245: The 7 Secrets of Influence

You can’t predict which career and life experiences will serve you in the future. Yet each one can prepare you for your next adventure if you become skillful in handling change. Terry Yoffe gives a masterclass in describing events from her early years and from her various jobs that helped prepare her to be an extraordinarily effective coach with her clients. 

Terry Yoffe is an Executive, Business and Career Coach. She has been coaching for over 20 years, after many years in both corporate and entrepreneurial roles. She brings an impressive breadth and depth of knowledge to her coaching and specializes in global business relations, which is critical to her work with international clients.

Terry helps her clients maximize their talents and achieve their full potential. She employs a two-step process: having the client clarify their goals and then developing a focused strategic plan.

Terry is also the host of the Extraordinary Work Podcast: Conversations about Creating Change.

You’ll discover: 

• The varied experiences that prepared Terry for her coaching career
• How she learned to deal with fear when stepping into the unknown
• Tips for speaking up and advocating for yourself
• What Terry does to guide clients to create changes in their lives

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Whether you’re an entrepreneur or leader of a team, you’ll benefit from the life wisdom that Gary Polk shares in this special conversation. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the value of failure or losses. Gary also explains why he’s a big believer in the triple bottom line, which includes “People, Planet, Profit.”  

Gary is a Black businessman, CEO, business consultant, university professor and author. For decades, he’s been passionate about entrepreneurs…and why they succeed or fail. 

His initial book, Why Entrepreneurs Fail (to Win), is widely used as a textbook in college entrepreneurship programs. He’s also written books with similar titles specifically for Black and Brown Entrepreneurs and for Women Entrepreneurs. Gary is committed to helping these leaders learn what they need to know so they can be as successful as possible. 

Gary is focused on the triple bottom line, “People, Planet, Profit,” and believes these 3 elements align to drive success for everyone involved. He’s a proponent of social entrepreneurship and launched the Polk Institute Foundation in January of 2021. 

You’ll discover: 

• Why all 3 of Gary’s books include “Fail (to Win)” in the title
• What failing can teach us
• Why Gary says EQ is more important than IQ
• The #1 value Gary emphasizes at Polk Institute
• How Social Entrepreneurship can fit into any business

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Many mergers and acquisitions are dismal failures, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Find out how Sikko Zoer created buy-in and achieved a positive transformation when combining two very different divisions after an acquisition. So many of the actions Sikko took can be used by leaders on a daily basis. 

Sikko has more than 15 years of experience in Healthcare and MedTech at Medtronic. He’s got a strong history of being a dependable executive leader who is driven by challenge, undeterred by obstacles, and committed to excellence in multiple areas, including operations, supply chain planning & optimization, logistics, IT, and marketing. 

These days Sikko is involved in several businesses. He offers Strategic Advice, Consulting, Coaching, Mentorship, and Interim Management through his own companies, Qwinn Consultancy and Supply Chain Companions. Sikko also serves as a Senior Advisor with The Boston Consulting Group.

Sikko loves bringing new insights and providing directions that make companies and their people successful and proud. He does this in a positive, optimistic, open, and respectful way, as you’ll learn in this conversation.

You’ll discover: 

• Issues Sikko encountered when combining two very different teams with very different mindsets
• What he did to get buy-in from stakeholders
• Ways that Sikko himself changed during the process
• How Sikko helped people shift from Victim to Owner mindset
• Why listening to understand was a critical skill for each person to develop

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Often leaders struggle with the best way to develop members of the younger generation entering the workforce. You’ll get great ideas and practical tips for Ariana Tadler in this high-energy conversation. Helping young adults create a successful career is a deep passion project for Ariana, based on her experience as an attorney, business owner, mentor, and mother. 

You’ll want to take notes because Ariana drops lots of gems that can guide you in strengthening your relationship with the younger members of your team. Her vulnerability, openness, and curiosity as a leader have helped her build a strong team in her own firm.

Ariana is the founding partner of Tadler Law LLP, a women-owned boutique law firm that offers an array of litigation and legal counseling services. Ariana is one of the leading women litigators in the country. She has 30 years’ experience advocating for consumers and investors against corporate fraud and abuse. 

Ariana is recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on electronic discovery. She pioneered the establishment of an e-Discovery Practice group within a plaintiffs’ firm structure 20 years ago. She’s also a professional and keynote speaker.

You’ll discover: 

• The 3 core areas Ariana focuses on when mentoring young professionals
• Why communicating effectively in the workplace is challenging for those in the 18-35 age group
• How Ariana works with the young people in her firm
• What she does to help everyone on her team have open, honest conversations
• Actions Ariana takes to help young adults develop into strong leaders 

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Want to get some practical tips for being an effective leader and hear some unforgettable stories at the same time? This conversation with Ron Reich is a must-listen! Ron draws from his own experiences in the corporate world and from his 30 years of training and development and consulting experience. You’ll come away with new ideas for handling situations that are within your control—and for those outside your control. 

Ron’s background is broad based, having worked for some major organizations such as Toshiba, The Chubb Corporation, and Organon Pharmaceuticals.

The majority of his work through these years has focused on leadership and management development, along with corporate training and organizational development. 

Ron is passionate about the work he does and makes the workshops as interactive as possible. His only request is for participants to arrive ready to participate and have some fun along the way. For my listeners, I know you’re going to have fun listening to our conversation, and you’ll get some valuable take-aways along the way.

You’ll discover: 

• The importance of setting expectations and getting agreement with members of your team
• Ways to create psychological safety so others are open and honest with you and with each other
• An experience one CEO had as a child that moved him to tears as he shared it with his C-suite team
• Why one of Ron’s mantras is “Stay out of the results business.”
• How you can use PRD to stay calm and respond appropriately when unexpected situations arise

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What comes to mind when you hear the word SWAGGER? If it has a negative connotation for you, prepare to be persuaded differently! Jennifer Mrozek Sukalo has created a powerful acronym that we explore in this lively conversation, based on her new book, Claim Your SWAGGER: Stop Surviving and Start Thriving. You are sure to want to take notes as we discuss important concepts like self-worth, self-limiting beliefs, and gratitude.  

Jennifer is an exceptional guide in the realm of leadership and personal development. She’s focused on empowering individuals to unleash their potential by reshaping the way they think, act, and behave. 

Jennifer has more than thirty years’ experience working with individuals, cancer survivors, leaders, and multinational Fortune 500 companies. Her influence has positively impacted more than 50,000 leaders in 18 countries across the globe.

With a science-based educational foundation in behavioral change and a wealth of practical knowledge, Jennifer excels at helping people learn to harness their mental power and use what they already have to foster positive life changes, transforming themselves and the world around them.

You’ll discover: 

• The Power of 3 Ps for creating new behavior patterns that last
• Jennifer’s opportunity to practice patience when getting a new mobile phone
• 3 aspects of self-worth that are driven by external factors
• How Acts of Kindness help you expand your feelings of worthiness
• Why REP (Recognize, Evaluate, Pivot) is a winning strategy for removing limiting beliefs and replacing them with more powerful ones

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A lot of emphasis is placed on leadership behaviors, but it all starts within. What must a leader do to master Self? In this value-packed conversation with Craig Dowden, you’ll learn about the 7 areas included in his best-selling book, A Time to Lead: Mastering Your Self… So You Can Master Your World. Craig unpacks what leaders can do in each of these areas to prepare themselves to be more effective in their roles. 

Craig is a highly respected executive coach with the Forbes Coaches Council as well as an award-winning speaker who delivers interactive, evidence-based workshops that translate the science of leadership, team, and organizational excellence into everyday practice. 

His podcast, Do Good to Lead Well, which is based on the title of his first bestseller, is rated in the top 0.5% of podcasts in the world. Each week, Craig speaks with top CEOs, fellow bestselling authors, and global thought leaders to share their experience and expertise with his audience. 

Craig has been a regular contributor to, and featured expert in, top-tier leadership and business publications including Forbes, Fast Company, the Financial Post, the Huffington Post, Financial Times, the Globe and Mail, and Psychology Today.

You’ll discover: 

• The top 2 areas of self-mastery that most leaders struggle with
• Why a growth mindset is the foundation for all the other areas
• The importance of recognizing and mastering your emotions
• What you must do before asking someone to give you feedback
• Some cautions and guidelines around authentic leadership

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Do you remember Neo’s choice of the blue pill or the red pill in the movie, The Matrix? Angela Cusack explores this choice in the context of leaders and their ability to decide on the level of integrity they want to have with themselves and with others. It all hinges on the desire to break through illusions that keep us safe and do the work to become more self-aware through deep reflection. 

In this important conversation, Angela shares key concepts from her book, Discover The Matrix, Integrity: The True Mark of Leadership. She shares her own journey, as well as some of her clients, in discovering how to “explore the space between.” 

Angela is the founder of Igniting Success and she’s often called a company’s secret weapon – she works with C-suite execs & what she does is so transformative that it impacts the entire organization. 

She’s a Master Certified Coach and has provided mentor coaching and supervision for coaches over the past 15 years to help them prepare for certification as PCC or MCC.

You’ll discover: 

• How the book’s title and contents tie in with the movie, The Matrix
• Why Angela says integrity with self is the starting point of having integrity with others
• What Angela means by “exploring the space between” and why it’s important for leader
• The illusions we can have about ourselves that hold us back
• Why “permission to unzip” is vital to becoming an authentic leader

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What’s the difference between a Learn-It-All leader and a Know-It-All Leader? That’s just one of many questions Damon Lembi answers in this value-packed conversation. Damon is an excellent example of a leader who’s been focused on his own growth and equally committed to helping members of his team become the best versions of themselves. 

For nearly three decades as CEO, Damon has led his company, Learnit, through the ever-changing landscape of Learning and Development, gaining insight into what works, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competition. 

Coming to business from a career in baseball, Damon brings an athlete’s perspective on leadership and training to his informal mentoring of executives. He’s distilled those hard-won insights into his bestselling book, The Learn-It-All Leader—Mindset, Traits, and Tools. 

You’ll discover: 

• Leadership lessons Damon learned from the 3 Hall of Fame Baseball Coaches he worked with in college
• The distinction Damon makes between Being and Doing when it comes to leader behaviors
• Why Damon hires for potential instead of experience
• Reasons he prizes Curiosity as a key leadership skill
• What the Trust Tax is and why it’s an important payment to make

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What’s the evidence that women face unique hurdles in advancing to executive leadership roles? Jennifer McCollum shares the data based on 25+ years of research conducted by Linkage. The facts are real. In this conversation, we focus on the actions women can take to overcome these hurdles – and what men can do to be effective allies and executive sponsors. You will love Jennifer’s passion for this topic and her transparency in describing some of her own experiences. 

Jennifer is the former CEO of Linkage, a SHRM company, where she oversaw the strategic direction and global operations of this leadership development firm. Linkage’s mission is to “Change the Face of Leadership” and over the past 35 years the company has been dedicated to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally. 

Jennifer has 20 years of experience building and leading businesses in the leadership space. She’s a highly sought-after consultant and speaker, with deep expertise in Inclusive Leadership and Advancing Women Leaders. 

She’s a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and the author of the new book, In Her Own Voice: A Woman’s Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership. Highly recommended for women and men alike!

You’ll discover: 

• Why the Inner Critic is the “uber” hurdle that impacts the other 7
• How the Compassion Center’s 4 steps can help you shift from judging yourself or others
• The distinction between External Bias and Internal Bias
• The importance of Recognized Confidence, a step beyond self-confidence
• What men can do to support women and the role of Executive Sponsorship

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