Avoiding the Leadership “Golden Rule” Trap by Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta Even those who appear to be remarkably humble and self-aware can fall for this one. As children, most of us were taught “the golden rule”: we should treat others the way we want to be treated. Definitely, a great mantra for life. The world needs more kindness and consideration. No arguments there. But as leaders, this deeply ingrained belief could be inadvertently reducing our effectiveness. Think about that for a moment. If we treat all of our team members the way we want to be treated, we Read More
Quit Underestimating Workplace Dynamics
Quit Underestimating Workplace Dynamics
Friends and Leaders: The Challenges of Changing Roles By Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta When workplace roles change, so do relationships. Which can make for some very interesting—and perhaps awkward—situations. Consider the impact. Your best friend on the team gets promoted. Or you get promoted. In a single moment, there’s a clear shift. Instead of being grab-a-beer-after-work-to-complain-about-the-boss co-workers, now one of you IS the boss. Throwing a new sense of accountability into the mix quickly changes the dynamic. Here’s the issue. When the line between Read More
Quit Defining Leadership the Same Old Way
Quit Defining Leadership the Same Old Way
Describing Leaders: In Charge? Or Influential? by Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta If you asked 20 people to describe the characteristics of a powerful leader today, you’d probably get 20 different answers. So how can we effectively and concisely describe the essence of a successful leader in our current business environment—with the backdrop of global competition, splintering markets, and whiplash-inducing advances in technology? One word: influence. While great leaders years ago were often seen as being in charge, great leaders today are considered Read More
Millennial Alert: How to Handle Older Folks in the Workplace
Millennial Alert: How to Handle Older Folks in the Workplace
12 Insights from Someone Who’s Been There, Done That By Motivational Business Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta I recently spoke to a large audience made up mostly of millennials. And they had tons of questions about working with “older people”. And I realized ... hey, that’s me! I am always teaching people how to deal with the millennials, but I never teach them how to deal with us. So, in fun, here are a few good tips when working with the rest of us that just might come in handy. Whichever side of the generational fence you’re on – these will be good tips to take with you! 13 Top Read More
Salespeople: QUIT Making Excuses
Salespeople: QUIT Making Excuses
START Making More Sales Book Connie Now for Your Next Sales Event By Sales Strategist, Human Behavior Expert, and Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta 80% of my audiences? SALES. After more than 25 years working with top sales organizations and teams around the globe -- there isn't much I haven't seen or heard of in both success stories -- and EXCUSES for why money is left on the table. Here's what I know... The top excuses for not making a deal? What salespeople say: Price. Product. Economy. Read More
CHANGE: It’s In Your DNA
CHANGE: It’s In Your DNA
Especially in Today’s World By Motivational Keynote Speaker and Human Behavior Expert Connie Podesta In my best-selling book 10 Ways to Stand Out From the Crowd, the first topic I tackle is CHANGE. That’s because it’s such a pivotal part of creating the life you really want. Change is scary, I get it. Our volatile world today is changing seemingly at the speed of light and we, as human beings, are desperately trying to do one of two things: embrace change and learn to adapt, or fight it with all that we have and stay stuck in the past. Since time most certainly will march on with or Read More
Don’t Hire Another Outside Speaker … Until You Read This
Don’t Hire Another Outside Speaker … Until You Read This
A Just Ask Connie Blog "Why waste money on outside speakers …" the email began. "What our team really needs is to hear from our own internal leadership team. An outside speaker doesn’t even understand our unique business." Not the first time I’ve heard those words. My response? Is usually, "Really? Let’s dig a little deeper and break those theories down a bit." First, "Why waste money?" You know, that’s a legitimate question and money can be misspent if… A: You hire the WRONG speaker. You know the drill. It’s time to choose a speaker but it’s "decision by committee" – and there’s Read More
Just Ask Connie: Why Your Audience Needs More Than Rah-Rah Motivation
Just Ask Connie: Why Your Audience Needs More Than Rah-Rah Motivation
"I'm planning an event for my company and I've been directed to find a ‘motivational speaker’ to open our conference. What does that mean exactly?" I get these kind of emails all the time. It's a great question. I get it. There’s a lot of confusion because the word "motivation" gets thrown around when it comes to speaking. No surprise, it’s one of the top words Googled when searching for a speaker. Let me make it a little easier. With more than 25 years in this business, I can tell you that there are three main types of speakers who fit under the category of Motivation. Content Read More
Just Me and the Audience
Just Me and the Audience
Why I Don’t Use Slides or PowerPoint By Motivational Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta I’m often asked why I don’t use slides in my keynote presentations. (Most people just hug me when they find out I'm PowerPoint free!). Here’s my thought: It’s not about the slides. I don’t have a personal grudge against PowerPoint or anything – or even those who use it. It’s just not ME. If you’ve ever seen me speak – or know me personally, one thing will come across probably in the first three minutes: I engage immediately with my audiences. I’m direct. And I absolutely LOVE playing off my Read More
Fight for What You’re Worth
Fight for What You’re Worth
Why it HAS to Start With You By Motivational Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta I’m very blessed to be able to share with amazing people all over the world. From the tens of thousands I speak to from the stage each year to my incredible friends on social media – one thing that comes up over and over I find is how people often put their “worth” in someone else’s hands. In other words, they don’t know their own worth, so the let someone else determine that value. Stop. Please stop. Here’s the amazing thing about you that perhaps no one ever told you before – you are unique and have gifts Read More