Say It Skillfully® – Kristen O’Leary, Choose Kind & Change Lives!

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 209 is the 41st monthly feature of “Our Voices,” intended to accelerate social change that levels the playing field—helping everyone live to their full potential. The aim is for you to see a bit of yourself in these journeys, and embrace—we’re more similar than not. In this episode, Molly is joined by Evan Wolfson, who founded and led the Freedom to Marry campaign; winning marriage equality in the U.S. after a 30+ year battle. Sharing Evan’s world-changing movement wraps four years with VoiceAmerica. Thank you for the amazing opportunity to amplify so many amazing voices! Evan joins the show to share the story of his long battle for marriage rights, dating back to his time in college, where he wrote his thesis on same-sex marriage long before it was in the national conversation. He’d move on to appear before the supreme court, write a book on “Why Marriage Matters”, and found Freedom to Marry. As a kid, Evan saw law as a means to politics, government and shaping history—hear his career path to literally doing so. Many gems from his fight for marriage, and his mentality when faced with setbacks and feeling like the world is against him. Don’t miss Evan’s thoughts on what being an activist means, as well as how he felt when the battle for same-sex marriage rights was won with similar reasoning to his 1983 thesis. Then, we talk a bit about what’s next in the fight for a better world. Evan inspires us to know no boundaries and to commit to taking action so that all can be safe, seen and heard, and our true best selves. Molly’s thought for the week from renowned meditation teacher, Shinzen Young: “Untangle and be free.”

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Here is Episode 208 for you, featuring Paul Lambdin, owner of North Carolina staple Cary Car Care. Paul joins the show to share his story, from a struggle-filled childhood that had him and his brothers in a constant battle with his alcoholic father, to becoming an entrepreneur with a success story that will leave you inspired. Tune in to hear key moments and turning points from Paul’s come-up, as well as lessons he learned along the way on teamwork, self-belief and communication. Don’t miss Paul’s reflections on his journey, including an inside look on building a successful small business, how he is raising his family differently than he was raised, and how he finally let go of anger he’d been holding inside for a long time. Paul inspires us to know no boundaries and to commit to taking action so that all can be safe, seen and heard, and our true best selves. Molly’s thought for the week: The gap between knowing what you want and going after it is where fear thrives. You don’t need enough courage for the entire journey. You only need courage for the next step.

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Here is Episode 207 for you, featuring Top 100 Most Influential Yoga Teacher Alison West. Alison joins the show for a conversation about what she’s done, how she got there, and her biggest epiphanies along the way. She’s studied in almost every major yogic lineage including in India with the Iyengars and with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. She’s taught since the 80s and more recently founded “Yoga Union”, a premier NYC studio, as well as Yoga Union Backcare & Scoliosis Center. Don’t miss hearing the ups and downs of Alison’s journey, including an in depth look at moments of spiritual awakening, the process of learning and re-learning when it comes to different yoga lineages, and how she was drawn to yoga after originally being invested into ballet. Alison inspires us to know no boundaries and to commit to taking action so that all can be safe, seen and heard, and our true best selves. Molly’s thought for the week: “Increase the peace.”

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Here is Episode 206 for you – respected Canadian Armed Forces Officer Kelly Williamson’s unlikely journey inspires us to live up to our own potential. Kelly joins the show to share her story, starting with the massive change of scenery brought about by joining a military college after graduating from a performing arts high school. Hear captivating stories and insights from her journey throughout the process of attending military school and becoming an officer for the Canadian Armed Forces. She shares first-hand accounts of assisting with humanitarian aid in Afghanistan in 2011, Haiti in 2010, and Nepal in 2015. Don’t miss hearing lessons that Kelly learned along her amazing career, including the necessity of not being too proud to ask for help, and accepting that you might not “fit the mold.” Molly’s thought for the week (Thanks, Kelly): “Be kind, be brave, be you.”

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 205 features successful professionals and what’s top of mind for them. Molly’s first caller, Kris, is facing a situation that’s challenging emotionally and a significant new responsibility as he steps in to handle his grandmother’s finances. The bureaucracy, change of financial advisors, lack of responsiveness, and errors are extremely frustrating, yet he’s got to make it work. He and Molly talk about ways to reset his own mindset, so that Kris can create a productive relationship with the new advisor. Hear him reflect on his tendencies and embrace taking a step back to create space to move forward in a better way. Next Onwar, who is early in career, opens up about a defining career moment! He is in an apprentice program and being considered for a permanent position (which would be a gamechanger in his ability to support his family). He shares his non-traditional path into software engineering, as the college route proved not to be a fit for him, and learnings in navigating the corporate workplace. He and Molly talk about his strategy to understand the evaluation process and how best to position himself. And don’t miss Onwar’s openness to new ideas for how to reach out to his boss’ boss (16:15). Then Hugi is keen to reach out for paid board and consulting assignments and utilize his risk, automation and multicultural expertise. Molly suggests informational interviewing as a way to get to know organizations and building relationships to have an internal sponsor. With Latino heritage Hugi also asks about diversity as a dimension he brings. Molly offers thoughts for him in considering how an organization values diversity in the broadest sense and to be specific about the ways he can be value add (37:10). Tune in and learn how to navigate work and life while being invaluable and true to yourself! Molly’s thought for the week: “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” And—she invites you to check out her 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” In this post, click on the LinkedIn Learning logo under the video (on the left) to access free for 24 hours. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mollytschang_sayitskillfully-communicationskills-passion-activity-7099873982077657088-L-qC?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Here is Episode 204 for you – don’t miss the brilliant Bob Roth, widely considered one of the leading experts on Transcendental Meditation. Molly and Bob sit down and go over what meditation is, and how it can work for anyone, regardless of whether or not you believe in it. Hear all about Focus, Open Monitoring, and Self-Transcending, the three main branches of meditation. Bob explains he came to meditation in 1969, a time when those who practiced were “certifiably weird,” and even though he was “a practical sort of guy,” he had so much trust in and respect for his teacher, that he opened himself up to learning. Now, in 2023, he has devoted his life to bringing Transcendental Meditation to a million and counting children. Bob says his journey started as a way to lessen his stress and has ended up as “a tool to help make a big difference in the world.” Don’t miss Bob reminiscing on the 60s and 70s, reflecting on how meditation became a widespread movement back then, and maybe even saved his generation. The cultural uproar Bob remembers will help you fully understand why meditation going mainstream came at the perfect moment. Bob talks about how inspiring Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was to him because while everyone else fixated on his working with The Beatles, and that level of star-power could have gotten to his head, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi stayed completely focused on researching how meditation was beneficial to physical and mental health. Bob expands on what these health benefits are, explaining how he has helped establish forums for top medical researchers to look into the correlation between meditation and better health. Bob wraps up this episode by sharing his two keys to success in all areas of life. Tune in to hear what they are! Don’t miss this wisdom-filled episode of Say It Skillfully®! Molly’s thought for the week: Your body hears everything your mind says — Naomi Judd P.S. Bob leads to his full potential by communication to influence and inspire! To help you do the same, I created my 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” Here’s the link for free 24-hour access bit.ly/3sETIgg

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Here is Episode 203 for you – don’t miss the inspiring economist, Jeremy Bess, whose journey to success reminds us all to never give up, regardless of the adversities we may face. Jeremy reflects on his challenging teenage years, when he was functionally homeless and dependent on friends and his brother for a place to sleep. His decision to study economics at the University of Tampa was motivated by these years of uncertainty. This choice brought him to advising Fortune 500 companies starting when he was just 24 years old. Often facing push back for being so young in rooms full of older C-suite level executives, Jeremy now tries to lend a hand to the next generation interested in economics. Listen as Jeremy looks back and reflects on periods of stress and self-doubt. Today, he says, “I felt confident that if I just kept going that it would slowly figure itself out, which it kind of did.” Putting faith in yourself and luck has paid off big time! Tune in to hear Jeremy reflect on the philosophies of economics and how they affect your everyday life. His conversation with Molly developed into discussing how COVID was a shock, not just to him, but to the global economy. He tells how he thinks it changed the game, and how we are still feeling effects from this hit today. He offers advice on how to grow your business in a way that can last. Don’t miss this inspiring episode! Jeremy empowers us all to trust in ourselves and work hard. Molly’s thought for the week (Thank you Jeremy): Just work really, really hard. Keep going. P.S. Jeremy leads to his full potential by communication to influence and inspire! To help you do the same, I created my 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” Here’s the link for free 24-hour access bit.ly/3sETIgg

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 202 is the 40th monthly feature of “Our Voices,” intended to accelerate social change that levels the playing field—helping everyone live to their full potential. The aim is for you to see a bit of yourself in these journeys, and embrace—we’re more similar than not. In this episode, Molly is joined by Nozipho Tshabalala, a conversation strategist and global moderator. Nozi reflects on growing up in South Africa under Nelson Mandela, and how she inherited her parents’ strident work ethic. Their dedication to her education helped Nozi always set the highest bar for herself, fueled by “failing was not an option for me.” You’ll be surprised by how she picked her major! Her inner confidence stems from what her parents instilled: “I am smart, but I am capable, and I’m teachable.” Hear Nozi’s unlikely foray into one of the world’s biggest conglomerates, Tata Group (from none other than its chairman)! This led to unexpectedly shooting a documentary for CNBC Africa. She was on screen for only 15 seconds, but those 15 seconds changed her life. Only two weeks after the documentary aired, she was offered a news anchor position with CNBC Africa, covering development and finance (compelling her to delve into topics she knew zero about). Nozi knew the first time she moderated live that it was her calling. “Conversations are the birthplace of action, and in the absence of conversation, we absolutely get nothing done.” Today, family reigns supreme for Nozi. She has an intellectual match in her husband and a gift of a son. With her hard-earned stability, she paid for her mother to return to and graduate college as a newly certified teacher. Balancing motherhood on top of her constant travel for business is one of Nozi’s self-described top accomplishments. Don’t miss this inspiring episode. Nozi empowers us all to aim high and land high. Learn more at: http://www.theconversationstrategist.com/ and follow @therealnozi Molly’s thought for the week – a lyric that inspires Nozi, from Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey: “We were moving mountains long before we knew could.” P.S. Nozi leads to her full potential by communication to influence and inspire! To help you do the same, Molly created a 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” Here’s the link for free 24-hour access bit.ly/3sETIgg

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 201 features successful professionals and what’s top of mind for them. Listen to the full episode— Say It Skillfully: https://www.sayitskillfully.com/podcasts Laura from Connecticut (not NY...) calls in first for a new approach to a team member who delivers the sales numbers, BUT also over-delivers on negativity. This is not helping the team dynamic. Laura sees the person trying but the 2 steps forward and 3 back isn’t cutting it. Hear a few new strategies, including clarifying consequences for behavior that don’t serve the greater good.. Then Sean, after a fulfilling career in the military, opens up about his transition to private sector. He’s mindful of the culture shift and keen not to communicate in ways that may come across as “harsh.” He and Molly talk about the positives of experiencing a very different environment and embracing it so that the organization fully benefits from Sean being new and seeing things differently (13:35) Finally, Sophie shares her struggles in figuring out the appropriate approach to negotiating total compensation in start-up environments. An experienced COO, she reflects on the early days of leaving way too much on the table, as well as pivoting to the other extreme. Don’t miss a lively chat on making the most of comp discussions, including gaining key information around the people and culture fit that are crucial to assessing if an opportunity is right for you (33:35). Tune in and learn how to navigate work and life while being invaluable and true to yourself. Molly’s thought for the week: “Make a choice to build a life you don’t regularly need to escape from.” —Venus Williams And—Molly invites you to check out her 1st LinkedIn Learning course, “Leadership Communication in the Flow of Work.” In this post, click on the LinkedIn Learning logo under the video (on the left) to access free for 24 hours. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mollytschang_sayitskillfully-communicationskills-passion-activity-7099873982077657088-L-qC?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode #74 is Molly’s #1 “growth” episode for you. If you’ve had self-doubt, if you’ve been confused about what’s next… if you’re a parent, please have a listen (perhaps with your kids)—without judgment and with compassion. She hopes you’ll be a better you for doing so. Molly’s guest is Noah Fense, hip hop artist, entrepreneur, event curator, and founder of Foresee—a music and arts collective label (4C: Conscious Conduits Constantly Connected). He shares his journey; one that is simultaneously sobering, humbling and enlightening. After years of suffering from drug addiction, mental illness, homelessness, low self-confidence and legal issues, Noah rediscovered himself at his lowest and realized the unlimited potential that we all possess within. His spiritual awakening led to a complete transformation as he met the essence of his true self. “Calculated rhymes, carefully spiced and layered with thought-provoking word play, emotional concepts and storytelling, multisyllabic rhyme schemes, ill punchlines, hard bars and deep metaphors...” Noah now creates music with the intention to uplift and drops gems that if caught, can transform the listener into something greater than who they believed themselves to be. As he fulfills his potential, Noah inspires others to realize theirs. This episode will help you reconsider the meaning you give to life. Tune in and learn how to navigate life while being invaluable and true to yourself. More at www.noahfense.com and follow Noah on IG:@noahfensemusic and FB: @noahfensebeers Molly’s Thought for the Week, from a Taoist parable: “Who knows what is good and what is bad.”