Renee Giarrusso's Blog, page 11

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.

 

 

Ready to step outside your organisation and learn, connect and grow with other leaders?

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.

 

 

36: Fostering an Attitude of Gratitude in and out of the Workplace

Welcome to another episode of Limitless Leaders Podcast.  

We're almost halfway through 2022, and what a year it's been. After some health challenges two weeks ago where I ended up getting rushed to emergency with severe abdominal pains, with a four-hour waiting emergency and then overnight in emergency because there were no beds. While I'm continuing to get my health back in order, it’s prompted me to want to talk about gratitude today.  

So today, I wanted to just share what I'm seeing out there as we have teams, reconnecting back in the office, we've still got a lot of companies having what I'm calling the back to Office resistance, and adapting to these new ways, you know, people that have got partners that have started working during COVID. And now they can't be in the office as much as they used to.  

GRATITUDE AND RECOGNITION ARE INTERLINKED:

[02.09] Today, I'm going to call it gratitude, and I'm going to call it out for what it is.   

Gratitude and recognition are obviously interlinked. And what I love about gratitude is it forces us to reinforce the positives in our lives.  We can be grateful for people – we can be grateful for situations we can be grateful for so many different things.   THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL: 

 [02.43] I got asked the other day, what is the difference between being thankful and grateful.  

I write about this in my international award-winning book, if mindset under the gift of gratitude, being thankful, I think it's a bit more internal, you know, where you feel thankful?  Research is suggesting that gratitude is not simply a cultural construct, but it's actually rooted in our evolutionary history. When we're grateful, we actually focus on what we do have, not what we don't.  

 [03:22] 

So if I go back to the hospital scenario, I could have been I did for a while. I'm a realist, and I was in a lot of pain. I pay private health care, and I'm out in a corridor overnight feeling like this, that I watched the frontline workers in action and the amazing job they did, and I went, you know what, I'm actually grateful that they're here.  They're a stone's throw away from me if something gets worse. And I'm grateful that I'm in the best place I can be right now. And it really helped me to surrender that mindset. And I guess be in the moment and be ready to heal. BEING GRATEFUL IN THE WORKPLACE: 

 [03:58] 

Gratitude is the untapped currency for retention.  

[04:25] 

You know, you can throw more money at people, you can try and find them different roles, you can beg them to stay.  But I think it's coming back to what I'm calling the soft skills of the future – things around optimism, things around curiosity, things around connection and gratitude, all of those things that I believe make up limitless leaders, teams and organizations.  THREE KEY BUCKETS TO GRATITUDE: 

 [05:02] 

So, the first is the obvious one, through our actions. So this could be saying thank you to someone, it could be sending someone a bunch of flowers or sending them a book or sending them a beautiful text saying I appreciate you.  We also can be grateful through our feelings. So that's when we feel grateful for something or someone, it's a bit like thankful.  And we can also have what we call a grateful mindset. I'm one of those people. And a grateful mindset means that we're open to see the positive experiences in challenges, which is what the gift mindset is all about.  BARRIERS ARE THE ENEMY TO GRATITUDE: 

[06:58] 

One I see a lot is gray gratitude is what I call it. It's not black, it's not white, it's wishy washy. .  

[07:24] 

Another barrier is self-reflective time. So, making the time if you're running a business, or if you're in a team or leading your team suggests making a time, or even kicking off some of your meetings with who will what are you grateful for, gets people to be forward thinking and not focus on the negatives, which is a really good one. 

[07:49] 

You know, I think now is the time to look at what's what people are missing and ensure that's part of your everyday conversation with your team or if you're in a team. THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF SHOWING/EXPERIENCING GRATITUDE: 

[08:17]

There's definitely a relationship between expressing gratitude and increased productivity and job satisfaction. When people feel appreciated.  There's this connection, there's motivation.  There's what I call commitment, not just compliance, not just turning up or clocking on, but actually going with a committed energy and conviction to do a good job.  TIPS ON HOW TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE: 

So, I want to give you this a few tips. And these are actually extracted out of my book gift mindset, which is available now on Audible, Amazon, and all good bookstores, which is quite exciting.  

[11:43] 

First one is compliment. colleagues on the fly, don't always wait for a formal invitation to go, what are you grateful for?  Let colleagues know what they mean to you.  So, as you're listening to this, my challenge for you after listening to this podcast, is reach out to somebody that you're grateful for. Be thankful for the growth opportunities that challenges give us. 

[13:49] 

Be grateful for learning something new, and share this with others.  

 [14:10]

Invest in moments to be thankful for. So, what I mean by this is, take the time to express and live the gift of gratitude.  So, I used to journal and journaling is a great thing to do. And, I think about three things I'm grateful for before I get out of the bed.  TIPS FOR EXPRESSING GRATITUDE IN TEAMS: 

[14:56] 

I want to give you some things for teams so individually or as a team kickoff, you catch up with who or what are you grateful for? And go around and everyone gets 20 seconds.  And. you could actually say, who are what are you grateful for in this meeting on this catch up? Or who were you? What are you grateful for?  

 [15:34] 

 Another one I want to give you is a three to one ratio. So, for every negative, that's brought up, come up with three positives. 

[16:23] 

Some companies I'm working with over the years have introduced Win Wednesdays, that's a really good one. So, everyone shares a win big or small, how they got to that. And you can bring gratitude into that conversation as well.  

[16:38] 

And last, but not least, you know, I want everyone that's listening to this, to acknowledge the silver lining, or what I call the gift of all situations and what it's taught you. IN SUMMARY:  

You know, I think, now is the time to amplify practices in the workplace to really elevate gratitude, create forums, bring it into conversations. You don't have to call it gratitude. You know, I last year, during one of the lockdowns, we were running the gratitude Cafe, and it was just a Zoom Room drop in. And we were talking about things we're grateful for in ourselves, our family, our teams, our friends in the world. And the conversation was electrifying, the stuff that came out of that. 

I really believe the conduit to strong and connected relationships, and a collaborative culture that people want to be part of stems down to, you know, a lot of different things. But I think gratitude can get small wins. It can help, you know, build morale and motivation, especially at times like now. 

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS: The Gift Mindset Culture Program Limitless Leaders 90-Day Connection Program  

Curiosity is a Superpower- 5 Tips to Boost Creativity and Collaboration

Curiosity is a superpower, and when we lead with it, we open the space for a curious mindset in our teams. This leads to questioning and exploring things as a team, and the by-product of this is improved creativity, connection and collaboration. 

The challenges that come with remote and hybrid work can be overwhelming. In this stop-start life, we need to adapt, and I believe in leading an organisation and creating a culture open to change; creativity and curiosity are key. The future of leadership requires us now, more than ever, to adapt, innovate and collaborate, and I reckon curiosity deserves some attention.

Curiosity is the motivating desire for more information. It’s the engine that drives learning, innovation and achievement. This helps us grow and can help us explore challenging situations and changes with a growth mindset.

Dr Daniel Berlyne was a pioneer in curiosity research in the ’60s. His experimental and exploratory psychology work has served as the foundational research for many scientists who have followed. He stated that curiosity is innate to our being, not unlike food and water.

He also concluded that three key sources instigate it:

novelty – that which is new or unknown to us

ambiguity – that which is confusing to us

complexity – partially known to us and where we seek to learn more

All these sources of curiosity surround us – it’s up to us to raise our emotional intelligence, be aware of these, and decide what to do next.

5 Tips to curiosity Open your mind

Opening your mind takes discipline, and the more open you are, the more likely you will be to receive new information and ideas that can help you continue to be curious.

Avoid closing yourself or others off.  Stretch out of your safe zone – anything outside your comfort zone is growth. Be open to asking questions and stay present when listening. I ask myself, “What can I learn from this person?” – this opens up my mind to receive and not discount the ideas or opinions of others.

Ask questions

Asking questions about yourself, others, and situations can help you become a more effective communicator and build stronger relationships and leadership capabilities.

Asking questions with intention is a great way to understand, seek information and explore your curiosity. Creating a forum in your team catch-ups to question things such as; ways of working, projects, products and services can open the door to new ways of thinking and growing.

Asking open questions is key. One tip for asking open questions is to add “tell me about” to the start of your questions – this will turn them into an open question.

When we ask curious, open questions, we need to be open to not knowing the answer and not assume or judge. Our intention should be to focus on learning and understanding more.

Only ask one question at a time and base your next question on the response you receive.

Flipping statements into questions

When we think about something, we articulate it in our minds as either a statement or a question. For example, flipping a statement such as “What that team did was great” to “I wonder how that team achieved that?” will change your energy and provoke questioning and conversations. It changes a one-dimensional thought into a two-dimensional question. Take the time to observe the statements you think or write, such as in an email, and flip your statements into questions.

Listen and be present

Research has found that only 2% of leaders have ever received any training on listening, and most people struggle to listen and not just ‘hear’.

We aren’t wired to listen as human beings, although it is one of the first things we learn in our mother’s womb. We think at more than 400 words a minute and speak at 150, so it’s no wonder our minds wander when we should be listening.

To be truly curious, we need to listen to:

ourselves both logically and intuitivelythe responses of others, without bias or judgementsituations that present themselvesthoughts, feedback and feelings through all our senses Be interested

Reframe ‘boring’ situations and people we are fearful of as ‘interesting’. A simple reframe can change your energy, attitude and ability to be curious. We can learn much from others if we have an open mind and question things.

When the stakes are high and the pressure is on, it can be difficult for us to pause before acting, take a step back and reflect on why we are doing what we are doing.

Sometimes questioning our actions on the bigger things can be hampered by our inaction to question the smaller things.

Take the time to build your curiosity muscle and create the space to make it part of your team and organisational culture.

Curiosity is a superpower of Limitless Leaders and teams.

I’d love to hear what you do to instil curiosity?

Curiosity is one of the 12 skills we can deepen and develop through a Gift Mindset Culture. The Gift Mindset® Culture Program runs as a series of interactive sessions to explore and expand on the Gift Mindset concept and deep dive into each of the 12 key skills imperative to the future of work.

Are you ready to create a more collaborative and connective culture? Book a discovery conversation with Renée here or visit the Gift Mindset® Culture Program for more details

Gratitude – The untapped currency for workplace retention

Gratitude, praise, and recognition are interlinked and can come in many forms. From positive feedback, a pat on the back, a thank you note, a verbal thank you or a token of appreciation such as a lunch or coffee.

Over the last 2 years, with the pandemic in play, literally patting a co-worker on the back to say thank you was impossible, something we took for granted in the past. 

With many people working in insolation and now re-entering the office in staggered droves, we have the opportunity to bring in the practice of gratitude in real time.

When people feel appreciated, there are many benefits, and research shows that people with strong relationships at work are 61% less likely to want to switch jobs.

Gratitude is free and, I believe, should be given genuinely without an agenda. 

Research suggests that gratitude is not simply a cultural construct but is rooted in our evolutionary history, DNA, and child development. We can be grateful for many things in our lives, such as specific people and situations, although most benefits come from others – hence gratitude is known as ‘other-oriented’. It can mean different things to different people, depending on the context. Is gratitude an emotion? A behaviour or virtue? 

The experience of gratitude in the workplace encourages us to appreciate who and what is good, which compels us to pay this goodness forward. 

Three main conduits to gratitude include:  through our actions, such as sending a gift or saying thank you  through our feelings, where we feel grateful for something or someone  by adopting a grateful mindset, where we can see a positive experience within a challenge

Gratitude is like the social glue that can fortify our relationships in the workplace. It serves as a backbone to the culture we want to create, one of connection and collaboration. Where I see organisations practise gratitude regularly by creating activities and forums to share, I observe people who are more generous, kind and want to build strong relationships. 

We need to ‘feel into’ gratitude – something often missed in today’s busy world. The pace at which we live and workplaces fostering a ‘performance culture’ can stifle the Gift of Gratitude. 

Many clients face what I call a “back to office resistance.” People who were bursting at the seams to come out of isolation and be back with their team are now missing the flexibility of working from home, dodging the commute time and some openly saying they miss a better quality of life.

Now is the time to look at what people are missing and ensure this is part of the every day in your team and organisation. This could include things like; physical team catch-ups, walking meetings, corridor talks, cross-divisional interaction and the practice of regular authentic feedback and gratitude.

Finding out how your people like to express and receive gratitude works is key. If you are a leader who wants to encourage your employees to go beyond the contractual obligation of their roles, expressing gratitude should be part of your leadership. Gratefully acknowledging the thoughts and efforts of your people shows them that they matter, which can also build a vital culture around gratitude.

In any role, we should practise gratitude – this is the best way to ingrain it in your organisational culture. Gratitude can lower stress and reduce absenteeism. Research led by Lea Waters at the University of Melbourne found a positive relationship between expressing gratitude and increased productivity and job satisfaction. 

Benefits of gratitude 

There are many benefits of gratitude. Robert Emmons, the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, studied more than 1000 people from ages eight to 80 and found that people who practise gratitude consistently report a host of benefits: 

Physical: 

Stronger immune systems and lower blood pressureExercise more and take better care of their health Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking 

Psychological: 

Higher levels of positive emotions More alert, awake and joyfulMore optimism and happiness 

Social: 

More helpful, generous, and compassionate More forgiving and outgoingFeel less lonely and isolated 

The social benefits are especially significant here because gratitude is a social emotion, after all. I see it as a relationship-strengthening emotion because it requires us to see how we’ve been supported and affirmed by other people and lets us repay the favour.

Being grateful is triggered by a situation, event, or person and both are linked. I believe gratitude is usually directed outwardly, while thankfulness is generated within us. 

It only takes a moment to be grateful.

Ideas to unwrap the Gift of Gratitude:

Compliment work colleagues on the fly; don’t always wait until the time is right.Let a colleague know what they mean to you.Be thankful for the growth opportunity challenges bring.Be grateful for learning something new and share this with others.Invest in moments to be thankful for – this will ensure you create a consistent loop of building, expressing, and living the Gift of Gratitude.Individually or as a team, kick-off team catch-ups with the question, “who and what are you grateful for?”For every negative that comes up in conversations or your thoughts, come up with three positives; this is called the 3:1 ratio.Introduce “Win Wednesdays”, where each team member shares a win, big or small and who and what helped them achieve this.Acknowledge the silver lining or the Gift in all situations and what it has taught you.

Now is the time to act with the Great Resignation in play, or what I call the Great Rejuvenation. Now is the time to amplify practices in the workplace that may have been taken for granted, the simple act of gratitude and appreciation. The conduit to strong and connected relationships and a collaborative culture people want to be a part of. 

For more on the Gift of Gratitude, download a copy of the Gift of Gratitude infographic—one of 12 Gifts of the Gift Mindset®.

35: How to be a Limitless Leader In Times of Uncertainty with Edward Okuoga from Workskil

How to be a Limitless Leader In Times of Uncertainty with Edward Okuoga from Workskil 

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way we work. Face-to-face interactions in the workplace have given way to virtual communication and hybrid work. As leaders, we have to rethink how we approach our processes in times of uncertainty. Effective, strong leadership means being able to adapt and pivot in the face of change. 

In this episode, Edward Okuoga from Workskil joins us to discuss a leader's must-have qualities in changing times. He also shares his experience of joining the Limitless Leaders 90-day Connection program. Lastly, Edward gives advice to other leaders who might be struggling to usher their team through work transitions. 

If your business is about to enter a time of uncertainty and is in need of strong leadership, this episode is for you. 

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: Discover the five key traits a leader should have during times of transition, such as a pandemic. Find out more about the possible strategies you can utilise for effective, strong leadership. Uncover what you can learn at mentoring programs. Resources:Sign up for Limitless Leaders 90-day Connection program and Renee’s other events Connect with Workskil Australia on LinkedIn and their website Check out Renee’s recent read: Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart Episode Highlights: 

[2:31] Edward's Take on the Meaning of Leadership 

For Edward, strong leadership starts with the self. It means knowing your limits. You must assess your strengths and weaknesses so that you can empower others. A leader should be well-rounded to get people where they need to be. 

[3:49 ] The Impact of COVID-19 in Workplaces 

The pandemic has transformed businesses and organisations, including Workskil Australia, where Edward is the state manager. Workskil Australia was able to adapt and adjust because of the organisation's open mindset and growth. They quickly changed to a virtual workplace once the pandemic hit.  They encountered issues from transitioning to virtual work, but proactive teamwork pushed through these issues. 

[5:06] Strong Leadership in Remote Work 

Innovation is crucial. You must find ways to engage your teams in a virtual or hybrid setting. Being a leader is two-fold. There are systems you need to put in place to ensure the conduct of business, but you also have to support your teams to adjust to these systems. Edward quotes Marcus Aurelius, “Life's happiness depends on the quality of your thoughts.” Renee adds that you should choose what you think and create boundaries and habits from your thoughts. Empathy is essential to strong leadership. Workskil Australia accommodated individual staff needs, which helped form the mindset of their teams for virtual work. 

[10:18] Five Key Traits of a Leader 

Every leader needs to have awareness of oneself and others. This helps you manage and support your team.  A leader should engage in reflection. Understanding the “why” and “what” you’re doing makes it easier for you to guide others to get where they need to be. Since there’s a lot of changes happening in our world, a leader needs to have consistency and stability.  Being optimistic is also critical. There’s so much negativity surrounding us, so optimism will power you and your team through. Strong leadership requires hope. It means reframing your mind to think about what’s possible as a collective.  

[8:32] Joining Mentoring Programs 

Edward participated in the Limitless Leaders 90-day Connection program. You can get insights from different leaders from various industries in mentoring programs. These insights can open your eyes to different views and strategies you can use to better yourself as a leader. 

[21:38] Edward’s “Aha!” Moments From the Program 

He had a realisation about the fear of responsibility that a leader has on his shoulders. He also learned the importance of optimising leadership. Edward later read more about these topics, so he can reflect on how he can incorporate this into his leadership approach. 

[24:18] Key Takeaways 

Edward implemented coaching sessions into practice. It is sharing information you have and passing it on to someone else for improvement. In these coaching sessions, you can put out the idea you have and it can be expounded on from the feedback of your team.  Coaching provides an avenue where feedback flows both ways. It’s better to have ongoing feedback rather than having only performance reviews after the matter. 

[33:19] Advice to Other Leaders 

Strong leadership requires an open mind and a learner’s mindset. We do not know everything in life, so we have to learn from others. In mentoring programs, you can gain knowledge by listening to those from other industries. Mentoring programs can also help you understand the “why” in what you’re doing.  Most people gravitate towards an organisation based on how well its values tie in with their personal ones. 

[37:44] Fast Talk Questions 

Gratitude is Edward’s favourite word. If he were in another profession, he would probably be a general practitioner. Edward says you should never say never when it comes to career pivots. His advice to his younger self is to follow your passion, and nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it.  Quotes: 

[8:26] Edward: ‘Change is inevitable, but it takes an organisation putting some pillars in place to support everyone.’ 

[11:26] Edward: ‘Once the people we work with understand the “why”, then as a leader, it makes it easier for you to be able to guide them to where we need to go.’ 

[15:21] Edward: ‘Every single day, I'm grateful for something. I find that that plays a part in how I lead, and how I work with my colleagues or other partnerships that we collaborate with.’ 

[19:30] Edward: ‘Create more future leaders and having an environment that can match that — being able to give people that space in room to grow. Those are some of the things I found really important in participating in the program.’ 

[27:53] Edward:’It ‘s also important for leaders to get feedback as well. I find during coaching sessions, the feedback goes, flows both ways.’ 

About Edward: 

Edward Okuoga is a state manager at Workskil Australia. Workskil Australia is a not-for-profit employment services agency. They help job seekers find social and economic independence through work, and businesses find hard working, reliable staff. They deliver programs with a focus on disability, youth, community and Indigenous service. 

You can reach Edward 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 on 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 

 

34: Self Leadership: The Key To Being a Limitless Leader™

Self Leadership: The Key To Being a Limitless Leader

The pandemic has since caused a significant shift in the workforce. Employees have resigned from their old jobs, seeking workplaces with better conditions and team dynamics. Amid this awakening, it’s vital for leaders to ensure that their team members are still satisfied in the organisation and are receiving the high-level or leadership they deserve.  

In this episode, David Frizzell joins us to talk about self leadership and its importance in our growth as Limitless Leaders. He shares how having a healthy balance of a professional and working life improves the way we treat others. Ultimately, he discusses the value of forming and maintaining deep and meaningful connections in the workplace.  

If you want to know more about self leadership and how it can help you grow as a leader, this episode is for you!  

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode if you want to become a Limitless Leader: 

Understand the value and importance of self leadership.  Discover what it takes to become a Limitless Leader.  Learn how to maintain meaningful connections with others.  

Resources 

Connect with David: Website | LinkedIn Check out The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma Limitless Leaders – 90-day Connection – a three-month program designed to gather leaders and business owners to connect, collaborate and share ideas.  

Episode Highlights 

[0:18] David’s Background  

David is the founder and host of Team Guru, a company that offers services, information, podcasts, and blogs about leadership.  He worked as an educator for more than 10 years before starting in the private sector.  Teaching in the classroom helped David develop many skills; one of the most important skills he has acquired from being a teacher is communication.  

[5:08] The Power of Communication 

Communication is an integral part of effective leadership.  The shift to a virtual environment has emphasised the importance of communication skills.  People who are good at communication in general are also good communicators online.  Effective communication involves shaping your message to get the response you need.  

[09:56] Leadership Starts With The Self 

Before you can lead individuals and organisations, you must be able to lead yourself first.  Renée shares the concept of Three Dimensional Leadership: Leading the Self, Leading and Influencing Decisions, and Leading Others. It must be applied in this order.  People who want to improve as leaders tend to skip the first part, because it’s easier to to think about how you will lead others.  Self leadership is challenging to most because you have to do all the work.  

[14:09] Living Life By Rules 

David sets his own personal rules and does his best not to break them.  Setting and following his rules gives him a sense of discipline and fulfilment.  You have to have clear goals. If you are not achieving your goals, you are not doing a good job of leading yourself.  It’s crucial to build habits around your rules and protect the time to accomplish them.  

[18:53] Lead By Example 

You can instill the value of self leadership in others by setting a good example of it.  How can you expect people to follow you if you’re not even leading yourself? Just like when building a house, with self leadership, you need to make sure that your foundation is solid.  

[22:30] When David Learned The Importance Of Presence 

David shares the story of an experience that helped him progress forward.  As a deputy principal in a primary school, David had so much on his plate that connecting with other teachers was his least priority.  A teacher in the school always visited and reached out to him, despite him dismissing her efforts to do so.  David regretted how he treated that teacher, but it taught him an important lesson — make time to be present.  

[25:17] Deep and Meaningful Connections  

Nowadays, people have been forming superficial connections with others.  Conversations have become more impulsive than intentional.  In the virtual space, team members have become more and more disengaged during meetings because they don’t have deep connections with their colleagues.  As leaders, it’s important to be open to your team members and be available when they need you — even virtually.  Maintaining meaningful connections with other people allows you to give them the space to express themselves.  

[32:12] The Great Rejuvenation  

The pandemic situation has exposed companies’ unfair treatments to employees, leading to a number of resignations.  David refers to this phenomenon as the spring after a long winter. Better opportunities have opened up to workers who yearn for better working conditions.  Also because of COVID-19, people realised the importance of having a healthy balance between the professional and personal life. This balance is crucial in leadership.  The changes in the past couple of years have caused an awakening in many workers about pursuing what you really desire.  

[38:04] David’s Leadership Inspiration 

David mentions that he admires political philosopher Michael Sandel as a leader.  He is impressed by his deep level of thinking and understanding of things.  Engaging with thinkers like Sandel helps you see things at a micro-level and put them into perspective.  David admires thinkers who are cognitively brilliant and have the amazing ability to communicate their ideas.  

[41:16] Limitless Leadership 

A limitless leader has no final destination. They learn and unlearn; they think and rethink.  Continuous development is essential in leadership. How can you help others grow if you, yourself is not growing? David mentions the four domains of life: physical, intellectual, spiritual, social — and how he ensures to allot time for the development of each domain.  Limitless leadership involves maintaining a healthy balance and continuous growth among the four domains.  

[44:29] David’s Mantra 

Achieve your goals by being clear with what you want and relentlessly pursuing it.  You will face obstacles along the way, but remember: the reward is bigger than the difficulty of the challenge.  

[47:11] Trivial Facts About David 

David’s favourite word is quintessential, because it sounds cool and has a great meaning.  He loves the background sound of the murmur of a large crowd.  If he would have one last meal, David would choose steak and apples.  Another profession that he is interested in is being a radio presenter.  

 

5 Powerful Quotes 

[6:26] “In every environment that we've been in, communication was important. Before COVID, it's important. Now, as we get used to the new normal it will be important forever. I think the virtual environment has simply emphasized the importance for that.”  

[17:59] “If you will remember, again, one thing from this, it is that leading yourself is important. A really good way to do that is to live your life by rules. Don't ever break those rules; set them up so that they directly pointed towards the goals, the things you want to achieve in life, and be absolutely relentless.”  

[25:03] “I think connecting at a very deep level these days is rare. I think a lot of people are over connected, if that makes sense. Yes, making [connections] with a lot of people at a topical level, not at what I call an essence level, very superficial level.” 

[37:16] “So I look at that as last year, the year before — messy in the middle and beautiful at the end. If you look for the things that can serve you and help you to be in service to others, which to me is what leadership is all about.” 

[46:00] “I'm stuck between two choices. I take the hard option, because it is almost always the better outcome. There are times where that's not quite right. But that most of the time, if I'm really stuck, I just say, ‘Well, what's the hardest? What's the harder one? What's the one that's going to take more from me, demand more of me?’ Because invariably, that has the better outcome.”  

About The Guest 

David Frizzell is the founder and host of Team Guru Podcast, a show that delivers quality content on the theories and principles of leadership.  He is also the Organisational Change and Comms Team of the Department of Housing and Public Works in Queensland, Australia.  

With Team Guru, he offers services and mentorships to those who want to improve themselves in the leadership arena. As a former educator, he is passionate in helping others discover their strengths to become limitless leaders.  

Enjoy This Podcast? 

Effective leadership starts with leading the self.  

If you enjoyed today's episode of Limitless Leadership Podcast, then hit subscribe now! 

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. 

For more updates and episodes, visit and subscribe on 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