Renee Giarrusso's Blog, page 11

40: How to embrace the power of video to deliver your message as a leader

40: How to embrace the power of video to deliver your message as a leader

According to today’s guest – Julian Mather, video shyness is not a life sentence. In fact, worried that you will forget what you want to say – only if you try to remember, say’s Julian. Or, concerned you’ll look like an amateur – then don’t try to look professional, he goes on to say. 

Grab a pen and paper and get ready to take down lots of tips and tricks as Renée and Julian step up to the microphone.  

Julian Mather is a Speaker, Author and Mentor and has seen the world through many lenses. Through a telescopic sight as an army sniper. Through the TV lens as a globe-trotting cameraman for ABCTV, National Geographic and BBC. Through smoke and mirrors as a professional magician. 

Now Australia’s leading voice on authentic video, he helps leaders amplify their influence so they can be seen as trusted authorities that people want to do business with.
 

Here are three reasons you should listen to the full episode: 

The importance of video for leaders and anyone wanting to share their message How to deal with nerves and avoidance of video How to create videos that build trust and will convey your story  

   

Resources: Julian’s Program: Confident Video Presenter Academy – a 7-day self-paced program Limitless Leaders 90-Day Public Program – Motivational Intelligence to Lead and Re-energise   

 

Episode Highlights:  

[1.52] Julian’s backstory and how he got to where he is today 

Julian did really well at school if you don’t count learning He knew what he wanted to do but didn’t fit into the school system He went to the library and studied every book on photography and photo journalism He joined the army to get out into the world, and ended up as a sniper, but it still wasn’t the view of the world he wanted He then ended up becoming a documentary cameraman for the world’s big networks and what he calls the ‘second best job in the world’  It was the people in front of the lens who influenced his thinking 

 

 [7.14] Past roles contribute to who we are now and who are continually becoming 

Julian would not have changed any of the experiences and roles he’s had How do you measure success? Julian’s is lack of regret  Julian has had a lot of failures, but they have all taught him something  

 

[10.49] What is success? 

While the dictionary states success is a physical thing for Renée it’s a feeling – not monetary Being vulnerable on video  Why curiousity, learning, unlearning is so important 

 

[13.19] How important is it for a leader to be showing up on video 

Now, it’s a necessary skill as much as email is    Leaders need to be video literate People like video and are waiting for you to show up and lead  Give people the choice and a different way of learning  

 

[18.30] Be yourself on video 

People don’t want a persona on video – they want a person Communicate as you would if you were speaking to someone face-to-face in a meeting People love people for their uniqueness – no-one is you Be yourself and show up – the pressure disappears You won’t resonate with everyone and that’s ok 

 

[25.11] Three rules to get on video the right way 

Be you – people don’t want a persona Be fast – don’t get hung up on the technology  Build trust – our reputation online is everything  

 

[29.14] Dealing with nerves  

Fix nervous with service  Solve (people’s problems) don’t sell Pump out  simple, imperfect videos  

 

 [31.26] Ideal length of videos for social platforms  

People relate to story  It’s not about making the story long or short – it’s about making the content relevant and relatable Aim for 90 seconds – about 200 words Ask yourself: What would my audience want me to answer about this specific topic 

 

[41.38] Biggest Lessons learned   

Change is not a process – it’s a decision Responsibility starts with me You can’t expect to win a new game playing by the old rules   

 

Quotes: 

[7.41] Julian: My metric of success is lack of regret  

[9.11] Renee: Welcome the unwelcome and embrace those things to drive us forward 

[14:19] Julian: There are 4 big shifts/trends that have driven video: The Digital Shift, The Self-Serve Society, We trust people more than brands, Citizen and consumer driven demand for transparency  

[27.26] It’s not who you say you are. It’s who Google says you are 

[29.46] Fix nervous with service 

 

About Julian: 

Julian Mather is a Speaker, Author and Mentor and has seen the world through many lenses. Through a telescopic sight as an army sniper. Through the TV lens as a globe-trotting cameraman for ABCTV, National Geographic and BBC. Through smoke and mirrors as a professional magician.

He’s traveled far but his longest journeys have been from behind the camera to in front of it. From stutterer to professional speaker. From too polite dip eater to insatiable hummus addict.

Now Australia’s leading voice on authentic video, he helps leaders amplify their influence so they can be seen as trusted authorities that people want to do business with.
  

Contact Julian: 

Twitter ID: https://twitter.com/JulianMather Instagram ID: https://www.instagram.com/julianmather LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianmather/ Website: www.julianmather.com 

 

Enjoy This Podcast?  

Leadership in changing times can be difficult, but you can adopt certain traits to get your team through it. You can also join mentorship programs to gain the skill you need.   

Post a review and share it! If you learned something by tuning into this podcast, do not hesitate to write a review and share it with your friends! The world needs more people with the drive and leadership qualities to make the world a better place. We need strong leadership skills and a learner’s attitude today more than ever.  

For more updates and episodes, visit and subscribe to the Limitless Leaders podcast page!  

Have any questions? You can contact me through these platforms:  

Company website  

Instagram  

Facebook  

LinkedIn  

To leading the future,  

Renée  

 

How Does Your Workplace View Failures?

Many organisational cultures do not encourage or condone the sharing of challenges or failures. This means that sharing might never enter your mind, especially if your current organisation is all you have ever known.

It is the same at home. If you have been brought up to just suck it up and get on with things, chances are this behaviour will play out in your life. On the flip side, if you are encouraged to share successes and challenges at home, at school and within your social network, you will be more open to the Gift Mindset, a mindset that fosters openness in sharing your lessons and stories.

Not everyone works in an organisation open to the idea of being reflective. When management doesn’t see reflective practice as important, being open to sharing your lessons can go by the wayside. I have come across enough companies like this to know the challenges faced by people within them who want an open, self-reflective and sharing culture.

Analysts are showing that Fortune 500 lose a combined $31 billion per year from employees failing to share knowledge & lessons effectively.

Not sharing knowledge and lessons effectively directly impacts productivity and connection within the organisation. People waste time and resources by reinventing the wheel, reliving the mistakes of others, and wasting time researching solutions and information to create future success. It also stifles creativity and confidence to take risks in order to remain relevant and future fit.

The Gift Mindset is the portal to creating a culture where we unwrap the lessons learnt from our challenges.
We then use these lessons (gifts) to progress ourselves and others forward by sharing them 1:1 or within open team forums.

When people can share challenges, mistakes, and failures in a safe space, they are encouraged and supported to move beyond these.Sharing your lessons could be a survival guide for someone else.Failing to share what we have learnt is selfish.Sharing drives connection, communication, and collaboration.

Sometimes people feel inadequate in sharing challenges they have faced or mistakes they have made. They feel judged and anxious about the response they will receive, fearing rejection. They are coming from a place of fear rather than a place of love. We share more with those we trust, respect and have a rapport with on a personal level, and this can be mirrored in the workplace if we foster these traits.

We have identified the 7 key barriers to adopting a Gift Mindset:

 

We need to embrace our challenges and welcome sharing these. All challenges are vital to our personal development. The more we test our capabilities and limits, the more we will learn about ourselves. If we focus on what it would be like to fail and therefore revert to our comfort zone, there will be no growth.

Making an event of sharing creates a sense of fun, theatre, and a safe space to be open and own your experiences as a team.

One way to motivate others and make sharing successes and challenges routine practice is to explore positive-to-negative ratios. Psychologist John Gottman researched this and found 5:1 to be the ‘magic ratio’, where five positive mentions or moments are shared for every negative one. Another study showed that teams with a positive-to-negative ratio greater than 3:1 were significantly more motivated.

Remember that our expectations can create our reality, and the stereotypes we hold can impact our behaviour. Psychologists call this process a ‘stereotype threat’.

Seeing our clients adopt practices to create a Gift Mindset Culture with regular forums to share their successes and challenges has been amazing.

They are experiencing learning, connection and growth like never before. Some client teams have a monthly focus on a particular lesson learnt, such as the Gift of Growth, Optimism, Curiosity, Resilience and many more of the 12 Gifts (soft skills).

A few ideas to get the ball rolling:‘Win Wednesday’Get individuals/teams to share a win and how they achieved it, including the challenges and mistakes made.Failure FridaysAsk each team member to share a mistake, challenge, or failure, what helped them get through, and the key learnings.In 1:1 sessions, encourage sharing of what went wrong and how that lesson can feed into future development plans.How are you viewing failures in your workplace?

As always, the team and I at RG Dynamics would love to hear what has resonated with you.

 

39: 2 Sides in 2 Minutes Communication Game for Connected Teams and Organisations

2 Sides in 2 Minutes Communication Game for Connected Teams and Organisations 

In this episode of Limitless Leaders Podcast, Renée Giarrusso speaks with her good friend and work colleague Shelley Flett – Leadership Trainer and Coach who works with individuals and teams to maximise efficiency and build high performance cultures in all size organisations.  

Shelley has operated her business successfully since 2015 after leaving a corporate career in customer service and operations. Shelley is a mum of three gorgeous children and she loves to incorporate fun both at work and at play.  

Listen as Renée and Shelley speak about the importance of communication and an exciting co-creation of a communication team game called 2 Sides in 2 Minutes, including why they conceptulised the game, along with tips you can apply in your life and leadership.  

  

The Importance of COMMUNICATION: 

“Communication Is the response you get. If you’re not getting the response you need – you need to shape and shift the message until you do.”   

We need to expand the way we focus on communication: 60% listening and 40% talking. Communication is not just about what you’re saying, how you’re saying it, and ensuring it is easily digestible, we also need to ensure we are present and listening to what is being said. Technology and virtual communication has caused distraction and disruption – we need to relearn the art of in-person communication.  2 Sides in 2 Minutes Game for Connected Teams and Organisations: 

2 Sides in 2 Minutes was created to help teams connect, grow, boost communication skills and understand each other at a deeper level. 

Opens up the space to respect diversity of thoughts and opinions of others. Gives people the uninterrupted space to say what’s going on in their heads. Helps teams reconnect through cut through communication. Each person pulls out a card and is prompted to speak what is on their minds for two minutes – sharing both pro’s and cons about that topic.   Why they created the Game: Recognition of the key challenges that leaders and team have in common, which the game helps develop. The need to go deeper than just surface level communication where people are consistently in agreement with each other.   Paves the way for disruptive conversations where healthy debates can be had. “Debate with intent trumps harmony for comforts sake,” as Renée says.    A forum to appreciate and leverage diversity of thoughts and ideas. The game identifies Twelve Key Communication Dimensions Renée and Shelley see every day that if they were tweaked, could make a huge impact. 

Feedback about 2 Sides in 2 Minutes Game: “It was fun and it helps you appreciate the perspectives of other people in your team.”  

Additional Resources: To find out more about the game go to: www.2Sidesin2Minutes.com.au  Our Leadership Breakfast, where you can try out and get a copy of the Game – November 17th, 8:30am – 11:30am. For more details go to: www.2Sidesin2Minutes.com.au Connect with Shelley Flett on Linkedin  Renée’s Leadership Programs 

 

About Shelley Flett

Shelley Flett is a Leadership Trainer and Coach who works with individuals and teams to maximise efficiency and build high performance cultures in all size organisations.  

Shelley has operated her business successfully since 2015 after leaving a corporate career in customer service and operations. She is a mum of three gorgeous children and she loves to incorporate fun both at work and at play.  

38: Unwrapping my biggest 7 lessons turning 50!

38: Unwrapping my biggest 7 lessons turning 50!

Many people who turn 40, or 50 want to hide, however Renee believes that age is just a number and it comes down to how you think and feel and your relationship with time. Life is here – what we do with it is what counts.  

So, here are Renee’s top 7 tips that’s she’s learned over the last 50 years to help you make each year count: 

1. Walk your Own Path No-one is you, nor will they ever be you – embrace it! Embrace you!  If you’re thinking about making a change – make sure your why to change is exceeding your ‘why not’ to change2. Everything Happens for a Lesson Life throws us curve balls – what we do with them is what mattersAsk yourself ‘What is the lesson, what is the gift in this?’ 3. Learn Something New Everyday Renee’s mother always asked her: ‘What’s the best thing that has happened and what have you learned?’Are you getting outside of your comfort zone? It’s the only way you can grow. 4. Show Kindness and Gratitude  You never know what is going on in another person’s life.Showing gratitude can cause a ripple effect and impact others in a way you’ll never know  5. Do What Lights You Up What gives you a pep in your step? Do that!Know what lights you up and bring it into your life as much as you can 6. Make a Start – Take Action If something feels right to you – pursue itYou are the CEO of your life – only you can make things happen 7. See Challenges as Opportunities Challenges come at us no matter what – they can teach us so much if we’re willing to embrace themWhen we welcome the unwelcome – we can change our mindset to be open to new ways In summary:

Who we are and who we are continually becoming – continues to evolve as you become the best version of yourself.   

 Additional Resources:Programs

Unwrapping My Biggest 7 Lessons On Turning 50!

Today is my birthday, and I'm turning 50 years old!

It's hard to believe how the time has flown; it only feels like yesterday when I celebrated my 21st, my first real job, and the excitement of venturing into the world as a young adult.

Many people want to hide under a rock as their laps around the sun increase, but for me, I think it's all about how you feel and think as you get older.
I have nothing but gratitude to be alive and well and to have made it to fifty with the bonus of getting to celebrate my birthday with real people in a room after missing out since 2019.

When I was 25, I lost my dad at the age I am today. This triggered a deep appreciation and awareness of my time on this earth. I've never taken anything or anyone for granted, and since he passed away, a light flicked on inside of me to make the most of every day and make a difference to others. This has been my life mission ever since.

I believe we must say “yes” to life and embrace it with whatever is going on; in our challenges and successes, it is always there.

I've learnt so much over the years I could write a book on it (I'm tempted). Everything from:

learning to accept what can't be changeddealing with loss and loveadapting to people from all walks of lifebuilding resilience when leaving the safe cocoon of the corporate world to start my own businessrebuilding my business during the pandemicaccepting that I wasn't going to have children in this lifetime

Life has given me many gifts through the challenges and successes I have experienced. Everything and every person I have experienced has contributed to the tapestry of my life, who I am and who I am continually becoming.

My gift to you is to share my top 7 lessons/insights; there are so many more, but on reflection, these stood out to me.

1. Walk your own path

No one is you. None will ever be you, and your uniqueness is a gift you need to embrace.

It can be challenging not to compare your path with someone else or societal norms, but at the end of the day, we have one life only to do what we know and feel is suitable for ourselves.

When leaving a fantastic corporate role to start my own business 16 years ago, many people put me down, doubted me and warned me of everything that could go wrong. I'm not saying being in business is easy (far from it); it takes will, skill, buckets of determination, motivation, sacrifice, and commitment, but I knew it was what I wanted to do. My ‘why' to start my own business exceeded my ‘why' to stay in a safe corporate job. I wanted to use my leadership experience to grow my leadership further and make a difference to others in a plethora of industries.

Your path is yours alone. It is your journey and map to create.

2. Everything happens for a lesson

Life throws us curve balls, and it's what we do with these that matter. Whether we experience success or a challenging person or situation, when we are ready to accept (not condone) what has happened, we can always find a lesson that we can use to progress ourselves and others forward. At times it can be hard to identify the lesson, especially when going through a challenge, but as we move through time, we can deepen our awareness and acceptance and open the gift in any situation. I call this concept the “Gift Mindset.” Deep self-awareness and acceptance are key to unwrapping the gifts in our experiences.

3. Learn something new every day

My amazing Mum always asks me each day, “What was the best thing that has happened?” and “What did you learn?” I have continued to ask myself these questions every day, and I believe this has contributed to my lifelong passion for learning and growing others. Getting outside my comfort zone regularly ensures I constantly question things and approach life with a curious mindset. Creating self-growth habits such as reading and pursuing the things I love ensures I'm continually learning, unlearning, relearning, and evolving. When we learn and grow, not only are we enriching our lives, but we are also contributing to others by sharing what we have learnt.

4. Show kindness and gratitude

You never really know what is going on in other people's lives, both in and out of the workplace.

I live my life by showing kindness and gratitude to people and all creatures, great and small. Demonstrating kindness and gratitude costs nothing. You can create a ripple effect and impact on others you may not be aware of. Kindness can come in the form of checking in with someone, simply telling someone you appreciate them or showing gratitude through words and actions.

Create a practice of gratitude for yourself. Regularly ask who and what you are grateful for, as this helps us reinforce what we have as opposed to what's missing. I always find 3 positives for every negative.

5. Do what lights you up

When I surround myself with the people I love and do the things I love, I cannot help but feel lit up. I feel energised, happy, and fulfilled, and I have a pep in my step. I suggest knowing who and what lights you up and bringing this into your life as much as possible.

There will always be certain people and situations that don't illuminate you, and my advice is to limit your exposure where you can. Do what lights you up as much as you can on a Monday, as this sets the tone for the week and helps eliminate those potential ‘Sunday night dreads'.

Connection lights me up; I love cooking and spending time with family and friends and in a work context delivering programs and connecting with our clients. When the pandemic hit, we lost 90% of our business and straight away, I ran free virtual webinars every Monday to keep myself motivated and to give back to my clients by continuing to be in service. This kept me motivated and helped me stay on purpose.

6. Make a start-take action

If something feels important to you, if it feels right and it keeps you up at night, then do it!

Check in with your heart, your logic, and your intuition. Bring all these in so you can make well-balanced decisions. I've always been one to jump into things, and most of the time, it has worked out for the best. We only have this life, and you are the director and CEO of it. Only you can make things happen. If we ponder things too much, we can overwhelm ourselves with comparison, strive for unrealistic perfection, and miss the boat on doing the things that matter.

Being creative, I always explore ideas, concepts, and new ways. Many times, the outcome is different from what I planned, but if we don't make a start, what could we be missing? What could this cost us and others?

7. See challenges as opportunities

Challenges will come at us no matter what, with many outside our control. Every challenge or obstacle can teach us much if we are open to embracing what we face. When we welcome the unwelcome, we can change our mindset to be open to new possibilities and new ways. The choices we make, the thoughts we think, and the action we take come from who we are in that moment.

Choose how you respond to challenges. I always tap into how I have dealt with similar challenges in the past and what I did, and who I was being that helped get me through. This reminds me that I can get through this again.

Anything we have done before, we can do again. Challenges have helped build my resilience and adaptability to deal with change, and I'm grateful for the challenges I have faced, as they have made me the person I am today.

Every single day I learn new things about myself and others. I believe our lives and the lessons we glean are constantly changing and are as fluid as the ebb and flow of the tide.

As I celebrate 50 laps around the sun and reflect on what I've learnt so far on my journey through this thing called life, I look forward to what lies ahead and the lessons waiting to be unwrapped.

To listen to the Podcast, click here or click the video to watch.

 

10 LeaderShifts to Change your World – Part 2 of 2

We hope you have enjoyed bringing to life the first 5 LeaderShift tips covered in our last blog post.

Today, I bring you the next 5!

Remember, leadership starts with you. It is an inward job, and we need to lead ourselves before we can lead decisions and teams.

As part of a senior leadership program last month, we focused on 10 key tools and strategies (there were more) to create more ease, headspace, time, and stronger leadership.

I have now shared these 10 LeaderShifts over 2 blog posts to give you a chance to implement these and create habits and awareness of bringing these into your daily work life.

6. Spread the energy of optimism

Optimism is contagious and a key trait in successful people and leaders. Smile and laugh like an optimist; this increases mood and your immune system and affects others around you. Think about what makes you optimistic, as this can raise your optimism levels. Reframe the mundane greeting of “How are you?” to “What's the best thing that's happened today?” Being grateful gets you to focus on what you do have, and the practice of gratitude can raise optimism.

7. Do what lights you up

Too often, people do what they are good at but not necessarily what they are good at and enjoy. There is a big difference. Since we spend on average 90,000 hours at work in our lifetime, this needs to be a priority. Identify the things that light you up and energise you at work. Know what doesn't light you up and leverage this from others. Do these things as often as possible and satisfy these to ensure happiness, fulfilment and effectiveness in the role. If you are leading a team, ask them what lights them up. Leverage this for limitless success.

8. Unwrap the gift of curiosity

Curiosity is the portal to exploring, learning, and bringing ideas to life. Instead of thinking of things as a statement such as “That team is amazing”, flip this to a question such as “What makes that team amazing?” This turns the thought from observation to provocation, where we ask questions, seek information, and explore the idea or thought further. This can increase innovation, creativity and sharing of best practice in the workplace. Creativity leads to connection and co-creation, with the by-product being collaboration.

9. Debate with intent trumps harmony for comfort's sake

Got something to say, say it!

Too often don't voice our opinions, ideas, or mistakes as we fear judgement and rejection. Focus on what this is costing you, your team and your organisation. To be in service, you need to lead out loud and share your ideas and thoughts by explaining the “why” and the story behind them. Expression in the workplace is needed; suppression stifles culture. We have a new game that explores the fun and thought-provoking ways to bring this to life.

10. Coach others to delegate thinking

The best organisations have an “asking” culture vs. a “telling” one. By asking questions, instead of giving the solution, you are delegating thinking, empowering others, creating future leaders and freeing up your time to focus on the things that matter. When people can think for themselves, this increases confidence, risk-taking and stronger leadership. Ensure you have both formal and informal coaching conversations in play and lose the need to be the all-telling leader instead of the all-asking one.

Enjoy bringing these strategies and tools to life! If you haven't read the previous post with LeaderShifts 1 to 5, you can do that here.

10 LeaderShifts to Change your World-Part 1 of 2

Leadership starts with you. It is an inward job, and we need to lead ourselves before we can lead decisions and teams.

Many clients feel burnt out as they shift their focus from the pandemic haze to a super-highway running 120kms per hour. Many feel they have contributed so much, outside of themselves, with little energy and focus going back to the source, themselves, and their leadership.

Sometimes it is good to pause and look at why you are doing the things you do.

As part of a senior leadership program last month, we focused on 10 key tools and strategies (there were more) to create more ease, headspace, time, and stronger leadership.

I will share these 10 LeaderShifts over two posts to give you a chance to implement these and create habits and awareness of bringing these into your daily work life.

5 LeaderShifts to Change your World Part 11. Delegate what you like doing

We often delegate what bores us, but instead, we should delegate something we are no longer learning from. As a leader, I think it's selfish not to do this. Delegate as part of a master plan by understanding the skills of your co-workers and tapping into these—delegate based on strengths. Letting go of something you have learnt can empower others and free up your time to focus on progressive tasks often neglected.

2. Adopt a Gift Mindset to grow and empower others

This mindset is where we share the lessons gleaned from the challenges, mistakes and successes we encounter in the workplace. This helps us replicate success by sharing best practices and learnings as our lessons could be a survival guide for someone else. Create “Win Wednesday” where you and the team share successes and how these came to be and “Failure Fridays” where mistakes and challenges are shared and key learnings are discussed. Sharing our gifts increases contribution, connection and collaboration.

3. Create self-growth habits

The world is your oyster when it comes to learning on and off the job. Create self-growth habits to progress you and others forward. Embrace change and get comfortable getting uncomfortable. Create a reading habit, listen to podcasts, join an industry association and share learnings. Reframe challenges as growth opportunities and use these lessons to progress forward. Share your learnings with your peers or team.

4. Manage yourself to manage time

Time is inelastic; we all are given the same amount. On any day, we are given 32 sets of 25 -minute blocks; this equates to 160 opportunities per week to set aside focus time. Title each chunk of time with the focus or objective and shut down all programs except the one you are working in. Chunk your diary and jealously protect your time. Be intentional and planned, and see what happens! Know your time vampires; who and what drains your time?

The Pomodoro technique is great for individuals and teams. Use a timer to break your work into 25-minute intervals and watch productivity lift.

5. Build rapport to connect

Rapport is about connection and equates to influence. More than ever, we need to ramp up “real” in-person connections. Some people are saying they feel they have lost their social skills. Take the time to focus on similarities and minimise differences. Ask how people are and be present and listen. Think about the first 12 words you say when you open a conversation, make these impactful, not a mundane greeting. Think about your first twelve steps when you walk into a room, ensure your energy is higher than the room, and your posture is friendly and open. To lead the room, you need to read a room. These things can set the scene and determine the first impression you make. The good news is that every impression is the first impression, so that you can build on this.

I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on implementing these LeaderShifts.

Stay tuned for Part 2 coming in 2 weeks.

There is only ONE WEEK left to register for the Limitless Leaders, Group Mentoring Program – 90 Day Connection, Lead & Develop High Performing Teams commencing August through to October. Accelerate communication, leadership and mindset through an interactive and dynamic learning experience and take your leadership to the next level.

The 2 SIDES IN 2 MINUTES game generates a thought-provoking learning experience for any professional interested in improving their communication and influence. 2 SIDES IN 2 MINUTES is the game to understand different perspectives and develop communication and leadership skills.

Unwrap the 12 gifts to lead and live a life of purpose, connection and contribution with 3-time award-winning Gift Mindset®. Available at all your favourite online retailers as well as Audible.

The Importance of Celebrating and What We Have Been Up To!

It’s hard to believe we are now in July; where is the year going?

As we become more planned out in both our professional and personal lives, time ‘seems’ to go faster when in fact, it’s our illusion of time that is speeding up. As we are always looking ahead, we aren’t living in the now.

Now is the opportune time to pause and reflect on how far we have come.

It’s easy to do, do, do and be on the constant, never-ending conveyor belt of life, focusing on what we haven’t done.

Now is a perfect time to stop and reflect on how far we have come and celebrate success, whatever that means for you and your team.

Celebrating wins, small or large, anchors the good feelings that can help us move forward whenever we feel challenged as we are reminded of who and what we are capable of.

To celebrate success, we need to take the time to do it and enjoy our efforts, accomplishments and the energy it has taken.

Celebrating as a team

Do this by:

Sharing wins as a team and how these were achievedCreate forums to share learningsVerbalise success stories, big or smallRecognise and show gratitude to others

It has been an exciting few months for the team and I at RG Dynamics, and we have a few milestones to share with you.

After a lot of hard work, time and headspace, it’s refreshing to see things come to fruition that will make a difference in the workplace and our lives.

Internationally Recognised Gift Mindset®

Gift Mindset has been internationally recognised and has achieved three awards.

It is now officially an Award-Winning finalist in both the Motivational and Self-Help categories of the 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. It has also won 3rd place at The Living Now Book awards in the Self-Development category.

Nothing lights me up more than sharing the Gift Mindset and seeing its message being recognised and adopted globally.

As individuals, teams and organisations, we need to unwrap the gifts in both challenges and successes to progress forward, grow others, and lead a life of connection, contribution and purpose.

I appreciate your support, and we hope you are enjoying the book and creating a Gift Mindset Culture within your organisation.

We are also about to launch our NEW Team Connection and Communication game 2 Sides IN 2 Minutes – The Game to Boost Communication!

 

 

2 SIDES IN 2 MINUTES

 

 

My fantastic colleague Shelley Flett and I put our heads together and created a fun and thought-provoking game that takes meetings, workshops and team catch-ups to another level.

The 2 SIDES IN 2 MINUTES game generates a thought-provoking learning experience for any professional interested in improving their communication and influence.

2 SIDES IN 2 MINUTES is the game to understand different perspectives and develop communication and leadership skills.

Used by leaders, facilitators, and within teams, this fun game boosts communication skills collaboratively and dynamically!

 

 

Join us at the 2 SIDES in 2 MINUTES official launch in Melbourne

When: Friday, 29th July 2022 | 8:30am – 11:30am

Where: Melbourne, CBD

Includes:

An interactive workshop on the 12 pillars of communication.Engaging conversations facilitated by Shelley Flett & Renée Giarrusso.Connection with inspiring leaders.Morning tea.A complimentary copy of the game 2 SIDES in 2 MINUTES.

To secure your place: Click Here

Limitless Leaders 90-day Connection

Our Limitless Leaders 90-day Connection has been an enormous success.

This program was created to enable leaders and business owners to learn, connect and collaborate with leaders outside their industry. There are four immersions over the 90-days, including face-to-face and virtual coaching.

The program runs every 90-days with a new theme and attracts leaders from diverse industries, including FMCG, data, beverage, construction, not-for-profit, and many more.
We are excited to announce that the August to October program with the theme: Leading & Building High Performing teams is open to register.

 

You can find out more details here.

It’s been an ultra-productive year so far, and we are thrilled to provide our clients and partners with world-class programs, tools and resources to provoke the way they think, lead and connect continually.

As we move into July, take the time to celebrate your success and that of your team in a way that works for you.

Lead to BE Limitless…

Renée and the team at RG Dynamics

37: How to Achieve Your Goals – Faster, Easier and Sooner with Keith Abraham

You will never shoot a target you do not see. In the same way, you will never reach a goal you do not have. Goal setting helps us define priorities and move in the direction we desire.  

In this episode, Keith Abraham joins me to discusses the importance of goal-setting in achieving personal, professional, and profitable success. He also builds on his expertise and shares the value of knowing your goal drivers and having emotional anchors. Listen to the episode to learn Keith’s sentiments on the best practices for goal setting. 

Keith Abraham is multi-award winning. A best-selling author of five books, published in 12 languages. In his 25-year speaking career he has presented to more than 1.6 million people across 39 countries. In the past 2 years, Keith has transitioned, and created a Purpose-Built Virtual Studio and delivered 239 Virtual Presentations from his home in Brisbane to 67,500 people in 39 different countries. 

If you want to learn how to create better goals and bring them to fruition, this episode is for you. 

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: 

Learn the value of curiosity as a key leadership trait.   Discover the importance of setting clear goal setting in personal and organisational contexts. Find out your goal drivers and why emotional anchors work best in goal setting. 

Resources 

Sign up for Limitless Leaders 90-day Connection program and Renee’s other events Connect with Keith Abraham on LinkedIn and his website Take Keith’s Goal Driver Assessment here.  Download Keith’s resources on setting clear goals here.  Why SMART Goals Don’t Work by Keith Abraham 

Episode Highlights 

[0:41] Pushing for Creativity in the New Normal 

The transition to the new normal allowed for the hybrid work setup. Many people now want flexibility in how they work. This ‘office resistance’ creates a challenge in teams because not everyone is on the same page. In such cases, team collaboration can help. The team can come together and review organisation goals, projects, and other ideas.  The team can also use the huddle to review and think about what's next for the company.  These activities trigger curiosity and bring out creativity among the team members. 

[02:18] Get to Know Keith Abraham 

Keith is a certified speaking professional and award-winner keynote speaker. He has over 25 years of speaking experience and delivered over 1.6 million presentations.  His expertise in goal achievement placed him as one of the world's premier thought leaders on accelerating performance among leaders and CEOs of billion-dollar companies. He has recently created a purpose-built virtual studio where he was able to deliver over 200 presentations from his home in Brisbane. Keith is also the author of five books published in 12 languages.  

[4:10] Curiosity as a Key Leadership Trait 

Curiosity is a leader’s antidote to being stuck, stale, and stagnant.  Flip your statements into quality questions and challenge the status quo. Don’t be better than your competitors. Instead, be different.  At 23, Keith attended the week-long Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA), and this is where he fell in love with goal-setting.  He turned his passion into a profession and started providing presentations to different youth groups. After a year, Keith was able to replace his and his wife’s income.  Keith believes he built his business from referrals through mentors, coaches, and the people he met at conferences.  

[12:27] Tenacity and Making Impact 

Keith attributes most of his success to his tenacity and relationship with clients.  He treats his speaking engagements as a business of making the most significant impact on his clients. A lasting impression gets people to keep coming back.  Success is in the eyes of the beholder — it can be an outcome, process, or feeling.  On the other hand, personal success is providing a lifestyle and leveraged income for his family and being a living example.  Leaders should go beyond positivity, optimism, and hope. Instead, focus on longevity or legacy.  

[24:18] Key Takeaways 

Surround yourself with great people. Know that you are a poor judge of a good investment. Instead, invest in mentors.  Find gratitude in the challenges. The more grateful you are, the more fortunate you become.  Comparison is a thief. Do not compare your Chapter 1 with someone else’s Chapter 20.  

[26:51] Importance of Clear Goal Setting 

Keith emphasises that goal setting is as vital as oxygen.  Now is the time to set goals for yourself. Have a vision of the future and not a memory of the past.  The only way to get through the present circumstances is to have the vision moving forward. It means having goals personally, professionally, physically, and profitably.  Understand what drives you, what you desire, and how you can strengthen your determination.  There will be growing and transformational issues along the way, but Keith points out that that is the only way you can progress.  

[29:43] Goal Drivers and Why SMART Goals Don’t Work 

In Keith’s research, successful and accomplished people have an emotional, physical, and mental connection to their goals. Goal drivers are the emotional anchors that push you toward your goals.  Keith’s Goal Driver Assessment Tool helps explain your drivers to help you move closer to your goals.  Learn more about the Goal Driver Assessment here.  

[36:52] Notes on Goal Setting 

Start where you are right now. It’s okay to not have everything in alignment.  Your goals do not have to be big ones. Do not ‘goal overwhelm’. If your goals overwhelm you, break them into smaller ones.  Visit KeithAbraham.com for more tips and insights on effective goal setting.  

[39:36] The Motivation of Progress 

Keith recommends his clients keep a progress journal and do a daily progress check-in. People need to feel a sense of achievement. People get motivated by seeing their progress.   Momentum defeats doubt. Doubt keeps us on our toes and helps us grow, but it is not a place you want to stay in.  Reframe your thoughts. Remember that thoughts create feelings and dictate what we do or do not do. Keith’s research found that people have eight driving emotions: feel successful, purposeful, inspired, happy, organised, respected, confident, and relaxed.  

[49:35] Importance of Organizational Goal Setting 

Leaders should get their teams together and ensure that the team has overarching goals that feed the organisational goals.  Have resets. Review what you learned for the past two years, reset the goals, and refocus your intentions, activities, and daily habits.  Teams cannot genuinely collaborate virtually. It is crucial to meet and have actual conversations about goals.  Keith also shares the Japanese concept of Nemawashi, or coming together and planning to ensure the success of a significant change.  

Quotes 

[12:36] Keith: ‘I think some people fall in love with the applause. I fell in love with, ‘how do I make the biggest impact and love to the clients that are paying?’’ 

[11:26] Renee: ‘You can’t focus if you don’t have clarity and you can’t have clarity without focus. But if there’s no action, it’s one-dimensional.’ 

[18:42] Renee: ‘Positivity is about the here and now. Optimism is about now. And hope is for the future.’ 

[28:20] Keith: ‘If you’re waiting for someone to give you permission to step into your potential, then let me be the person to give you permission.’ 

[37:36] Keith: ‘You don’t have to get too far ahead of yourself. I think that’s what happens with a lot of people is we’re waiting for things to be perfect. What’s important is you start where you stand.’ 

About Keith 

Keith Abraham is a professional keynote speaker and goal achievement expert at Passionate Performance. He specialises in creating content, concepts, resources and opportunities to help people turn their goals into reality. He is also the creator of the Goal Driver Formula, a tool designed to provide insights to help individuals achieve their goals. 

You can reach Keith through LinkedIn. 

Enjoy This Podcast? 

Leadership in changing times can be difficult, but you can adopt certain traits to get your team through it. You can also join mentorship programs to gain the skill you need.  

Post a review and share it! If you learned something by tuning into this podcast, do not hesitate to write a review and share it with your friends! The world needs more people with the drive and leadership qualities to make the world a better place. We need strong leadership skills and a learner’s attitude today more than ever. 

For more updates and episodes, visit and subscribe to the Limitless Leaders podcast page! 

Have any questions? You can contact me through these platforms: 

Company website 

Instagram 

Facebook 

LinkedIn 

To leading the future, 

Renée 

 

What are you doing to deepen and develop your leadership?

Since the commencement of 2022, we have had the pleasure of bringing together leaders from diverse industries to learn, connect and collaborate as we connect and grow with other leaders.

We have created an amazing program to facilitate this, called the Limitless Leaders 90-Day Connection.

This program was born out of a need to create a dynamic space where leaders could connect outside their organisation whilst further developing the key enablers to accelerate their leadership, communication and mindset.

The 90-day Connection is a dynamic learning experience that will take your leadership and performance to the next level.

It is a rolling 3-month program created to bring like and unlike minded leaders from organisations and businesses together. This program is for leaders who want the space to step away from their industry to learn, grow and connect with others from diverse industries in real-time, within openly facilitated regular forums in a learn-and-do environment.

At each 90-day immersion, we focus on a different theme based on what YOU need right now.

The previous 2 programs focused on Leading Self and Leading People, and kicking off in August; we will focus on the key enablers and tools to Lead and Develop High Performing Teams.

90 Day Connection Delivery mode

The mix of delivery modes in this program (masterclass, group mentoring, mastermind and coaching) is the same for each 90-day program and focus on immersing attendees in the content and the experience. It provides the space to apply newly found practices back in the workplace.

Learning in a variety of ways opens contribution and the ability to practice, take the time to self-reflect and plan and share experiences in real time. It also makes for a fun and immersive experience!

True commitment, effective communication and deep Connection are key in any leadership role, team and workplace culture. Limitless Leaders lead limitless teams creating a forever evolving limitless culture.

 Being part of 2 of the Limitless Leaders 90-day programs has been an amazing experience. These sessions are very engaging and interactive, combined with Renee's passionate and enthusiastic drive. I am benefiting by the training and coaching and feel privileged to be part of this program that RG Dynamics is providing. The guidance and tools delivered in the workshops, coaching and mastermind sessions are really helping me grow personally and professionally. If you are looking to elevate your leadership, mindset and communication and grow and connect with others outside of your industry I’d highly recommend this program. ~ Priya Srikanth – Regional Manager Workskil Australia

Lead and Develop High Performing Teams

For our next immersion, the key program themes include:

Limitless team ladder and positionStages of team developmentThe 11 keys to Connection of self and othersDynamics of team buildingThe team building toolboxInteractive activities to embed2 Sides IN 2 Minutes game (1 copy per person)Challenging the status quoUsing curiosity to collaborateMastermind on team challengesLeading a hybrid teamDeveloping high performanceFraming expectationsSituational coaching styles and planStrength analysis of teamAction plan to implement90-day Program – What You GetAccess to all 4 immersions1 x full-day face-to-face live workshop1 x Master Mentoring session (virtual)1 x Mastermind session (virtual)30 minute 1:1 check in with Renée during the programAll materials and resourcesA forum to learn, grow and shareMorning and afternoon tea and lunch2 Sides IN 2 Minutes-The game to boost communicationCopy of Renee’s two award-winning books, Limitless Leadership and Gift Mindset®Access to the “Supercharge Working Remotely” online program (Valued at $389)Group Mentoring and Group Mastermind session and 1:1 coaching session will follow this workshop during September and October.Find out more

Suppose you are a leader or business owner with a growth mindset who wants to step away from their industry to contribute, connect and collaborate with others from diverse industries in real-time, within openly facilitated regular forums in a learn-and-do environment. In that case, you can find out more about how you can be involved in this career changing program, visit the 90-day Connection Program or reach out to us to book a discovery call with Renée.