Love in Action

Mark Miller currently serves as Chick-fil-A’s Vice President of High Performance Leadership. He is the author of Culture Rules: The Leader's Guide to Creating the Ultimate Competitive Advantage. He shares his interesting and inspiring employment journey with Chick-fil-A and his thought provoking process for researching and impacting leaders in their organization and organizations all over the world. “As we saw issues and challenges in our organization and organizations around the planet, we believe that if you pull back the curtain, the root cause was actually a cultural issue."  [9:40] On a mission to serve leaders and solve problems, the topic of culture came up more and more with Mark Miller and his colleagues.  “Culture is the cumulative effect of what people see, hear, experience, and believe."  [13:08] Culture is a powerful element in an organization, but it's also unique and invisible, so Mark brings forward a new working definition for the term culture. In writing this definition, he had an important realization…who has the biggest impact on what people see, hear, experience, and believe? Leaders. “Rule number 1 is Aspire: The leader must share their hopes and dreams for their culture.” [26:02] This might seem like a no-brainer, but there are too many leaders in the world who aren't doing this. It has to move out of your head and your heart so that others around you can collaborate on your vision. It’s got to be clear, simple, and repeatable. “The second rule is to Amplify: always look for ways to amplify the aspiration.” [26:52] Mark and his team chose the word amplify very purposefully to break past the noise. The aspiration HAS to have staying power; it needs life, flavor, and amplification. The best way to amplify your aspiration is to model with your daily actions.  “The third rule is to adapt: to constantly work to enhance the culture.” [28:38] You cannot declare victory. The work on culture is never over; it is never perfect. You have to consistently and continuously adapt it to your changing organization; without this rule, you will certainly face defeat. The key to adapting well is listening well. “I came for the job, but I stayed for what I might become.” [45:15] Throughout this episode, Mark speaks about his journey of employment with Chick-fil-A. He shares this statement inspired by a quote from Ready Player One, a movie and book of the same title, about the impact the culture can have on the inspiration of who someone can become in your organization. He experienced it in his own employment journey, and it can be a valuable aspiration for any leader in their own organization.  Mentioned in this episode: Text BESMART to 66866 for the assessment Mark Miller - Leadership Culture Rules Marcel Schwantes Send Marcel a text message!

Joshua Freedman is the co-founder and CEO of Six Seconds, a global non-profit dedicated to teaching people how to use emotional intelligence (EQ). He is a master certified coach, an instructor for Columbia Teachers College Summer Principals Academy, and for Antioch University. He is also the author of 5 emotional intelligence books, including the best-selling At the Heart of Leadership: How to Get Results with Emotional Intelligence.   Show-Notes: “Emotional Intelligence is about getting this emotional data and using it to effectively solve problems.” [9:56] What is emotional intelligence? What is it not? EQ expert Josh Freedman dispels the myths and explains how emotional intelligence is more than just being nice and positive. There is not one single way to be emotionally intelligent; there are many ways to find resolutions—confronting, ignoring, and working through—all of which are unique to the problem and other emotional factors.  “When people feel more anxious and isolated, they move into more primal reactions…  This kind of tribalism is part of what we’re seeing in polarization, not just in the US but all over the world.” [20:22] Josh comments on the problems and difficulties caused by these tribal reactions, as seen in the decline of EQ in the last two years. It’s hard to love, to lead, to collaborate…  Making the presence of EQ more valuable and important than ever before.  “I’m not saying change who you are; I’m saying use who you are and use it better to get the results you’re really looking for. Not just short term wins.” [27:28] We all have the ability to learn and grow.  It may take time and maybe be a big shift, but Josh says with work, it is possible. And as Marcel says, you need to exercise those emotional muscles, to create new synapses and increase emotional intelligence. “[As leaders, we need to think], let me understand what’s going on for this person or this group of people and figure out what’s going on and how we can overcome that so we can work together and get results.” [35:14] There is no denying that there is a great generational difference in EQ. Josh dives into the research of State of the Heart, where he explains that post pandemic the younger generations, Gen Z and Millennials experience the greatest loss in connection. This creates a big emotional barrier at work, especially when generations are coming into the same place of work on different playing fields. “EQ values have to become part of the DNA of how you work.” [38:22] Okay, leaders, you're all in and ready to invest in the EQ of your organization… Josh tells you what not to do, slap a training on the sign or haphazardly invest in an external coach. While coaching and training are important, Josh and Marcel agree that the values and actions of emotional intelligence must be reinforced and become ingrained in the organization. “That little pivot from I to WE (I’m seeing this; how can WE work on it?) will totally shift your conversations around performance and motivation.” [42:16] Josh has a practical tip for leaders on employee motivation. You don’t have to sacrifice performance for EQ; instead, you will find greater performance. The key is to think….are we leading tasks or are we leading people? Mentioned in this episode: State of the Heart EQ Research Six Seconds Six Seconds | LinkedIn Six Seconds (@6secondseq) on Instagram Six Seconds (@6secondseq) on Twitter Six Seconds on Facebook  Send Marcel a text message!

Show Notes: “People want to feel loved.” [1:38] As Marcel begins to dive into this sneak peek of his upcoming book, he explains exactly why he focuses on love. Every employee is someone's sister, brother, son, daughter, mother, or father, and they need and deserve to be cared for. That caring is love, and it’s a founding principle in the work and research Marcel is working toward. “Love begins as a human development process in the brain as infants are exposed to positive bonding experiences in loving homes. As we mature, hopefully, into healthy adults, we remain social animals, requiring the need to receive social and emotional stability through relationships and community.” [2:40] Why is love so important? It's been a part of us from the very beginning. And as Marcel says, the opposite of love results in extreme problems like superficiality, narcissism, and even psychopathy. These are all common problems in current management thinking and practice around the world.  “Love is a human requirement for our very survival. Our need for it transcends countries, cultures, generations, and the human race. Religions understand the importance of love.” [4:30] Marcel covers a variety of culturally diverse religions and their relationships to love, from Christianity to Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam.  “Religion, outside the context of dogma and fundamentalism, has defined the most altruistic human traits for people belonging in faith communities, in relationship to each other. Science has demonstrated the evidence for raising the bar on leadership, organizational, and human performance to energize teams and maximize profit." [6:45] Marcel takes a different approach than many, combining the values of both religion and science. He found that the discoveries of both of these pillars are incredibly aligned.  “Work is human. And for organizations to survive and thrive, love—the most powerful force on the planet—is the overlooked machine that powers teams and whole organizations to outperform the competition. The future of leadership is love in action.” [7:44] Marcel brings it home to the purpose and foundation of his book, all about humanity and love as the most powerful force. Mentioned in this episode: Marcel Schwantes Send Marcel a text message!

Show Notes: “I see purpose as being the engine that drives meaning”. [15:48] There is no transcendent singular purpose in life, there are many levels, for example, transformative and transactional, like in our work and relationships. Stephen Van Valin, author of  The Search for Meaning at Work, explains how as we make progress toward these purposes, a sense of meaning kicks in, furthering motivation towards the purpose.  “How do you become friends with your co-workers when you gotta get stuff done!?” [27:00] Co-Host Robb Holman asks this facetious question when it comes to one of the 11 amplifiers of meaning, a work partner. Steve says creating relationships needs to be purposeful; we need to make connections, whether we’re virtual or in the office. He has some great personal and work questions to get those connections going, like, what gets you stressed at work? “Clear goals, hardstop deadlines, and being communicative and recognizing when they happen will set you up for success when you have even bigger challenges the next time.” [33:41] How do you amplify the team? Steve makes the analogy of a work team to a sports team, showing how they rally together and galvanize toward a common goal. The bottom line is doing the job together while having fun and enjoying each other to be unified.  “It’s about managers realizing that people wanna please them, and then being able to play that back to people… by really thinking about what difference did it make that will help people feel like they matter in this equation.” [39:53] So many of our listeners are leaders in their organizations, so really tune into the manager amplifier. Steve brings up a popular phrase, ‘catch people doing good’. So many employees want to be noticed, given respect, and appreciated. By catching the good managers, they are perpetuating and continuing that winning behavior.  “You can’t just check your soul at the door and come to work for someplace that is not aligned with your values.” [44:55] As Steve says, the spirituality amplifier guides all decisions in our lives. If it's not at least in alignment at work, those with a strong tie to spirituality or faith will be the first to leave.  “Step outside yourself as a leader and think about the purpose of those people within your purview  and the purpose they have for their life whether it's transactional, transformational, or even transcendent and then how you can amplify that back to them to help them feel the meaning at work.” [50:43] Challenging you to step outside yourself, Steve explains that by amplifying your employee, co-worker, and team's purposes, you are not only getting a lot done but also creating a sustainable relationship in the workplace.  Mentioned in this episode: www.amplifymeaning.com The Search for Meaning at Work: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Purpose to Engage and Fulfill Your Workforce Steve Van Valin on LinkedIn Robb Holman Marcel Schwantes Send Marcel a text message!

Show-Notes: “We’ve gotten to a state that I see as toxic… it’s an environment where half of Americans have become estranged from someone in their own family over politics… That trickles into the workplace, neighborhoods, buildings and communities.” [12:50] Dr. Peter T. Coleman, author of The Way Out, explains what Political Polarization is. A little polarization, choice, and differing views are healthy and even good for change and progression. BUT we have gone beyond ‘a little polarization’ through media, the internet, and current society; we have gotten completely toxic. “The shocks that took place in the 60’s set us off on a path and there hasn’t been a real correction since then.” [21:58] How did we get here? How did we get to such a place of division and polarization? Dr. Coleman brings it back to the 60’s, a time of major shocks from assassinations and anti-government movements. Events like 9/11 or even COVID, which should have united us and brought us together, have further separated and divided us, creating further contention.  “We all end up living in these parallel universes where we can believe what they believe, and vice versa.” [23:54] My reality versus your reality— Dr. Coleman calls this ‘American Psychosis’. This is a broken and disillusioned mindset that has occurred due to the isolation, segregation, and extreme polarization characterized by extreme differing political views. “So many of us feel powerless because we can't change structures at the government level, we can't change the way the media follows a narrative, or the algorithms in social media.” [38:14] Marcel brings to light the feelings of so many who are stuck and feel miserable with this current division. But how can we make change? How can we nudge forward? “We get comfortable in our story, our narrative, our values. You have to push yourself to branch out and get other voices.” [40:30] What’s a step toward the way out of toxic polarization? Dr. Coleman suggests finding three ‘frenemies’, trusted people on the other side, and those with differing points of view. You don’t have to understand or agree, but you need to hear them out and make space for differing perspectives. This helps you break past your limited reality. “Can you find somebody…  it might be in your family, it might be at work, or in your community... that you can reach out to and just listen?” [47:53] Among some of the systems used week by week to break through the polarization, Dr. Coleman encourages you to seek out someone you may know who you don’t see eye to eye with. You can end the meeting agreeing to disagree, but take a walk, get out in nature, and just listen. You may find out you have something to learn on both sides! “If you can try and get a sense of ‘I can do this... I can try this out...,’ that gives people a sense of hope. It gives people a sense of efficacy that they can actually do something.” [53:00] Dr. Coleman hopes his readers find hope in his book. We all feel miserable, anxious and lost and it’s important to have a sense of hope and possibility.  Mentioned in this episode: The Way Out Peter T. Coleman (@PeterTColeman1) on Twitter How to Save the U.S. From a Second Civil War | Time Political Courage Challenge Starts With Us Bridging Divides Initiative Marcel Schwantes Send Marcel a text message!

Show Notes: “Really what I focus my work on is helping people and helping companies figure out, in the very crowded marketplace, how they can get their best ideas heard.” [8:08] Dorie Clark introduces the inspiration behind her work and her book, The Long Game. “During COVID, it’s almost like forget the long term game, everybody’s all of a sudden in reactionary mode. How do we pivot!?” [10:50] Marcel comments on the broad shift in short term versus long term thinking due to COVID-19 and changes necessary from the pandemic shutdown. “We’re forced into doing long term thinking if there are specific goals we want to attain.” [14:50] Why is long term thinking so hard? Dorie shares a quote she included in her book as she explains the motivation and pain points surrounding long term thinking.  “Why is it that we can’t stop this relentless, short term, crazy busy, ‘FOMO’. ‘I can’t measure myself up to the standards of these celebrities’ that causes a lot of anxiety for me, and unrealistic expectations. We just get busier and busier and busier. So how do we stop this pursuit?” [16:37] Marcel questions why we, as a culture, feel the need to be unrealistically busy. “I threw myself into work, as a way of just distracting myself. The way that I think about it is like how they put patients into a medically induced coma so that their bodies can heal, because if they were awake, they just couldn’t take it. So work can be like your medically induced coma.” [21:48] Dorie shares a personal experience as part of her reasoning for throwing herself into work and staying busy, making the comparison to overworking as a “medically induced coma”. “All the forces are going to be mitigating against it because it's always more convenient for other people if you say yes to them. So nobody is going to help you with this.” [24:22] It’s easy and sometimes the right thing to say yes often when you’re early in your career. But Dorie stresses that at a pivotal point in your business, you have to start farming the things that are already working and no longer hoping that every small opportunity might turn into something.  “So one of the ways that we can really focus on the long term is having a clear, defining North Star.” [27:28] Marcel asks Dorie to elaborate on what it means to find your North Star—the idea of reinventing yourself or instead remaining stagnant. “The strength that we have as professionals, and the thing that actually makes us valuable, is understanding that different things, different skills, are called for at different times. And you have to be smart enough to understand when and how to apply those skills. ” [32:00] Dorie explains the 4 career waves in her book: Learning, Creating, Connecting and Reaping. “What I think is a valuable thing for us to notice, and to recognize, and to reward is oftentimes in any journey that is a fairly significant one, there is a vast distance between the time when you commit to something and the time you reap the reward for doing it. And in between it is NOT a steady progression.” [41:35] Dorie, in closing, highlights the remarkability of being the kind of person who can preserve under the conditions of long term thinking. She shares about her free self assessment for Long Game Strategic Thinking.  Mentioned in this episode: Download the free Long Game Strategic Thinking Self-Assessment Dorie Clark Dorie Clark (@dorieclark) on Twitter Dorie Clark on Facebook Send Marcel a text message!

Show Notes: “In You, Me, We, what we’re doing is empowering all of us to go first. Instead of asking, “Do I have a best friend at work?" ask the question, "Am I a friend at work?” [14:55] Morag talks about her reframing of the Gallup question, "Do you have a best friend at work?” and puts the emphasis on the individual to ensure friendship at work by BEING a friend.  “Being a friend at work does not mean I want to take you home to meet my mother. It means that for this project in this organization, we can work respectfully together to achieve the same result that ultimately means success for all.” [19:19] A lot of people might be turned off by the term “best friend” at work, but it doesn’t have to mean anything outside of work. If your work friendship bleeds into your outside friendship, great, but if not, that’s okay too. “When you leave the room or announce you’re moving on to pastures new, is there a collective sigh of relief from your team or a sigh of, I’m gonna miss you?” [22:53] Marcel asks Morag about what an ally is or how one can be a best friend at work. Morag talks about the two parts of knowing if people consider you an ally at work. “Give to help make other people better.” [29:59] The first practice of the Ally Mindset is abundance and generosity. How can we give in a way that fits in our priorities to enable you and others to be the best? What’s a great way for a leader to give? Mentorship - just like Marcel’s old boss Bruce. “Being able to ask for help, being able to give help and accept it…that only comes when we have human connection.” [34:50] The second practice of the Ally Mindset is Connection and Compassion, in the ebb and flow of colleague needs and struggles, how are you easing their load? Knowing your co-workers' stories and their backgrounds helps you connect to them on a deeper level and not only helps you see their strengths and assets to be used as a team but also the areas in which you can step up and help them.  “What have we agreed to do? How are you moving forward? And taking personal accountability?”  [40:55] The last practice of the Ally Mindset is Action and Accountability. The previous ideas are easy to talk about, but putting them into action consistently is where the work comes in. Morag elaborates on this practice as a way to keep accountability sans the dreaded passive aggression.  “I’ve learned that bringing my human to work, letting that mask fall down, is the differentiator.” [42:38] How do we lead with practical, actionable, and professional love in the workplace as leaders? Morag presents a challenge to the listeners to LOOK UP, SHOW UP and STEP UP one day, one conversation at a time. “We have to come to the table. We have to begin to listen to each other. We have to at least be present with one another to understand someone else’s perspective and show up with our empathy.” [45:35] Marcel echoes Morag’s final thoughts about the divisiveness, not just in the workplace, but  also in the world. Mentioned in this episode: Ally Mindset™ Profile You, Me, We - SkyeTeam Morag Barrett on  LinkedIn Marcel Schwantes Send Marcel a text message!

Show Notes: “The business world wrongly assumes love to be an emotion rather than a behavior or an action that leads to tangible results.” [00:53] Love is not just a fuzzy emotion; when used as a business strategy, it is a powerful agent of change and growth. This is the force behind Love in Action and Marcel’s work to promote leadership practices founded in love.  “As the workplace becomes steeped in the digital age, as AI and Chat GPT become ever-present, and as human-like robots and automation begin to change every industry around the world, here’s a reality check: the workplace has changed forever. We are never going back."  [1:45] Regardless of our technological advances, humans are, at our core, designed to connect relationally. Leaders must adapt accordingly and continue to operate with humanity, even in the digital age.  “In one study, researchers also found that a culture of love led to higher levels of employee engagement, greater teamwork, and employee satisfaction...  This kind of love in action improves performance and leads to better results for everyone. It is truly the future of work.” [3:30] Marcel announces his new book, The Future of Work is Human, to be released in the fall of 2024. Packed in this book will be six Love in Action principles backed by research and studies just like this one.    Mentioned in this episode: Marcel Schwantes Send Marcel a text message!

Show Notes: “Harvard Business Review found that half of millennials and 75% of Gen Z’s have quit their job for mental health reasons”. [2:50] Regardless of generation, the mental health epidemic is a huge problem. Robb Holman quotes this study and discusses the impact leaders must have to not only keep these groups from quitting their jobs but also help them thrive and succeed in the workplace.  “As leaders and managers, we’ve got to know... We’ve got to have a finger on the pulse of how our people are doing and opening up conversations.” [6:09] Robb talks about how genuine connection happens when leaders open up the highway of communication that release transparency. “Our human nature is that we long for connection, and we want to feel connected to our peers, co-workers, and especially our bosses." [8:10] Post COVID we are reeling from the effects of being disconnected in the workplace. Marcel points back to science, and research supports the need for relational aspects at work.  “In order to boost the mental health of your employees, you need to take care of yourself first if you’re a leader.” [11:22] How can managers and CEOs lead others if they themselves are dysregulated? Modeling the way to highly engaged, motivated, and emotional wellbeing has to, as Marcel says, start at the top of the hierarchy.  “We need to take a 10-minute break to calm down our brain activity.” [17:30] Neuroscience says that when working intensely for 80 to 120 minutes, we need to de-stimulate for about 10 minutes. Marcel recommends that leaders not only practice themselves but encourage employees to do the same.  “How do I build a great leadership team to take our company forward?” [21:59] In the Mailbag segment, Robin from Vancouver, Canada, shares how, as her company is growing, leadership problems are arising. Robb and Marcel talk through her challenges. From Robb, he encourages that once she has the right people in the right places to allow voices to be heard and valued. Marcel talks about the importance of modeling organizational values and virtues and finding people or leaders who embodies those values and virtues. Mentioned in this episode: Robb Holman Marcel Schwantes Send Marcel a text message!

Show Notes: “In a deep moment of introspection, I realized [the business failure] wasn’t the market conditions, this wasn’t our customers, this wasn’t our team; this was actually MY fault.” [07:21] When his company, Softway, was just about to go bankrupt, Mohammad sought advice in an unexpected place, football. It is via an interview with Houston’s coach that he discovered the impact of love in a team that could truly transform his leadership and his business.  “I asked at a town hall meeting of 100+ employees, if trust had improved between them and I...and only two people raised their hands''. [24:55] A year and a half into his journey of changing his ways, policies, and behavior as a person and a leader, this was a wake up call response. Mohammad, after deep reflection, realized he could not build trust until he sought forgiveness for the leader he once was, and that was when it all shifted.  “You might have coworkers who mistreat you, bosses who mistreat you, but you look at all the perks and benefits, and those are just temporary golden handcuffs on your wrists.” [30:20] Take a look at companies with infamously good culture offerings: free food, leisure activities, etc. Are these contributing to a positive culture, or are they, as Mohammad calls them, "golden handcuffs" - benefits and perks that allow employees to overlook toxic workplace habits?  “Culture is nothing but the emotional environment of how we feel about one another, how we treat one another, and how we behave with one another." [30:40] Mohammad shares an impactful definition of culture, and it all goes back to the impact your behavior has. If you want to change culture, you must change your behavior, and it starts all the way at the top with the CEO and founder  “We realized that the secret sauce was that these 6 behaviors were exhibited by everyone in the company: inclusion, empathy, vulnerability, trust, empowerment, and forgiveness.” [34:20]  Mohammad looked into the success of his company to see what was truly working and making all this success come together after his leadership shift. He wrote in his book,  Love as a Business Strategy, about these six pillars he found in his workplace that work together like the cylinders of a car engine toward harmony and high performance.  “As leaders, we have to build self awareness of our own behaviors and understand how we think we are coming across versus how people are actually experiencing us.” [49:33] Mohammad’s journey, at its core, is all about self awareness; he noticed his behavior and how it was impacting his team and his company, and he changed. Many believe toxic leaders can’t change and that it won’t have an impact, but he is proof that the culture and behaviors present in your business will affect the bottom line every time. Mentioned in this episode: Mohammad Anwar  on LinkedIn Mohammad Anwar on Facebook Mohammad Anwar (@mfanwar) on Instagram Culture+ Softway Solutions Love as a Business Strategy Podcast Marcel Schwantes Send Marcel a text message!