A peek inside my latest podcast conversation: Self-leadership unveiled

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THE ART & SCIENCE OF LEADING SELF
The Power of Distinctions

Dear Friend, I spoke the words above 👆🏽during a recent podcast appearance.

Lisa Hope Tilstra recently had me on her "Make Life Less Difficult” podcast, and it was a great conversation. We dove deep into self-leadership, an acceptance mindset, and the role of mindfulness. I encourage you to give it a listen.

You can check out the episode here.

Self-leadership is the foundation for leading others 🎯

When Lisa asked me about how we can make life less difficult for others, I organically approached this through the lens of self-leadership. 🔍

Then, Lisa asked me how I arrived at my focus on self-leadership. I found myself sharing stories from my time at West Point, my sabbatical, and many moments in between to illustrate how I arrived at this focus. At certain moments, the conversation was probably as illuminating for me as it was for the listener.

Questions are the engine for reflection, and our conversation allowed me to connect certain dots while externally processing her questions.

One topic we discussed was the way in which the focus on self-leadership, which is a key part of the leader development program at West Point, took on a new form during my sabbatical.

I share stories about how pushing outside of my comfort zone allowed me to take a principle I started learning at age 19 and explore it in a new way many years later. That exploration played a key role in shaping how I coach CEOs today.

The role of an acceptance mindset 🔑

One concept that came up during our conversation, which we have briefly discussed in previous issues of this newsletter, is that of acceptance.

I took a 13-month sabbatical in late 2018 through 2019. Acceptance was a recurring theme. I had been introduced to the concept 4 years earlier in my first Mindfulness class, but I didn’t understand and digest it until much later in my sabbatical.

My conversation with Lisa provided a space for me to elaborate on this theme and discover new insights.

I share stories about my experiences and offer reflections about the role that acceptance plays in effective self-leadership.

M = f(m) 🚀

Of course, I couldn’t be a part of this podcast episode without speaking about the way in which Mindset work is a function of Mindfulness. 😊

Lisa asked great questions that allowed me to connect many dots that we will explore (at some level) in future issues. What really resonated with me during our conversation was the way in which my journey during my sabbatical exemplifies M = f(m). From my first stop in Bangladesh to the end of my travels after my trip to Antarctica, I was experiencing in real-time that Mindset work is a function of Mindfulness.

I share a story about a pivotal experience I had when I first arrived in Chennai, India.

That experience, which occurred almost 3 weeks into my sabbatical, helped me see myself in a new light.

It set me on a path of questions that I continued to explore over the next 12 months of travel. It also made me intentional in establishing what I refer to as my personal leadership laboratory - a place where I check in daily. These series of events are what made the conversations that I had globally with founders and CEOs possible.

Those conversations are how I arrived at my specific focus on helping CEOs develop greater leadership capacity in Mindset, Courage, Resilience, and Innovation.

Bottom line: I’m really glad I agreed to do this podcast.

This conversation provided a great opportunity to reflect while also helping me identify more threads that I want to weave into future issues. I want to thank Lisa for having me on her podcast. She has created a beautiful space for reflection, conversation, laughter, and self-discovery. 🫶🏽

FROM INSIGHT TO ACTION
Putting It Into Practice

• If time permits, check out the episode. A long-form conversation gave me the chance to go deep on several topics. This 4-min. email doesn’t always allow for that.

• Thought Exercise: What might an acceptance mindset look like for you? Having a concept of this will give you a reference point for next week’s newsletter. 😊

EXCELLENCE UNBOUNDED
How I Can Help You

🚀 CEO Coaching Programs: Are you a CEO who wants to:

• Skillfully navigate uncertainty 

• Lead confidently

• Drive results

Developing greater leadership capacity in 4 key domains (Mindset, Courage, Resilience, & Innovation) will empower you to do all three.

Book time to learn about the bespoke 1:1 coaching programs I deliver. During this call, we will talk about your challenges, your goals, and how we might partner to fully “unbound your excellence.”

🎤 Speaking Engagements: My mom can attest to the fact that I LOVE to talk. 😂 Now, I put that talent to work delivering talks on Mindset, Courage, Resilience, & Innovation.

A few past clients include KraftHeinz, Amazon Women @ Payments, PAHEi, & the Panamá Chapter of the International Coaching Federation (I delivered this talk in Spanish).

If you are interested in having me speak at your event, please fill out this form.

Until next Sunday,

Shawnette