into the corporate space will most likely be how you leave it.?

For allies and companies, we have to listen differently. We need to look at how we create space, how we listen, and how we handle reporting processes. We’re trying to do the right thing, but we don't have the processes in place to actually acknowledge racism.

How do we create safe spaces to create a sense of equity for everyone present??

How can allies (or as Deepa calls us, co-conspirators) make this situation better?

How can you think about how to play the game while you change the game? What can you do to LIFT others and create a better future for everybody? And how does airplane design relate to the model of corporate America??

I can’t promise an answer to all of these questions in the span of a single podcast episode, but together, we can take positive steps to not give up your piece of the pie, but to make the pie bigger for all.

“We do have power to make change. If we’re ever going to make it, now feels like the moment.”

You can learn more about Deepa and her work at www.deepapuru.com.?

These are just a few of my incredible guests.

Be sure to check out the LIFT podcast for even more inspiration from great leaders and communicators.?

Thank you for reading my very first LIFT by Body Talk newsletter. Want to learn more? You can connect with my team at [email protected] or check out my linktree.

Don’t forget to subscribe for more biweekly tips and tricks on how to achieve your goals while LIFTing others. Together we can tilt the world in a more positive direction.