Have you ever felt like you couldn't be your true self at work? Maybe you felt like you had to hide certain aspects of your personality, or you felt pressure to conform to a certain image or standard. If so, you're not alone!

Join Anders Boulanger and his featured guest Michael Kerr, a Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame inductee. He is an international business speaker, a very funny motivational speaker, and a workshop trainer.

This episode tackles why authenticity is key to building strong relationships with colleagues and superiors while maintaining a professional demeanor.

Watch the full episode on our Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/zt2KotC3kv0

Stay in the loop and never miss an episode - hit that subscribe button and ring the notification bell!

Our host Anders Boulanger is the founder of Engagify who is dedicated to teaching people in business how to be most effectively understood and heard. He shares that he loves teaching others how to become more engaging. He's looking to interview those in the role of Director of Sale Enablement, VP of Marketing, or VP of Sales at an industry-agnostic company based in the US.

If you share the same passion, you can be our next guest on the show. Visit our website: https://go.engagify.ai/podcast-guest to apply.

Want to learn more about Anders and his work? Check out Engagify's website at https://engagify.ai/. You can also connect using your favorite social media platforms:

https://www.facebook.com/GetEngagified

https://www.linkedin.com/company/getengagify/

https://twitter.com/GetEngagified

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrXgsV2Syqpj5tWnO6dRfLA

WELCOME TO ANOTHER EPISODE OF ENGAGING PERSONALITIES.

WE'RE HAVING A GUEST BACK.

UM THIS GIVES ME PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE AN

AUTHOR OF EIGHT BOOKS INCLUDING THE

JERK FREE WORKPLACE.

HE'S A HALL OF FAME SPEAKER AND HE'S

A WORKPLACE CULTURE EXPERT.

AND ONE OF THE FUNNIEST GUYS I KNOW,

PLEASE WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM,

MR MIKE, HER MIKE.

HEY, GOOD MORNING.

HELLO, EVERYONE.

UH I'VE GOT MY OFFICIAL GOOD MORNING SIGN

ACTUALLY READY TO GO.

HOW ARE YOU,

ANDRE? GOOD,

GOOD, GOOD,

GOOD. UM THANKS FOR COMING BACK AND

I BROUGHT YOU BACK BECAUSE UH I MEAN,

WORKPLACE CULTURE,

THINGS ARE CHANGING IN TERMS OF UH

WORK FROM HOME,

IN TERMS OF COVID STUFF HAPPENING.

UH VIRTUAL HAS CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS

AND I WANTED TO UH UM BRING ON THIS TOPIC

OF AUTHENTICITY VERSUS PROFESSIONALISM AND

KIND OF AND,

AND JUST TO KIND OF PREF FRAME THIS BEFORE

WE, WE DIG INTO IT.

I FIND MYSELF GIVING ALMOST OPPOSING ADVICE,

RIGHT? SOMETIMES.

SO I'M TRAINING SALESPEOPLE TO BE

MORE ENGAGING,

WHETHER IT'S ONLINE OR IN PERSON OR,

YOU KNOW,

IN INTERACTIONS AND SOMETIMES I'M TRYING

TO GET THEM TO DO THINGS THAT ARE AGAINST

THEIR NATURE,

RIGHT? TO KIND OF,

AND, AND SO YOU'RE,

AND THEN YOU'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT,

WE WANT TO BE PROFESSIONAL AND WE,

IT'S LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO COVER UP

THINGS AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO BRING

OUT THINGS AND IT'S KIND OF ALMOST LIKE

THERE'S OPPOSING THING.

SO I WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLORE THIS TOPIC

WITH YOU AND,

AND, AND KIND OF,

UM, GET AT IT.

SO LET'S START OFF WITH AUTHENTICITY AND

PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONALISM.

ARE THEY AT ODDS WITH EACH OTHER OR

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

I DON'T THINK SO.

NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU WERE SAYING JUST

EARLIER AND,

AND THAT IS IT,

IT'S AN INTERESTING TOPIC,

RIGHT? BECAUSE WE TALK,

SOMETIMES WE,

WE GIVE ADVICE TO ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT PROFESSIONALS,

YOU KNOW,

BE YOURSELF,

YOU HAVE TO BE YOURSELF.

BUT THEN A FEW MINUTES LATER IT'S,

WELL, NOT THAT SELF,

MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT SELF

THAN THAT SELF.

BUT NO, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE OPPOSING

FORCES. IN FACT,

THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS TOPIC IS IF

YOU WANT TO BE MORE PROFESSIONAL,

YOU NEED TO BE MORE AUTHENTIC AND AUTHENTICITY

WILL HELP YOU BE MORE PROFESSIONAL.

WHETHER YOU'RE A LEADER,

WHETHER YOU'RE IN SALES,

WHETHER YOU'RE A PRESENTER,

BEING MORE AUTHENTIC WILL HELP YOU COME

ACROSS AS A TRUE PROFESSIONAL.

INTERESTING TAKE ON THAT.

OK. NOW I'M JUST GONNA PUSH YOU ON

THAT MIKE JUST A BIT BECAUSE I THINK MAYBE

IF WE DEFINE AUTHENTICITY IN A CERTAIN WAY

BECAUSE I THINK LET'S,

LET'S LET'S TAKE,

FOR EXAMPLE,

THE VIRTUAL SIDE OF THINGS,

RIGHT? YOU KNOW,

UM, NOT CURATING YOUR BACKGROUND OR

SOMETHING LIKE IT'S JUST A PIG STY

BACK THERE.

HEY, THAT'S ME.

THAT'S THE WAY I LIVE.

THAT'S THE AUTHENTIC ME.

RIGHT. YEAH.

TO ME THAT DOES KIND OF FLY IN THE FACE

OF THE PROFESSIONALISM A LITTLE BIT.

SO, UM, FOR SURE.

YEAH. AND WHAT,

WHAT WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR ON,

YOU KNOW,

AND, AND IT'S BECOME A BIT OF A BUZZWORD

LATELY, RIGHT?

AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP.

BRING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF TO WORK.

UH AND OF COURSE,

WE DO HAVE TO CLARIFY THAT THERE HAS

TO BE BOUNDARIES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT YOUR

AUTHENTIC SELF.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF

THAT YOU WERE AT THREE O'CLOCK IN

THE MORNING WHEN YOUR DOG WAS THROWING UP

ON THE CARPET IN THE LIVING ROOM.

NOT THAT SELF.

OF COURSE,

WE, WE STILL HAVE TO BE PROFESSIONAL.

WE WANT TO,

TO BE RESPECTFUL.

WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE COMMUNICATING,

HOW WE'RE COMING ACROSS EVERYTHING FROM

HOW, HOW WE DRESS.

I MEAN, AS YOU SAID,

THAT'S A GREAT BACKGROUND,

RIGHT? OUR,

OUR BACK.

YEAH, THAT,

THAT'S RIGHT.

HEY, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.

THAT'S HOW I LIVE.

MY OFFICE IS A PIG'S TIE,

RIGHT? OR UH YOU KNOW,

THIS IS JUST HOW I DRESS OR,

OR I, I CURSE LIKE A SAILOR.

THAT'S I'M JUST BEING THE REAL ME

HERE. I, I JUST CURSE LIKE A SAILOR.

SO LIVE WITH IT.

SO OF COURSE THERE IS THAT OPPOSING FORCE.

SO I THINK,

I THINK WE DO HAVE TO DEFINE IT UH

TO MAKE SURE WE,

WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT SINCE WE KNOW THAT AUTHENTICITY,

WHEN WE SEE PEOPLE,

WHEN WE THINK PEOPLE ARE BEING MORE AUTHENTIC,

BEING MORE GENUINE,

BEING MORE REAL,

WE KNOW THAT IT MAKES THEM MORE APPROACHABLE,

MORE LIKABLE.

I THINK WE TRUST THEM MORE.

IT HELPS CREATE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IN

TEAMS IN THE WORKPLACE.

EVEN WHEN YOU'RE DOING A PRESENTATION,

I THINK IT CREATES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

WHEN YOU SEE THE PRESENTER BEING AUTHENTIC

AND REAL AND VULNERABLE,

WHICH IS KIND OF A SUB ASPECT OF AUTHENTICITY.

SO I THINK WITH,

WITH THAT DEFINITION IN MIND,

I THINK OF COURSE IT HELPS YOU BE MORE

PROFESSIONAL.

YEAH, AND,

AND THIS DOES REMIND ME AND WE KIND OF

TOUCHED ON THIS JUST IN THE,

IN THE GREEN ROOM IF YOU WILL UM ABOUT

MISTAKES,

YOU KNOW,

HUMANIZE US,

RIGHT? AND,

AND THIS,

OH, THAT'S A BONEHEAD MOVE RIGHT THERE.

YEAH. THERE,

THERE YOU GO.

UH SO, SO THIS IDEA THAT,

YEAH, THAT IF THINGS ARE TOO PERFECT,

SOMETIMES IT IS UM YOU KNOW,

UH FORGETTABLE OR SOMETHING,

RIGHT? LIKE,

YEAH, THERE THERE'S ALMOST A DANGER AND

AS PRESENTERS,

WE KNOW THIS EVEN AND I'VE ACTUALLY HAD

THIS FEEDBACK SOMETIMES OVER THE YEAR

WHERE WHERE UM PEOPLE DON'T TRUST YOUR

MESSAGE IF IT'S TOO SLICK,

IF IT COMES ACROSS SO PROGRAMMED,

LIKE YOU JUST PULL THE STRING AND IT'S

JUST COMING OUT,

WORD FOR WORD AND THEY DON'T SEE ANY

KIND OF REAL CONNECTION WITH THE AUDIENCE.

THEN PEOPLE DON'T TRUST YOU AND THEY

DON'T TRUST THE MESSAGE THEREFORE.

AND IT'S INTERESTING YOU TALK ABOUT MISTAKES.

I COACH A LOT OF SPEAKERS OVER OVER THE

YEARS AND WHEN I'M COACHING,

ESPECIALLY SENIOR EXECUTIVES,

I ALMOST ALWAYS HAVE THIS SITUATION WHERE

A SENIOR EXECUTIVE IS PRESENTING THEIR

MATERIAL AND THEY GO INTO SPEAKER MODE,

RIGHT? OR,

OR LEADER MODE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEIR

WHOLE PERSONA CHANGES,

THEIR VOICE CHANGES,

THEIR MANNERISMS CHANGE.

AND NO, I,

I'M A SPEAKER AND THEY'RE TALKING BLAH,

BLAH, BLAH.

I LIKE THIS ROBOT ALMOST.

AND THEN THEY MAKE A MISTAKE AND IT'S

SO FASCINATING WHAT HAPPENS BECAUSE THEY'LL

LAUGH, THEY'LL VERY OFTEN STEP OUT

OF THEMSELVES ALMOST.

IT'S LIKE THEY'RE STEPPING OUT OF

THEIR BODY BECAUSE THEY'LL TAKE A

STEP OVER FROM THEMSELVES AND THEY'LL LAUGH

AND THEY'LL GO,

CAN WE START OVER AND THEN THEY JUST

TALK VERY NORMALLY,

VERY CONVERSATIONALLY.

AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE POINT WHERE I

GO THERE.

THAT'S THE PERSON.

WE ALL WANT TO HEAR THIS PERSON,

NOT THE ROBOT PERSON BEFORE THAT PERSON.

SO THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT MAKING MISTAKES

THAT JUST HELPS US,

I THINK, BE MORE,

MORE HUMAN,

MORE REAL,

MORE GENUINE,

THOSE FACADES FALL DOWN,

THOSE MASKS FALL DOWN THAT WE SOMETIMES WEAR

AND, AND AGAIN,

IT MAKES US VULNERABLE AND I THINK BEING

VULNERABLE LIKE THAT HELPS US AGAIN TO

BUILD TRUST BECAUSE WE COME ACROSS MORE

GENUINELY.

YEAH. YEAH.

AND, AND I THINK YOU,

YOU, YOU BRING UP A POINT THERE THAT,

THAT IDEA THAT PROFESSIONALISM SOMETIMES IS

LIKE THE,

THE SUIT THAT WE PUT ON,

RIGHT? LIKE,

OR THE, THE,

THIS KIND OF,

UM, YOU KNOW,

PROFESSIONALISM,

RIGHT? AND,

UH, AGAIN,

GOING BACK TO THE PRE PRESENTATION THING

YOU TALKED ABOUT,

I ALWAYS FELT THERE WAS LIKE TWO DIFFERENT

PRESENTATIONS.

THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SHOWS,

YOU KNOW,

MY BACKGROUND BEING A MAGICIAN IS THE

SHOW YOU WANT TO DO.

AND THEN THE SHOW,

THE AUDIENCE NEEDS RIGHT IN,

IN THE MOMENT.

AND, AND WHEN I WANTED,

WHEN I KNEW THERE WAS A VIDEO RECORD,

I MEAN, UH WE WERE RECORDING IT FOR

A PER VIDEO OR WHATEVER.

IT'S LIKE I WANTED IT TO BE,

YOU KNOW,

LIKE I WANTED IT TO BE THE SHOW.

I WANTED IT,

RIGHT? UH AND YET BECAUSE THAT'S HOW

I WANTED TO PRESENT IT,

BUT IT NEVER,

I WOULD ALWAYS THEN,

YOU KNOW,

GO TO THE AUDIENCE AND GIVE THEM WHAT

THEY NEED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WAS RIGHT

IN THE MOMENT,

RIGHT? SO,

UM BUT YEAH,

FINDING THAT THAT THING.

SO LET'S JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

AND DEFINE PROFESSIONALISM THEN LIKE,

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE PROFESSIONALISM?

WELL, TO,

TO ME PROFESSIONALISM TIES INTO ACCOUNTABILITY,

IT TIES INTO,

AGAIN, THAT NOTION OF TRUST.

I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

HERE IS TRUST,

RIGHT? SO BEING PROFESSIONAL TO ME

IS MAKING SURE YOU,

YOU DELIVER ON YOUR PROMISE,

YOU DELIVER ON YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE,

PROMISE YOUR BRAND PROMISE,

WHATEVER THAT MAY BE THAT YOU'RE ENGAGING

WITH PEOPLE IN A RESPECTFUL WAY,

BUT ALSO IN AN HONEST WAY,

RIGHT? I I IT'S,

IT'S NOT PROFESSIONAL TO ENGAGE WITH

PEOPLE IN A DISHONEST WAY.

AND AGAIN,

I THINK THERE'S A CONNECTION TO AUTHENTICITY

THERE AS WELL.

ONE OF THE REASONS WE MISTRUST DISTRUST PEOPLE

IS IF WE GET THE SENSE THAT THEY'RE NOT

BEING AUTHENTIC,

EVEN AT A SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL,

IF WE THINK THERE'S SOMETHING OFF BETWEEN

MAYBE THEIR FACIAL EXPRESSION AND THEIR

WORDS OR THEIR ACTIONS AND THEIR WORDS

OR THEIR TONE OF VOICE AND THEIR WORD

OR WHATEVER IT IS,

EVEN AT A JUST MICRO LEVEL THAT SENDS

A SIGNAL TO OUR MIND,

IT DISTRACTS US ALMOST AND WE START TO

THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF I TRUST THIS

PERSON OR NOT.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF I TRUST THEIR MESSAGE

OR NOT. SO AGAIN,

THOSE THINGS ARE TIED TOGETHER IN MY

MIND. BEING PROFESSIONAL IS ABOUT,

OF COURSE,

PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD,

BUT PUTTING YOUR BEST AUTHENTIC FOOT

FORWARD IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

YEAH. AND,

AND YOU KNOW,

HERE, HERE AT MY COMPANY,

WE DEFINE PROFESSIONALISM IS ONE OF

OUR, OUR CORE,

YOU KNOW,

VALUES AND WE DEFINE IT AS MASTERING THE

DETAILS THAT MATTER.

I LOVE THAT.

YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

RIGHT. SO UH TAKING CARE OF ALL THE

DETAILS AND THE,

AND THE ONES THAT MATTER BECAUSE AND

IT AND IT MAKES ME THINK,

LIKE, YOU KNOW,

I, I'M NOT WEARING A DRESS SHIRT EVERY

DAY AT THE OFFICE IF,

IF IT'S JUST ME OR WHATEVER,

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

LIKE, IT'S LIKE THERE ARE THE TIMES,

YOU KNOW,

IT'S, IT'S,

IT'S LIKE WHEN IT MATTERS,

RISING TO THE OCCASION AND MAKING SURE

THINGS ARE ON POINT.

RIGHT. THINGS THAT THEY'RE THERE.

AND I HAVE TO ADMIT YESTERDAY,

UH, IT WAS A HOLIDAY IN,

IN CANADA.

RIGHT. AND,

UH, AND I ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING WITH

A VENDOR IN THE UK AND I TOTALLY FORGOT

ABOUT IT.

SO I JUMPED ON THE ZOOM CALL,

YOU KNOW,

LIKE, HADN'T SHAVED T-SHIRT ON AND

I WAS KIND OF LIKE,

I WAS KIND OF EMBARRASSED.

RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST NOT THE

WAY THAT I NORMALLY PRESENT.

RIGHT. IN,

IN, IN THAT SENSE.

UM, SO I WAS VERY AUTHENTIC.

LET'S CALL IT THAT FOR,

YOU KNOW,

AAA MORNING MORNING THAT I WASN'T GONNA

BE WORKING.

UM, BUT YEAH,

PROFESSIONALISM,

I, I FEEL LIKE TOO,

IT'S, IT'S ALMOST LIKE MEETING THE

EXPECTATIONS OF THE CONTEXT.

DO YOU THINK OF THAT AS A DEFINITION?

YEAH, I'D LIKE THAT MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS

OF THE CONTEXT BECAUSE OF COURSE,

UH, THINGS CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT,

DEPENDING ON THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM,

DEPENDING ON THE,

THE SITUATION,

THE EVENT,

THE TYPE OF MEETING YOU'RE IN OF THE

COMPANY. RIGHT.

FOR SURE,

FOR SURE.

YEAH, ALL OF THAT.

SO IT'S VERY CONTEXT SPECIFIC.

I HAVE THIS CONVERSATION THOUGH,

ESPECIALLY WITH SENIOR LEADERS A LOT.

IN FACT, A GROUP OF CEO SI WAS SPEAKING TO

RECENTLY,

WE GOT INTO THIS DISCUSSION OF,

OF WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PROFESSIONAL AND

NOT BE PROFESSIONAL AND GOING DOWN THIS

REALLY INTERESTING CONVERSATION ABOUT

HOW IT, IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT FOR SENIOR

LEADERS SOMETIMES TO,

TO UH LET THEIR GUARDS DOWN AND BE

GOOFY EVEN SOMETIMES BE SILLY SOMETIMES EVEN

THOUGH THAT MIGHT SEEM THE POLAR OPPOSITE

OF BEING PROFESSIONAL.

BUT IN FACT,

IN THE BIG PICTURE,

IN THE LONG TERM SENSE,

THAT'S INCREDIBLY PROFESSIONAL BECAUSE

THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF SENIOR LEADERS

NEED TO DO TO BUILD TRUST,

TO BUILD THEIR CULTURE,

TO BUILD SUPPORT IN TEAMS UH IS IS

TO PRESENT THAT SIDE OF THEM TO THEIR

PEOPLE. SOMETIMES I,

I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING AS

LEADERS TOO.

AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,

MIKE IS FOR THE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE

COMPANY TO EMBRACE WHO THEY FULLY ARE

AND TO BE ABLE TO BE THEMSELVES,

YOU KNOW,

IN TERMS OF A CULTURE FOR,

FOR SURE.

YOU KNOW,

WHEN I, I'VE INTERVIEWED UH EMPLOYEES AND

LEADERS IN COMPANIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND SO OFTEN WHEN I'VE GONE INTO WHAT

I WOULD CALL TRULY INSPIRING WORKPLACES THAT

ARE JUST ROCKING IT.

THOSE COMPANIES THAT ARE LISTED AS

THE BEST PLACE TO WORK AND ARE JUST KILLING

IT WITH THEIR CULTURE.

TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

WHEN I INTERVIEW THE EMPLOYEES,

WHAT DOES IT MAKE?

WHY, WHY IS THIS PLACE SUCH A ROCKING PLACE

TO WORK. THEY WILL SAY TO ME,

YOU KNOW,

IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST JOB

I'VE EVER HAD WHERE I CAN JUST FEEL

FREE TO BE MY REAL SELF.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO TALK IN

THIS FAKE WAY.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO PUT ON

THIS FAKE FACADE.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO THAT,

THINK ABOUT THAT,

WHEN YOU WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE

YOU FEEL YOU CAN'T BE YOURSELF.

WHEN YOU FEEL EVEN THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN

YOUR PERSONAL VALUES AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES,

THERE'S A MENTAL TOLL THERE.

I WOULD SUGGEST,

IN FACT, I WOULD SUGGEST THERE'S A

PHYSICAL TOLL ON YOUR BODY.

THERE'S A MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DRAIN ON

US WHEN WE CANNOT JUST BE OURSELVES.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE PART OF OUR BRAIN HAS

TO GO INTO OVERDRIVE MODE AND,

AND PLAY THIS DUAL ROLE AND OF COURSE,

THAT'S GONNA SUCK UP A LOT OF ENERGY.

BUT YEAH,

BECAUSE YOU'RE BEING IN A YEAH,

IT'S, IT'S,

IT'S KIND OF LIKE IT TAKES MORE EFFORT

TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR LIES,

TO BE HONEST,

RIGHT. YEAH.

UH WE GOT,

WE GOT A QUESTION FROM UH RICHARD LABEL.

HOW DO YOU TRAIN LEADERS TO BE THEMSELVES?

SO, MIKE,

WHAT, WHAT,

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WHEN YOU,

WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET LEADERS TO,

TO BRING MORE OF THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES?

YEAH, RICHARD,

THAT'S LIKE,

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND IT'S AN

INTERESTING QUESTION,

RIGHT? CAN YOU TRAIN SOMEBODY TO BE

AUTHENTIC.

YOU KNOW,

I'M, I'M PRACTICING IT BEING SINCERE.

I'M FAKING IT.

THERE'S ALL SORTS OF QUOTES ABOUT THAT.

I THINK GEORGE BURNS VERY GREAT.

YEAH. IF YOU,

IF YOU CAN FAKE SINCERITY,

YOU'VE GOT IT MADE.

RIGHT. SO CAN YOU REALLY TRAIN SOMEBODY?

I THINK PART OF IT,

I, I THINK YOU CAN,

AND I'VE COACHED LEADERS AND WORKED WITH

LEADERS AND,

AND I THINK YOU CAN,

PART OF IT IS JUST RAISING AWARENESS AND,

AND PART OF IT IS GETTING INTO,

I THINK A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT

SOME OF THEIR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT LEADERSHIP

AND ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HOW BUSINESS AND

WORKPLACES OPERATE AND CHALLENGING THOSE

ASSUMPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE MAYBE BROUGHT

ALONG WITH THEM FROM JOB TO JOB OR

OVER THE THE SPAN OF THEIR CAREER.

AND THAT'S THE PROFESSIONALISM BUTTONED

UP, KIND OF KNOW THAT I CAN'T,

I'M NOT GONNA BE SEEN AS BEING PROFESSIONAL

IF I DO THIS.

SO I THINK HELPING THEM SEE THAT,

THAT, THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

I THINK SHARING EXAMPLES OF LEADERS THAT

DO THINGS THAT,

THAT WHERE THEY PRESENT THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES

UH AND ACHIEVE GREAT RESULTS BY DOING

SO. SO I THINK SHARING THOSE STORIES CAN

CERTAINLY HELP.

I THINK AS WELL,

COACHING AND TRAINING LEADERS ON BECAUSE

A LOT OF THIS COMES DOWN TO SELF AWARENESS,

I THINK, RIGHT,

IF YOU, IF YOU'RE NOT SELF-AWARE AS

A LEADER,

I THINK THIS TOPIC IS GOING TO CHALLENGE YOU

A LITTLE BIT.

SO IT REALLY IS ABOUT ENCOURAGING LEADERS

TO LOOK INWARD,

TO BE MORE SELF AWARE,

UH TO THINK ABOUT THEIR OWN ACCOUNTABILITY TO

THEIR PEOPLE AND HOW ARE THEY COMING ACROSS?

AND THAT MIGHT INVOLVE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM

THEIR PEERS,

FEEDBACK FROM THEIR EMPLOYEES WORKING WITH

A COACH, BUT REALLY TAKING A HARD LOOK

AT THEIR OWN LEADERSHIP STYLE AND JUST

ASKING THEMSELVES I,

AM I COMING ACROSS REAL AM I DO?

I FEEL LIKE I'M,

I'M LIVING MY PERSONAL VALUES WHEN I

COME INTO WORK OR DO I HAVE TO LEAVE THEM

AT THE DOOR AT EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE

MORNING? DO I FEEL LIKE I CAN BE VULNERABLE

WITH MY EMPLOYEES?

AND WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE?

BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THERE'S A

LINE THERE TOO,

RIGHT? BEING AUTHENTIC DOESN'T MEAN

THAT, YOU KNOW,

I'M GOING TO USE MY TEAM AS MY GROUP

THERAPY SESSION,

RIGHT? BECAUSE I'M GETTING AUTHENTIC WHEN

WE TRAIN UH SALESPEOPLE AND,

AND WELL,

AND SOMETIMES EVEN ENGINEERS AND THAT

SORT OF THING ON BEING MORE ENGAGING IN

THEIR PRESENTATIONS.

YOU KNOW,

I TALK ABOUT THE UM THE,

THE WORD PERSONA ACTUALLY COMES FROM

THE MASKS THAT THE GREEKS WOULD WEAR

THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE SOUND BECAUSE THEY

WERE ALMOST LIKE LITTLE LOUD SPEAKERS,

RIGHT? FOR THE OPEN AIR AMPHITHEATER.

AND SO IT WAS THE MASKS WE WEAR AND

EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SAME PERSON,

WE ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE,

YOU KNOW,

WHEN WE'RE WITH OUR SPOUSE,

WHEN WE'RE WITH OUR KIDS AND WE,

WE ARE IN A PROFESSIONAL CONTEXT WHEN

WE'RE WITH OUR BUDDIES OR,

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

LIKE, IF I GO,

GO OUT FOR DRINKS AFTER A VOLLEYBALL GAME,

IT'S A DIFFERENT,

YOU KNOW,

YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF YOU THAT'S

SHOWN. SO I THINK THAT,

LIKE YOU SAID,

THAT AWARENESS IS A BIG PART OF THAT.

UH, AND THEN GOING BACK TO PROFESSIONALISM AND

THIS KIND OF BUTTONED UP KIND OF PIECE

AND HOW THAT'S KIND OF TRAINED INTO

PEOPLE. UM,

I THINK PEOPLE NEED PERMISSION TO UNDERSTAND

THAT THEY CAN BE MORE THEMSELVES IN,

IN A CONTEXT AND,

AND IT REMINDS ME OF A SITUATION WHERE

I WAS TRAINING A TEAM AND I WAS CHALLENGING

THEM TO DO DIFFERENT UH ARCHETYPES KIND

OF SO DO THEIR PRESENTATION,

LIKE THEY'RE A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER,

DO THEIR PRESENTATION,

LIKE THEY'RE LIKE THESE DIFFERENT THINGS

THAT WOULD JUST BRING OUT DIFFERENT SIDES

OF THEM. AND AT THE END OF THE,

THE TRAINING,

WE WERE KIND OF DEBRIEFING IT AND,

AND FINDING OUT WHAT,

HOW PEOPLE FELT AND SOME OF THEM WERE

JUST TERRIFIED TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT,

THAT WAS NOT THEM.

RIGHT. AND THEN AFTERWARDS,

YOU KNOW,

THE, THE CONSENSUS WAS I,

I GUESS I'M MORE THAN I THOUGHT I

WAS. RIGHT.

AND, AND I JUST THINK THAT'S A LIKE,

AND I THINK THAT KIND OF ZEST OR THAT

AUTHENTICITY PULLING THAT OUT OF PEOPLE

ALLOWING THEM TO BE MORE OF THEMSELVES.

YEAH, I LOVE THAT.

AND I USED TO DO THEATER IMPROV TRAINING,

I USED TO DO SOME THEATER IMPROV PERFORMANCE

AND I USED TO TRAIN SENIOR MANAGERS,

ESPECIALLY CFO S UH AND SOMETIMES FULL

DAY WORKSHOPS ON THEATER IMPROV AND

TALKING ABOUT THEATER PROV IMPROV USING

IMPROV TO TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP STYLES,

COMMUNICATION,

CREATIVITY IN THE WORKPLACE.

AND OF COURSE,

90% OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE TERRIFIED AT

THE START OF THE DAY,

RIGHT? LIKE THEY WERE JUST FREAKING OUT,

BUT BY THE END OF THE DAY,

THEY WERE LOVING IT,

THEIR MASKS,

IT HAD COME DOWN.

AND I THINK PART OF THE KEY TO SUCCESS THOUGH

WAS THAT WE WENT VERY SLOW.

UM SO IT WASN'T DIVING INTO THE DEEP

END OF THE POOL.

SO WE CREATED COMFORT.

WE MADE IT PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE FOR

PEOPLE TO LAUGH WITH ONE ANOTHER.

WE NEVER PUT ANYONE ON THE SPOT.

WE WERE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND IT

JUST HELPED PEOPLE GET MORE COMFORTABLE IN

THEIR SKIN AT THE SAME TIME THOUGH.

THIS RAISES AN INTERESTING POINT TO

THE WHOLE TRAINING IDEA IS WE'RE NOT

TALKING ABOUT.

AND I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS CLEAR

TOO. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT NECESSARILY TRANSPLANTING

SOMEBODY'S PERSONALITY,

RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO I THINK BE CLEAR

THAT NO, WE'RE NOT,

WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRY AND CHANGE FUNDAMENTALLY

WHO YOU ARE.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO TRY TO BRING OUT

THE BEST OF YOU AND GIVE YOU SOME TOOLS.

AND EVEN IF IT'S CONVERSATION FRAMEWORKS THAT

ARE GOING TO MAKE YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE

WHEN YOU SIT DOWN WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES,

MAYBE THAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU ENGAGE

AT A MORE AUTHENTIC,

REAL LEVEL WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES.

SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT JUST,

JUST HELPING YOU GROW INTO YOUR TRUE

SELF BUT NOT THE FUNDING YOU.

AND, AND,

AND THAT'S THE THING BECAUSE THAT,

THAT WOULD BE FAR FROM AUTHENTICITY CHANGING

SOMEONE ELSE,

RIGHT? AND,

AND SO I THINK THIS IDEA OF WHAT YOU

TALKED ABOUT WITH GOING SLOW IN THE

COMFORT LEVEL AND KIND OF THAT THAT PIECE

AND IT IS REALLY THE CULTURE OF THAT

TRAINING IS KIND OF ALMOST THAT THAT

SIDE OF IT,

RIGHT? SO WHEN COMPANIES UM CAN FEEL

UH COMFORTABLE SPREADING THEIR WINGS A

LITTLE BIT,

I THINK YOU,

YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE DOING THAT,

RIGHT? AND,

AND I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE SHIFT THEIR BEHAVIORS,

I'VE SEEN LEADERS SHIFT THEIR BEHAVIORS DRAMATICALLY

WHEN THEY'VE JUST LOOKED INWARD,

DONE SOME,

SOME WORK ON THEMSELVES IN TERMS OF

SELF-AWARENESS AND THINKING ABOUT THEIR

LEADERSHIP STYLES AND ARE THEY REALLY APPROACHABLE?

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING ACCESSIBLE

AND BEING APPROACHABLE?

RIGHT. SO ARE THEY AS OPEN AS THEY NEED

TO BE TO HAVE RICHER CONVERSATIONS SO

THAT EMPLOYEES CAN COME TO THEM WITH

THEIR CONCERNS,

WITH THEIR OUTRAGEOUS IDEAS,

WITH THEIR REALLY DIFFICULT QUESTIONS?

YOU HAVE TO AS A LEADER CREATE THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL

SAFETY TO ALLOW FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

AND SO I'VE,

I'VE COME ACROSS LEADERS.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE EXAMPLES IS A LEADER

WHO I INTERVIEWED MANY YEARS AGO,

A CEO OF A COMPANY.

AND HE ADMITTED TO ME,

HE SAID, YOU KNOW,

I'M, I'M ACTUALLY SHY,

I'M A SHY PERSON AND I'M AN INTROVERT AND

THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

BUT HE WAS SAYING,

NO, I'M,

I'M BOTH,

I'M SHY AND AN INTROVERT YET.

I'VE REALIZED THAT AS CEO OF A COMPANY

AND THE KIND OF CULTURE WE WANT TO

BUILD HERE,

I CAN'T HIDE BEHIND THOSE NATURAL PERSONALITY

TENDENCIES BECAUSE I STILL WANT TO

CREATE THIS VERY FUN,

OPEN AUTHENTIC CULTURE WHERE PEOPLE ARE

ALLOWED TO BE THEMSELVES.

SO I NEED TO KIND OF FORCE MYSELF TO

GET OUT OF MY OWN COMFORT ZONE SOMETIMES TO,

TO SEND THAT MESSAGE TO CONVEY THAT MESSAGE

OF AUTHENTICITY AND FUN.

AND HE'S DONE VERY WELL.

I MEAN, HE SHOWED UP AT MIDNIGHT ON

A CALL CENTER FLOOR ONCE WEARING A

MATADOR COSTUME ON ROLLER BLADES TO

CHECK IN WITH CALL CENTER EMPLOYEES.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD,

I WOULD SAY FOR A SHY INTROVERT.

YES. YES.

UM YEAH, THAT'S UH BEING WHO YOU,

WHO YOUR AUDIENCE OR YOUR EMPLOYEES NEED

YOU TO BE,

YOU KNOW,

IN A, IN A SENSE IT,

BUT STILL BEING YOURSELF,

I GUESS. YEAH,

IT'S AN INTERESTING BALANCE,

ISN'T IT?

YEAH. YEAH.

SO, SO LET'S TALK BRIEFLY HERE ABOUT,

YOU KNOW,

WORK FROM HOME CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS

POST COVID WORLD.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE CAN SAY POST

COVID WORLD,

BUT LIKE,

YOU KNOW,

WHATEVER IS THE,

THE NEW THING,

WE'RE KIND OF POST PRE PRE POST,

POST. YEAH,

I DON'T KNOW,

PRE, PRE POST TO POST.

YEAH, THERE YOU GO.

WHAT, WHAT DO YOU SEE COMING DOWN THE

PIPE IN TERMS OF,

YOU KNOW,

HOW WE ARE GOING TO NAVIGATE IN THIS

NEW, YOU KNOW,

WORLD AND,

AND KIND OF,

I DON'T KNOW,

EMBRACING THIS,

YOU KNOW,

I, I DEFINITELY SEE THIS KIND OF UM

YOU KNOW,

PEOPLE EMBRACING,

HEY, WE, WE HAVE FAMILIES,

WE HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN AT HOME.

THIS IS THE REALITY.

LIKE I SEE THAT OF MORE,

MUCH MORE ACCEPTANCE OF THAT,

ESPECIALLY,

YOU KNOW,

ON THE VIRTUAL SIDE.

WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

UH MIKE. YEAH,

SIMILAR. I,

I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF LESSONS THE

LAST FEW YEARS AND TALKING ABOUT JUST

THE VIRTUAL WORLD TO START.

WE, WE ALL HAD THOSE STORIES AT THE

START OF THIS,

ESPECIALLY WHERE PEOPLE WERE SHARING STORIES

OF MAYBE DISASTERS OF WHAT WAS BEING SHARED,

YOU KNOW,

BEHIND THE CAMERA,

LIKE THE SPOUSE COMING OUT OF THE SHOWER,

UH BECAUSE YOU FORGOT TO CLOSE THE DOOR

OR THE KIDS AND DOGS BARKING OR COMING

INTO THE ROOM AND,

AND THAT'S INTERESTING THAT,

RIGHT, BECAUSE AGAIN,

THAT WAS,

THERE WAS SUCH A DEBATE EARLY ON AND

I THINK TO SOME POINT THERE STILL IS

THIS DEBATE BETWEEN PROFESSIONALISM VERSUS

AUTHENTICITY WHERE SOME PEOPLE,

I STILL HEAR PEOPLE SAY,

WELL, IT'S NOT VERY PROFESSIONAL TO

HAVE A, HAVE A CAT COME IN AND WALK ACROSS

YOUR DESK DURING A ZOOM MEETING LIKE

WE'RE IN AN IMPORTANT ZOOM MEETING HERE

AND THEIR CAT CAME ACROSS FOR GOODNESS SAKE.

IT WAS SOMEWHAT PROFESSIONAL AND THEN

OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING,

OH, COME ON,

GIVE ME A BREAK.

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE CAT.

AND IN FACT,

LET'S TAKE A LITTLE TIME OUT AND INTRODUCE

THE CAT TO THE TEAM MEMBERS HERE.

RIGHT. SO,

WE'VE GOT TO MEET PEOPLE'S FAMILIES SOMETIMES

THROUGH THIS,

THEY'RE DOGS,

THEY'RE CATS,

WE SEE MORE OF THE REAL SELF.

SO I THINK IN SOME WAYS IT'S,

IT'S HELPED UH BRIDGE THAT AUTHENTIC PROFESSIONAL

GAP IF YOU WILL.

RIGHT. SO,

SO THERE'S BEEN THAT ASPECT OF IT.

ONE THING WE'VE CERTAINLY,

I THINK THAT I'VE SEEN THAT WE'VE ALL

LEARNED IS UH AND,

AND THIS HAS BEEN BORNE OUT IN SO MANY

SURVEYS AND SO MUCH RESEARCH IN THE

LAST TWO YEARS THAT CULTURE MATTERS NOW,

MORE THAN EVER,

WORKPLACE CULTURE MATTERS WAY MORE THAN

EVER. AND WE KNOW THAT AS ORGANIZATIONS ARE

TRANSITIONING BACK TO SOME SORT OF

HYBRID MIX IN THE FUTURE OR BACK INTO

THEIR OFFICE,

THEY HAVE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THEIR CULTURE.

WE KNOW SO MANY EMPLOYEES,

RIGHT? WHO HAVE MADE THAT TOUGH CHOICE,

THAT TOUGH DECISION TO SAY,

YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

THIS IS KIND OF,

THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME

THAT I DON'T ENJOY WHAT I'M DOING FOR

A LIVING ANYMORE.

I DON'T WANNA GO BACK ON THE RAT RACE.

I DON'T WANT TO COMMUTE AN HOUR AND

A HALF EACH WAY TO WORK SO I'M GONNA

LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB OR MY SPOUSE AND

I HAVE TALKED AND WE,

WE'VE REALIZED,

YOU KNOW,

WE CAN DO WITH JUST ONE SALARY,

WE'RE GONNA LIVE A SIMPLER LIFESTYLE OR

WE'RE GONNA EVEN MOVE.

RIGHT? SO ORGANIZATIONS NEED LIKE NEVER

BEFORE TO STEP UP AND BE EXTRA INTENTIONAL ABOUT

THEIR CULTURE.

TO ME, THAT'S THE KEY WORD,

INTENTIONAL,

EXTRA, INTENTIONAL ABOUT THEIR CULTURE,

INTENTIONAL ABOUT THEIR LEADERSHIP,

INTENTIONAL ABOUT BUILDING TRUST IN

THE WORKPLACE MATTERS.

NOW, MORE THAN EVER.

SO AGAIN,

IT GOES BACK TO THAT IDEA OF AUTHENTIC.

I THINK IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT TO

HAVE THOSE REAL HONEST CONVERSATIONS WITH

YOUR EMPLOYEES ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT,

WHAT THEIR HOPES,

THEIR DREAMS,

THEIR GOALS ARE AND TO HIT THE RESET BUTTON

AND TO READ,

THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO

REIMAGINE A MORE INSPIRING ROCKING WORKPLACE.

YEAH. YEAH.

AND, AND I'M GONNA PULL OUT THIS QUOTE

THAT WE, WE TALKED ABOUT AUTHENTICITY IS

A NEW CURRENCY THAT WAS WRITTEN IN

2014. SO,

I MEAN, IT'S UH IT'S NOT AS NEW,

BUT IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT CURRENCY,

YOU KNOW,

FROM WHAT,

FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING UH MAKING THAT

SHIFT BECAUSE RETENTION IS SO HARD,

RIGHT? THE GREAT RESIGNATION AND THAT'S

WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH. SO,

SO AGAIN,

JUST BEING EXTRA INTENTIONAL ABOUT CHECKING

IN WITH ONE ANOTHER,

UH EXTRA INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE BUILD

RELATIONSHIPS,

BUILD TRUST ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE ALL

OF THAT HAS BECOME SO SO IMPORTANT NOW,

SO IF WE WERE TO SUM UP AND,

AND AGAIN,

I WENT INTO IT THINKING THEY WERE MORE

IMPOSING.

YOU. YOU'VE WON ME OVER TO THIS IDEA

THAT THEY BOTH ARE TRUST RELATED IN

A WAY, RIGHT?

BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE PROFESSIONALISM OF

THE EXPECTATIONS.

UM, AUTHENTICITY IS KNOWING THAT WHAT

YOU SEE IS ACTUALLY WHAT YOU'RE GETTING

IN TERMS OF THE CONGRUENCE,

RIGHT? UM AND,

AND MAN, I,

I WAS GONNA SUM UP,

BUT I JUST THOUGHT OF ANOTHER POINT THAT,

THAT I WANT TO BRING UP.

UM I THINK AGAIN,

WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BUTTONED UP

PROFESSIONALISM THING,

I THINK THAT THAT IDEA,

THAT NOTION UM CAN SOMETIMES BECAUSE WE

ARE UM MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS THAT

ARE FOR THE CONTEXT,

RIGHT? THAT THAT CAN BE BORING,

RIGHT? AND,

AND THEN THAT THERE'S KIND OF SOMETIMES GOING

OUT, OUT OF THAT BOX,

GETTING OUT OF THAT BOX A LITTLE BIT

IS SO REFRESHING THAT IT'S KIND OF

LIKE, OH,

I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT.

THAT'S INTERESTING,

RIGHT? AS THE,

AS THE PATTERN INTERRUPTIVE OF WHATEVER INTERACTION

THAT IS. AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT

IS REAL ABOUT THAT PERSON,

YOU KNOW,

I THINK IT REALLY CREATES A CONNECTION,

YOU KNOW,

IT'S ABOUT CONFOUNDING OUR EXPECTATIONS,

RIGHT? IF YOU GO IN AND MEET WITH UH

A PROFESSIONAL,

WHAT WOULD TRADITIONALLY BE CONSIDERED A

VERY CONSERVATIVE,

YOU KNOW,

BUTTONED UP KIND OF JOB,

A LAWYER SAY,

OR A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT PLANNER.

BUT THE PERSON JUST COMES ACROSS TOTALLY

DIFFERENT THAN ANYONE ELSE.

YOU'VE MET WITH BUT IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY

STILL. YEAH,

I THINK THAT'S GONNA HAVE A HUGE IMPACT.

RIGHT. THEY'RE,

THEY'RE GONNA STAND OUT FROM THE HERD

TO BE HEARD.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA,

IN FACT, PROBABLY TRUST THEM EVEN MORE

AND YOU'RE GONNA THINK.

WOW, THIS IS SO,

THIS IS SO REFRESHING TO SIT DOWN WITH

SOMEBODY IN YOUR FIELD WHO'S,

WHO'S, WHO'S LIKE THIS.

IT'S AWESOME.

YEAH. IT,

IT MAKES ME THINK OF THE PEOPLE WHO

SHARE KIND OF A UNIQUE HOBBY ABOUT THEMSELVES

WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR PRESENTATION OR

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND YOU'RE LIKE,

OH, THAT IS LIKE YOU ALL AUTOMATICALLY NOW

THINK ABOUT THAT PERSON DIFFERENTLY,

RIGHT? AS OPPOSED TO JUST STAY TO THE

SCRIPT AND YOU KNOW THAT.

AND THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT ANDERS BECAUSE

THAT IS SO TRUE.

THAT'S WHY I THINK WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THE

IMPORTANCE OF FUN EVENTS AT WORK,

SOCIAL EVENTS,

THE, THE,

SOME OF THE EVEN GOOFY THINGS WE DO

THAT SOME PEOPLE MIGHT DISCOUNT AS

BEING FRIVOLOUS.

WHAT I REMIND PEOPLE OF IS,

IS, YOU KNOW,

WHERE ELSE DO WE BUILD TRUST?

WE HAVE TO GET TO KNOW PEOPLE BEYOND THEIR

JOB TITLES.

AND SO WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE'S FAMILY

LIVES, ABOUT THEIR,

WHEN YOU MEET THEM WITH THEIR CHILDREN FOR

THE FIRST TIME,

YOU SEE THEM THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS,

YOU SEE THEM AS A FATHER,

A MOTHER,

YOU, YOU,

YOU LEARN ABOUT THEIR HOBBIES AND YOU,

YOU THINK,

OH MY GOD,

I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR 12 YEARS.

I NEVER KNEW YOU GO SKYDIVING EVERY WEEKEND.

THAT'S JUST CRAZY.

AND YOU LOOK AT THAT PERSON IN A DIFFERENT

WAY AND I JUST THINK,

YOU KNOW,

HOW ELSE DO WE BUILD TRUST UNLESS WE

GET TO REALLY KNOW EACH OTHER AT A

MORE PERSONAL LEVEL.

YEAH. YEAH.

AND, AND THAT'S,

THAT'S HOW WE BUILD CONNECTIONS IS

THROUGH, THROUGH,

THROUGH UNDERSTANDING THEIR COMMONALITIES AND

THE, AND EVEN NONCOM.

BUT JUST THAT ARE COOL TO KNOW.

RIGHT. EXACTLY.

RIGHT. RIGHT.

AND AGAIN,

YOU KNOW,

I HAVE TO MAKE A PLUG FOR IT BECAUSE OF

MY BOOK, THE HUMOR ADVANTAGE HUMOR HELPS

A LOT WITH THIS.

WHEN YOU CREATE A,

A WORKPLACE,

A MEETING THAT IS FULL OF HUMOR THAT

IS FULL OF LAUGH AFTER WE KNOW FROM SO

MUCH RESEARCH THAT PEOPLE TEND TO OPEN

UP MORE, THEY'RE,

THEY'RE MORE HONEST,

THEY'RE MORE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE BECAUSE

IT CREATES THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFE SPACE

TO JUST BE YOURSELF.

AND AS A LEADER,

IF YOU CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR

SENSE OF HUMOR IN A SAFE WAY,

IF YOU CAN POKE FUN AT YOURSELF,

IF YOU CAN TAKE YOURSELF A LITTLE LESS

SERIOUSLY,

THAT'S GOING TO CREATE THAT,

THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL,

SAFE SPACE FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND,

AND FOR PEOPLE TO JUST THINK ABOUT HOW

THEIR HUMOR IS GOING TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE

FEEL AROUND THEM IS SO IMPORTANT.

YEAH. WELL,

THANK YOU,

MIKE. I, I,

I PUT UP YOUR WEBSITE JUST BECAUSE,

YOU KNOW,

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR BOOK.

SO, HUMOR IN THE WORKPLACE,

JERK FREE,

THE JERK FREE WORKPLACE AS WELL.

YES. THE NEWEST ONE.

THERE'S YOUR WEBSITE.

IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN AND,

AND BY SOON TO BE,

LIKE, IN MAYBE 10 DAYS,

A TOTALLY NEW WEBSITE.

OK. SO, YEAH,

SO COME BACK IN 10 DAYS,

WRITE DOWN THE WEBSITE AND THEN COME

BACK IN 10 DAYS.

UM, VERY COOL.

HEY, UH, I THANK YOU FOR,

FOR BEING HERE AND HELPING US EXPLORE UM,

THIS TOPIC.

I JUST THINK IT'S FASCINATING JUST BECAUSE

THERE'S SO MANY KIND OF CROSSOVERS AND

THINGS. YEAH,

IT'S, IT'S JUST KIND OF LIKE,

AND, UM, AND,

AND IT'S HELPING ME RESOLVE IT TOO

AS, AS I TEACH TEAMS BECAUSE IT DID

FEEL LIKE I WAS KIND OF SAYING,

OK, WE WANT TO,

YOU KNOW,

PLAY DOWN THIS AND PLAY UP THIS AND

YET, RIGHT?

LIKE WHAT?

SO IT'S ALL GOOD.

UH THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM WELL, MAYBE PERHAPS WE'LL DO IT

AGAIN. I,

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE A LITTLE BIT,

UH THIS IS REAL CANADIAN REFERENCE BUT

BOB AND DOUG MACKENZIE WHERE IT'S LIKE,

OK, NEW TOPIC,

YOU KNOW,

LIKE I GOT A TOPIC FOR THE SHOW PUT

ON OUR TOO.

WE, I WOULD LOVE TO WEAR A TUK WITH YOU.

I CRACK OPEN A CAN OF BEER.

THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

I THINK THAT COULD BECOME A THING THAT

WOULD BE AMAZING.

SO, SO TO JUST WRAP UP THIS TOPIC THEN?

ANDERS, I THINK I I PERHAPS LEAVE THE

LAST WORDS TO THE,

THE, THE BRILLIANT OSCAR WILDE WHO ONCE

SAID, BE YOURSELF.

EVERYONE ELSE IS TAKEN.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD ADVICE.

I THINK IT IS.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL END IT ON THAT.

THANKS AGAIN.