Bright & Wize

Disclaimer: Apologies to non-sports fans, specifically non-hockey fans, for the analogy. It's just particularly fitting.

AI is already disrupting how we work. It will increase our productivity and change how we achieve our goals and responsibilities in profound ways. It is the latest evolution of the skills needed in the AI economy. Listen to hear how you can take advantage of this latest shift.

Strategic thinking, or being strategic, is often tossed around as a needed approach in the workplace. But what does it actually mean? Being strategic involves achieving short-term goals while keeping an eye on the future for potential opportunities or unforeseen consequences. 

Listen to hear more.

In this episode, Leslie Ferry and Pamela Coleman-Davis discuss the 3rd of 5 effective leadership attributes: Over-Communicates to Avoid Ambiguity.

In the 5th and final episode, Leslie Ferry and Pamela Coleman-Davis discuss the leadership attribute: Empowers Others Through Continuous Learning.

In their wrap-up of the series, they share how these five attributes contribute to a leader's trustworthiness.

In this episode, Leslie Ferry and Pamela Coleman-Davis discuss the 4th of 5 effective leadership attributes: Proactively Creates Culture.

In this episode, Leslie Ferry and Pamela Coleman-Davis discuss the 2nd of 5 effective leadership attributes:  Activates System 2 Critical Thinking for Problem-Solving.

In this year-end podcast series,  Pamela Coleman-Davis, a Certified Career Coach and The Modern Leadership Design program developer, joins Leslie Ferry. And they explore 5 attributes of effective leadership.

In this first episode, they start by defining the broader definition of leadership, which encompasses those who want to take ownership of their career, so a self-leader, to those who wish to demonstrate leadership before getting the title. 

They then move into the first attribute – Influences Others to Gain Cooperation.

For each attribute, Pam explains

• What each means
• Why it is important
• Actions to take to strengthen them
• And knowing if you are doing it correctly

 The other attributes will follow in separate episodes and include:

• Activates System 2 Critical Thinking for Problem-Solving
• Over-Communicates to Avoid Ambiguity
• Proactively Creates Culture
• Empowers Other Through Continuous Learning

This Bright & Wize episode discusses how job performance measurements change when individuals start to manage others, whether as a team lead or direct report manager.

The final topic of the Career Transitions and Performance Measurement series is leading others. It starts with two questions. Are you a manager or leader? How do you know? Listen to find out how to recognize your movement into the next career stage.

This episode series is the first of several year-end Bright & Wize weekly series. Here, Brize CEO & Bright & Wize host Leslie Ferry dives into performance measurement in the workplace. The reason she wanted to explore this topic is because once stated and understood, the performance measurement seems logical; some might even think, duh. But, the funny thing is they appear more subconscious and are not often explicitly stated in these ways, so she thought she’d explicitly say them.

This first episode looks at the transition from academia, where knowing the answer was the measure of good performance, into the workplace, where the measure of our performance differs.

In this thought-provoking episode, we explore how the ever-evolving work landscape and our individual career journeys shape the essential skills needed for thriving in today's careers.

Leslie Ferry, the host and Brize CEO, kicks things off by delving into how technology’s relentless progress reshapes the essence of work. It is no longer just about cognitive skills; it’s about elevating our cognitive abilities, fostering collaboration, and cultivating a positive mindset.

She then sheds light on the job performance measurements shift as we progress through our careers. 

These two factors have created the career profile she and her team at Brize have aptly coined “I3” (I cubed) – a career profile that blends Subject, Emotional, and Social Intelligence.

Listen to understand how these three pillars of intelligence converge to shape your path to success in the modern career landscape.

One of the most exciting aspects of work today is that we get to share our ideas for growth or solutions to problems. Work today is more ideation and less repetitive efforts. It is exciting to have the opportunity to positively impact our organization beyond our individual roles.

 To do that, we need to influence others and persuade them to give our ideas a try. How do you do that?

Many of us avoid thinking about our actions or approaches to work for various reasons. In this Bright & Wize podcast episode, Leslie Ferry delves into why we don't do it. But more importantly, she discusses the benefits of self-reflection, how to overcome the obstacles that prevent us from doing it, and how to get started.

Listen to understand the research proof of 20% higher productivity with self-analysis to work better, not harder.

Hearing we can do a better job in some areas can be disappointing. But with feedback, we can speed our growth. Listen to hear how to accept this tremendous give gracefully. And how you can help your colleagues provide helpful insights. (They may be concerned they will hurt your feelings.)

Brize CEO and host of the Bright & Wize podcast Leslie Ferry recently presented at a virtual tech conference where she shared her thoughts on what it takes to have a successful career in today’s digitally transformed work environment. 

She illustrates how repetitive job tasks have been automated (think Grammarly), and new job growth is in non-routine positions, which require employees to expand their current skills and mindsets. Leslie talks about how AI and digital transformation has created a new career success profile, which she refers to as I3, that integrates our natural intelligence, intention, and interaction.

Listen to hear what it means to work with intention and positive interaction and how to leverage your natural intelligence to do so. It starts with Leslie sharing, “The opportunity to work on meaningful projects, conceptualize and develop creative solutions to problems, or create new products or services no one else has imaged yet has never been greater. We all have the opportunity to impact our organization positively and accomplish personal satisfaction. It is an exciting time to be in the workforce.”

Mentors are a great source of guidance and advice on navigating our careers to realize our goals. They are generous with their time to share their experiences and lessons to help us accelerate our growth and avoid missteps. These exceptional connections start slowly and blossom into valued, long-term relationships. 

Leslie talks with Scott Montgomery on this topic. They discuss the seek-out versus attract mentor approach, the mentee's and mentor's responsibilities, and the benefits they've experienced, thanks to their mentors

After just buying her first home with her new husband, Leslie, Bright & Wize host and Brize Founder, was laid off. With a higher mortgage on top of car payments and other financial responsibilities, to say the stress and anxiety she was experiencing was extreme is an understatement.

But thanks to a commitment to her career growth and development, Leslie was able to land a new job within just about a month. You never know where a focus on career wellness will lead, but it is always worth the investment. 

Listen to hear how Leslie’s investment quickly led to an unexpected career opportunity, further supporting her goal of learning as much as possible about other functional areas.

It contributes to the great job performance opinion divide.

It is not a new phenomenon, but its reasons are evolving. There is a great job performance opinion divide. Many individuals can overestimate how well they are performing at work. They may believe they are producing superior quality, but their manager disagrees. This Bright & Wize podcast episode explores why many of us think we're knocking it out of the park, on top of our game, or accomplishing great things when our manager or boss has a different opinion.

Professional athletes have performance coaches. So should corporate professionals. Coaches guide a self-discovery process, helping us understand how we show up for work and growth opportunities that lead to stronger job performance with less stress and anxiety. 

In this Bright & Wize episode, Scott Montgomery joins Leslie again to share how career performance coaches significantly changed their careers and led to their passion for helping others experience the same benefits.

As they start, Scott clarifies the difference between a coach, mentor, and advisor. They then go on to discuss the benefits and some pitfalls of each.

Talking about pain and healing in the workplace may seem out-of-place. But that is the point, to shift our thinking about how we think about our pain (stress, anxiety, hurt) at work to clarify how we can address and manage it.

 In this episode, Dani Doucette, Modern Healing Artist at Healeology, joins Leslie to talk about pain and healing in the workplace. Dani shares his views on this unconventional but highly effective approach to work. 

The evolution of how we show up for work has transitioned from showing no emotions to the opportunity to bring our whole selves. When we do, we demonstrate vulnerability, which is positive. But it also brings the chance of feeling hurt, aggrieved, or harmed.

In this episode, you’ll hear how healing, pain, and forgiveness lead to greater individual and organizational productivity. And with that higher quality output comes lower work-related stress and anxiety.

What you’ll hear:

• How to categorize pain (stress, anxiety, hurt, etc.)
• How to identify the true source of pain 
• How to correct misunderstandings