Twins Talk it Up Podcast

Episode 51: Empathetic Leadership

Twins talk it Up Episode 51: Empathetic Leadership
So much has changed over the years as far as technology goes and the advancement of medicine; but the best tool for any physician may be that of empathy. In this episode, we welcome Dr. Melissa Li-Ng to share about the importance of empathetic leadership. Dr. Li-Ng is the Medical Director of International Operations at the Cleveland Clinic. She is also a Public Speaker and has spoken around the world.
Dr. Li-Ng not only defines what empathy is but she shares with us about why is it so important for today's organizations? As a leader you need to also understand context - where others are coming from including their situation, history, environment and experiences. Without empathy, you can command tasks but you cannot change hearts and minds.
Dr. Li-Ng speaks about the importance of self-care and how without self-care, the empathetic leader will eventually burnout. She also states how leaders need to be authentic in expressing their concern and care for their people. Empathy is expressed not just with words but also with listening and with action.
Although empathy can be an innate trait, it can also be learned. Appreciate Dr. Li-Ng's encouragement for organizations to invest in leadership training and training around empathy. There are incredible costs and benefits for embracing a culture of empathy and for making training a part of their overall strategy. Listen for the correlation she makes of empathetic leadership impacting revenue.
For more information about Dr. Melissa Li-Ng and her speaking, visit https://elitespeakerservices.com/speakers/melissa-li-ng/

Episode 50: Naked Coaching

Twins Talk it Up Episode 50: Naked Coaching
What does it mean to be 'comfortable in your own skin’? How can being naked and exposed help you grow professionally? Now that your curiosity has been piqued, listen in on our conversation with Dr. Pat Williams about the importance of coaching, vulnerability and confidence in working with an executive coach.
Dr. Pat Williams is a Master Certified Coach and a pioneer in the world of Coaching as he was one of the founding members of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). He founded additional organizations: The Institute for Life Coach Training; and Coaching the Global Village, an initiative to bring coaching methodologies to villages in developing countries and to leaders of non-profits and the nongovernmental organizations who serve them. Pat is also a member of the Forbes Coaching Council, is a much sought after speaker and an author/co-author of multiple books.
We dig into his book, ‘Getting Naked: Emotional Transparency with the Right Person at the Right Time, in the Right Place’. He creatively uses imagery to convey that being comfortable with emotional nakedness (and not physical nakedness) is where transparency and vulnerability with the right people and at the right times can lead to an increase in self-awareness and magnificent opportunities for growth. Dr. Pat believes that great coaching is about 'discovery' as the partnership of coaching is to help unlock and help the professional answer the question of 'who are you' and stepping into what they want and into the unknown.
We ask about his chapter entitled '50 shades of play' and ask him to share about the 6-step process or the tool of naked self-disclosure. These steps include: Recall, Reflect, Reveal (on paper), Reveal (to others), Reboot and Restart.
Learn more about Dr Pat Williams by visiting drpatwilliams.com/

Episode 49: Caring Leadership

Twins talk it Up Episode 49: Caring Leadership
In this Twins Talk it Up episode, we welcome Heather Younger to share her thoughts on the topic of caring leadership. Heather is an international speaker, the founder of Employee Fanatix, the host of the Leadership with Heart podcast and the author of the book, The Art of Caring Leadership: How Leading With Heart Uplifts Teams and Organizations.
Heather shared that it was the 'end-user' who determines if the leader truly cares. You cannot have caring leadership without a certain level of vulnerability, transparency and authenticity. She also stated that we can even "authentically be a jerk". This is why self awareness is so important. Leaders that are people focused and heart focused, foster a culture of listening. Caring leadership engages the workforce and is about action - action that is consistent and shows kindness to those we lead.
Heather also provided some insight into the ROI of caring leadership. You can measure caring leadership and in her book, Heather highlights 9 of the most common behaviors demonstrated by caring leaders. Be a caring leader and see the impact on your organization. For more information about Heather Younger and her book, visit https://heatheryounger.com/

Episode 48: Introverted Leadership

Twins Talk it Up Episode 48: Introverted Leadership
Do extroverts, introverts or ambiverts make the best leaders? Are we referring to personality types or to energy types? You may be surprised to learn what we individually claim to be more aligned with.
We welcome Godwin Chan, a fellow podcaster and self-professed introvert to the program. Godwin is the host of the Digital Introverts Podcast, where introverts share their success and failure stories and discuss how they thrive in the digital age. He is also the author of a book entitled, "Digital Introverts: Why Today's Most Successful Individuals Harness Introversion to Thrive".
We ask Godwin to define the terms extrovert, introvert and ambivert, and to share which has the advantage when it comes to leadership within our organizations. Are there any specific advantages that those who are more aligned as introverts have? How does culture and our society factor into this, and can we welcome diversity of thought? We also ask Godwin to share some of his thoughts on working with those who lean more toward introversion. Learning to be comfortable with silence and sharing appreciation can go a long way with creating a dynamic team.

Episode 47: Courageous Communication

Twins talk it Up Episode 47: Courageous Communication
Have you ever been in an environment or situation where you felt afraid to speak up and share something truthful? Our special guest is an advocate for courageous communication and she shares her incredible story and work with us. We welcome Ruchi Singh, an International Speaker, Mindset Coach, Trainer and Author.
Her personal story of courage inspires so many others to have courageous conversations. Ruchi shared about the importance of owning your story and how we add value to other people when we first begin to add value to ourselves. She states that communication is a 'power skill' and not a 'soft skill', which is why it takes courage to express yourself.
Stand by your truth and choose courage. You will love the quotes and be reminded that there are examples of courage all around you.
Learn more about Ruchi by visiting https://www.ruchisinghtalks.com/

Episode 46: Relationship Selling

Twins talk it Up Episode 46: Relationship Selling
How do Commercial Real Estate (CRE) firms grow their portfolio? We welcome Art Putzel, Principal & Broker with Trout Daniel & Associates to speak on this.
Art shares his thoughts about the value of relationship selling and how focusing on interactions with both current and potential clients can lead to incredible success. Building a relationship strategy should be at the heart of every client-centered organization, especially when you factor the length of the sales cycle.
Developing great, long-term relationships will increase the likelihood of repeat business and lead to a wealth of solid referrals. There is an adage that you either need to know your jewelry or know your jeweler - It's about trust. Art also discusses the importance of staying true to your brand; how vital communication is within the CRE space and what he believes to be the outlook for the remainder of 2021, going into 2022.
Learn more about about Art and his firm by visiting https://www.troutdaniel.com/

Episode 45: Futuring, The Impact of Alignment

Twins Talk it Up Episode 45: Futuring, The Impact of Alignment
Would you like to “go futuring”? This is something that our special guest helps to answer for his clients. We welcome to the program our friend Jerome Bethea aka JB the Wizard. JB the Wizard is a speaker, voice over artist, author, actor, producer and coach. You may have heard his name from various productions, including Prison Break. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies, sales leaders and celebrities.
We ask JB how he came to be known as JB the Wizard and who were some of his favorite actors and p He also shares with us about his book, 'Alignment Alchemy' and how there are 5 ingredients that-if acted upon-can help create a life where a leader can overcome mental blocks and come into alignment. When someone is in alignment, there is a clear path to their atomic core, and that atomic core produces the peace, motivation and energy needed to accomplish their goals. Listen as he speaks about coming into 'oneness' and that his goal is to 'see you in the present'- a world where you design your future.
Learn more about JB the Wizard by following him on social media under "JBtheWizard" or by visiting https://connectwiththewizard.com/

Episode 44: Tech and Modern Mentoring

Twins Talk it Up Episode 44: Tech and Modern Mentoring
In this Episode, we speak with Microsoft's Vice President of US Channel Sales, Sherlaender "Lani" Phillips. In addition to serving on several Boards and her volunteer work, she also champions Microsoft’s Black and African American partner growth initiative. This initiative also includes their partnership with the Black Channel Partner Alliance (BCPA).
She is completely comfortable with being an example and model for women wanting to thrive in technology. She also believes in providing a platform through her 'Modern Mentoring Sessions' for professionals looking to grow in their own careers. We cannot wait for Lani's leadership book around leading with your head and heart, and it will include her concept of 'Modern Mentoring' with 15 attributes of what it means to be a modern leader. We also look forward to seeing her take the stage with a TEDx Talk.
Lani shares with us her “6 steps to having an authentic conversation”? This was born from the challenges we've experienced around social injustices and the need to have difficult conversations.
Those steps are:
1. Show up & Listen with Empathy
2. Be Vulnerable
3. Demonstrate Active Listening
4. Validate Feelings
5. Asking How you can Help
6. Follow Through (Action)
To learn more about Lani Phillips, visit https://laniphillips.com/

Episode 43: Iron Sharpens Iron, Talk About Mentorship

Twins Talk it Up Episode 43: Iron Sharpens Iron, Talk About Mentorship
The title of the latest Twins Talk it Up episode, Iron Sharpens Iron: Talk about Mentorship was taken from the book of Proverbs, chapter 27, verse 17 in the Bible. This was chosen to highlight the focus of our conversation. We are honored to have one of our mentors and good friend Steve Cannon join us. Steve is an author and speaker, and he also serves as an Elder and Minister with the Rise Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.
We ask Steve to define what mentorship is and to share personally what he believes are some benefits of implementing mentorship as a part of your personal and professional growth. He also addresses what a successful and health mentorship looks like. It is crucial that both communication and expectations are clear. What is the growth plan? How should a mentee and mentor prepare for their meetings?
One of Steve's newest projects is his work on a book on the topic of mentorship. Grab some of his other resources:
Guru Wisdom
Checklist for Change Journal
Sharing Your Faith: Creative Ways to Reach a Hurting World for God

Episode 42: Write your Story

Twins Talk it Up Episode 42: Write your Story
In this episode, we speak with our good friend Chris Jones. Chris is an author, business owner and fellow podcast host. His podcast is the same as the name of his book, ‘The Art and Business of Writing.
He works with seasoned professional writers in the area of coaching; and he helps industry leaders and professionals write their books by providing editing, co-authoring or ghost writing services. He shared with us that the process of writing a book is not as daunting as you might think and that you could be looking at 9-month to a year from start to completion. He believes that every leader and coach has a message and should consider writing a book as this can add to your credibility, authority and ultimately be a 'game changer'.
Completing a book is a journey and will increase your confidence as a leader. What you are doing is of incredible value, and can impact your community, organization and spheres of influence. He also provides his thoughts on how to leverage your social media platforms, and with how your audience can be integral in your work to complete your book.
Learn more about Chris and his work at https://www.chrisjonesink.com/