6 Thoughts On Engagement
The leaders who get the most out of their people are the leaders who care most about their people. – Simon Sinek
Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening.
I got an awesome question from an awesome human on the Passion Squared Facebook page and it inspired this post. Thanks so much Nate for inspiring me to share my thoughts on the topic of engagement.*
In working with my clients, whether it’s my one on one clients or my awesome A School group, this is often a topic of discussion. And as one who has developed and lead teams as well as grown communities on social platforms, I am passionate about this topic as well.
Why? Because I believe many of us have challenges when it comes to engagement of people, teams or even social platforms and we know we can do better.
First, lets define engage:
Engage (verb aka action word)
to get and keep (someone’s attention, interest, etc.)
Now how in the heck do we do that? Get and keep someone’s attention and interest?
Listen
Ahhhhh, the old listening trick, works every time if we actually do it. And I mean really listen. Not with the intent to respond, but to show me, through your actions, that you are really listening and I am really being heard.
Be Honest
Having loving, courageous conversations are tough for many. But without them, we cannot nurture and grow ourselves or expect to nurture, grow and engage others.
Understand Me
As the great Stephen Covey taught us in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “Seek first to understand.”
Be Human
Authenticity is the old, new and future black. If you want me to be engaged, than I want you to be real. I can see right through your “status quo” verbiage.
Show Up
Trust is possibly one of the most important elements of an engaged team or community. And trust is bread through promises kept. We must never get so “busy” in the mundane day to day that we forget an important part of leadership: showing up and being fully present.
Care
Like really really care. I know, we all say we care. But humans can tell if that is true or not. From our words, actions, promises kept, all of it. Just like Simon Sinek shares in the opening quote.
Choosing to lead a team, a community or a company is an awesome responsibility that takes a huge, selfless commitment. And it’s not for everybody.
If you are feeling challenged by your team, your community or your social platforms and not feeling they are engaged, take a look at this list, and in the mirror.
Lastly, two of my go to people on leadership are Simon Sinek and Marcus Buckingham. My go to humans on engagement are Brian Solis and Gary Vaynerchuk. All of these awesome, passionate and smart humans have tons of content online from books, to talks to blogs and more. I highly recommend them.
Love + Awesomeness-
Nina
*Edited blog post, originally published 3/16/15
Unmasking Life
Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening.
“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.” May Sarton
As a child we are immersed into a world of feelings both physically and emotionally. Two predominant feelings are love and pain. Like little sponges, we all absorb these into our body and mind.
Feelings of healthy love create security, safety and being centered. Repeated emotional or physical pain creates fear, sadness, and insecurity.
As children, it doesn’t feel safe enough to heal the pain, so it quietly gets buried in the body. Ultimately as an adult it shows up as:
- Self- loathing
- Deep anger
- Depression
- Self-sabotage
- Self-abuse
- Passivity
You can imagine how difficult it is to live with emotions like these on a daily basis, so over time a survival mask is created. This way, it appears to our co-workers, friends and family that we’re thriving on the outside, but on the inside we’re in pain which can also show up as physical ailments. This altered self-reality to mask the pain looks like:
- Controlling and blaming others
- Neediness
- Busyness
- Grandiosity
- Manipulation
- Emotional highs and lows
- Addictions
- Unhealthy boundaries
In business this mask ultimately creates lack of focus, blame, difficulty managing others, stagnant growth and self-sabotage. In personal life it creates unhappiness.
But the joy of living is choosing to free ourselves from our mask to then discover, be delighted by and then share our true self.
It’s a journey from darkness to light that most everyone is now experiencing. It involves challenges, real honesty, creative breakthroughs, setbacks, awareness, guidance, clarity and love.
It’s a beautiful journey we’re all on together as business owners and owners of our life.
Ultimately it’s about practicing being our true unmasked self.
-Nigel Sampson, CEO Whole Body Method and my personal Energy Healer
To learn more from Nigel and to discover your path to healing and how it can enrich both your business and life, join us at Whole Body Whole Business, March 1 in Los Angeles. Click here to learn more and reserve your space.
(Any opinions expressed by the author are from personal discovery only are not meant to be construed as advice or scientific fact.)
My Night With Jared Leto
“If you are willing to walk the path of a dreamer, then anything is possible.”
Jared Leto
(images via Jared Leto Instagram, follow him, cause he’s awesome!)
Here is the audio version of this post, thank you so much for listening.
So yes, this happened. My awesome Sis Lisa got tickets to see Jared as an early birthday present to me. I mean, wow. Best Sis ever, right? This post is about my night, and actually, my recent love affair with the human that is Jared Leto.
The Leto Experience
I have been a kinda fan of his for a while. But I became a mega fan when I watched his awesome doc Artifact. I mean to be honest, I think I have watched it a gazillion times. And each time I cry. So there’s that. And his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, OMG. No words really except for the fact that I lost some of the most awesome humans during those times in the 80’s to AIDS, and the story touched deep in my heart. So when Jared won the Oscar, well, you can only imagine my emotions, and yes, I cried.
So, to be able to see him live, I wondered if my love affair with him from afar would become stronger after seeing him LIVE. Well, of course, the answer is YES, squared!
What is it about him that I am so obsessed with? His humanity. Yes, he is a #megababe, but that is not what it is. He is real. He is authentic. He connects. He creates. He engages. He cares. He is vulnerable. He dreams. He is imperfect. He is passion. He is love.
As I sat at the Hollywood Bowl that night, having a panic attack, which is another blog, I knew I had to get incredibly focused as to not lose my s#%t! So I choose to focus intently on him. On his dialogue. On his energy. On how he connected with the audience. And again, I cried.
Authenticity + Transparency
In a world craving transparency and authenticity, to experience Jared Leto LIVE confirmed to me that the true way to make a difference in the lives of others is to truly care. To authentically & passionately connect and engage. To be whole. Not one person on Instagram and another at a concert.
At the end of their set, he shared with the audience that the band would be at their merch tent signing CD’s for as long as they could. Are you kidding me? An Oscar winner? A mega rock star? Signing CD’s? Yes. Because they care.
The Lesson
The lesson in all this? Authenticity, transparency, passion & caring are and will continue to be the foundations of an awesome business.
No matter how big or how small you are, if you allow your head to blow up, become driven by ego, get too “busy” and full of yourself, and think you are “too big to fail” all I can say is proceed with caution.
If you are a passionate studier of business, if you are passionate about artists, please see Artifact. And if Jared comes to town, well, you know, you just gotta go!
(shared with LOVE from Nina)
PS: A big thanks to my Sis for creating an awesome night for me, and having so much compassion & patience when I have panic attacks. I love you Sis!
The Other Layers
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.”
Brene Brown
