More on what I’m learning and how I am being as a result of consuming fewer books and less information.

• Avoiding the Twitch (Anthony Ongaro)
• Going through books and podcasts much slower and multiple times
• Judgment, Acceptance and Freedom by Tara Brach
• Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn
• There is no where to get to
• Convergence of three things
  • Consuming less information
  • Spending the weekend away with my wife
  • Feeling more present
• The importance of going away alone with your spouse
  • Turn off your phone and the TV
  • Be present to the moment and each other
• My book reading fast and road trip prepared me well for this weekend away
• Concentrated times of being make the subsequent actions cleaner and more direct
  • Peace that comes from it
• A book is just a book
  • It doesn’t matter how much or how little I read right now
  • Peace comes from a place of not needing to accomplish anything or finish a book
  • I don’t need to read another book to get to where I’m going right now
• Seeing an increasing level of confidence of knowing when to be in being or doing mode
• Skimming and scanning for interesting things doesn’t move thing forward in our lives
  • It’s like consuming junk food if I want a fit body
• Personal Inquiry
  • Do you really need to read another book to do what you need to do?
  • Is getting more information simply a form of procrastination?
  • How much of what you’ve read and learned have you implemented?
  • What if you read fewer books this year and implemented more of what you learned in them?
• Creating negative associations to avoid behaviors or consumption that doesn’t serve me
  • “Reading the news puts poison in my head”
  • “Sugar (candy) reduces my immunity and makes me sick”
• When I don’t jam as much information into my head there is space
  • From that space comes great ideas or actions to take
• Concluding Inquires
  • Why are you consuming information?
  • Is that information in service of something positive?
  • Is what you are consuming giving you the outcome you want?
  • What’s something valuable you have consumed or learned recently?
    • Go through it again
    • Implement it

• Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
• Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
• Original photo source: Me

All songs licensed under Creative Commons

The post 89: More Being and Less Reading appeared first on John Poelstra.

A previous client asks for help navigating their own burn out while dealing with a demanding boss.

Here’s my advice on managing stress, dealing with demanding bosses, and finding sustainable ways to recharge. I look at the importance of questioning assumptions, setting boundaries, and experimenting with new approaches to reclaim control over one’s work-life balance.

• You can’t keep pumping air into the metaphorical balloon; it will eventually pop
• Does constant pressure need to be “managed?”
• Stop comparing your limits to others; everyone has different constraints
• Saying no is a powerful tool for reducing stress and workload
• Team agreements can clarify communication norms and reduce ambiguity
• Test small changes like turning off your phone for short periods to gauge the impact
• Meditation isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; explore other recharging methods
• Write down all of the assumptions you have about your situation and question their validity
• Experiment with scenarios that challenge your fears (e.g., being unavailable and seeing what happens)
• Ask yourself what your current situation is doing to your body, soul, and relationships
• Consider whether your job aligns with what you want in life long-term
• Challenge the belief that you must always be available or risk losing your job
• Agreements are better than expectations—collaborate with others on clear terms
• Test turning off Slack or disabling presence indicators to reduce pressure
• Sustainable productivity requires intentional boundaries, not cheat codes
• Physical symptoms of stress often signal deeper issues; don’t ignore them
• If nothing changes in your current situation, consider the long-term consequences on your health and happiness
• Reach out for help or coaching if you’re stuck—there’s always something new to try

• • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
  • Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash

All songs licensed under Creative Commons

The post 133: How to Handle a Demanding Boss Without Burning Out appeared first on John Poelstra.

Sarah Johnson is a library science educator and social worker. She joins me to explain the evolving role of public libraries in modern society.

Sarah highlights how libraries have transformed from quiet book repositories into vibrant community hubs addressing diverse needs, from providing Wi-Fi and e-resources to offering social services like legal aid, health information, and even showers for unhoused individuals. Sarah explains that libraries are often the last free public spaces where people can gather without needing to spend money, making them essential yet increasingly complex environments.

Sarah also shares her unique career path from social work and massage therapy to academic librarianship, emphasizing how her passion for learning and community service shaped her journey. She discusses the concept of “library social work,” which integrates social work principles into library operations to address challenges like homelessness, mental health crises, and safety concerns in public libraries. Through examples like San Francisco’s pioneering library social worker program, she illustrates how libraries can partner with community organizations to better serve patrons while supporting overburdened staff.

• Libraries have evolved into community hubs providing far more than books
• Public libraries often serve as the last free public spaces accessible to everyone
• Many librarians lack formal training in handling social issues like homelessness or mental health crises
• Academic librarians typically require advanced degrees, unlike many public library staff
• Public libraries provide critical resources like Wi-Fi, job search tools, and legal aid
• E-book usage has surged, keeping libraries relevant in the digital age
• Serendipitous browsing—discovering books by walking the stacks—is a unique joy that digital catalogs struggle to replicate
• Libraries play vital roles during crises, such as providing resources during natural disasters or pandemics
• Social workers in libraries help connect patrons with external services rather than solving systemic issues alone
• San Francisco was the first U.S. city to hire a full-time library social worker in 2009
• Library staff often experience burnout due to increasing demands and insufficient training
• Trauma-informed care and de-escalation strategies are becoming essential skills for librarians
• Children’s librarians emphasize physical books over e-books for developmental benefits
• Libraries often partner with local organizations to offer tailored programs based on community needs
• COVID-19 exacerbated challenges in public libraries, increasing chaos in some urban branches
• Libraries are increasingly vibrant but face safety concerns due to their open-door policies
• Modern libraries cater to diverse populations through multilingual resources and inclusive programming
• Book banning controversies highlight the ongoing cultural significance of libraries
• Peer navigator programs offer an alternative model for addressing patron needs without relying solely on social workers
• Many communities invest heavily in renovating library facilities, reflecting their continued relevance
• Academic librarianship allows professionals to combine teaching, research, and direct student engagement
• Libraries must balance being welcoming spaces with ensuring safety for all patrons
• Advocacy for library funding and leadership is crucial for maintaining thriving public spaces
• Librarians Face a Crisis of Violence and Abuse (NY Times)

Tammi Scott joins me to discusses career coaching. Tammi explains that she and her business partner, Elisa, are launching Empowered Careers Group, LLC, which offers a comprehensive career coaching program.

We explore various aspects of career coaching, including its definition, approach, and benefits. Tammi emphasizes that career coaching is not about providing a “crystal ball’ solution,” but rather a process of self-discovery and strategic planning.

This conversation also touches on the role of AI in career coaching, the importance of networking, and the typical duration of coaching engagements. Tammi highlights the value of having a coach for accountability, support, and guidance through the ups and downs of career transitions. We also discuss the differences between career coaching and other forms of guidance, such as personal training or consulting. Tammi shares insights on resume writing, negotiation strategies, and the benefits of having a career coach.

Our conversation challenges the common misconception that career coaches should provide immediate answers or specific job recommendations. Instead, Tammi describes career coaching as a facilitated journey of self-discovery, where clients explore their ideal work environment, values, and professional aspirations. While coaches can provide specific guidance on resumes and salary negotiations, the core work involves helping clients understand themselves better to make informed career decisions.

• Career coaching is not about getting quick answers but facilitating self-discovery
• Most effective career coaching engagements last 3-6 months
• Career coaches don’t provide magic solutions or guaranteed career paths
• The process involves creating a clear picture of your ideal work day
• Resume writing receives more direct guidance than other coaching areas
• AI tools can complement but not replace career coaching
• Career coaching involves accountability and consistent support
• Coaches help surface limiting beliefs and handle rejection
• Career coaching combines internal reflection with practical action steps
• Career coaches help clients understand their values and preferences
• The best career management is ongoing, not reactive

• TammiScott.com
• LinkedIn

• Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
• Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

All songs licensed under Creative Commons

The post 131: Career Coaching Isn’t a Crystal Ball with Tammi Scott appeared first on John Poelstra.

Katherine Krupka shares her unconventional journey from the Russian Embassy to energy healing.

She’s an energy healer, interfaith minister, coach and Executive Director of the Energy Medicine Professional Association.

Our conversation reveals Katherine’s fascinating background, including her adventures working at the embassy in Moscow during the fall of the Berlin Wall, her involvement in privatization efforts with the World Bank and consulting projects with oligarchs in Russia.

Katherine shares how her rock bottom moments led her to exploration of raw food, naturopathy, yoga, and meditation. She provides insights into how how healing works and how she helps clients. As a life-long learner, she’s presently focused on a deep study of human consciousness.

• Website
• LinkedIn

• Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
• Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

All songs licensed under Creative Commons

The post 130: Katherine Krupka’s Path from Diplomacy to Healing appeared first on John Poelstra.

Mark Rumbles reflects on his career of 40 years, what he’s learned in the leadership development space and what’s next for him.

Mark recently retired after 40 years in HR and leadership development. Mark and I discuss his career journey, the concept of retirement, and insights gained from his extensive experience developing leaders. This conversation touches on various topics, including mentorship, career planning, motivation, and the challenges of leadership development.

Mark shares his perspective on career transitions, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, relationship-building, and maintaining a flexible approach to one’s career path. He also discusses his current interests post-retirement, including exploring podcasting and working towards fostering more civil discourse in society. Throughout the conversation, Mark offers his insights on leadership, personal growth, and navigating career challenges.

• Careers are more like arcs than rigid plans, requiring flexibility and adaptability
• Effective mentorship often develops organically through relationship-building
• Leadership development is about influencing factors that bring out internal motivation
• Follow the fear, energy, and incentives to understand and overcome challenges
• Retirement doesn’t mean stopping; it’s a transition to new opportunities and discoveries
• Relationship-building is crucial for career success and personal growth
• Curiosity is a key driver for personal and professional development
• The term “networking” can feel manipulative; focus on genuine relationship-building instead
• Leadership development is a fusion of various approaches and frameworks
• Behavior is a language that often speaks louder than words
• Self-reflection is crucial for aligning one’s words and actions
• Fear often stems from a desire to preserve one’s identity or self-image
• Motivation is complex and can’t be directly controlled by others
• Balance is essential in leadership, knowing when to debate and when to act
• Civil discourse and the ability to disagree respectfully are valuable skills
• Career transitions can involve multiple steps (e.g., full-time to part-time to retirement)
• Volunteering (e.g., joining a condo board) can be a way to stay engaged post-retirement
• The concept of “career” is often misunderstood and over-emphasized
• HR practices have shaped how people think about careers, sometimes unrealistically
• Podcasting can be an alternative to writing a book for sharing ideas and experiences
• Leadership development aims to bring out the best in people and help them bring out the best in others
• Understanding one’s “wiring” and sources of joy is crucial for career satisfaction
• Early career experiences, even if unenjoyable, can provide valuable foundations
• The balance between debating ideas and executing decisions is crucial in organizations

• LinkedIn

• Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
• Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

All songs licensed under Creative Commons

The post 129: Fusing 40 Years of HR, Leadership Development and Life Lessons with Mark Rumbles appeared first on John Poelstra.

Doug Hunter and I discuss artificial intelligence (AI), including how it works, its impact on various aspects of life and work and how to get started with it.

Doug provides an overview of AI, distinguishing between classical AI and the more recent generative AI. Doug also explains how AI works on probabilities and patterns, and discusses its current capabilities and limitations.

Our conversation covers the potential applications of AI in fields such as marketing, customer service, education, and coaching. Doug emphasizes the importance of understanding and adapting to AI technologies, while also highlighting some of the risks and ethical concerns. He suggests practical ways for individuals and businesses to start using AI tools and advises on how to approach AI integration strategically.

• AI is changing lives in ways many don’t realize; those who don’t adapt risk being left behind
• Generative AI has democratized access to AI capabilities for the general public
• AI operates on probabilities and patterns, not true understanding or knowledge
• There are potential risks with AI, including hallucinations and copyright infringement
• AI can significantly enhance productivity in various fields, including marketing and customer service
• The nature of many jobs, including coaching, may change due to AI integration
• AI tutors could revolutionize education by providing personalized, 24/7 learning assistance
• Humans should remain “in the loop” when using AI, treating it like a smart intern rather than an infallible authority
• AI’s impact on jobs will be significant, but historical technological advances suggest adaptation is possible
• Learning to write effective prompts for AI will be a crucial skill in the future
• AI can help make educational outcomes more equitable by providing resources to underserved areas
• The concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and its potential implications are still theoretical
• AI models are rapidly improving, with multimodal capabilities becoming more common
• There are ongoing discussions about potential rights for AI systems
• AI can be used as a tool to overcome barriers to effectiveness in various professions
• Using AI effectively could allow professionals to take on more clients or work more efficiently
• AI’s ability to find patterns in complex data sets can lead to insights humans might miss
• The ethical implications of AI, including privacy concerns, are significant and ongoing
• AI may not be able to replicate human creativity and intuition fully
• Job postings in the future may require fluency in AI tools
• AI can be used for creative tasks, such as generating bedtime stories or unique images
• Understanding the limitations of AI is as important as knowing its capabilities
• AI could potentially replace some front-line customer service jobs while making remaining roles more complex
• Experimentation with AI tools is crucial for understanding their potential and limitations
• AI’s impact may be more profound and widespread than previous technological revolutions

• Perplexity (AI search tool)
• ChatGPT
• Google Gemini
• Claude (Anthropic’s model)
• DALL-E (image generation)
• Midjourney (image generation)
• Sora (video generation)
• Whisper and Claud]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903027 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5821 3037 full Sat, 03 Aug 2024 19:42:58 GMT false

  Tammi Scott shares her unique approach to finding new job opportunities by emailing people she knows.

  Tammi and I were a money coaches together at Capital One. Tammi shares insights from her extensive coaching background, including her experience at Nordstrom selling shoes. She emphasizes the critical role of building and maintaining professional relationships during a job search.

  One of Tammi’s key strategies is sending regular email updates to her network, sharing her progress, goals, and offering mutual support. This approach not only keeps her connections informed but also fosters ongoing engagement. We also explore the importance of aligning personal values with career decisions and the benefits of combining traditional online job applications with proactive networking efforts.

  Key Insights
  • Combining online applications with networking efforts improves job search results
  • Understanding personal values helps in finding suitable job opportunities
  • Career coaching can provide valuable insights and strategies for job seekers
  • Regular practice and continuous learning are essential in careers and personal interests
  • Offering mutual support in networking efforts creates goodwill
  • Tracking networking efforts and job applications is important
  • Previous work experiences, even in different fields, can provide transferable skills
  • Providing an easy opt-out option in networking emails shows respect for recipients
  • Balancing online job applications with in-person networking yields better results
  • Curiosity and willingness to learn can lead to unexpected opportunities
  • Sharing specific job interests and companies in networking emails facilitates connections
  • Regular updates to your network keep you top-of-mind for opportunities
  Contact Tammi Scott
  • TammiScott.com
  • LinkedIn
  Credits
  • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

  All songs licensed under Creative Commons

  The post 127: Improve Your Job Search with Email: Tammi Scott appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903028 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5819 2588 full Mon, 08 Jul 2024 23:35:56 GMT false

  Nick Accordino shares the emotional rollercoaster of being laid-off, searching for a new job, and landing a new fulfilling role.

  Key Takeaways
  • Take conscious breaks from the job search process to recharge when needed.
  • Look for opportunities aligned with your authentic values and passions.
  • Focus your search locally to increase human connections.
  • Craft targeted, personalized applications rather than generic submissions.
  • Seek out volunteer experiences to reengage with your community.
  • Be open to unconventional or surprising paths.
  • Know when to pivot strategies if your current approach isn’t working.
  • Job searching takes an intense emotional and mental toll.
  • Not getting feedback from potential employers is demoralizing.
  • Expect ups and downs – the process is a rollercoaster.
  • Set a sustainable daily routine, likely only a few focused hours.
  • Generic job boards yield a lot of noise and unhelpful opportunities.
  • Losing your job can feel quietly disorienting at first.
  • Take time to recenter on your identity outside work.
  • Know your limits and don’t overcommit energy to any one opportunity.
  • Even short breaks from routine tasks can provide perspective.
  • Tap your local professional network for insights on roles.
  • Look for transferable skills you can highlight for new paths.
  • Combine personal interests with professional strengths.
  • Small companies offer chances to wear multiple hats.
  • Hands-on volunteering provides an engaging change of pace.
  • Share your story and be open to others’ for mutual support.
  • Get out of the house regularly to avoid isolation.
  • Finding joy and flow in simple, repetitive work.
  • Embrace serendipity when exploring options.
  Mentioned
  • Bee Downtown website
  • Bee Downtown Instagram
  • Volunteer Match
  Other Title Possibilities

  Claude2 helped me with the title for this post. Here are the runner-ups which I thought were equally funny and creative.

  • Stinging Insights: Nick Accordino on Life After Being Laid Off
  • The Buzz on Bouncing Back: Nick Accordino’s Winding Path from Corporate to Bee Maven
  • From Red Hat to Beehive: Nick Accordino’s Unexpected Career Pollination
  • Corporate Refugee Finds Sweet Success with Bees: Nick Accordino’s Unlikely Pivot
  • A New Honey Pot: Nick Accordino Rebuilds After a Layoff, One Bee at a Time
  • The Birds, The Bees, and a Layoff: An Unconventional Metamorphosis for Nick Accordino
  • Laid Off and Stung, But Not Down: Nick Accordino’s Apian Rebound
  • From Pink Slip to Honey Dipper: How Nick Accordino Cultivated a Sweet New Career
  Credits
  • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

  All songs licensed under Creative Commons

  The post 126: Out of the Job Hive, Into the Beehive: Nick Accordino’s Layoff to Apiary Tale appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903029 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5810 2032 full Tue, 14 May 2024 18:47:19 GMT false

  Stephen Warley joins me to explore why your job search and networking strategies aren’t working and what to do instead.

  Top Takeaways
  • Stop relying solely on online job applications and start talking to real-live people!
  • Create and maintain a list of your existing contacts and reach out to them with curiosity and honesty.
  • Understand your desired lifestyle costs and calculate the income needed to sustain it–don’t chase an arbitrary salary number.
  • Learn to articulate and demonstrate your value proposition to potential employers/clients.
  • Be open to unconventional paths like consulting, freelancing, or non-traditional roles.
  • Continuously invest in improving your skills and curating a portfolio of your work.
  • Market and promote yourself proactively, don’t just wait for opportunities.
  • Identify companies/organizations aligned with your values and interests.
  • Explore volunteering or gifting services to showcase your abilities.
  • Ask for additional connections/introductions in every conversation.
  • Adopt an entrepreneurial, empowered approach to managing your career.
  • Form a job search community for support, perspectives, and accountability.
  • Don’t undervalue your worth, but remain realistic about market rates.
  • Follow up consistently–a lack of response doesn’t mean you should stop pursuing.
  • Get out of your head and take action–even in small steps.
  • Challenge assumptions about what’s possible or conventional.
  • Align your work with your personal values and find the right fit.
  • Consider interim/temporary roles as potential paths to something more permanent.
  • Embrace lifelong learning as industries and roles evolve.
  • Focus on continuous self-improvement, not just securing any job.
  More About Stephen Warley

  Stephen Warley has been a serial solopreneur for the past 25 years. He’s the founder of LifeSkillsThatMatter.com. He’s a career and business coach on a mission to help you create work that works for you in alignment with your values, needs and abilities. He believes work is fundamentally changing as you know it and we’re all going to have to manage ourselves whether you work for yourself or someone else. Learn how to start making your work, work for you at www.lifeskillsthatmatter.com/about

  Credits
  • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

  All songs licensed under Creative Commons

  The post 125: Avoiding Networking and Job Search Futility with Stephen Warley appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903030 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5809 3630 full Mon, 06 May 2024 18:03:07 GMT false

  Seth Vore joins me again to recap the final leg of his family’s 6,000 mile boat journey. We also revisit the original question that turned this dream into reality.

  Learn More about Seth Vore and His Family
  • Previous conversations with Seth:
    • 121: Captain Seth Progress Report (June 2023)
    • 112: Checking in with Captain Seth Vore (June 2022)
    • 110: Boats and FIRE with Seth Vore (December 2021)
  • The Great Loop is a 6,000 mile, year-long boating trip Seth and his family are on
  • ‘Loopers’ Say the Great Loop Is Their Appalachian Trail
  • onFIREfamily – Website
  • onFIREfamily – YouTube
  Credits
  • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

  All songs licensed under Creative Commons

  The post 124: Seth Vore–Wouldn’t It Be Crazy If… appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903031 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5793 3392 full Sun, 14 Apr 2024 00:16:37 GMT false

  Greg Sterling joins me to share his experiences navigating a layoff and finding a job in the current market.

  Conversation Summary

  Losing a job is never easy, even when the economy seems strong. Greg Sterling was was part of a layoff at Red Hat after 13 years with the company. He spent the last 7 months searching for a new position. We talked in November 2023 to get his insights on the current job market and advice for others trying to find new work.

  Key Takeaways
  • Job searching can be very discouraging with extremely low response rate
  • Companies can receive an overwhelming 500-1000 applicants for a single role in minutes
  • The current job market is very tight with companies being extremely selective
  • Networking continuously is crucial, though even close contacts may not respond
  • Self-care through exercise or other outlets helps manage the emotional toll
  • Finding local opportunities rather than remote roles yields better results
  • Asking for feedback after rejections can provide useful insights to improve
  • Regularly tweaking your resume to polish message and fit is important
  • Recruiters tend to only work with those they can easily place in a role
  • Set limits on job search time to avoid burnout

  The post 123: Searching for a Job in Today’s Market with Greg Sterling appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903032 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5790 2575 full Wed, 28 Feb 2024 03:10:53 GMT false

  Michael Marvosh joins me to share his experiences and perspective on the Landmark Forum. I’ve heard a variety of things about it over the years and I was curious to get Michael’s take on it.

  Conversation Highlights
  • Taking responsibility rather than blaming external factors
  • Staying present in relationships
  • “Choosing” (open) vs, “Deciding” (limiting)
  • Letting go of judgment traps–“right vs wrong” and “good vs bad”
  • Learning to be more unconditionally present
  • Exploring “integrity” – Michael aims for authenticity
  • Tightening up the wishy-washy areas
  • Michael realized how he wasn’t showing up fully in key relationships
  • The paradox between the past and future self-improvement
  • Landmark courses are very affordable–Michael has taken several and is planning to take more
  Credits
  • Original photo source: Michael Marvosh

  The post 122: Learning About the Landmark Forum with Michael Marvosh appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903033 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5789 3352 full Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:32:56 GMT false

  We’re checking in again with Seth Vore and his family. So far they’ve completed 5,000 miles of their 6,000 mile journey. Last time we talked it was June of 2022, and they had just bought their boat.

  Learn More about Seth Vore and His Family
  • Previous conversations with Seth:
    • 112: Checking in with Captain Seth Vore (June 2022)
    • 110: Boats and FIRE with Seth Vore (December 2021)
  • The Great Loop is a 6,000 mile, year-long boating trip Seth and his family are on
  • ‘Loopers’ Say the Great Loop Is Their Appalachian Trail
  • onFIREfamily – Website
  • onFIREfamily – YouTube
  Credits
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
  • Original photo source

  All songs licensed under Creative Commons

  The post 121: Captain Seth Progress Report appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903034 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5780 3793 full Thu, 15 Jun 2023 02:03:54 GMT false

  Sometimes we’re afraid to slow down because we’re afraid we’ll fail. What if the opposite is true?

  Highlights
  • Brad Solomon’s post on LinkedIn about slowing down inspired today’s thoughts
  • What if you can’t slow down too much?
  • The important distinction between slowing down and stopping
  • Slowing down to speed up
  • What would be possible for you if you slowed down, but didn’t stop?
  • Straight-Line Leadership: Tools for Living with Velocity and Power in Turbulent Times by Dusan Djukich
    • Stop Stopping vs. Stopping: Chapter 6
  • Maybe there isn’t a “right path” or “right track”–sometimes we waste more time trying to figure that out than actually getting somewhere
  • Maybe you don’t need to know all the steps to start or keep going, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop
  • Giving your “time and attention” to the things you are committed to
  • Micro vs. macro commitments
  • Where have you “stopped” in your life?
  • What’s the smallest way you can start?
  • “What haven’t you tried yet?”
  Credits
  • Original photo source

   

  The post 120: Slowing Down Isn’t Stopping appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903035 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5776 985 full Tue, 20 Dec 2022 11:30:43 GMT false

  Have you ever learned something you already knew? That happened recently with what’s written on my About page.

  I was surprised to find many of them relate to the theme of commitment I’ve been sharing on recently.

  Credits
  • Original photo source

  The post 119: Here’s What I Know and Believe appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903036 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5772 472 full Tue, 13 Dec 2022 11:30:21 GMT false

  The other day I was overwhelmed with all the things I needed to. This is how I got organized and less overwhelmed.

  Highlights
  • Getting email and Trello under control
  • Where are the places you store things that need to get done?
    • Trello
    • Post-it Notes
    • Email
    • Slack
    • 3×5 Cards
    • Notebook
  • Offline email client–Thunderbird
    • Used in conjunction with GMail and other email providers
    • All of my email is stored locally where it can’t be hacked or lost
  • Recomendo (my favorite newsletter of all)
  • Getting to Inbox Zero at least once during a given day
  • Sharpies & 3×5 cards are an easy way to capture and organize all the things overwhelming you
    • Easy to move around
    • Don’t stick to surface
    • Collapsable into a single pile so you don’t have to see all the cards (and get overwhelmed)
  • Trello
    • Columns
      • Today
      • This Week
      • Next Week
      • Backlog
    • Set due dates and alerts for specific cards (generates email)
  • Overall triage process
    • Go through all the email in Thunderbird and get the main Inbox to zero
      • Move to folder
      • Delete
      • Forward tasks to Trello via email
      • Book mark related webpage/information via Pinboard
    • Organize and move cards in Trello
      • Move all the cards (not in Backlog) to “Next Week” column (as often as you need to)
      • Triage from there
    • Look for patterns in the cards/tasks if there’s another
  • Projects vs. tasks
  • How to do this process with 3×5 cards
  Credits
  • Original photo source

  The post 118: How I Get Organized When I’m Overwhelmed appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903037 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5766 1344 full Tue, 06 Dec 2022 22:48:27 GMT false

  You might find it easier to honor your commitments by eliminating the things that waste your time and energy. Here’s how to do it.

  Highlights
  • Time leaks are things that eat away at your commitments and increase the possibility that you will not honor them
  • Straight-Line Leadership: Tools for Living with Velocity and Power in Turbulent Times by Dusan Djukich
    • “What you have committed to, up to now, is revealed by what you have produced or failed to produce”
    • “Involved with” vs. “committed to”
  • What gets in the way of honoring your commitments?
  • What do you do or where do you go when you have 15 or 20 minutes between meetings?
  • Reducing time leaks adds time back to your day
  • Having large blocks of time without clear intentions or guard rails
  • Committing to do certain things in a given day
  • What things are you doing that aren’t giving you anything back?
  • Managing Slack by turning off the presence indicator and closing it for an hour as an experiment
  • Decide what you will say “No” to in a given week to help you plug a time leak–make them small and doable
  • Unsubscribe from all those newsletters
  • Disable the notifications on your phone or simply power it off
  • Where do you go when you are bored or seeking to soothe yourself?
  • Where do you find yourself without knowing how you got there?
  • What’s the biggest mindless activity that you do in a day that consumes the most time?
  Credits
  • Original photo source

  The post 117: Plugging Time Leaks to Honor Commitments appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903038 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5764 1279 full Wed, 23 Nov 2022 02:49:45 GMT false

  When I’m looking to move something forward I’ve found better results by getting clear about what I’m committed to rather than searching for motivation.

  Highlights
  • Where does motivation come from and where do you get it?
  • Motivation is illusive and there is a better way
  • What if you aren’t motivated and that isn’t a problem?
  • Motivation as a by-product of commitment
  • Partial commitment is no commitment
  • What are you committed to in your life?
    • How much time and attention do you give them?
    • What would your life look like if you were committed?
  • If you were committed what would you do?
  • Straight-Line Leadership: Tools for Living with Velocity and Power in Turbulent Times by Dusan Djukich
  • Time Warrior: How to defeat procrastination, people-pleasing, self-doubt, over-commitment, broken promises and chaos by Steve Chandler
  • A commitment is something that you absolutely will do or have done–otherwise it is an intention.
  • How to Get Clients: New Pathways to Coaching Prosperity by Steve Chandler
  • Daily commitments of time and things that I have absolute control
  • What are you creating with your commitments or lack thereof?
  • No judgement around what you are or are not committed to
  • Mark Lauren workout programs
  • Clarity of your desire is stronger than any technique or program
  Credits
  • Original photo source

  The post 116: Commitment Not Motivation appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903039 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5762 1418 full Thu, 10 Nov 2022 00:12:24 GMT false

  Here’s how I got back up again after getting off track. I hope it helps you do the same.

  Highlights
  • Restarting
  • Intention vs. commitment
  • Resizing a task or situation in order to commit
  • Honoring the promises we make to ourselves as much as the ones we make to others
  • Simple process to restart
    • Short list of things to do when you wake up
    • Set an alarm
    • Get up when the alarm rings
    • Get moving by getting some things done!
  • “Good enough” and be done–get it out
  • Stop putting the restart off and just crawl if you have to
  • Don’t rely on motivation or it could be a long time
  Credits
  • Original photo source

  The post 115: Restarting Just Like You appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903040 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5757 417 full Mon, 17 Oct 2022 22:56:44 GMT false

  One of the keys to the universe and a better life is our relationship with judgement of self and others. Setting it aside has been one of my biggest paths to freedom.

  The Path to Removing Judgement

  I originally posted this on LinkedIn earlier in the year.

  I saw a post at the start of 2022 on LinkedIn encouraging people to “purge negativity” from the new year by removing connections who post negative things. It seemed like a good idea and yet missing something. My take from the post and the comments was that if you get rid the negativity around you, then you will be positive. That hasn’t been my experience.

  What I found in 2021 and am continuing to this day, is an ongoing evaluation of the judgement I have of others. My own judgement creates my own internal negativity. How I react to what I read and see others post creates my own negativity. Nobody can make me feel negative. That’s my choice, even if it’s a subconscious, knee-jerk reaction. The more I own that, the more is possible.

  Realizing this is my ongoing work I choose not to receive content from people that I judge. It’s tempting to stay subscribed to the newsletter that has interesting ideas or to follow a person I want to model in order get ideas from them. What I’ve learned from these people is that a majority of my energy goes into critiquing and evaluating them (judgement) instead of useful learning. Yes, I realize you could argue that’s useful on its own. I felt dirty inside after doing that.

  I unsubscribed and unfollowed all the people and groups where this happens. It’s possible that my critique is “true.” If I don’t have a relationship with them where this critique can be useful, I’m creating a swamp of poison in my heart. Even if I did have a relationship with them, it’s doubtful I could help them in any significant way with judgement in my heart.

  I see this as a point in time–each “now.” Tomorrow or five years from now I may be able to read things from these same people or groups and have nothing but openness, love and acceptance in my heart. Believing I had evolved from an earlier place of judgement I re-subscribed to a place I used to have judgement around. Within receiving a few emails I was back to my old critiques. So I unsubscribed. More of my own work to do.

  And I don’t judge that either (except when I do, and then I forgive it). Something else to consider here is the judgement you have towards yourself.

  My experience is that judgement always travels as a pair. If I’m judging someone else I’m likely also judging myself about something. And if I am judging myself I’m likely judging others too.

  The post 114: Unsubscribing from Judgement appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903041 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5752 542 full Wed, 12 Oct 2022 18:13:08 GMT false

  Maybe you can relate to my experiences and discoveries here and the revelations I had upon waking one day.

  • Reflecting on themes around
    • Judgement
    • Being
    • Doing
  • Conversations with Lisa DiMateo
  • Super salient thoughts right after waking
  • The illusion that if we figure out why we will actually change
  • Mel Robbins The Five Second Rule
  Credits
  • Original photo source

  The post 113: Slowing Down More appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903042 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5749 531 full Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:38:24 GMT false

  Seth Vore joins me in June 2022 to give an update on the plans he shared in December 2021. Everything has come to fruition. Seth no longer lives in his house or has a job, however he does have a new boat his family is preparing to live on for the next year as they travel.

  Learn More about Seth Vore and His Family
  • The Great Loop is a 6,000 mile, year-long boating trip Seth and his family are on
  • ‘Loopers’ Say the Great Loop Is Their Appalachian Trail
  • onFIREfamily – Website
  • onFIREfamily – YouTube
  Credits
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
  • Original photo source

  All songs licensed under Creative Commons

  The post 112: Checking in with Captain Seth Vore appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903043 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5745 2617 full Sun, 03 Jul 2022 04:22:54 GMT false

  Lisa DiMatteo joins me to revisit our previous conversation (Being, Doing & Enoughness) while consciously exploring new things we thought might be uncomfortable and weren’t.

  Background

  This conversation came about as a result of two things. First was feeling that we played it too safe in our first conversation. Second was misunderstanding Lisa’s reaction to a podcast I shared with her. That podcast was a conversation between Jerry Colonna and Tim Ferriss about Jerry’s two month sabbatical each year.

  Encouragement

  I encourage you to listen to this conversation from a place of awareness of what it says about you or what it brings up for you. In other words, don’t listen from a place of trying understand John better, use it to understand yourself better.

  Prompts to consider as you listen to this episode

  • How is this like me?
  • What’s uncomfortable for me to talk about?
  • What are the places I don’t want to go?
  • What are those things that I can’t be with?
  Recommended
  • Lisa DiMatteo–Your Vital Self
  • Tim Ferriss and Jerry Colonna—How to Reboot Yourself and Feel Unrushed in the New Year /How to Take a Two-Month Sabbatical Every Year
  • Tim Ferriss and Jerry Colonna — The Coach with the Spider Tattoo
  • Jerry Colonna & Krista Tippet —Can You Really Bring Your Whole Self to Work?
  Credits
  • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
  • Original photo source

  All songs licensed under Creative Commons

  The post 111: No-fly Zone Safari with Lisa DiMatteo appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903044 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5737 3540 full Fri, 18 Mar 2022 00:13:13 GMT false

  Seth Vore shares about his local boat tour company, being debt free, retirement and the year-long adventure his family is looking forward to next year on a boat.

  Conversation Highlights
  • You never know how following your inklings can inform you–I would have never met Seth a couple of years ago if I hadn’t gone to a podcasting conference several years before that
  • Stephen Warley
    • Unstuckable Podcast
    • Life Skills That Matter
  • Seth’s background as a chemical engineer and how he got into wooden boats
  • How an unfortunate accident with his first wooden boat yielded and even better boat
  • Willamette River downtown Portland
  • The appeal and experience of old wooden boats
  • The magical peacefulness that comes from being on water
  • Woodworking in Seth’s background and his enjoyment of working with his hands
  • The sailboat Seth bought off of Craigslist in college and learning to sail it with his wife (their marriage surived)
  • Navigating and leaping into the unknown
  • How Seth and his family got “debt free” fifteen years ago and were on the Dave Ramsey Show
  • All the benefits Seth’s family has experienced from being debt free
  • Experiencing Stage 4 cancer and how it changed Seth and what he wanted for his future
  • The Great Loop is a 6,000 mile, year-long boating trip Seth and his family are going on
  • “You can always make more money, but you can’t make more time and you can’t buy yourself better health”
  • Seth & his wife spend each Friday nights on YouTube recording their conversation as they look for a boat
  • The FIRE movement–Financially Independent Retire Early
  • The myths around why you “need a job”
  • Getting health insurance if you don’t work for an employer or “retire early”
  Learn More about Seth Vore
  • Portland Boat Tours
  • onFIREfamily – Website
  • onFIREfamily – YouTube
  • Music Video
  • LinkedIn
  Credits
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
  • Original photo source

  All songs licensed under Creative Commons

  The post 110: Boats and FIRE with Seth Vore appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903045 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5723 3142 full Fri, 31 Dec 2021 22:54:55 GMT false

  Lisa DiMatteo joins me to discuss the dance between “being & doing” and “enoughness” against the backdrop of a three week solitude retreat I experienced in October 2021.

  More About Lisa DiMatteo
  • Your Vital Self
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  Credits
  • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
  • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

  All songs licensed under Creative Commons

  The post 109: Being, Doing and Enoughness with Lisa DiMatteo appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903046 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5724 3506 full Thu, 23 Dec 2021 18:17:36 GMT false

  Wherein I read another section from The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins and contemplate whether “action” is always the answer.

  Mentioned
  • The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins
  Credits
  • Original photo source

  The post 108: Nothing Might Be Something appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903047 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5727 1122 full Fri, 17 Dec 2021 15:41:18 GMT false

  Maybe you aren’t a procrastinator, a perfectionist or broken. Maybe you’re just scared. Moving forward might be as easy as having a conversation instead of staying stuck in your head and trying to do it yourself.

  Mentioned
  • Lisa DiMatteo
  • The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins
  • 4 Ways to Overcome Your Inner Critic & Claim Your Confidence with Mel Robbins on Dear Gabby

  The post 107: Just Scared appeared first on John Poelstra.

  ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903048 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5721 597 full Tue, 07 Dec 2021 00:36:09 GMT false

  Aaron Graham joins me to explore the meaning we give our experiences and how it affects us. We also discuss different ways to interact with our experiences and how to restart when we’ve lost our way.

  Conversation Highlights
  • John & Aaron met as coaches to Capital One’s Money Coaching program
  • Aaron’s path to coaching and previous background in acting
  • Coaching helps people examine the meaning and stories they create about their lives and opens the possibility of choosing new ones
    • Discovering the unconscious rules you are living by
    • Choosing to change them and select new ones
  • The amount of time we waste arguing with what is present (and often not)
  • Sometimes we set the trajectory of our lives based on assumptions and gaps we’ve filled in that aren’t even true
  • In the absence of concrete data our inner critic often fills in the gaps in unhelpful ways
  • As an actor Aaron learned through many years of “rejection” that not being selected for a part often had nothing to do with him personally
    • Taking things personally would have resulted in lasting about a week in that industry
  • What do we have control of and what do we want to let go of?
  • Consciously choosing how we want to use a particular situation and what we want to get from it
  • When things don’t go the way we hoped it’s natural…
    • To be judgemental and negative towards ourselves
    • For our heart to take longer to catch up to our head
    • To globalize one situation to whole of our lives
  • Aaron’s favorite re-grounding mindfulness questions
    • What am I experiencing and feeling right now?
    • What does that tell me that I need in this moment?
  • Resistance, frustration disappointment naturally keep us in a place of judgement and negativity
  • Responding to difficult situations
    • Not giving them meaning vs. creating a different story
    • Choosing from a place of power and strength
    • Taking action
  • Creating a really negative story about a particular situation might be an indicator that you are having a stress response
    • It can be used as a tool or an indicator of what’s going on for you instead of a story to be embraced and lived into
  • The value of letting yourself be exactly where you are at and feel it all as deeply as you can
    • Let that energy out
    • Explore what it’s telling you
    • Consider what you need
  • We miss out and keep ourselves stuck when we tell ourselves that we are having the wrong feelings, emotions or reaction to a situation
    • By judging the experience
    • Not allowing our system to experience what it needs to experience so it can move on
  • If you tell yourself that you aren’t supposed to have the experience that you are having you are judging and fighting the experience you are having and not letting your system experience what it needs to experience so it can move on
  • “I’m noticing that I believe that…. is going to ruin my life.
    • How true is that?
    • What is this telling me that I need right now?
  • Raising the consciousness around what you are experiencing
    • Pay attention to what you are noticing
    • When do you get triggered and go into a stress response?
    • What are the stories you are living in?
    • What are the rules that you live your life by?
    • Are these things serving you or not serving you (not good vs. bad)?
  • Judgement of self gets in the way of being able to objectively evaluate what’s genuinely serving us or not
  • https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5706 3421 full Wed, 07 Jul 2021 17:53:58 GMT false

    Alfredo Deza shares what it’s like to be an Olympian, how he found his way to software and how others can get started there too. We also explore the power behind the word “yet.”

     

    Conversation Highlights
    • Wanting to be known for who you are and not what you have done
      • Downplaying his past as an Olympian
    • Over time coming to embrace his past in sports and how it formed who is as a way to inspire others
    • Persistent and consistent over time
    • There are no shortcuts or quick tips to excellence (the story of Alfredo’s lawn)
    • How Alfredo found his way to career in software, starting with Linux, scripting, Python and beyond (with no formal training or a college degree)
    • Mentors in his life that would not let him quit
    • Sending in a proposal to speak at a Python conference before he fully understood the language
    • Story telling as an effective way of teaching in technical books
    • The power of Yet (Alfredo’s post on LinkedIn that caught my eye)
      • Adding “yet” to that thing you are pursuing and questioning whether you’ll get it
      • It will work out eventually
      • There will be no “yet” if you stop showing up
    • Sometimes it is okay to quit
    • Motivation is an illusion
    • Seth Godin doesn’t believe in writer’s block
    • Alfredo’s advice on how to get started in technology
      • Consider your context and stage of life
      • Gain the knowledge
      • One thing often leads to another
      • There are tons of free resources (including three books Alfredo wrote–see below)
      • Go to the code repositories that benefit from using the particular resources
      • Get experience as a contributor to the project and prove yourself
    • The Fedora Project
    • Go to conferences on subjects that interest you–use your own money and vacation time if you have to
    • Find and connect with Alfredo on LinkedIn
    Programming Resources

    Microsoft Learn is a great place to get started

    Self-published Free books by Alfredo Deza
    • Testing In Python
    • Python Command Line Tools
    • Minimal Python
    O’Reilly Books by Alfredo Deza
    • Python For DevOps
    • Practical MLOps
    Credits
    • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
    • Original photo source

    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

    The post 105: Alfredo Deza–Yet appeared first on John Poelstra.

    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903050 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5711 4155 full Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:35:51 GMT false

    Today I’m sharing another conversation with Issac Roth about the state of the world as I was seeing it in August 2020 which was admittedly a little grim aided by old memories from OpenShift & Red Hat.

    This was a couple months before we knew things would get worse with wildfires in California and Oregon (I couldn’t outside for a solid week or more). In the last published episode (recorded in October 2020), Issac shared his experience of almost losing his house in the California wildfires.

    Issac helps clarify what I was seeing and experiencing in the world (not positive at all) and naturally weaves in his past experiences in startups and our time at at Red Hat creating OpenShift. Issac’s optimism is a natural and effective antidote. I love Issac’s calming presence, wisdom, optimism and unique way of seeing the world.

    Conversation Highlights
    • Troubling current events and the themes of uncertainty, anxiety and instability
    • Remembering that I have a choice and wanting to use it
    • My own internal conflict about what I’m personally experiencing what I help people with
    • The entrepreneurial journey of holding uncertainty while being super positive and how to manage those doubts
    • Issac’s biggest fears when we were creating OpenShift and how he managed them
    • Building a product based on anticipated usage when real customers are few
    • The constant refinement of priorities, resources and time
    • Reserving time for serendipity
    • Experimenting full fidelity and it’s impact on the data you collect
    • Pushing a boulder up a hill–fulfilling fate or creating fate
    • The ups and downs of startup life
    • How does one find hope in times of uncertainty?
    • The urge to just want things to be okay or know that they will be okay–certainty
    • The distinction between fidelity and integrity
    • Acting in the public or private good
    • Making decisions in a time of very little data without a known framework
    • The apparent absence of truth creates anxiety
    • Taking a “So. What.” perspective to your situation
    • Learn more about Issac Roth
      • Shasta Ventures
      • LinkedIn
    Credits
    • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
    • Original photo source

    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

    The post 104: Issac Roth–Experimenting with Fidelity appeared first on John Poelstra.

    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903051 https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5699 2581 full Wed, 02 Jun 2021 22:18:09 GMT false

    Issac Roth and I cover a wide-range of topics linked to our personal lives, our work together at Red Hat and the technology world in general–all sparked by wildfires he almost lost his house to.

    Issac and I go back to the early days of OpenShift at Red Hat. This conversation is not about that though maybe some day we’ll do one. Today I’m sharing a reflective Saturday morning conversation we had in October 2020 about what Issac is seeing in technology and the world around him. It’s an exploration and reflection on what it was like to be five houses away from having his house destroyed by fire and the process he and his family went through to save as much as they could.

    Conversation Highlights
    • John and Issac reconnect after a long while
    • Wildfires in the California were stopped five houses away from Issac’s
    • The world is decomposing and it’s not necessarily a bad thing
    • The internet enables decomposition
    • Decomposition makes space for new things
    • The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More by Chris Anderson
    • The Long Tail is already happening
      • TikTok has millions and millions of videos instead of one movie
      •  Platforms like BandCamp and SoundCloud
    • Finding smaller ways to influence policy and the big divide
    • More choices leads to decomposition which makes way for new things
    • Fire as a good thing
      • Controlled burns
      • Tree species that require fire to germinate seeds
    • Purging old stuff often makes us feel better and creates space
    • Possibility as the opposite of scarcity
    • Empty space and lack of consumption makes room for creativity and possibility
    • Parallels between the startup world and a burned out forest
    • Consciously creating space in the day to have all the time that’s needed
    • Cross pollinating ideas between different communities
    • TikTok as a way to connect and experience people completely different than ourselves
    • New technologies that help us connect were made possible because of decomposition
    • The things that technology enables also comes with tradeoffs
      • Makes privilege gap wider
      • Exchange of personal privacy
    • The systematic process Issac and his partner went through to evacuate their house, save what was most important and say good bye
    • How the process of almost losing his home changed Issac and the parallels he sees to technology and the environment
    • The changing nature of story telling with TikTok and Instagram
    • John’s version of better story telling
      • The meaning and focus we give is a choice
      • Sometimes our thought patterns and beliefs need to be decomposed
      • Setting aside fear and living with uncertainty
    • The practice of creating space to deal with uncertainty
    • Celebrating uncertainty
      • The opposite of fearing what’s around the bend
      • “Showing up to serendipity with preparedness”
    • Is the future brighter than we think as a result of decomposition?
    • Possibility does not negate the things that are hard to be with
    Credits
    • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
    • Original photo source

    All songs licensed under  https://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5697 4767 full Sat, 15 May 2021 21:49:44 GMT false

    I’m back in another conversation with Brad Solomon. Today’s episode is more for the newer coach as we get into the mechanics of effective coaching. If you have a casual interest in coaching or are curious about what makes it it work you may find this episode interesting. And as is usually the case, Brad and I meander into other areas too.

    This conversation is also on YouTube if you prefer to view it there. The visual will explain my reference to lots of books and the virtual background I was using. It was also a fun reference to a previous episode where I referred to reading less books.

     

     

    Conversation Highlights
    • You don’t have to answer every question you are asked
      • Especially when there’s a trap or assumption baked into the question
      • Answer the question you want to
    • Problems with the question, “How does that make you feel?”
      • It feels like therapy
      • It has the implicit assumption that something has the power to make us feel a certain way (instead of having a choice)
    • Thoughts drive feelings, drive actions
    • Trying to listen and formulate a question at the same time just doesn’t work well
      • Listening with your body instead
    • When you are listening deeply it’s often possible to turn the last thing the person said into the next question
    • Over time and through experience you learn to trust your intuition and that in the moment the next thing to say will appear
      • Sometimes the next thing to say is, “I have no idea what to ask you next” and that is completely okay
    • Handling situations where the person you are coaching doesn’t know what to say or how to answer
    • Seeing your intuition like a dashboard light in your car
      • Awareness that the light is on vs. knowing exactly what it means
    • Keep your questions simple and ask one
    • “I’m not here to answer your questions. I’m here to question your answers.”
    • Experiencing the difference between mentoring and coaching
    • Navigating coaching moments that don’t seem to be going well
    • The job of the coach is to help people move forward–different than solving their problem
    • The power of asking permission to speak a “truth”
    Credits
    • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
    • Original photo source

    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

    The post 102: Questioning Your Answers appeared first on John Poelstra.

    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903053 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5689 3192 full Sun, 04 Apr 2021 02:37:41 GMT false

    Brad Solomon and I continue our reflections and riffs about what’s present to us. This time it’s about being present, journaling, and the power (and difficulty) of getting clear about what you want.

     

     

    Conversation Highlights
    • My longest answer ever to “how are you doing?”
    • Showing up as the best version of whatever is present
    • My break from the news through Future Self Journaling
      • Learned about it from Carolyn Andrews
      • Weekly newsletter and podcast called The Sunday Soother
      • How talk therapy stopped working for her
    • Brad’s reflection that therapy focuses on the past and coaching focuses on the future–what modality do we have that focuses on the present?
    • Neither of us is missing our break from Twitter and the way it brings us down
    • Learning from animals–how clean their requests are and how easily they let things go
    • “What do you desire?”
      • Often a more powerful self-inquiry than “What do you want?” or “What do you need?”
    • “Reported on world” vs. a “created world”
    • The obligations we find ourselves under often come from our past–woulds, coulds, shoulds, need to, etc.
    • When you are doing something you love you don’t have to push yourself forward
    • What story are you telling yourself?
    • What story do you want to be in?
    • Humans seem to be the only animal that puts barriers in the way of what they want
    • Daily writing exercise about what you want
    • What’s really going on “inside here” instead of “what’s going on outside there?”
    • You can’t figure out what you want if you aren’t completely honest with yourself
    • Write down what you want
      • For extra power and clarity read it out loud
    More Episodes Exploring What You Want
    • What Do You Want? (21)
    • Figuring Out What You Want with Tina Robinson (56)
    Credits
    • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
    • Original photo source

    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

    The post 101: What Do You Really Want? appeared first on John Poelstra.

    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903054 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5679 3990 full Sat, 30 Jan 2021 23:33:24 GMT false

    Brad Solomon and I set off on another unplanned exploration into what’s present to us in the moment, including sharing childhood pictures of ourselves.

    This is a rebroadcast of a conversation I had with Brad Solomon, Founder and CEO of the CTG Group in the UK on his podcast called The Lockdown Sessions.

    The Lockdown Sessions is a weekly podcast, hosted by Brad that explores reflections on a broad range of topics including self awareness, self management, learning and development issues and personal growth.

    For this conversation there is also a video on Youtube.  If that’s your jam and if you want to see what I looked like when I was four years-old (and many years later in present times) you can see it there.

    We keep coming back to The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz, but this episode is definitely lighter on the book references the our previous conversation.

    Conversation Highlights
    • Coaching from an un-nuanced and unfiltered place
    • Our word creates–what are you creating with it?
    • Is being late to meetings your “brand?”
    • Being impeccable with our word or cleaning it up
    • We cannot bring meaning to a situation for another person (only they can)
      • Even though we think we can
      • Even though we try
    • Do you re-play and re-create conversations in your head? How does it benefit you?
    • Changing situations by how you are being and who you bring to the conversation versus saying the perfect thing you figured out from a past interaction
    • Brad likes to ask
      • What did I want to happen?
        • Can I envision it?
        • Do I have clarity of the purpose?
      • How did I get in the way?
        • Owning my role in the conversation
    • How we get in our own way
    • Embracing our inner 4-year-old
    • Seeing the 4-year-old in others as a way of connection and compassion
    • Ways of asking permission to say hard things and designing agreements
    • Listening to our intuition
      • Saying it out loud even if we aren’t sure
      • Unattached to interpreting it correctly
      • Cleaning up what doesn’t work
    • John wonders when the “lock down sessions” will end and the “freedom sessions” will begin
    Credits
    • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

    The post 100: Your Four-Year-Old Self appeared first on John Poelstra.

    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903055 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5616 3025 full Mon, 18 Jan 2021 20:56:02 GMT false

    Ken Dreyer and I discuss The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier. Our conversation evaluates the book and examines Ken’s experiences putting it to work. Ken is not a coach. My hope is that this conversation shows how simple coaching techniques can help you be a better leader no matter what your role is.

    Conversation Highlights
    • You don’t have to be an official coach to benefit from the concepts in this book
    • Ken would re-title the book “How to ask good questions”
    • When you give advice over and over again you become the team oracle
    • The book lists seven good questions to ask and examines how each one helps
      • They aren’t meant to be a formula
      • You must build rapport–you can’t just ask the questions and be effective
    • How many times do you just provide the answer?
    • The power and effectiveness of silence
    • Taking notes on interactions at meetings
      • Increases engagement
      • Evaluate what’s going on for yourself
      • Privately vent if it’s not going well
      • Ask yourself questions privately that might change the situation or unlock how you can help
    • The valuable dimensions of asking one question (and closing your mouth)
    • Understanding and avoiding the Karpman Drama Triangle
      • Hero
      • Villain
      • Victim
    • Jim Dethmer elaborates on the Karpman Drama Triangle in this podcast https://fs.blog/jim-dethmer/
    • Where the questions from The Coaching Habit fit (and where they don’t) and how you might decide
    • Thinking like an Intreprenuer
    • Where it makes sense to give advice
    • Joint participation in solving the problem vs. taking the whole thing on
    • How to help someone who is in a constant state of “I don’t know”
      • A great article by Rick Tamlyn on “I don’t know” (not mentioned and found after we recorded)
    • Steve Chandler: Agreements vs. Expectations (a game changer in any relationship)
    • If you are in a mentor role, consider how coaching (not giving advice) might create a more powerful outcome
    Credits
    • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

    The post 99: Exploring The Coaching Habit with Ken Dreyer appeared first on John Poelstra.

    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903056 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5637 2843 full Sat, 14 Nov 2020 00:42:46 GMT false

    Brad Solomon and I talk about all the books we’ve started and not finished, what the full catastrophe of life is and how implementing what you know is more powerful than continuing to acquire more knowledge.

    This is a rebroadcast of a conversation I had with Brad Solomon, Founder and CEO of the CTG Group in the UK on his podcast called The Lockdown Sessions. The Lockdown Sessions is a weekly podcast, hosted by Brad that explores reflections on a broad range of topics including self awareness, self management, learning and development issues and personal growth.

    Conversation Highlights
    • Full Catastrophe Living
    • How many books do you have on your shelf that you have not finished?
    • Are you reading a book simply to complete it?
    • What if you worked from a very small list of books and implemented everything in those books?
    • Brad likes getabstract.com for short summaries of important books
    • The Four Agreements
      • Being impeccable with our word
      • Not taking things personally
      • Brad believes this is THE best personal development book ever written and the one he recommends the most
    • Creating with our Word
    • Our experience “pulling cards” and the uncanny truth we’ve found in them
    • Trusting our own inner-knowing (what we already know) and how coaching turns the volume up on that
      • Creating the space to help people truly find and determine their own path
    • Brad pushes me on how I really know when to pick up a book or not
    • Asking the moment what it needs and often waiting for the next one
    • What if the solution to your next problem came from sitting in a room by yourself uninterrupted for 30 minutes with a piece of paper and a pen?
    • Does everyone need a coach?
    • Brad believes everyone could do with a little therapy
    • Brad’s observations in his current work as a therapist with children and teens
    • The first things to come out of our mouth are usually not the most important which makes “What else?” such a powerful question
    • Reading books and collecting ideas from everywhere except inside ourselves stops us from having our own thinking and innovation
    Books Mentioned

    Yes, the irony is not lost on me that I’ve included quite a list of books from our conversation and I advocate reading less (and implementing more).

    • Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn
    • Straight-Line Leadership: Tools for Living with Velocity and Power in Turbulent Times by Dusan Djukich
    • Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle
      • Podcast interview with Eric Schmidt by Tim Ferriss about the book
    • Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up by Jerry Colonna
      • Podcast discussion: Jerry Colonna  and Tim Ferriss
      • Podcast discussion: http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5611 2707 full Fri, 23 Oct 2020 16:00:07 GMT false

        Brad Solomon and I explore the power of choosing, experiments, discipline, habits and what we are making of the time that is COVID-19.

        This is a rebroadcast of a conversation I had with Brad Solomon, Founder and CEO of the CTG Group in the UK on his podcast called The Lockdown Sessions.

        The Lockdown Sessions is a weekly podcast, hosted by Brad that explores reflections on a broad range of topics including self awareness, self management, learning and development issues and personal growth.

        To give the current events we mention some context we recorded this at the beginning of June in 2020. We met through a mutual acquaintance at Red Hat around our common interest in coaching and leadership development.

        Doing this series with Brad is a lot of fun. We never plan what we are going to talk about. We meet online, push record and whatever wants to unfold does… much like a great coaching conversation. We are both coaches so you’ll see our conversation often gravitate in that direction, however, I believe there are other things you can take from what we share and are learning in our own lives that may be helpful to you.

        Conversation Highlights
        • Selecting certain times to make the most of learning and how that’s not always possible
        • Choosing to create a positive outlook through conscious actions
        • Working remote is not a new thing
        • Looking inside before looking outside–the news isn’t a good place to start the day
        • Removing news and social media apps from your phone
        • You can choose to change the sound-track in your head
        • My relationship to discipline and habits
          • Pick and do what is YOU
          • Surfing the waves of what’s going on
          • Ebb and flow
        • Stalled, stuck and drowning because of not choosing
        • COVID–19 has given the entire world the unique experience of globally experiencing the same thing at the same time
        • The cumulative affect of spending 10 minutes every day learning something new
        • Choosing to find the 10 minutes
        • An experiment that does not work is not a failure–it’s learning
        • The fear of starting something that we might want to stop so we don’t start
        • Being on the lookout for judgement
        Credits
        • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
        • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

        All songs licensed under Creative Commons

        The post 97: CHOOSING in an “I Don’t Know” World appeared first on John Poelstra.

        ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903058 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5609 2253 full Sat, 10 Oct 2020 02:28:24 GMT false

        Alexis Monville and I discuss The Anatomy of Peace, a pivotal book in my own personal transformation and path to discarding judgement.

        It turns out that people in conflict value something else more highly than they value solutions. The Anatomy of Peace shows what this is and demonstrates how conflicts at home, conflicts at work, and conflicts in the world stem from the same root cause. Furthermore, the book shows how we systematically misunderstand the cause and unwittingly perpetuate the very problems we think we are trying to solve. p. vii – The Anatomy of Peace

        Conversation Highlights
        • Alexis Monville joins me in this conversation
        • Change starts with us
        • Where are you coming from and who are you being?
        • Others respond more to how we are being than our actual behavior
        • Change start with who you are being
        • Focusing more energy on helping things go right instead of fixing what is wrong
        • Re-enforcing and praising behavior you want to see more of instead correcting the behavior you don’t want to experience
        • It’s difficult to fake the true state of your heart (or who you are being)
        • Noticing what a heart at war or peace feels like in our body
        • Seeing others as a person (heart at peace) versus an object or obstacle (heart at war)
        • Examining the different boxes we approach situations from
        • The conflict loops that we get stuck in and blame other people for
        • Judgement is usually at play when we are in conflict
          • Judgement of others
          • Judgement of ourselves
        • When we have judgement towards ourselves we are often judging others as well
          • This is a choice too
        • Practicing Hoʻoponopono as an antidote to judgement
          • I’m sorry
          • Please forgive me
          • Thank you
          • I love you
        • Forgiveness as an act of creation–Gary Mahler
        More About The Anatomy of Peace
        • Great summaries of each chapter
        • Diagrams from the book
        Credits
        • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
        • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
        • Original photo source

        All songs licensed under Creative Commons

        The post 96: The Power of a Heart at Peace appeared first on John Poelstra.

        ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903059 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5563 2843 full Sat, 19 Sep 2020 23:09:53 GMT false

        Here’s how I salvaged a day that might have turned out very differently though the simple act of writing down what was going on in my head.

         

        The Process
        • Bullet or write out everything on your mind to get it all out
        • Declare what you want to create or the day you want to have
        • Create a list of the things you will say “yes” and “no” to that will support what you want to create
        Credits
        • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
        • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
        • Original photo source

        All songs licensed under Creative Commons

        The post 95: Journaling to Save the Day appeared first on John Poelstra.

        ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903060 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5599 470 full Fri, 04 Sep 2020 20:19:26 GMT false

        On his birthday this year, Rick Tamlyn committed to a whole year of not making any decisions from a place of fear. That reminded me of other things he taught me and the power of making choices.

        Decision Time? 3 Options to Consider by Rick Tamlyn sparked my thoughts for this episode.

        Highlights
        • Making decisions from love and compassion
        • The power of simply choosing
        • What if there’s no “wrong” choice?
        • There is no such thing as “hell maybe!”
        • How is fear of the outcome playing into your decision making process?
        • 5 x “And then what…”
        • Choosing is a way out of being stuck even if you don’t know the outcome
        • Taking things less seriously
        • What am you really desiring?
        • Gary Mahler: “I only do what I want. And I don’t do what I don’t want to do even if it will get me what I want.”
        • “Should” is a horrible motivator
        • Choosing as a way of creating the experience you want to have
        • In your response are your “creating” or “reacting?”
        • What are you creating around you based on what you are choosing?
        Credits
        • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
        • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
        • Original photo source

        All songs licensed under Creative Commons

        The post 94: Choosing Outside of Fear appeared first on John Poelstra.

        ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903061 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5586 1166 full Sat, 08 Aug 2020 20:16:05 GMT false

        Alexis Monville and I reflect on a time I gave feedback that was not well received and what we both learned from it. Hopefully you’ll learn something too.

        Background

        Today’s conversation is rebroadcast of a conversation I had with Alexis Monville on his podcast about giving feedback.

        When we recorded this conversation back in January 2020, I didn’t realize I had also helped create the first chapter of a new book Alexis and Michael Doyle were writing called, I Am a Software Engineer and I am in Charge. This was also ironic since I was originally going to write it with them, but then decided not to.

        Conversation Highlights
        • Changing Your Team From the Inside by Alexis Monville
        • The hidden motives in asking for feedback–what are you looking for?
          • Affirmation
          • Honest feedback about what would make something better
          • Something else
        •  The Agile Manifesto speaks to interactions between people
          • Interactions are more important than processes and tools
          • Focus on the content and less on the delivery
        • Our thoughts about an experience create the experience, not the experience it self
        • Taking responsibility for what we put out into the world and being responsible for our own reactions
        • Sometimes it’s better to be direct instead of provocative–otherwise the message risks getting lost
        • Unmet expectations and by extension unmet needs get us into trouble
          • Taking a step back to observer what is going on instead of getting hooked
          • Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenburg
        • Software engineers a have reputation for being overly direct and getting away with it
          • Does the receiver of feedback really just have to “deal with it?”
        • Can you have a real relationship with another person if it’s a one-directional “deal with it, that’s the way I am” kind of situation?
          • Can you have a good relationship where there isn’t give and take?
          • The idea of relationship as a dance between two people
        • Our previous conversation about distributed teams and the importance of creating agreements
          • Agreements are foundational to good relationships
        • Exiting the agony loop of getting an email “just right” so as not to elicit the wrong response from the other person
          • “Both And” responsibility
          • There’s a mutual responsibility In a relationship for both parties to make it work vs. it being all up to one person to do it 100% right
        • A level deeper in all of this is where we are coming from
        • John’s new insights and convictions from reading The Anatomy of Peace by the Arbinger Institute
          • Coming from a heart at war or a heart at peace
          • When we come from a heart at peace we are not focused on “winning at all costs” (war)
          • When we are at war, someone has to be “wrong” (judgement)
          • Thinking about how the software releases I managed could have been different if I had come more often from a place of peace
        Credits
        • Hallon by Chr]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903062 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5572 2141 full Sat, 18 Jul 2020 19:02:50 GMT false

          Meg Buzzi, Tina Robinson and I explore archetypes and their usefulness on Massively Useful Thing.

          Summary & Links

          This conversation with Meg Buzzi and Tina Robinson took many fun twists and turns. We started by talking about archetypes and that morphed into personas, tarot,  personal board of directors, embodiment, and even a little coaching demo by me.

          This rebroadcast is from Meg and Tina’s podcast called Massively Useful Thing. The three of us met the first class of Co-Active coach training.

          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 92: Understanding and Using Archetypes appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903063 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5546 1384 full Sat, 25 Apr 2020 17:28:26 GMT false

          Yann Toutant and I explore what it means to work remotely in a time of Covid-19 and what we are taking from it.

          Conversation Highlights
          • Yann Toutant joins me again–our previous conversations are
            • Working Remote on Purpose (Episode #80)
            • Being an Intrapreneur (Episode #90)
          • Grappling with compassion
          • The consequences of being forced to work remote without notice
            • It’s difficult if you haven’t done it before
            • It’s even more difficult to start without warning
          • Yann does not see the present version of people working from home (during Covid-19) as the remote work he advocates
            • He believes home is the worst place to work from
            • It’s extremely challenging and should not be confused with regular remote work
            • Additional levels of stress and complexity
          • A review of Yann’s process by which people and companies can go remote
          • Getting rid of the energy that has accumulated at the end of the day
          • Who we are being–explored more in conversation with Alexis Monville and the book The Anatomy of Peace
            • Where are we coming from?
            • A place of War or Peace
          • Who do I want to be as I go through this unique time?
            • It’s here and it’s not going away
            • Where do you want to invest your energy?
            • A great time to be more focused on the being instead of the doing
          • “Who is the person I want to BE today?” instead of “What do I want to DO today?”
          • Using this time to practice being with discomfort
          • If confinement (quarantine) ended tomorrow, what would you do?
            • Would you go back to the same things?
            • What would you like to be different?
            • How will you prepare?
          • Not wanting to leave the boat after Yann’s four weeks confinement crossing the Atlantic
            • New smells
            • Fear
            • Having become comfortable with his internal journey and needing to venture outside again
          • An important reminder and acknowledgment from Yann about the context from which he and John are having this conversation
          • Are we suffering based on what we fear could happen in the future or what is actually happening in the present?
          • “The future is the present, under construction”
          • Possessions vs. experience
          • The increased societal cost of physical distancing
          • Consciously choosing
          • Welcome home to yourself–take advantage of this opportunity (if it fits your situation)
          • The value of doing our own work AND the value and benefit of working with a coach (not trying to do it all on your own)
            • Yann has two coaches
          • The power of silence
            • Clown Syndrome
            • Filling or not filling the space
            • Silence helps the other person speak from their heart instead of their head–tapping into the unconscious
          Connect with Yann Toutant
          • Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yann-toutant/
          • Twitter: https://twitter.com/YannTOUTANT
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Original photo source

          All so]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903064 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5543 3284 full Sun, 19 Apr 2020 00:05:49 GMT false

          Yann Toutant returns to share more deeply from his life and what’s next having stepped down as CEO of his previous company. We talk about intrapreneurship, when to break the rules, sailing and more.

           

          Conversation Highlights
          • I first met Yann Toutant in a previous conversation about remote work and the power of heart decisions
          • Noticing what gives us energy and doesn’t as sign-posts for what we should be doing
          • Sometimes you don’t realize the full extent of your contributions until you leave
          • Giving up control frees up space for creativity
          • Smooth transitions are not all that they appear to be
          •  Intrapreneur vs Entrepreneur
            • Acting as an entrepreneur inside the context of an existing organization
            • What decisions would I make and how would I spend money if this was my own company?
            • Someone else with the organization will finish the job or fix a particular problem
            • “My responsibilities are limited” vs. “I have unlimited responsibility”
          • Breaking the rules to innovate or move things forward
          • Going for good instead of perfect
          • Making decisions in a vacuum
          • Offense vs. defense
          • Creating vs. reacting
          • Looking at every step as more information instead of success or failure
          • How nature and being offline influences decisions and perspectives
          • Observing nature as a circular process of death and renewal
          • The Haka ceremonial dance
          • Leaving nothing on the field and playing full out
          • More about Yann’s  previous sailing adventure across the Atlantic
          • What Yann is looking forward to in 2020
            • Freedom
            • Making an impact
            • Building towards his five year goal of financial independence
          Connect with Yann Toutant
          • Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yann-toutant/
          • Twitter: https://twitter.com/YannTOUTANT
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Original photo source

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 90: Being an Intrapreneur with Yann Toutant appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903065 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5531 3253 full Sat, 04 Apr 2020 20:18:38 GMT false

          Anthony Ongaro interviews me about finding clarity, making lasting changes and how I got into this thing called coaching. It’s a rebroadcast from his video podcast in 2019.

          Highlights

          Links mentioned in the introduction

          • The original conversation which contains Anthony’s notes, links, etc.
          • Video of our conversation
          • Learning To Play Like Yourself In 2020
          • Sign-up for Anthony’s newsletter

          My highlights after re-listening to our conversation

          • Becoming a CPA and leaving it–starting my career in a very different place than today
          • The big hole in my resume that never was
          • Scary transitions can make a big impact
          • Courage versus commitment
          • How I started working with my first coach
          • Asking for what you need and want
          • My path to coaching
          • The intensity and value of my coaching training through the Co-Active Training Institute
          • Taking little steps forward vs. doing nothing / experimenting
          • Thoughts create feelings
          • Over-identifying with our thoughts and feelings
          • The stories we create about ourselves and live into
          • The power of changing and using different physical spaces
          • Embodiment
          • Thinking your way to different state doesn’t always work
          • Being vs. Doing and the power that comes from both
          • Systems and task tracking
            • Fail safe storage
            • The Beehive
            • Successful and motivating instead of self-defeating
            • The amount of things that have our attention
          • Book reading fast
            • Looking for a hit of knowledge
            • Conscious and intentional reading instead of
              • As much as possible
              • The latest shiny object
            • Honoring my commitment
          • Straight-Line Leadership: Tools for Living with Velocity and Power in Turbulent Times by Dusan Djukich
            • The most successful people don’t necessary ready more books–they likely take more action based on what they know or learn
          • Redefining minimalism as removing distractions
          • 6,800 mile road trip
          • Being present to everything in the moment even if it is unpleasant
          • Michael Neill
          • Challenges and experiments that have paid off
            • Meditation–Insight Timer App
            • Daily journaling with the Five Minute Journal
          • The “legacy” I want to create around ending unnecessary suffering
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Original photo source

          All songs licensed under  http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5524 4356 full Tue, 11 Feb 2020 21:36:29 GMT false

          Here are some ways to get back on track when your coaching session has lost its way.

          Highlights
          • Lack of resonance can signal disconnect and that things are off track
          • Speaking to what’s happening for you
          • Locating sensations or feelings in your body
          • Being with silence
          • Asking the client what they need
          • Getting curious about what “is”
          • Trying to “think” your way to a better place usually doesn’t work very well
            • Listening instead to a certain part of your body often works better
          • Poorly formed topics can lead to lack of resonance
            • Is there a way to clarify what is seeking to be known or the desired outcome?
          • The value of venting or an emotional dump
          • Asking a particular body part to inform you
          • Prompts
            • What would you like to be different by the end of our time?
            • What would you like to be new by the end of our conversation?
            • What meaning are you assigning to how this is going?
          • Gremlins and saboteurs can throw things off track
            • Sometimes they like to turn on the fog machine
            • The land of “I don’t know”
          • What story or judgements are you telling yourself about how the session is going?
          • Ways to break out of a particular state (during or after a session)
            • Meditation
            • Jump up and down
            • Stand up
            • Move outside
            • Change rooms/geography
            • Exercise
            • Hydrate
            • Journal
              • “The story I’m telling myself is …”
              • “The story I could tell myself instead is …”
              • Capture what worked or didn’t
          • Co-Active Coaching: The proven framework for transformative conversations at work and in life by Karen Kimsey-House, Henry Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandhal, and Laura Whitworth
            • The book is okay (I read and studied from an older edition–I can’t speak to the latest one)
            • The in-person Co-Active training is life-changing
          • Use an unsatisfying session as motivation to learn more or go back to your training
          • Humans are involved
          • The key to success is restarting
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Original photo source

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 87: Getting a Coaching Session Back on Track appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903068 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5513 919 full Sat, 01 Feb 2020 11:45:11 GMT false

          Here’s what happened and what I learned from our cross-country road trip in August of 2019

          Highlights
          • 6,800 miles in 26 days
          • Enough time to form some new habits and perspectives in new places which was interesting
          • Off for the month of August 2019
          • Ending “unnecessary suffering”
          • Trip was inspired by a conversation with my ACS classmate Karen Ahlquist combined with several upcoming trips
          • Knowing how much it costs us to live and knowing exactly how much we have at any time made it much easier to decide to do this
            • YNAB (You Need A Budget) software to manage our finances has been a game-changer
          • Having just enough of a plan
            • The tension between planning or not planning
          • We made a big loop and drove through the following states (see maps below)
            • Oregon
            • Idaho
            • Wyoming
            • Nebraska
            • Missouri
            • Tennessee
            • North Carolina
            • Kentucky
            • Ohio
            • Michigan
            • Illinois
            • Wisconsin
            • Minnesota
            • South Dakota
          • The result of simply being for the first week or so–reading and listening to very little
          • Things that went well or paid off
            • Prepared a month in advance
            • Physical/paper maps
            • Got our van serviced a few weeks before
            • Long driving days and days of no driving
            • If there was nothing to do or see that interested us after arriving at a location
              • we moved on
              • got us a few days ahead of schedule to do things we wanted to
            • Stop before it’s too late in the day so there is time to wind down before going to sleep
            • Making decisions on a full stomach
            • Seeing a place in person
            • Stopping at all the information places to find good camping
            • Leaving early in the day makes it easier to wrack up the miles and cover more distance
            • Stand-alone GPS unit (always had coverage) highly recommended
            • Costco
            • Thule box on the roof to hold camping gear and free up a ton of space in our van
          • Living in the present vs. the tension of knowing what we would do the next day
            • Sometimes choosing in advance
            • Sometimes making it up the next day
          • Next time
            • Write a few bullets each day after dinner to capture what you seen and where you’ve been
            • A better way to pool and manage all of our pictures
            • Taking a few pictures every day
          Outbound Route
          Return Route
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Photo credit: My odometer

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 86: Twenty Six Day Road Trip appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903069 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5510 1777 full Sun, 26 Jan 2020 03:45:41 GMT false

          This episode explores the new approach to reading books I adopted in July of 2019. Since then I have completed less than five books, a time period during which I would have probably completed twice as many.

          The goal is to go deeper on a select number of meaningful books and implement the ideas in those books instead of trying to read as many books as possible.

          Highlights
          • Creating Your Life with Love with Gary Mahler
            • About half way through Gary shares how few books he reads these days and why
          • Reading as a form of mindless consumption
          • Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn
          • My reading rules and the conscious approach I’m taking to what I’m reading
          • The four books I’m focused at the moment of this recording
            • Straight-Line Leadership: Tools for Living with Velocity and Power in Turbulent Times by Dusan Djukich
            • The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict by The Arbinger Institute
            • More Time to Think: The power of independent thinking by Nancy Kline
            • Living Service: The Journey of a Prosperous Coach by Melissa Ford
          • Free of the need to “read the latest” and keep up
          • Insights can come from stillness vs. consumption
          • Questions and challenges
            • What’s your story about your reading and consumption?
              • Is it serving you?
              • Is it taking you to where you want to go?
            • Would it be worthwhile to try this experiment yourself?
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Original photo source

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 85: My Book Reading Fast appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903070 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5508 1354 full Sun, 19 Jan 2020 02:13:57 GMT false

          Sometimes the end of one year and the start of a new one is a good time to take stock of things. For 2020 I’m not feeling the need.

          Highlights
          • Why I’m not seeing the need to “plan the new year”
          • Prompted by the questions
            • What do you want to leave behind in 2019?
            • What do you want to take forward into 2020?
          • January 1st is an arbitrary date
          • Saying “yes” and “no” to make deliberate choices
          • Forgiveness
          • Discarding all of the judgement of
            • Myself
            • Others
            • Judgement about my judgement
          • Planning can be a trap
          • No “Hell Maybe”
          • Is the “reason” really the reason you don’t want to?
          • The power in making a choice
          • The perspective of “no wrong choice”
          • “How to” vs. “Want to”
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Original photo source

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 84: Why I’m Not Planning 2020 appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903071 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5503 718 full Sun, 22 Dec 2019 00:30:53 GMT false

          Here’s what I’ve been up to from August to November 2019 and what I’m learning.

          Highlights & References
          • Capital One Cafe in Portland, Oregon
          • What I’ve been up to the past few months
          • My 6,800 mile road trip
          • The power of de-cluttering and getting rid of stuff
          • Telling more of my story in two interviews
            • Own Your Clarity with John Poelstra (video) by Anthony Ongaro at Break the Twitch
            • How I Came to Coaching and How it Works hosted by Vinod Jain
          • The power of free writing to get to the bottom of things
          • 100% responsibility
          • Getting sick and tired of being sick and tired and what I’m doing about it
          • The power of Ho’oponopono to reduce self-judgement and judgement of others
          • My book fast
          • Parting challenge
            • What are you sick and tired of being sick and tired of?
            • What if you were 100% responsible for those things?
            • What are you going to do about it starting now?
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Original photo source

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 83: Slowing Down, Saying No and Taking Full Responsibility appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903072 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5498 1446 full Sun, 08 Dec 2019 23:35:33 GMT false

          Vinod Jain leads this conversation where I share the path that led me to coaching, what I believe about certain things, and how coaching works.

          Conversation Highlights
          • More about Vinod Jain (Episode #68)
          • A typical day for John
          • Money Coaching at Capital One
          • Early influences and career path
          • Getting clear on personal beliefs and ultimately personal ownership
          • Early career dissatisfaction and overseas travel
          • Seeing a theme of meaning and seeking more of it through coaching
          • Ending unnecessary suffering
          • The importance of reading
          • Getting into podcasting
          • Untangling Christianity podcast
          • 100 podcasts/blog posts idea
          • The path of following different interests
          • The power of genuine curiosity and deep listening
          • Leading From Within with Stephani Roy McCallum (Episode #65)
          • John’s first coach Carolyn Campbell (Episode #72)
          • Personal insights that come from speaking out loud
          • Coaching the person instead of the problem
          • Resonance as an indicator
          • Holding a perspective that other people are creative, resourceful and whole and what that brings
          • What’s the formula to good coaching?
          • Making money vs. serving
          • Letting go of attachment to outcome
          • Does everyone need a coach?
          • Can you coach yourself?
          • Setting the coaching agenda
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Original photo source

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 82: How I Came to Coaching and How it Works appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903073 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5491 3323 full Thu, 24 Oct 2019 04:24:01 GMT false

          I don’t have a typical work week. However, here’s one I chronicled and reflected on with Mike Vardy as an experiment for his podcast.

          This is a rebroadcast of 5 Days with John Poelstra which originally aired as Episode #250 on Mike Vardy’s podcast (which I produce): The Productivityist Podcast

          • Detailed episode notes
          • Theme Your Way to Greater Productivity with Mike Vardy (46) — an earlier exploration of Mike’s theme based productivity approach.
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
          • Original photo source

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 81: Five Days of My Own (Un)Productivity appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903074 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5470 3603 full Tue, 30 Jul 2019 00:28:55 GMT false

          Yann Toutant believes companies can be more innovative by creating and working as remote teams. Our conversation explores Yann’s journey and what he’s learning.

          Highlights
          • Yann Youtant is the CEO of Econocom
          • The main drive for a remote team is innovation
          • Working remote helps you turn the cruise control of your life off
          • Four steps of the remote ladder
            • Be remote in your own office–don’t work from the same desk every day
              • Forces you to digitize everything (no paper)
              • Changes perspectives, neighbors, etc.
            • Be remote within your ecosystem
              • Suppliers, customers business partners
              • Work from their offices
              • Embrace the unique energy of different offices and cultures
            • Work from a co-working space
              • Meet other entreprenuers
              • Take advantage of community vibe
              • Intentionally not at home where you are isolated
            • When traveling for holidays stay one or more weeks longer
              • Find local partners or co-working space
          • Remote does not mean “no structure”
          • Maximum solo focus in a day is two hours
            • Spend the rest of the day collaborating with others
          • Creating silent spaces
          • Managers tend to find remote work more challenging than individual contributors
            • Worrying that their people aren’t working because they cannot see them
            • Redefining the meaning of trust–losing control
            • Providing a safe place to make mistakes
          • Losing control can lead to new discoveries
          • Yann’s Atlantic crossing in a sailboat and the unique way he got the approval of his board
            • Talking to the heart and not the head
            • Setting aside what people will think
          • Living and thinking more from our hearts
          • The challenges and joys of being a CEO
          • The unexpected benefits of remote work
          • Why do we have grass in your yards?
          Connect with Yann Toutant
          • Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yann-toutant/
          • Twitter: https://twitter.com/YannTOUTANT
          Credits
          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

          The post 80: Working Remote on Purpose with Yann Toutant appeared first on John Poelstra.

          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903075 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5474 3349 full Sat, 06 Jul 2019 14:48:22 GMT false

          Here are some different ways to prepare and think about your next job interview–as the interviewer or the interviewee.

          Highlights
          • Block out time to do deep preparation
          • Get clear about the unique strengths and combinations you bring
          • Have a few prepared stories and examples that demonstrate your accomplishments and skills
          • Get clear on your core values
            • Determine how your values would be honored in the new job
            • Be them in the interview
          • Are you running to something or running away from something else?
          • Figure out your “must haves” for you and red flags ahead of time
          • Make the job interview process is a two-way street
          • Put your best foot forward if you have a video interview
            • Get a good camera — Logitech C920
            • Put the camera at least at eye level–best to have it pointing slightly down at you
            • Practice talking to the camera instead of talking to the screen
            • Make sure you have earbuds or something that sounds good
            • Pick a good place to do the call from with a pleasant background
            • Webcam Glam: 3 Easy Tricks To Look Polished On Video Chats
            • Seth Godin takes things to the next level with his Zoom setup
              • Yes, hiding “self view” definitely reduces exhaustion
          • Consider what you need to do to get into the best mental state
            • Go for a walk
            • Meditate
            • Put some buffers in your schedule
            • Select times of the day when you bring your best energy
            • Get a good night of sleep
          • Remember the interview is looking to hire the awesomeness you bring, not the collective output of your previous team
          • Get your self-awareness dialed in
            • “Everyone likes working with me except when I _______________.”
            • “As a ______________, people experience me as __________________.”
            • Tim Ferriss interview with Stanley McChrystal
          • In the stories you share about your experience, try to demonstrate
            • How deep you go
            • What you accomplished
            • How you got there
            • Your thought process
          • Avoid getting lost in your own story
          • Have questions for the interviewer
            • Use to determine if you are a fit
            • Gather information on what they are looking for in the role
            • Always have questions even if you ask the same questions to multiple people
            • Asking the same question to multiple interviewers can yield interesting results
          Job Interview Resources
          • 10 Impressive Questions to Ask in a Job Interview
          • How to succeed at Red Hat
          • What to Expect from DoorDash’s Technical Interview
          • Questions not to ask at the interview
          • What to look for that yo]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903076 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5458 1900 full Sun, 23 Jun 2019 03:21:58 GMT false

            Alexis Monville, Michael Doyle and I talk about working effectively with remote teams when meeting in person isn’t possible. This topic came up as we collaborated on version two of Alexis’ book Changing Your Team From the Inside.

            Highlights
            • Taking individual initiative
            • How to build remote teams when you cannot meet in person
            • As individuals we can do something
            • Choosing (or not) to work together
            • Learning about others to learn about yourself
            • Using prompts to break the ice and get to know each other
            • Ways to intentionally form remote teams
            • Daily investments
            • Pairing people up and then creating larger feedback loop with the team
            • Thinking of the remote experience first (as opposed to the collocated team)
            • Good audio and video make a difference
            • A good meeting facilitator aides in making sure everyone has a voice
            • Level the playing field by having everyone at the meeting in a unique physical location
            • Your own mindset is an important place to start
            • The importance of celebrations and appreciation
            • Forming culture and traditions
            • Coffee and water cooler time
            • The affects of AI (artificial intelligence) on remote teams
            • Having a mission and vision–raison d’etre
            • Picking tools to manage and capture common goals
            Changing Your Team From the Inside

            Learn more about Changing Your Team From the Inside.

            Credits
            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
            • Original photo source

            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

            The post 78: Building and Leading Effective Remote Teams appeared first on John Poelstra.

            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903078 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5454 3238 full Mon, 27 May 2019 22:28:22 GMT false

            This episode explores the book A Second Chance by Catherine Hoke, my interest in law enforcement and the complexities of incarceration.

            Highlights & References
            • Marketing Over Coffee podcast
            • My WSCO Citizen’s Academy experience
            • 13th (documentary on Netflix about over incarceration and it’s roots)
            • The difference between jail and prison
            • Ear Hustle podcast (what it’s like to be incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison in California)
            • Brad Feld’s experiences at San Quentin with Defy Ventures
              • Understanding Privilege – My Experience in Prison
              • Book: A Second Chance
            • The Story of You (And How to Create a New One) by Steve Chandler
            • Several quotes and reflections from
              A Second Chance: For You, For Me, And For The Rest Of Us by Catherine Hoke
            • What if you were judged for the rest of your life based on the worst thing you’ve ever done?
            • Meaning comes from service
            • The power of writing down your limiting beliefs
            • How Do I Get Rid of the Fear by Seth Godin
            • Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison by Shaka Senghor
            Credits
            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

            The post 77: Second Chances appeared first on John Poelstra.

            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903079 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5338 2354 full Fri, 10 May 2019 22:03:49 GMT false

            This riff explores the power of thoughts on feelings and how asking better questions yields better thoughts.

            Highlights
            • Considering the idea that our thoughts create our feelings
            • The Life Coach School Podcast
            • John Prendergast on the Coaches Rising Podcast (highly recommended)–Opening to Inner Knowing
            • In Touch: How to Tune In to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust Yourself by John Prendergast (quoting from pages 33 and 34)
            • The power of the negative stories we tell ourselves and how to free ourselves–go for the opposite
            • Is a story true or is it serving you?
            • What’s the story you tell about yourself that holds you back?
            • What could be easy?
            Credits
            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
            • Original photo source

            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

            The post 76: How to Create Thoughts and Feelings That Serve You appeared first on John Poelstra.

            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903080 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5442 1171 full Sat, 27 Apr 2019 01:45:49 GMT false

            Michael Doyle is back (Ego is the Enemy episode) to interview John on the importance of values. John also leads Michael through a process of deeper values exploration and clarification in a live coaching session.

            Values Discussion Highlights
            • Our values
              • Clarify decision making
              • Aid life satisfaction
              • Act as an internal GPS
            • Each person has different values
              • They are not “right” or “wrong”
              • People sharing the same values usually prioritize them differently
              • Misalignment of values causes conflict
            • Values are core to who we are and rarely change dramatically over our lifetime
            • Sometimes our ego gets in the way
            • Things that anger or frustrate you are often
              • The opposites of what you really you value
              • Un-honored values
            • Different approaches to finding values
              • Blank sheet of paper
              • Reviewing a list of values from the internet
              • Considering simple actions that you always take
              • Characteristics of people that you respect or feel naturally drawn to
              • Things people normally say about you
              • Reflecting on things you are obsessed by
              • Card sorting exercise
              • Free online assessments
                • Intrinsic Values Test
                • Life Values Inventory
                • Personal Values
            • Clarifying and refining our values can be a lifelong process
              • Don’t be frustrated if you can’t do it overnight
              • Coaching and working with another person speeds things up
            • John coaches Michael through the process of discovering and clarifying his own values
            Want Help Discovering Your Own Values?

            Reach out to me and I”ll lead you through the same process. See the bottom of this page to reach me.

            More About Values
            • How To Find A Job That Aligns With Your Values from FastCompany
            • Living Into Our Values by Brene Brown: Podcast Worksheet
            • Let Your Values Drive Your Choices by James Clear
            • If you have a list of values and want an easy way to rank them, paste them into Rank: Anything
            Credits
            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
            • Original photo source

            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

            The post 75: Live Coaching: Why Your Values Matter and How to Find Them appeared first on John Poelstra.

            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903081 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5433 4562 full Sat, 23 Mar 2019 18:32:16 GMT false

            Kate Dixon has an extensive human resources background in employee relations and compensation. Her true passion is coaching and leadership development. This conversation explores her discovery of gratitude journaling, all the benefits it has provided and the impact it’s had on John.

            Conversation Highlights
            • The origins of Kate’s gratitude journaling challenge
            • The mindshift that comes from being thankful for little things
            • Habit stacking when you have an established streak
            • The importance of celebration
            • Being really clear about when you are going to do your gratitude journal or particular habit each day
            • Kate’s weekly review practice each Friday afternoon
            • How to overcome being a celebration-challenged person (like John)
            • Practicing gratitude in corporate environments without being cheesy
            • Proactive gratitude
            • Considering what negative or challenging situation can teach us
            • Sleeping better as a result of meditation and gratitude journaling
            • Always be capturing (Kate likes Evernote for this)
            • How to create a habit around celebration
            Learn More About Kate Dixon
            • Kate’s Website
            • Kate’s Newsletter sign-up
            • The Mind-Blowing Power of the Gratitude Journal
            • You’re Keeping a Gratitude Journal…Now What?
            Credits
            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
            • Original photo source: Kate Dixon

            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

            The post 74: Creating an Unbroken Chain of Gratitude with Kate Dixon appeared first on John Poelstra.

            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903082 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5426 2845 full Sat, 09 Mar 2019 21:11:48 GMT false

            This conversation with Michael Doyle (former colleague at Red Hat) explores what we found in Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday and reflect it back on ourselves.

            Conversation Highlights & References
            • Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
              • Extended bibliography
              • Primary sections: Aspire, Success, and Failure
            • Relationship between our values and our ego
            • Is ego ever a positive thing?
            • Marie Forleo’s interview with Ryan Holiday
            • What does your ego look like to you/how does it show up?
            • Doing and working over being and having
            • Abstract: The Art of Design (Netflix series)
            • The Rocket Launch approach to getting out of bed
            • Blue Collar productivity as described by Steve Chandler
            • How ego appears as excuses when we fail
            • Setting ego aside to embrace new perspectives or ideas
            • Ego and it’s relationship to how much money you need
            • Pleasure versus happiness
            • How the little things add up to big success
            • Create your own definition of success
            • Your personal values
              • Write or print out a list
              • Rate on a scale of 1 to 10 how well you are honoring them
            • The Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Design
              • Useful way to measure success
              • Ongoing retrospectives
            • Ego aides us in overestimating our abilities and defeating discipline
            • What’s a small daily practice to help you build mastery?
            • Learning from failure instead of making excuses
            • Hate versus love
            Connect with Michael Doyle
            • Website
            • Twitter
            Credits
            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
            • Photo supplied by Michael Doyle

            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

            The post 73: Exploring the Ego with Michael Doyle appeared first on John Poelstra.

            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903083 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5414 3622 full Sat, 16 Feb 2019 21:59:29 GMT false

            Carolyn Campbell explains the fascinating journey she’s on to understand rural America by listening to the people she’s sent to by others. I met Carolyn as my first coach several years ago.

            Highlights
            • Carolyn has been on a mission to deeply listen to people in rural America for the past two years
              • Hearing their stories and learning from them instead of trying to immediately help
            • Her project as a result of a community dinner that didn’t happen
            • In her travels she met over 2,000 people and formally interviewed 500
              • 37,000 miles in nine months
              • 8,000 miles of the total was in Mississippi alone
            • Carolyn set out on her trip with the intention of not having an agenda
              • Other people chose where she would go next
              • Similar to the way coaching is about connecting to clients without an agenda
              • Not a trip to push a political agenda
              • It was about digging into social issues
              • Going into communities to discover what the social issues really are out there
                • Determine if the media is painting a clear and accurate picture
                • She wanted to know for herself
                • What are the real economics of an area?
                • What really goes on there?
                • Is the world is as divided as it seems?
              • Primary goals were listening, watching and connecting
            • One goal of the trip was to challenge her own judgements about things and places
              • Find out if she could challenge her own assumptions and sit with people who were fundamentally different than her
            • The first choice of where she should go was given to high school students. They had to provide:
              • Why a particular place was important
              • Questions to ask people
              • The types of people they wanted her to talk to
            • How Carolyn’s van for her first trip materialized 24 hours after deciding she couldn’t take her current car
              • Zack Yeager from Cascade Campers came to the rescue
            • Where the term stranger-talking came from and how it can make the world a better place
            • People in small towns always notice who you are even if you don’t think they do
            • The time a man helped her get clear about what she was up to
              • “If you are here to judge you’ll only last a day, but if you are here to listen we will tell you everything you want to know.”
            • Carolyn had a general rule that she would not debate or disagree people… instead she would just ask more questions, particularly when she really disagreed internally
            • Three Levels of Listening
              1. What do I believe about what’s being said or how does it affect me?
              2. Hearing the words the person is saying and really taking them in
              3. Taking in the words … hearing the words and taking into account the energy of the space, their body language and everything
            • Asking another question when you don’t agree with someone instead of going to judgement (being curious)
              • Bringing deep curiosity takes us deeper and deeper in a way that judgement can’t
            • Historically “help” in the rural communities Carolyn visited made the situation worse
            • It takes approximately eight years for local people to trust outsiders
            • Tourism as an industry does not pay as well as original industry in those places did
            • Sometimes we are called to something at a level we don’t know (and in doing so we find out)
            • The critical importance of getting a greater understanding of “other”
            • People in rural America are used to living along side people they don’t agree with
            • Carolyn believes that the]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903084 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5377 4313 full Sat, 19 Jan 2019 15:15:21 GMT false

              Here are a few things I’ve learned in the past few months.

              Mentioned
              • Restarting is the key to success
              • Showing up as best you can even when you don’t feel at your best
              • Mindset as a recurring theme in a lot of books I read (and mostly did not finish)
                • Shift Your Mind Shift Your World by Steve Chandler
                • Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt
                • The Serving Mindset by Farnoosh Brock (Interview on Productivityist Podcast)
                • The Happiness Equation by Neil Pasricha
                • The Path to Personal Power by Napoleon Hill
              • Financial Freedom School
              • Know your financial numbers
                • How much money you need to live every month
                • How any months of cash you have (cash on hand divided by the amount you need each month)
                • How much money you need to retire
              • Reducing junk and clutter to manage stress
              • Establishing a new daily habits around exercise paralleling the success I’ve had with the Five-Minute Journal and meditation
              • Atomic Habits by James Clear
              Credits
              • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
              • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
              • Original photo source

              All songs licensed under Creative Commons

              The post 71: Latest Learnings & Challenges appeared first on John Poelstra.

              ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903085 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5395 1711 full Sun, 13 Jan 2019 00:21:05 GMT false

              This deep conversation with Michael Marvosh explores meaning and life lessons with prompts from nature and our own life experiences.

              Mentioned in This Episode
              • ConvertKit Conference (where John & Michael met)
              • Stephen Warley of Life Skills That Matter
              • Mike Vardy of Productivityist
              • Michael’s podcast called Deadman’s Forest
                • The exploration of existence and meaning
                • Being intentional about sharing what he has learned from his life instead of letting those things die with him
                • Everyone has unique wisdom and experiences
                • Recording process and open air recording studio
              • Giant trees along the coast of Northern California
                • Stout Grove at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
                • The enormity of the trees how perspective is somewhat hard to come by
                • A similar feeling of awe that you’d feel walking into a huge cathedral
                • Makes you think of things bigger than yourself
                • Gaining the perspective and the value of realizing that we are not the center of things–feeling that bigger thing
              • Michael shares about his vision fast ceremony and the shape it took
                • Following the ideas about who you are or what you might do
                • Acting on them and finding meaning through that action
                • Life is a series of “transitions”–our modern day society doesn’t do a lot to mark or celebrate these events
                • Committing to a future version of ourselves
                • Crossing the threshold
              • Often the first step forward towards what we really want or changing is committing–even when things aren’t 100% clear.
              • More “knowing” comes from committing
              • People who struggle to achieve a particular skill are often better teachers of it compared to people who naturally succeed–struggle can be an advantage (John borrows this from Steve Chandler)
                • The Story of You (And How to Create a New One) by Steve Chandler
              • Embracing mindsets that take us in productive directions
              • At Michael’s request John shares some of the biggest lessons from his life so far:
                • Grappling with Christianity
                • Figuring out what I want to do and what I’m good at
                • Compassion and empathy with grappling
                • Embracing the tensions and unresolved questions of life
                • Accepting and leaning more into who John is
                • Getting to the bottom of what’s true for John and what he really believes
                • L’Abri Fellowship in Switzerland–“honest answers to honest questions”
              • Being satisfied with imperfection
              Resources
              • School of Lost Borders facilitated Michael’s vision fast ceremony
              • Reach out to Michael if you’d like to have a conversation with him (use the form at the bottom of the page)
              • Dead Man’s Forest podcast
              The Trees are Big

              More about Stout Grove in this 2019 article from the Oregonian: Dip your toes into Calif]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903086 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5341 3199 full Sat, 22 Dec 2018 20:44:51 GMT false

              Here’s a short riff on a section from Time Warrior by Steve Chandler about alleged “time management” problems.

               

              Highlights
              • Time Warrior: How to defeat procrastination, people-pleasing, self-doubt, over-commitment, broken promises and chaos by Steve Chandler
              • “Time management” is a misnomer
              • When people say they have difficulty managing their time there’s usually something deeper going on
              • Most people have no problem managing their time to be on a commercial airplane when it leaves
              • When we have a mission we are committed to we rarely have problems “managing time” well
              • What is your mission your overarching purpose?
              • What are you committed to?
              Credits
              • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
              • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
              • Original photo source

              All songs licensed under Creative Commons

              The post 69: Do You Have a Time or Mission Problem? appeared first on John Poelstra.

              ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903087 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5374 534 full Sat, 08 Dec 2018 20:00:30 GMT false

              Vinod Jain works as a technology and management consultant in Northern Virginia. In this conversation we explore how get got to where he is today and the personal journey he is on.

              Conversation Highlights
              • Bigger Game Live put on by Rick Tamlyn
              • Being a “creator” instead of a “consumer”
              • “Express and receive”
              • The pros/cons of enthusiastic optimism
              • We all have the potential for a great future in our lives
              • Look around and see what you can harness in your surroundings
              • There’s tremendous learning we can have in difficulties, challenges and obstacles
              • Being influenced by what we don’t have
              • Vinod’s attraction to becoming a coach
              • Being aware of and managing the inner critic
              • Ego as an obstacle to our growth
              • Vinod’s connection to Jainism
              • Be aware of your energy levels and how to generate joy
              • Meditation and Journaling
              • Self-time and time in nature
              • Books Mentioned
                • Origin by Dan Brown
                • The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
                • Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenburg
              • Connect with Vinod Jain on LinkedIn
              Credits
              • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
              • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

              All songs licensed under Creative Commons

              The post 68: Getting to Know Vinod Jain appeared first on John Poelstra.

              ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903088 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5372 2388 full Sat, 24 Nov 2018 19:38:00 GMT false

              Here’s what happened and what I learned in October 2018, a couple of which were the culmination of how the year started.

              Highlights & References
              • A big month of changes: beginnings and endings
              • Post-it tracking and prioritization system was in full force
              • I officially left Red Hat
              • IBM made a $34 billion offer for Red Hat
              • Offense vs. Defense / Creating vs. controlling by Tim Hildred
              • Ending my co-working space
              • I started a new role at with the Capital One Money Coaching Team
              • The challenges of new daily routines and leaving the house to go to work
              • Morning routine
                • Coffee
                • Reading
                  • Time Warrior by Steve Chandler
                  • Wealth Warrior by Steve Chandler
                  • Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
                  • The Path to Personal Power by Napoleon Hill
                • Meditation / Insight Timer App
                • 5 Minute Journal
                • Journaling
                • Walking
              • Writing out the negative narrative I was telling myself
                • Spotting inconsistencies
                • Creating a list of all the things I can do to counter-act that which I fear
              • Making conscious choices to avoid context switching
              Credits
              • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
              • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
              • Original photo source

              All songs licensed under Creative Commons

              The post 67: October 2018–Changes, Beginnings, Endings and More appeared first on John Poelstra.

              ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903089 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5365 1233 full Sun, 18 Nov 2018 00:01:36 GMT false

              It’s easy to get off track and lose focus. Here are some of the ways I have been attempting to sharpen my focus and execution.

              Highlights
              • Time Warrior: How to defeat procrastination, people-pleasing, self-doubt, over-commitment, broken promises and chaos by Steve Chandler
                • Creating vs. Managing
              • Advanced Client Systems (ACS) program hosted by Steve Chandler
              • The Prosperous Coach: Increase Income and Impact for You and Your Clients by Steve Chandler and Rich Litvin
              • Three primary leaks I’m seeing steal my focus
                • Email
                • News
                • Social Media
              • Where do you waste time across a day?
              • Being conscious and intentional about the things I work on
              • Choosing “now” or “not now”
                • Once an email is open it has to be dealt with
                • You don’t leave your physical mail opened in your mailbox
              • The power of turning the email preview pane window off
                • Saves all kinds of distractions
                • Easier to delete junk
              • Thunderbird for email
              • Move tasks that are living in your inbox to your task management system
              • Managing all my tasks in Trello
                • Subscribe to the board (to get notifications)
                • Set due dates on important cards– email comes and I don’t delete it until I’ve dealt with the card
              • Setting up simple website blocking with entries to /etc/hosts
                • Inspired by Greg DeKoenigsberg in episode 54
              • Using podcasts listening to get the news without the distractions
                • The Daily
                • Wall Street Journal
                • NPR hourly news summary
              • Scaling back social media noise
                • Cleaning up my follower list on Twitter
                • Turning off notification for Facebook group postings (reduces email)
                • LinkedIn
                  • I would love to see more personal stuff here and less boring corporate blog posts about the latest product release
              • My archiving strategy and space saving with Dropbox
              • De-cluttering computer files
                • Daisy Disk to find large files
              • Be on the lookout for leaks in your own life

              What can you do to plug the leaks and focus your time on things that matter?

              Credits
              • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
              • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
              • Original photo source

              All songs licensed under Creative Commons

              The post 66: Plugging Leaks to Focus and Execute appeared first on John Poelstra.

              ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903090 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5347 1287 full Sun, 04 Nov 2018 01:28:02 GMT false

              Stephani Roy McCallum is a leader who helps people have difficult conversations. In this conversation she navigates a deeper of understanding of what leadership really is and how to be an effective leader.

              Conversation Highlights
              • Bigger Game Live put on by Rick Tamlyn
              • Leadership is needed to move forward after a conflict has been resolved
              • Taking complete ownership is necessary, however to be fully effective you have to go somewhere (lead)
              • “Leadership is an inside job” — Rick Tamlyn
              • Leadership is available to everyone
              • Leaders inspire others to take action towards positive change
              • To lead you must stand for something and lead from it
              • Personal leadership often starts with a “reckoning”
                • What do I stand for?
                • Who am I?
                • Questioning the status quo
              • Self-awareness is key to becoming a leader
              • Stephani’s own reckonings
                • Publicly
                • Personally
              • The different faces and forms of empathy
              • The path to courage and being brave is owning your fears, short-comings and inadequacies and being honest about them
              • The combination of bravery and vulnerability creates connection which then encourages others to take action
              • A vision isn’t anything unless it’s tied to the essence of who you are
              • The interplay between our thoughts and feelings and notion that each can originate in either direction
              • Leaders inspire and empower others to make positive change because the believe in something and lead from that
              • Stephani’s real world examples of leading courageous public conversations
              • How to have difficult personal conversations
              • The stories we tell ourselves and how unproductive they can be
                • The value of telling a new story
                • The power of combining a new story with choosing
              • A productive story is not necessarily the opposite of the unproductive version
              Learn More About Stephani Roy McCallum and Leadership
              • Website: https://www.bravelylead.com
              • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bravelylead/
              • Twitter: https://twitter.com/RedheadSteph
              • Blog: https://medium.com/@RedheadSteph
              • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephani.roy.mccallum/
              • Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephani-roy-mccallum-b627646/
              Credits
              • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
              • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

              All songs licensed under Creative Commons

              The post 65: Leading From Within with Stephani Roy McCallum appeared first on John Poelstra.

              ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903091 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5352 2941 full Sat, 20 Oct 2018 22:17:55 GMT false

              Here’s a recap of the things that happened in September 2018 and what I learned from them.

              Highlights & References
              • Public accountability and my system for doing the monthly recap worked
              • Great books by Steve Chandler
                • The Story of You (And How to Create a New One)
                • Time Warrior: How to defeat procrastination, people-pleasing, self-doubt, over-commitment, broken promises and chaos
              • Blue Collar productivity
              • The solution to procrastination is starting
              • The Prosperous Coach by Steve Chandler & Rich Litvin
              • Rich Litvin’s website
              • Color coding your calendar to show you how much time you are spending on important activities that drive your business
              • What’s that one thing you might want to do on a regular basis that would strengthen a particular skill to propel you forward?
              • A very busy period of on-boarding new clients and doing client sessions
              • The Wheel of Life (CTI coaching tool)
              • Slowing down
              • Consciously working on one thing during a time block
              Credits
              • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
              • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
              • Original photo source

              All songs licensed under Creative Commons

              The post 64: September 2018 Learnings appeared first on John Poelstra.

              ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903092 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5349 1446 full Sat, 13 Oct 2018 20:16:40 GMT false

              Alexis Monville from the Red Hat Engineering Leadership team joins me to talk about his experiences leading, developing and changing teams. He’s also the author of a new book: Changing Your Team From The Inside.

              Conversation Highlights
              • Alexis helps engineering teams at Red Hat be more efficient in systematic ways
              • Alexis’ passion for open source software development and how it ties into his work
              • Team members often know something needs to change, but they rarely think it’s them that needs to change
              • Teams are often really good at “resisting” so being told to change by an outside party rarely works
              • Using “visioning” in retrospectives
              • Positive ways to turn retrospective discussions into real change
              • The importance of assigning specific owners to a new team processes or responsibilities
              • The value of checklists
              • How to engage people in games or activities they don’t want to participate in
              • The importance of believing in what you are doing as a leader
              • The tension between what people want and what they think is possible
              • How large a team can be and still effectively change
              • The percentage of times large scale change works vs. fails
              • Every member of the team is responsible for changing things
              • Asking “how?” instead of “why?” leads to more progress
              • Addressing the “dysfunctions of teams” in remote (geographically disbursed) contexts
                • Helping people come together as a team vs. a “group of individuals”
                • Getting personal with each other
                • The value of empathy
              • Success using empathy maps
                • Helps to create a three dimensional avatar or persona
                • A very constructive way to draw out disparity across a team’s perspectives
              • Waterfall software development
              • Our natural inclination to think in terms that are too black and white (polarization)
              • Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday and how it relates to changing teams from the inside
                • Creating better self-awareness for ourselves
                • Not getting in the way of our own progress
              • Self-awareness is a very key aspect to initiating change
              • Start enacting change now with small experiments
              • Alexis’ parting challenge
                1. Pick one thing
                2. Start and do something now to invest in yourself or your team
              Suggested Books
              • The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt
              • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
              • Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace) by Chade-Meng Tan
              • Changing Your Team From The Inside by Alexis Monville
              Contact Alexis Monville
              • Linkedin: Alexis Monville
              • Twitter: @alexismonville
              Credits
              • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
              • Cold Funk by Kevin M]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903093 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5337 3503 full Sat, 22 Sep 2018 11:15:48 GMT false

                Summer 2018 was a busy time with lots of trips, continuous learning and new ways to grow.

                Highlights & Links
                • The importance of systems to maintain consistency
                • No Excuses
                • My process for creating solo episodes
                  • Always keep the recording running and fix it later
                • “John, how are you going to fix this process in the future so that these monthly recaps really happen?”
                  • Repeating cards in Trello
                  • What’s my “why”?
                  • What values am I honoring?
                • Attending Conferences
                  • Bigger Game Live with Rick Tamlyn
                    • Met up with Anthony and Amy Ongaro of Break the Twitch
                    • Conversation with Nancy Jamieson about Manifesting
                    • Meditation challenge — Insight Timer App
                  • Craft and Commerce by Convertkit
                    • Shanté Cofield — The Movement Maestro
                    • Amber Dugger — Improve Your Relationship with Money
                    • Casey Neistat / Creating your own board of advisors
                    • Dave Stuart Jr — Experiential Learning
                • Creating an unbreakable chain of daily habits
                  • Meditation
                  • Daily journaling with the Five Minute Journal
                • Teaching PUGS Podcasting Jumpstart Course
                  • PUGS Workshop Development course is recommended
                • Pursuing additional coaching opportunities at Red Hat
                  • Presenting to my previous team
                  • Pushing the envelope
                  • Getting positive and negative feedback
                • Building a business and expanding your reach will likely result in doing things that some people don’t like
                  • Are you really trying hard enough if everyone likes your stuff?
                  • Fully putting yourself out there has a higher chance of connecting with people and getting negative feedback
                • Being out the lookout for and knowing the signs of when you need to push through or take a break
                • Response rates are slower in the summer
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 62: Summer 2018 Learnings appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903094 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5334 1952 full Sat, 08 Sep 2018 09:00:23 GMT false

                Enjoy this wide ranging conversation with author, singer, business owner and entrepreneur, Kathy Jorsch.

                 

                 

                Conversation Highlights
                • John and Kathy met via Rick Tamlyn’s VIP Mastermind in January 2018
                • What it’s like to write a novel
                • Different businesses Kathy has started and run
                • Love of tennis
                • The power of talking to yourself in the first person
                  • High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendon Burchard
                • The value of truly listening to yourself
                • The things on Kathy’s vision board and what they possibly mean
                • The importance of travel and getting beyond the places you already know
                • Kathy’s advice to start changing your life
                  • Create your own vision board
                  • Journal

                 

                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 61: Getting to Know Kathy Jorsch appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903095 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5327 2469 full Sat, 25 Aug 2018 08:00:59 GMT false

                It’s easy to get stuck in the past, and yet there’s not much it gives us. Here’s an encouragement to live in the present and look to the future.

                 

                 

                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 60: Setting a Present and Future Focus appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903096 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5322 432 full Sat, 11 Aug 2018 19:42:14 GMT false

                In this conversation with Dave Stuart Jr we explore teaching, experiential learning, leadership and so much more.  Dave is a 9th grade teacher who writes a popular blog and authors books about being an effective teacher.  His latest book is called These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most (and you should buy it today).

                 

                Conversation Highlights
                • There’s more to life than just being a teacher–investing your entire life into being a teacher is not sustainable
                • Dave figured out ways to be in an effective teacher within a regular work schedule
                • How Dave got into blogging and eventually became a published author
                • Solving a problem you have yourself helps you solve it for others
                • Investing in things that are timeless
                • Time, practice, persistence and grit
                • Most teachers do not make it past five years because of burn out
                  • This creates a deficit of experienced teachers
                • Success as a teacher is not doing everything, it is
                  • providing a solid learning experience for the students
                  • enabling long term flourishing
                • While it’s important to “own all your stuff” you also have to “lead” yourself and others somewhere too
                • Dictating vs. facilitating vs. leading in a particular direction
                • Experiential learning makes stuff stick in a way that “sit and git” doesn’t
                • “Parenting is teaching someone to do life”
                • Teaching kids how to argue well by being earnest and amicable
                • Kids can’t Google what they believe–they have to figure it out
                • Belief under girds motivation
                • People who believe in our abilities are more likely to benefit from the experience of learning from us
                • Positive ways to teach kids public speaking
                • Find ways to encourage and help the teachers you know
                John’s Favorite Terms From Dave
                • “Sit and get”
                • “Turn and talk”
                • “Think, pair, share”
                • Affinity, opportunity and ability
                More about Dave Stuart Jr
                • Dave Stuart Jr.com
                • Get Dave’s new book These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 59: Better Ways of Learning with Dave Stuart Jr appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903097 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5315 3076 full Fri, 20 Jul 2018 21:28:37 GMT false

                This short riff considers what it might look like to live a life of “no excuses.” This idea was inspired by a story about Navy SEAL training combined with thoughts I had while writing out a list of things I believe involving ownership.

                 

                Links
                • My manifesto
                • How to not make excuses and take extreme ownership with Kylon and Teliah Gienger on the Successful Dropout Podcast
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                 

                 

                The post 58: No Excuses appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903098 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5193 394 full Sat, 07 Jul 2018 08:30:00 GMT false

                At Bigger Game Live I sat down for a conversation with Nancy Jamieson. We explore her interest in podcasting by sitting down to do just that.  Over the course of our conversation we cover a variety of topics about her experiences and what she believes about how life works.

                 

                Highlights
                • • Approaching people from a heartfelt space
                  • Bigger Game Live put on by Rick Tamlyn and his team
                  • Envisioning your future needs being met
                  • Manifestation–creating from a place of awareness
                  • Re-framing
                  • Being aware of what we are paying attention to
                  • Choosing how you want to show up
                  • How to read the energy of a room
                More about Nancy Jamieson
                • Life Force Fulfillment
                • Anam Cara Coaching & Consulting, LLC
                • LinkedIn
                • Facebook
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 57: Manifesting with Nancy Jamieson appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903099 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5298 2183 full Sat, 30 Jun 2018 08:30:00 GMT false

                Tina Robinson is back to delve into the often murky topic of figuring out what we want. Together we share some ways to get clearer.

                 

                Discussion Notes
                • Money is often an immediate answer and yet it doesn’t truly describe what we want
                  • Ask yourself what you believe money will give you as a way to push things deeper
                  • What does money represent to you?
                    • Freedom
                    • Security
                    • Safety
                    • The ability to play
                    • Take care of others and be of service
                    • Something else
                • Tina’s Trader Joe’s Meltdown Moment
                • The tension of listing out all the things you don’t want
                  • You may get more of those things you don’t want
                  • You might be doing that to avoid the harder question of getting really clear about what you DO want
                • Do you tell yourself you are not allowed to have certain things?
                • What or How instead of Why
                • Writing without constraints or filters is the fastest way to get in touch with what’s going inside you
                • The importance of making lists and building a muscle around it via James Altucher
                  • Choose Yourself (a bargain at $0.99!)
                • Strengthening the muscle of “What I want”
                • Practice honoring your intuition
                • Listening the way our bodies inform us
                • Listening to your “heart” vs. your “head”
                • Manifesting
                Here are a few ways ways to figure out what you want
                1. Make a wild list of things… free write!
                2. Imagine what success looks like in a particular situation (instead of dwelling on all the things that aren’t working)
                3. Create a matrix with the left column listing skills that you are good at and across the top each, your professional experiences for the past 5-10 years)
                   1. Match them up… when were you happiest?
                   2. Look for roles where you were using the most of your strengths
                   3. How were you feeling? what made you feel that way? leads to “What I want is to be able to use these _____ skills more.”
                4. What did you like to do when you were 12 years old? Look for ways to weave those things into your work–you probably still love them
                5. Getting clear on what you want makes it easier to weave those things into your annual goals or personal development plans at work
                6. John’s best career advancements happened when he was really really clear about what he wanted to do next
                   1. He looked for ways to those things
                   2. Instead of looking for what was available and deciding if I was a fit
                7. Are you struggling to identify what you want because you are afraid you might get it (fear of success)?
                8. Kids are extremely clear about what they want.. what would it look like to approach what you want from a child’s perspective?
                9. Do the 5 whats/whys exercise (wikipedia)
                10. Go for a walk with a voice recorder and just talk out about the things that pop into your mind or the things you see
                More on the topic of “figuring out what you want”
                • See the previous episode:  What Do You Want? (21)
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under  https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903100 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5297 2923 full Sat, 23 Jun 2018 08:30:00 GMT false

                Over the past couple of months I’ve been learning by doing, living more from my heart than my head, and learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Next month I’m teaching an in-person class on how to create a podcast in Portland, Oregon, and I hope you’ll join me.

                 

                Highlights and Resources Mentioned
                • Kyle Cease — Free 2 hour movie
                • I Hope I Screw This Up by Kyle Ceases
                • Zoom
                • John’s upcoming in-person podcasting course: PUGS Podcasting Jumpstart in Portland, Oregon
                • Success is what you define it to be
                • Commitment, not courage is the key to driving learning and new thing forward
                • Building bigger muscles to fight the gremlins and spot their cycles so as not to take them so seriously
                • Learning to be more comfortable with being uncomfortable
                • CTI Coach Training
                • Emphasizing my podcasting services more and finding out what people need–glad to talk with you too
                • My challenge to you: be with the comfortable feelings, observe them and don’t push them away–they won’t last as long as you think.
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 55: Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903101 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5289 1119 full Sun, 17 Jun 2018 04:09:18 GMT false

                Long time Red Hat colleague Greg DeKoenigsberg and I talk about managing our time–how we get off track and how we fight against letting it happen.

                 

                • Red Hat and Open Source Software
                • In today’s world of “work” where we sit in a chair and look at a screen, it’s really easy to waste time
                • Being on the lookout for those “tells” that give you an early-warning indicator that you’re on the path to wasting time
                  • “Fake fortification”
                  • Anxiety about our work and tasks to be completed
                • Anxiety vs. procrastination vs. being in Flow
                • Flow often happens when we are engaged in meaningful work
                • Figuring out ways to get into flow states
                  • Being able to see the bigger picture of tedious work will give us
                  • Breaking things into smaller, achievable tasks
                  • Reduce the amount of time you spend comparing yourself others
                    • Accept that completing a particular task might take you six hours to complete because you break it into chunks compared to someone else that it comes naturally to
                • Building habits around putting structures into place that protect us from doing stupid things with our time
                • Working in time blocks (Pomodoros) was a game changer for Greg
                • Holding back because we question whether it’s “worth it” or the best use of our time
                • John & Greg’s geeky hacks for trying to stay focused
                • Having your smartphone nearby is a distraction
                • The compound affect of doing things over and over again
                • The pros/cons of negative rewards
                Resources
                • Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday LifeFlow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
                • Tilt365 character strengths assessment (John is certified in this tool and happy to go over it with you)
                • Pomodoro technique
                • Sand Timers for measuring work blocks and Pomodoros
                • Thank You For Being Late by Thomas Friedman
                • Bullet Journaling
                  • Official Bullet Journal getting started page
                  • Lifehacker dot journaling overview
                  • Ryan McRae’s excellent resource guide to Bullet Journaling
                • HBR: Having Your Smartphone Nearby Takes a Toll on Your Thinking
                • Forest App
                • Self Control website blocker for Mac
                • Wait But Why
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 54: Each Day Counts with Greg DeKoenigsberg appeared f]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903102 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5251 2782 full Fri, 08 Jun 2018 13:30:17 GMT false

                In this episode I share the experience of following an inkling I had and the ways I was rewarded. I also share a simple process for capturing your beliefs.

                 

                Highlights
                • One from Many: VISA and the Rise of Chaordic Organization by Dee Hock
                • Dee Hock’s Twitter feed is full of wisdom
                • My version of “drunk dialing”
                • Self-management and living in the moment applies to good coaching and most areas of life
                • Stephen Warley at Life Skills That Matter
                  • Stephen’s Beliefs
                • If you are are a solopreneuer people are likely “buying you”
                • The importance of being clear about what you believe
                • Clarity on our own beliefs builds resonance with others
                • Have you ever deeply respected another person that didn’t really stand for anything?
                • Steps to creating your own beliefs statement
                  • Commit to the process
                  • Distraction free
                  • Water and snacks
                  • Set period of time with a timer
                  • Start an empty document with “I believe …” written at the top
                  • Gather books and resources that inform you
                  • Look at what’s underneath things that frustrate you
                  • Write (without a filter) for a set amount of time
                  • Group and distill the things you’ve written down
                • I’d love to see your beliefs if you’ d like to share them. Send them to me!
                • John’s Beliefs
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 53: Follow Your Inklings & Capture Your Beliefs appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903103 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5250 1508 full Thu, 31 May 2018 11:34:14 GMT false

                Ryan McRae helps adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) live more effectively. Ryan explains how ADHD affects his life, how he deals with it, and the benefits he’s found from having it. He also explains how he helps people live above it.

                Conversation Notes
                • ADHD comes in three flavors
                  1) Inattentive
                  2) Hyperactive
                  3) Inattentive & Hyperactive (known as “combined”)
                • The importance of going to a clinician to get a professional diagnosis
                • Different ways ADHD can be managed
                • The advantages and blessings of ADHD
                • Ryan’s favorite information collection tool is Evernote
                • Ryan’s favorite newsletter is Recomendo
                • Give yourself some kindness and grace
                  • Shame and condemnation is the dark side of ADHD
                  • Shameful people are not productive.
                  • Shameful people are not creative
                • Ryan loves having a Field Notes notebook and a pen for capture in the moment
                  • It avoids the distraction barrier of using your phone in front of other people
                • The importance of capturing thoughts in the moment instead of putting it off
                  • Quickly and efficiently in whatever form works
                  • Voice memo, mind maps, Evernote, etc.
                • Make sure you have one single capture place
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 52: Understanding ADHD with Ryan McRae appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903104 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5249 2722 full Sat, 26 May 2018 19:30:40 GMT false

                Join me in this riff about email handling and getting your important work into the world.

                 

                Episode Takeaways
                • Stop the flood of email and regain your sanity by putting your email client in “offline mode”
                  • Deal with what you have
                  • Turn it back on when you’re ready
                • The world will not stop spinning or come to an end if you don’t check your email for an hour or two
                • Disable all notifications for new messages
                • Set the interval that your client checks for mail to never or a high number… you’ll go looking for new messages soon enough
                • Disable email on your phone for the weekend and see how it feels
                • Over a week, take note of the number of times an instant reply was truly required
                  • Push against the norms and see what you can get away with
                  • Is it a negative voice or gremlin that’s telling you that you must check your email?
                • Harness that level of clarity you have first thing in the day
                • If you wake up with something negative rattling around in your head, write about it. Don’t worry about complete sentences
                • Avoid checking and reading the news first thing
                  • How many of the things you read about can you really respond to or do anything about them?
                  • Does it matter if you find out about it later?
                • How often are you responding to email out of fear of something going wrong or “really bad will happen” versus a conscious activity
                • We train people over time how we will respond to to email
                  • This creates an expectation that we will continue in the same way
                • Create a definition of “what really bad” would be for you to get in “trouble” and then reflect on the chances of it happening
                • You probably have a track record and history and “deposits in the bank” that mean you can probably afford to goof up
                • How much your email checking habit is an ego thing?
                • Are you solving everyone else’s problems and avoiding your own by mowing through your email?
                • Set a timer and a fixed period of time… preferably a kitchen timer or sand timer (NOT your iDistractor)
                • Experiment with the notion of intentional imperfection and see what you learn
                • Deep Work by Cal Newport on the importance of focusing and going deep when we work
                • Put your thoughts and learnings out into the world! Even if it feels scary
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 51: Email is Overrated appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903105 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5273 1517 full Sat, 19 May 2018 22:30:06 GMT false

                In this episode I read a letter I wrote to myself encouraging me to keep showing up while calling out the things I to need stop doing. I encourage you to write your own Dear John letter and break up with the unhelpful parts of your brain and share it with me. It’s more powerful than it sounds.

                 

                Notes
                • Listen to the episode to hear what I wrote
                • Wikipedia’s explanation of a Dear John letter
                • Write your own letter to yourself
                • You might be shocked at how helpful and powerful it is to do
                • Rick Tamlyn (mastermind facilitator, author, speaker, coach)
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 50: How to Break Up with the Unhelpful Parts of Your Brain appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903106 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5241 759 full Sat, 12 May 2018 07:30:16 GMT false

                John and Tina Robinson, CEO of WorkJoy, LLC, explore the notion of “coping” and nuances of what it means as it relates to handling situations or problems in our lives. Tina is saving the world by transforming how we think and feel about “work.”

                Sign-up to join John at a virtual live event to discuss this topic more and be coached around something you’re coping with.

                • Coaching is a powerful mechanism to engage change in people’s lives
                • When coaching isn’t working, client and coach have a responsibility to name it and take a time-out
                • How would you define the notion of “coping?”
                • Coping has positive and negative sides
                • The importance of the client’s definition of a term and not the coach’s–get curious!
                • What are you choosing?
                  • Not being at choice is often an indicator of something that needs to be explored
                • Take an extreme imaginary perspective that your situation has turned out amazing and work backwards from there to figure out what some constructive steps might be
                • Using personal values or life purpose as a way to explore what’s important and discover ways to rise above the situation and make it positive
                • Acknowledging and appreciating personal preferences without judgement
                • Getting unstuck requires an internal or external change
                  • Internal = mindset
                  • External = environment or circumstances
                • If we aren’t willing to make an internal or external change we will be stuck
                • Gradual changes or nudges might be the best approach vs. a radical transformation
                • Sometimes self-care is an important first step
                • Coaching is more than a “Jedi mind trick” and everyone should consider it, says Tina
                About Tina Robinson
                • Tina’s background and experience
                • WorkJoy Coaching
                Attend John’s Upcoming Live Discussion
                • On May 15, 2018, at 11 a.m. pacific (2 p.m. eastern) time we’re meeting on Zoom to discuss what “coping” means to you
                • Bring a real situation you’d like to be coached by John on
                • Sign-up Now
                • There will be no recording or replays due to the personal nature of this event
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 49: Is Coping a Cop-out? with Tina Robinson appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903107 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5261 2300 full Sat, 05 May 2018 07:30:00 GMT false

                Enjoy this conversation with Josh Bressers, product security at Elastic and former colleague at Red Hat. Josh answers my questions about password management, general computer security and what matters (or doesn’t) in today’s predominantly online world.

                 

                Discussion Highlights
                • How John and Josh met at Red Hat
                • Reliving the old days of testing and releasing security updates
                • Considering overall return on investment (ROI) of your approach to security
                • How do we know that these password managers are really secure? We can’t know with complete certainty
                • What happens if your password manager is compromised and how you would recover?
                • Ultimately you can’t control where your data is stored when you enter “the cloud”
                • Lastpass and 1Password appear to be the leading solutions
                • Backup schemes and philosophies
                • Understanding two factor authentication and its benefits
                • Duo Security
                • “Good enough” vs. “perfect” security
                • Yubikey 4 (two-factor authentication token)
                • You have to draw a line somewhere when you plan around all of the “what if” scenarios of something going bad or getting compromised
                • Making decisions in a way that results in a “hard yes”
                • How becoming a product manager opened Josh’s eyes to the downside of complexity and the importance of practicality
                • Josh’s preference for locked down devices like the iPhone, iPad and Google Chrome Books
                • Dropbox is not secure as some people think
                Learn More about Josh Bressers
                • @joshbressers on Twitter
                • Josh Bressers’ website
                • Open Source Security Podcast
                • LinkedIn
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 48: Practical Password Security with Josh Bressers appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903109 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5247 2076 full Sat, 28 Apr 2018 11:30:03 GMT false

                Here’s a riff on what I’ve been learning since the last update and my challenge to consider different perspectives around the notion of time.

                 

                Highlights
                • Learning can come from anything, including things that don’t happen
                • Bouncing between lots of different tasks and projects is tiring and unsatisfying
                • Decluttering pro-tip: take everything out of a particular close and only return the stuff that is staying
                • Taking the whole week of spring off was just what I needed
                • Are you “creating” or “reacting” ?
                  • Creating is better
                  • You can’t do both at the same time
                  • Reacting is exhausting
                • The collective power of a group of people to give input into your life and business from the mastermind format
                • Embracing the ups and downs (being with them) instead of trying to make them go away as quickly as possible
                  • Removing and avoiding personal judgment
                  • Staying out of the comparison game to other people
                • Going for a walk and giving your brain a problem to solve on that walk
                  • Inspired by Deep Work by Cal Newport
                • Three important topics that came from my walk
                  • Relationships
                  • Business building
                  • Time & Rest
                • Missing conviction and commitment to my revenue goal for 2018
                • I’m having an upcoming Zoom call for people that want “more” from their life or business
                  • Get on my list to be notified about it
                • Doubling down on theming my work
                • What does it mean if there’s something you want, but you aren’t consistently working to get it?
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 47: Expanding Perspectives Around Time appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903110 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5242 1243 full Sat, 21 Apr 2018 11:30:12 GMT false

                Mike Vardy from The Productivityist shares practical details about his approach to planning and managing the things he wants to accomplish through the use of themes, modes and energy levels.

                 

                Discussion Highlights
                • John’s dislike for overly complex plans and the wasted time it takes to manage them
                • Planning has value, to a point
                  • “In preparing for battle I’ve also found that plans are useless and planning is indispensable” — Dwight Eisenhower
                • The difference between “complicated” and “complex” plans
                • Finding the “Getting Things Done” (GTD) methodology to be too rigid and not “human” enough
                • Giving each day a theme that reflects the rhythms and constraints of your life
                • Selecting tasks and projects based on your energy level and daily theme vs. looking at your list of things to do and just picking something
                • You still have to have discipline when following your feelings or energy level
                • Frameworks foster freedom
                • “working by project” vs. theme or task
                • Life doesn’t have an “off season”
                • New years resolutions don’t work
                • If you’re going to plan something for a whole year, make it something small that you can do everyday like journaling or meditating
                • Theming provides a way to funnel or filter your focus.
                • Theming is a much better guide to what you should do next after a meeting ends instead of checking your email
                • Themes may overlap between business and personal
                  • Other times separate themes may make more sense
                • Mike catalogs a variety of different theme ideas
                • In environments where theming doesn’t work consider modes instead
                • Mike finds that the best way to avoid restarting is daily journaling
                • Practical steps to getting started with theming
                  • Look out three weeks on your calendar and look for certainties or patterns of what happens on certain days
                  • Don’t define a day as “free”
                  • Try a horizontal theme like reading every day for 30 minutes
                  • Add a “mode” to each task
                • The year is both long and short–breaking it down into smaller chunks is valuable
                • Work in the ways that work best for you–not what others say should work best for you
                Books & Resources
                • The Now Year Action Plan course by Mike Vardy
                • The Productivityist Podcast hosted by Mike Vardy and produced by John Poelstra
                • The Road to Character by David Brooks
                • Lessons In Manliness: Benjamin Franklin’s Pursuit of the Virtuous Life from the Art of Manliness
                • Three Words for the Year via Chris Brogan
                • The Night Owl Action Plan by Mike Vardy
                • Mike Vardy on Twitter
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5239 3053 full Sat, 14 Apr 2018 14:04:21 GMT false

                Getting off track happens in just about every area of life. It’s inevitable that things are going to get off track and not go as planned. The key to overall success is how you get going again when you have a setback. Here are some ideas to get you restarted.

                 

                This quote from Michael Hyatt’s podcast episode “How to Develop More Discipline” has always stuck with me.

                Nothing is more important than consistently restarting. That’s really the measure of success. Not the fact that you start and you have a linear progression towards a goal and achieve it without any setbacks. That almost never happens to anyone who sets out to accomplish something big. It’s just part of the process that you are going to encounter adversity. At the end of the day it’s not really about what you accomplish, but it’s what you are becoming. It takes adversity to shape our character

                Ways to Recover and Restart
                1. Allow time for thrash and whatever… it’s inefficient and that’s okay

                2. Tune up your todo list

                3. Think of the easiest thing you can do and do it

                4. Clean your office or workspace

                5. Just start on something and do it even if you aren’t sure if you have enough time

                6. Initiate a challenge

                Other Resources

                The Productivity Planner by Intelligent Design

                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                • Original photo source

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 45: Restarting is Key to Long Term Success appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903112 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5184 1138 full Sat, 31 Mar 2018 11:00:35 GMT false

                This conversation with Ron Renaud (coach, author, podcaster, and trainer) explores the topics of truth, freedom, personal growth, taking responsibility and more.

                Topics Discussed
                • Tough love for the purpose of growth
                • Being faithful to the role you are in
                • Clarity and truth as guideposts to helping people grow
                • Speaking the hard truth and being willing to accept it
                • The law of compensation
                • Are you creating “more heaven” or “more hell” in the world?
                • Cleaning up and taking responsibility for the messes we create
                • Internal and external freedom
                • Natural rights and responsibilities
                • Combatting the notion of “not having enough time”
                  • When will enough by enough?
                  • Get really clear on what your roles are–write them out
                • Making the world better starts with you cleaning up your own act and working on yourself
                • Consciously choosing “no”
                • Chris Brogan’s “Going on a Media Diet“
                • Books and Suggested Resources
                  • Jordan Peterson’s books
                    • 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
                    • Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief
                  • Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson
                • How to stay on course
                  • Avoid making the “exceptions” the “rules” of our lives
                  • Victim vs. responsible
                • Ways to be on the lookout for a”victim mindset” creeping in
                  • “I have a good reason to make an exception now”
                  • Keeping the agreements we make with ourselves
                  • “It’s his fault”
                  • “It should be different”
                Meet & Listen to Ron Renaud
                • Podcast: Uncompromised Talk
                • Website: RonRenaud.com
                • Facebook: RonRenaudCoach
                • Twitter: @Ron_Renaud
                Credits
                • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                The post 44: Seeking Truth and Living Uncompromised with Ron Renaud appeared first on John Poelstra.

                ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903113 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5194 2247 full Wed, 21 Mar 2018 03:18:32 GMT false

                In February I learned to embrace the emotional roller coaster of building your own business. I was surprised how quickly a “low” could turn into a “high” and then back into a “low.”

                Highlights
                • I am dropping the “experiment” label from what I’m up to–I’m all in on this business building thing
                • Loving the ability to focus 100% on personal development work
                • What I did in February
                  • Continuing to work with my existing clients and look for new ones
                  • Continuing to coach through A Social Ignition as a coach to an entrepreneurial program in a local prison
                  • Reading: A Second Chance: For You, For Me, And For The Rest Of Us by Catherine Hoke
                    • Gifted to me by John Wall from Marketing Over Coffee
                  • Finalized my messaging which filtered into several web page updates and my new offering
                • What I Learned
                  • The benefits of a break and the ability to focus–I’m getting getting clearer and clear on what I’m up to
                  • The Entrepreneurial emotional roller coaster is all too real
                    • Expect the emotional highs to be high and the lows to be low
                    • Expect those emotions to change rapidly
                  • The benefits of blowing off a whole day and getting out of town to reset
                    • Cooper Spur Mountain Resort — A great affordable place to ski on the backside of Mount Hood, particularly if you buy the family pass
                    • WAAM — Excellent Auto and Airplane museum in Hood River, Oregon
                    • Could there be a way to get away at least one a month or every other month?
                  • Things often take longer than they appear, but if you keep showing up, over time you’ll accomplish more than you think you can
                  • Follow those “inklings” and get on the phone with people, even if you aren’t sure what you want to talk about
                    • How to Move Forward When Visibility is Limited (042) — turns out it’s good advice
                  • Just about anything can inform you–going for a walk with the recorder rolling to capture your thoughts
                  • Feedback (positive and negative) is a gift
                    • Speak to what isn’t working
                    • Being bold with your coach can take things to the next level
                • Review of Monthly Themes
                  • January – Start
                    • Lay the foundation and let’s get rolling
                    • Administration & Creation
                    • Getting the house in order
                  • February – Messaging
                    • Continue foundation work
                    • Heavy focus on messaging and what I’m about
                    • Wrote and published my manifesto
                      • Really fun to share with people–struck a chord with some
                    • Interviewed various people that I could hire to upgrade my website
                      • The time for doing it all myself is over
                      • I came to the conclusion that what I really need is a designer
                    • Finished coaching offers/packages
                      • Much easier having gotten clear on message and what I’m offering
                      • Providing as “packages” not “month to month” or “hourly”
                    • Started updating web pages
                  • March – Promote
                    • Finish web page updates
                    • Polish my new coaching/consulting/mentoring offering
                    • Promote my message and enhance my presence on social platforms
                  • April – We’ll see
                    • Theme is less clear
                    • Could be that we iterate through the previous loop (foundation –> message –> promote)
                    • Drive traf]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903114 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5216 1781 full Sun, 11 Mar 2018 04:54:13 GMT false

                      How do you move forward when you aren’t sure what to do next? How do you escape the trap of continuing to need more information before you make your next move? You move.

                       

                      Highlights
                      • It’s tempting to want 100% clarity before taking action and yet that clarity often only comes by taking action
                      • The benefits of perspective from other people
                        • Coach
                        • Mentor
                        • Someone that’s not you
                      • Deep planning can be a huge procrastination trap because there is no way to 100% know the future and unexpected things come up 99% of the time (that’s a made up statistic)
                        • Strange to hear from a project manager
                        • Overly-detailed plans can be a waste of time
                        • I’ve rarely (never?) created a WBS (work breakdown structure) for a project
                        • I’ve never managed a project to a Gantt chart
                      • Planning is one of the best, sneakiest procrastination tools of all
                      • The story of how John got into podcasting, met Stephen Warley of Life Skills That Matter and produced other podcasts
                      • When you have an inkling
                        • Start moving
                        • Make it small
                        • Define success in small ways
                        • Give it time to grow
                        • Keep showing up on a consistent basis
                          • Even if you doubt it’s quality
                          • Even if you aren’t sure where it’s going
                          • Clarity comes as you iterate and following the inklings before you
                        • Work in Themes
                      • Mike Vardy has a whole methodology around theming–look for him in a future podcast
                      • If you are working towards a larger goal, consider theming your:
                        • Days
                        • Weeks
                        • Months
                        • Year
                      Credits
                      • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                      • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                      • Original photo source

                      All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                      The post 42: How to Move Forward When Visibility is Limited appeared first on John Poelstra.

                      ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903115 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5212 1096 full Sat, 03 Mar 2018 16:00:13 GMT false

                      Here’s what I learned, experienced and accomplished in month #1 of “The Experiment.”

                      Accomplishments, Experiences & Learning
                      • A lot of this getting started / setup stuff takes a lot longer than you think
                      • Meeting lots of people virtually and in person takes lots of time
                        • Use Trello as a CRM to keep track of the people I talk to, topics, next date to contact, etc.
                      • Getting lots of foundational things done—different kinds of insurance, estate planning, etc.
                      • Recorded four new episodes for this podcast to establish continuity
                        • Going forward my goal is to publish an episode at least every other week
                      • It takes time and experimentation to determine what the right volunteer situations are and if the return-on-investment has the right mix
                      • Mastermind meeting in Los Angeles with Rick Tamlyn was fantastic
                        • Personal ownership is going to be a big theme of the work I’m doing—see my new manifesto about what I believe
                        • Personal development, human potential and personal ownership is the focus of my work while downplaying the term “coaching”
                        • I went away with a ton of things to work out and ways to build out the things I’m working on
                        • Overwhelm and chaos are positive contributors to learning
                          • Resources supporting these ideas
                            • Order out of Chaos–Learning to Embrace Uncertainty by Mel Schwartz
                            • One from Many: VISA and the Rise of Chaordic Organization by Dee Hock
                        • I may reinvest in the podcasting space with a pivot towards more consulting around getting started and establishing workflows for high volume production
                      • I got really clear about what I believe by writing down 100+ things that I believe
                        • Turned that into a page on my website
                        • Will also filter into the various offerings I provide
                      • Also continuing to wrap up my certification as a coach for Tilt365.com (completed!)
                      • It takes a lot of time to get started, but you just have to do it and get started
                        • Sometimes that means simply sitting down and grinding it out
                      • Zoom is a pretty solid video meeting platform and I’m using it for a lot of meetings
                        • people like to complain about them all
                        • seems better than BlueJeans and Google+
                      • Theming my weeks and months is going to become incredibly important to prioritize and avoid overwhelm
                        • Be sure to check out a future episode I’m doing with Mike Vardy
                      • You can’t do this stuff in a vacuum and to maximize my time and efforts I’ve hired a new coach
                        • It’s a conscious mixture of consulting, business development, mentoring and coaching
                        • Helping me stay focused and accountable
                        • It’s expensive which I’m as a motivator and means of accountability
                      • I made a conscious decision to STOP attending free online training courses and webinars and get things done instead!
                        • When it’s time to double down on learning in the future I will
                        • For now, I know what to do.  I simply need to do it!
                      • I have the best energy, concentration and insights at the start of the day
                        • The best deep work happens first thing
                        • Putting more boundaries around my time to make sure the ri]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903116 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5195 1690 full Sat, 17 Feb 2018 19:57:26 GMT false

                          This episode explores the balance between honoring people and expanding professional opportunities in the context of networking. It was sparked by Laura Dreyer’s comment on a previous blog post about valuing people for who they are and not what they do. I also share my best advice for approaching networking events if you dread or dislike them.

                           

                          Ideas
                          • Take a “both and” perspective and approach
                          • Go with a plan and a specific mindset
                          • Set your own minimum success criteria
                            • Meet a certain number of people
                            • Stay for a certain amount of time
                          • Have a childlike curiosity–figure out what that other person is really about
                          • Listen with your whole being–check out “What is Good Listening? (014)“
                          • Bring business cards–make your own for your side-hustle
                            • Vistaprint
                            • Moo Cards
                          Topics and Resources
                          • Venture capitalist Brad Feld describes his experiences at an entrepreneurship program in a prison
                            • This inspired my own volunteer coaching work at a prison
                          • Vanessa Van Edwards gives interesting advice on social situations and reading other people
                            • Website
                            • Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People
                          • Magnet Networking events by Bassam Tarazi
                          • Icebreaker Questions by Claire Lew (not mentioned in the episode)
                          Credits
                          • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                          • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                          • Original photo source

                          All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                          The post 40: How to Make Networking Humane appeared first on John Poelstra.

                          ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903117 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5182 2298 full Sun, 04 Feb 2018 02:35:10 GMT false

                          Learn how saving more money isn’t always the answer and what’s possible when you look at something as an experiment. Stephen Warley also explains his belief that the nature of work is changing.

                           

                          Stephen Warley runs a community and weekly podcast called Life Skills That Matter.  He believes work as we know it is changing. Stephen is on a mission to spread that message and help people prepare for it.

                          Important Highlights and Takeaways
                          • Self-employment is a more natural way of being human and being 100% yourself
                          • Trying self-employment for a year will teach you more than you ever imagined
                          • Working for yourself makes you more attractive to future employers should you decide that self-employment is not for you
                          • Working for yourself is a shift in self-identity
                          • The hardest question you’ll ever answer for yourself is “What do I want?”
                          • The industrial revolution let us put off thinking about and getting clear about what we really want
                            • Technology we have created is now forcing us to answer it
                            • What we really want will translate into the work we do
                          • If you are feeling overwhelmed by a big project or a dream you have, write out a recipe for you what you think is involved:
                            • What are all the ingredients you think you need?
                            • What do do you think the steps are?
                            • Who can you ask for help?
                            • What’s the smallest next step you can take (even if it feels too small)?
                          • You are self-employed the minute you decide to work on your own terms
                          • Make calendar appointments with yourself–YOU are your most important customer
                          • Be aware of past failings or disappointments you may be interpreting the future with
                          • Looking at John’s next step as an “experiment” opened up so many new possibilities because there could be no “failure”
                            • This is the future of work
                            • Increasing uncertainty will require continuous iteration
                            • Self-reflection becomes an important part of this process as well
                          • Each week Stephen checks in with himself (self-reflection) to evaluate what is working and what is not working
                          • If experiencing a series of negative thoughts, write them all out and get clear on what’s going on
                          • Being stuck is a positive thing
                            • It doesn’t mean something is wrong with you
                            • Acknowledge it as a sign that something needs to change
                          If You’re at a Company
                          • How can you start showing up now as an entrepreneur or consultant at your company now?
                            • How could that change your mindset and the way you approach your work?
                          • Get really clear on how much money you (not anyone else) need each month to live
                            • “Your Number” is your number–it’s person specific
                            • Provides freedom and clarity by breaking fears down into real numbers
                            • This helps dictate how many customers you need or what your projected monthly income needs to be
                            • You might be surprised to learn that the amount you need is much less than you assumed
                          • Tuning your resume is the wrong first step in the job search process.  Instead:
                            • Get really clear and define the type of work you want to do and are passionate about
                            • Find companies doing the kind of work you want to do
                            • Tailor your resume to those desires
                          Resources
                          • You Need a Budget (YNAB) – Excellent personal financial management and planning software
                          • Mr. Money Mustache
                          • Lifestyle Financial Calcu]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903118 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5170 2540 full Mon, 01 Jan 2018 04:22:21 GMT false

                             

                            Today John and Alene Gabriel talk about how she quit her corporate job to go out on her own as a coach and how John is pursuing a similar, but different path.

                             

                            Credits
                            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Original photo source

                            Music licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 38: Taking a Break & Experimenting with Self-Employment appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903119 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5169 1845 full Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:26:18 GMT false

                            This episodes looks at how I use Trello to manage my tasks and todos.

                            Resources Mentioned
                            • Using images to restore or recenter you
                              • Sustaining Your Peak and Avoiding Burnouts with Brad Stulberg podcast interview with Pete Mockaitis
                              • Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success (affiliate) by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness
                              • Reflections on the Book Peak Performance (028) by John Poelstra
                            • Enable Your Board of Advisors & Fight Your Inner Critics (032) by John Poelstra
                            • Kanban
                            • Task Tracking That’s Not Overwhelming or Depressing (023)

                             

                            Music
                            •  Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 37: How I Use Trello to Manage Tasks and Todos appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903120 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5165 1579 full Mon, 11 Dec 2017 03:42:46 GMT false

                            If you want to have the best coaching session possible, prepare an agenda in advance.  Not sure what to put on your agenda?  Here are some ideas.

                             

                            Prompts to help clarify your coaching agenda

                            1. What are you tolerating in your life?
                            2. What are you avoiding?
                            3. What’s not getting done?
                            4. Is there a commitment you are not meeting?
                            5. Where would you like to have more impact?
                            6. Is there a relationship you are unsatisfied with or that you’d like to be better?
                            7. Are there gremlins or inner critics holding you back?
                            8. How are things going related to the desired outcomes that brought you to coaching?
                            Resources Mentioned
                            • Tilt 365 Strengths Assessment
                            • Enable Your Board of Advisors & Fight Your Inner Critics (032)
                            Credits
                            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Original photo source

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 36: Get More From Your Coaching Session With an Agenda appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903121 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5157 972 full Sat, 25 Nov 2017 20:55:29 GMT false

                            You’re thinking about holding and facilitating a meeting.  Here are some questions to determine if it is a good idea and how to plan for success.

                             

                            Credits
                            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Original photo source

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 35: Questions to Ask About Meetings You Want to Hold appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903122 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5158 1145 full Sun, 19 Nov 2017 21:43:34 GMT false

                            Asking one question is more powerful than asking three.  Creating a new blog post is often better than polishing an old one. This episode is a good example.  I’m not convinced I presented the material as well as I could have.  I could continue to edit or re-record, but I’m erring on the side of “shipping.”  Let me know if that was a good idea.

                            Resources Mentioned
                            • Feedly RSS reader
                            • Unread iOS RSS reader
                            • Sweetsetup website — excellent guides to the best Apple apps and applications
                            Credits
                            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Original photo source

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 34: Create New Instead of Revising Old appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903123 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5151 1058 full Sat, 04 Nov 2017 23:24:36 GMT false

                            I recently installed a new dishwasher and here’s what I learned that will hopefully save you more than $150.

                             

                            Here’s What I Learned
                            1. Pay someone else to do it
                            2. Don’t start at the end of the day
                            3. Minimize the chaos and noise
                            4. Get moral support from a friend
                            5. An empty house makes it easier to think
                            6. Eat good food and get all the tools ready before help arrives
                            7. Don’t give into the pressure of other people’s needs if you aren’t capable
                            8. Don’t base your time estimates on a pro if you aren’t a pro (see #1)
                            9. Take a break and come back to it later instead of continuing to grind away on the problem
                            10. Read the install manual several times, then start on the first page and forget about the other pages
                            11. Good lighting and reading glasses make a difference
                            Resources Mentioned
                            • “Quiet” from the TED Radio Hour
                            Credits
                            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Original photo source

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 33: Eleven Things I Learned From Installing a New Dishwasher appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903124 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5146 914 full Sat, 28 Oct 2017 23:39:12 GMT false

                            John and Alene Gabriel talk about how to manage our inner critics and the benefits of having your own board of advisors.

                             

                            Identifying Your Inner Critics or Gremlins

                            What are typical things your inner critic says to you? This is that voice that talks you out of certain things and encourages you to play it safe and maintain the status quo. It may be a critical voice or mantra you repeat to yourself that stops you from taking action or committing 100%.

                            Creating Your Own Board of Advisors

                            If you could have a group of people from anywhere in the world (living or dead) to act as a board of trusted advisors for your life, who would they be?

                            Consider capturing your board of advisors in the form of collage:

                            1) Search Google Images, stock photo sites or magazine for images that represent your members

                            2) Good places to search

                            • Google images
                            • Unsplash (royalty free)
                            • Librestock (royalty free)

                            3) Give each image a label summarizing the role it represents

                            4) Create a collage of the images

                            5) Save your collage in a format that is easily accessible

                            • Wallpaper on your computer
                            • Hang it on wall near where you work
                            • Save it to Dropbox so you can access it from a mobile devices

                            6) Implement a daily practice that helps you to check in with your board of advisors on a regular basis.

                            You may also want to do a similar exercise to capture and call out your inner critics.

                            Anthony Ongaro’s Board of Directors
                            Also Mentioned
                            Credits
                            • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Original photo source

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 32: Enable Your Board of Advisors & Fight Your Inner Critics appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903125 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5140 2082 full Sat, 21 Oct 2017 21:33:30 GMT false

                            Today John examines an article titled “Why project managers need to lose control” by Jason Coghlan from opensource.com. John mostly disagrees with this notion, believing that ownership across the team is more important.

                            Resources
                            • “Why project managers need to lose control: Software-driven projects are rarely predictable—so project managers should loosen up and become more agile” by Jason Coghlan
                            • “Being a True Owner” by John Poelstra
                            Credits
                            •  Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Original photo source

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 31: Projects Need Ownership, Not Loss of Control appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903126 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5139 1409 full Sun, 15 Oct 2017 02:30:01 GMT false

                            This episode takes an in-depth look at the book Life on Purpose by: How Living For What Matters Most Changes Everything by Victor Strecher.

                             

                            Other Mentions
                            • This is Water by David Foster Wallace
                            • The Unstuckable Podcast episode that inspired me to play frisbee with my neighbor–“An Overlooked Cure for Anxiety Discovered” by Charlie Hoehn
                            • “Reflections on the Book Peak Performance” by John Poelstra
                            Credits
                            •  Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 30: Why Having a Life Purpose is Beneficial appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903127 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5122 2035 full Sun, 08 Oct 2017 04:39:36 GMT false

                            One of my favorite moments as a project manager was being told it was impossible to draw a picture of all the people on the project. Here’s how I did it.

                             

                            Music
                            •  Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 29: Using People Maps to Understand Your Project appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903128 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5131 937 full Sat, 30 Sep 2017 09:00:12 GMT false

                            This episode shares the highlights John found in the book Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success (affiliate) by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness.

                             

                            Resources Mentioned
                            • Sustaining Your Peak and Avoiding Burnouts with Brad Stulberg podcast interview with Pete Mockaitis
                            • Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success (affiliate) by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness
                            • Better Meetings with John Poelstra on the How to be Awesome at Your Job podcast
                            • Setting a Deadline to Change by John Poelstra

                             

                            Music
                            •  Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 38: Reflections on the Book Peak Performance appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903129 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5129 763 full Sun, 24 Sep 2017 00:09:24 GMT false

                             

                            In this episode John has a conversation with Alene Gabriel, certified coach and founder of Blue Sky Coaching.  John and Alene met at CTI’s Co-Active coaching training and took a few of the classes together.

                            In this conversation they reflect on those experiences and the things they are learning as coaches.  Alene also shares her experiences from CTI’s Leadership program that she is currently in the midst of.

                            Music
                            •  Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 27: Surprising Things About Coaching with Alene Gabriel appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903130 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5124 2548 full Sat, 16 Sep 2017 09:25:46 GMT false

                            Sometimes the best next step is simply to start, even if it isn’t the perfect next step.

                             

                            Music
                            •  Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund
                            • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 26: Just Do Something appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903131 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5119 367 full Sat, 09 Sep 2017 11:00:35 GMT false

                             

                            This episode explores the topic of loneliness, some ideas for “finding your people,” and how John found one group of “his people.”

                            Mentioned: Books, Podcasts, Etc.
                            • The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware
                            • Scary Close: Dropping the Act and Finding True Intimacy by Donald Miller
                            • A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life by Donald Miller
                            • Life Skills That Matter with Stephen Warley
                            • Unstuckable with Stephen Warley and Chris Wilson
                            • Podcast Movement (Conference)

                            Books are Amazon affiliate links

                            Music
                            • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                             

                            The post 25: How to Find Your People appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903132 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5106 1179 full Sun, 13 Aug 2017 20:30:46 GMT false

                             

                             

                            This episode riffs on my thoughts from reading the book Fire in My Eyes: An American Warrior’s Journey from Being Blinded on the Battlefield to Gold Medal Victory (affiliate link) by Brad Snyder and Tom Sileo.

                            I’m particularly struck by his idea of focusing our energy on the things we can change, not wasting energy on the things we can’t, and the importance of living in the present.

                            Books & Resources
                            • Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
                            • Fire in My Eyes: An American Warrior’s Journey from Being Blinded on the Battlefield to Gold Medal Victory by Brad Snyder and Tom Sileo
                            • Being a True Owner by John Poelstra
                            Music
                            • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                            • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                            All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                            The post 24: Focusing on What You Can Control appeared first on John Poelstra.

                            ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903133 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5094 1115 full Sat, 15 Apr 2017 01:04:21 GMT false

                            This episode explores the different ways I manage my todo list items and along with techniques I’ve learned to avoid feeling overwhelmed by them and get more done.

                            Background

                            The topic of managing task lists and todo items comes up often with coaching clients. I find that many people (including me) sometimes experience their task tracking system as depressing and discouraging instead of helping them.

                            One of the most important things to remember about any task management systems is that they are rarely permanent.  My system continues to change and evolve,  even after almost 25 years in the work place.

                            Big Ideas

                            1) A winning task tracking system is:

                            • Flexible enough to change as you do
                            • Good enough not to let critical things drop or silently fail
                            • Easy to maintain (however you define that)
                            • Not overwhelming
                            • Capable of filtering–shows what need and hides the rest
                            • Something you can put your full confidence in

                            2) My advice

                            • Do what works for you
                            • Don’t listen to the gurus if their methodologies don’t work for you
                            • Systems rotate and have limited shelf-life
                              • What worked yesterday might not work today
                              • Don’t beat yourself up when it fails
                              • Be flexible
                              • Know when to push through and when to take a break or try something else
                              • Sometimes it’s time throw all the Post-its away and start over
                            • Even the people who talk about how they execute their systems like a walk on the beach at sunset have challenges
                              • They are human
                              • Some people are robots and execute their task system w/ amazing proficiency–most likely you are not like them and neither am I.
                            • Don’t compare yourself to others

                            3) My approach

                            • Daily, short-term tasks go on paper or Post-Its (analog)
                            • Long-term tasks and projects get stored in Trello (digital and easily searchable)
                            A Two Tiered System: A Daily List and Deep Storage

                            1) Daily

                            • Always Visible
                            • My rotating tools
                              • 4×4 Post-it Notes and a Sharpie
                              • Blank sheet of copy paper on clipboard with tasks in circles
                              • Medium size spiral notebook
                                • Open to one side only
                                • Everything for that day must fit on the page (can’t spill onto another page)

                            2) Deep Storage goes in Trello

                            • Go here for the big picture/full overview
                            • Holds everything that needs to be done or considered in the future
                            • Filtering aids in avoiding overwhelm
                            • “Honey dos” are added silently by my wife
                              • Doesn’t stress me out
                              • Doesn’t interrupt me
                              • Doesn’t get forgotten
                            • High-level/quick scan periodically (every week or two on Saturday mornings)
                              • Pick out important stuff that needs to be prioritize or started soon
                              • This periodic check-in has saved us from missing/dropping some important tasks
                            • Deep review every couple of months
                              • Scan every card in the board and put in roughly prioritized order
                            • Because my wife doesn’t totally love Trello (and I hear there are few wives that do), I often scan it for the “next important things we need to focus on” and put them on Post-its.
                              • On a given weekend we might make post-its of the most important 5 or 6 things that need to happen on Saturday and agree to tackle them
                              • We usually get half of them done which means we should hire a better scrum master than me  
                            Tactical Suggestions for Daily Success

                            1) Set up your day for success

                            • It all begins the night before
                              • Deciding first thing in the day never seems to work as well (the clarity just isn’t there)
                              • S]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903134 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5022 1410 full Sat, 18 Feb 2017 21:01:22 GMT false

                                 

                                This in-depth episode examines and explains the steps for creating and publishing your own podcast.

                                Five key ingredients to creating a successful podcast

                                1) Recorded content
                                2) Produced show
                                3) Media hosting
                                4) RSS Feed to automatically tell the world that you have new stuff
                                5) Syndication on major services like Apple Podcasts (previously known as iTunes), Google Play, etc.

                                In our conversation we go deeper into each one of these ingredients and explain how they all relate to each other.  Below are additional resources and links to things mentioned in our discussion (and some added after the fact).

                                1. Recorded Content
                                • “Good enough” equipment is all you need to get started
                                • You want the sound to be clear and warm in a quiet location
                                • Raw content can take many forms
                                  • monologue
                                  • discussion
                                  • presentation
                                • Solo episodes (just you) can be recorded with:
                                  • Audacity
                                  • Quicktime
                                  • Other audio programs
                                • You can conduct interviews with
                                  • Zencastr (Recommended as the easiest place to start)
                                    • Runs in a web browser
                                    • Use Google Chrome for best results
                                    • Has the advantage of not requiring the installation of additional software, assuming Google Chrome is already installed
                                  • Zoom
                                    • Be sure to set preference to create separate audio files for each person and high quality audio
                                    • A good alternative to Zencastr
                                  • Skype and Ecamm Call Recorder for Skype (Mac only–I used it for years)
                                  • Double-ender
                                  • Pulsecaster (Linux only)
                                • Save original recording in a high quality, lossless format
                                  • wav (Windows or Mac)
                                  • aiff (Mac)
                                • Each guest should use earbuds
                                  • Not laptop speakers which can cause feedback or echo

                                Keep in mind that you can spend thousands of dollars on the best equipment and production (if you want to) and most people are going to listen on $30 earbuds

                                In addition, for the cleanest, best sound from whatever platform you use, you want each person to be recorded on a unique track so that their audio is isolated from the people speaking.

                                USB Microphones Mentioned
                                • These two Audio Technica microphones are essentially the same thing except that the ATR2100 has a lifetime warranty
                                  • Audio Technica ATR2100
                                  • Audio Technica AT2005
                                • Another option Paul recommends is the Blue Yeti (though John doesn’t care for it)
                                • The Podcaster’s High Quality Microphone Shootout (not mentioned in the podcast)
                                  • A great guide to higher quality microphones
                                  • Demonstrates the differences and how each person’s voice is different
                                  • Don’t get too lost here if it stops you from getting started
                                2. Produced Show
                                • This is an area John specializes in and helps people
                                  • Create finished shows on a regular basis
                                  • Optimizes production workflow using a custom Trello workflow
                                • This step involves editing and assembling all of the pieces of audio recordings and music for good sound and flow
                                • Adding music can add life to your podcast
                                  • Finding music can be a huge time sink
                                  • Make sure you have a valid license to use the music i]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903135 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5027 3605 full Sat, 21 Jan 2017 04:14:36 GMT false

                                    Are you as clear about what you want as you think?  This episode explores some ways to get clearer.

                                    Resources
                                    • Getting Things Done When You Are Not in Charge by Geoffrey M Bellman
                                    • The Five Whys
                                    • Accidental Genius (a book about free writing and it’s benefits)
                                    • Being a True Owner
                                    • John’s Coaching Program
                                    Music
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 21: What Do You Want? appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903136 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5021 579 full Mon, 16 Jan 2017 01:32:05 GMT false

                                    Today we have something a little different.

                                    In this episode I share one of my hacks for creating peace and quiet when I need to concentrate. I created my own ambient soundtracks of the Umpqua River from the Horseshoe Bend campground in southern Oregon (about 45 minutes from Crater Lake).

                                     

                                    Tracks You Can Download

                                    Each of these tracks are approximately 25 minutes long which make for good Pomodoros. Each one is a little different. I use them to block out other sounds when I’m trying to concentrate. Pick one you like and give it a try. Also useful for inducing peaceful sleep.

                                    Right click on a link to save the file or play it below.  Headphones are recommended for the best experience.

                                     

                                    http://media.blubrry.com/johnpoelstra/content.blubrry.com/johnpoelstra/John-Poelstra-Umpqua-River-01-Birds-on-the-River.mp3

                                    Birds on the River

                                    http://media.blubrry.com/johnpoelstra/content.blubrry.com/johnpoelstra/John-Poelstra-Umpqua-River-02-Bubbling-Rapids.mp3

                                    Bubbling Rapids

                                    http://media.blubrry.com/johnpoelstra/content.blubrry.com/johnpoelstra/John-Poelstra-Umpqua-River-03-Mini-Rapids.mp3

                                    Mini Rapids

                                    Cherokee Shuffle Recording

                                    Here is the bluegrass recording I made at the Goldendale, Washington bluegrass festival in May 2016, with my Zoom H6. Tommi Poelstra plays the banjo.

                                    Other Links Mentioned
                                    • Focus@Will
                                    • Deep Focus playlist on Spotify
                                    Music
                                    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                                    Songs is licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 20: How to Block Distracting Sounds So You Can Concentrate appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903137 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5018 591 full Sat, 07 Jan 2017 01:52:41 GMT false

                                    Paul Frields joins the podcast to talk about working remotely and what it takes to succeed. John and Paul also discuss some of the misconceptions about remote work and how to overcome them.

                                     

                                    Articles and other episodes mentioned:

                                    • The 10 Biggest Misconceptions About Remote Work
                                    • Remote is Dead. Long Live Distributed
                                    • How to get unstuck via What Could Be Fun
                                    Music
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 19: How to Succeed as a Remote Worker appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903138 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5011 2846 full Fri, 23 Dec 2016 04:49:11 GMT false

                                    In this wide-ranging conversation, John and guest Paul Frields, talk about working at Red Hat, how they got started with collaborative meeting minutes and Paul’s love of playing the bass.

                                     

                                     

                                    Here’s Paul with one of his bands…

                                     

                                     

                                    The post 18: Talking Red Hat, Meetings and Music with Paul Frields appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903139 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=5001 2573 full Sat, 19 Nov 2016 22:02:12 GMT false

                                    This episode explores some techniques for facilitating meetings with stronger personalities or those that dominate the discussion too much.

                                    Dominant people tend to
                                    • Hog the discussion
                                    • Be the first to speak speak
                                    • Often want to make sure they are heard at the expense of others
                                    It’s the faciliator’s job to
                                    • Be a referee
                                    • Keep input balanced
                                    • Make sure all voices and perspectives are heard
                                    • Keep things moving so that the meeting doesn’t get bogged down or go in circles
                                    I confront dominators by
                                    • Being courageous and assertive
                                    • Acknowledging the dominant person and then opening the floor to others
                                    • Blaming the agenda
                                    • Reminding the group that it’s important that all perspectives are heard and shared
                                    • Interrupting the dominator (if needed) to redirect the discussion
                                    Other ways to handle people who regularly dominate the discussion
                                    • Talk to the person outside of the meeting and express your concerns
                                    • Be clear that you value their input and you will continue to moderate future conversations
                                    • It’s not personal, it’s just to make sure that we’re getting equal input and participation from the rest of the group
                                    • Ask them if they have ideas on how to make the meeting discussion more productive for everyone that will still honor their need to share
                                    • Ask them not to attend
                                    • Drop them from the meeting invite (this one could obviously have collateral damage and may not be advised)
                                    Consequences of not confronting dominators
                                    • You’ll lose your roll as a strong facilitator
                                    • People may shutdown and check out
                                    • Participants may start multi-tasking and become disengaged
                                    • People you really need input from will stop coming to the meeting
                                    • Your meeting will narrow in perspetive and views
                                    • Less creative solutions may come from your meeting discussions
                                    • Things will probably get worse

                                     

                                    Music
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 17: How to Handle Dominant People at Meetings appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903140 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4993 677 full Sun, 30 Oct 2016 00:50:37 GMT false

                                    Sometimes the best way to get your day out of a ditch is to find something fun. Any amount of fun might be good enough. That’s what I explore in this episode.

                                     

                                     

                                    The music track is Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund and licensed under Creative Commons.

                                    The post 16: What Could be Fun? appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903141 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4985 390 full Sat, 22 Oct 2016 09:00:16 GMT false

                                    This episode explores the topic of personal ownership through the eyes of two books:

                                    • Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
                                    • QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work by John G. Miller

                                     

                                    Other resources mentioned on the episode
                                    • A Few of John’s Favorite Things (013)
                                    • Tim Ferriss: The Scariest Navy SEAL Imaginable… And What He Taught Me (Interview with Jocko Willink)
                                    • Tim Ferriss: Jocko Willink on Discipline, Leadership, and Overcoming Doubt
                                    • Roger Whitney: The Retirement Answer Man
                                    • Chris Brogan: Owner Media

                                    Here’s an article titled “How to ask why at work without upsetting anyone” that I found after recording this episode.  It includes a very brief and effective examination of why the “why question” is so horrible.  It ties nicely into QBQ’s examination of the same thing.

                                    Jocko Willink Explains Ownership
                                    Music
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                     

                                    The post 15: Being a True Owner appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903142 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4983 1893 full Sat, 15 Oct 2016 18:08:10 GMT false

                                    This episode explores the topic of listening through the Co-Active coaching model and an article from Harvard Business Review.

                                    • Co-Active Coaching: Changing Business, Transforming Lives
                                      by Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandahl, and Laura Whitworth (affiliate link)
                                    • What Great Listeners Actually Do by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman
                                    • Here’s a downloadable PDF from CTI explaining the three levels of listening
                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 14: What is Good Listening? appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903143 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4958 1099 full Sat, 08 Oct 2016 09:05:34 GMT false

                                    This episode is a collection of some of my favorite things. It was inspired by some similar things I shared in a recent podcast interview on How to be Awesome at your Job.

                                    Links and recommended books
                                    • My mission statement and it’s theme of Ownership
                                    • Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
                                    • QBQ! the Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work by John G. Miller
                                    • The Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard
                                    • The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM) by Hal Elrod
                                    • Get up early, drink water and exercise first thing
                                    • Task tracking with 4×4 Post-its and a Sharpie, Trello, or hand drawn mindmaps
                                    • Working in 25 minute time blocks–free Pomodoro app
                                    Favorite challenges
                                    • Decline a meeting invitation that doesn’t need you
                                    • Refuse to attend a meeting if there is no agenda
                                    • Collaborative meeting notes capture
                                    • As the meeting facilitator be bold and ask people to own actions that belong to them
                                    • Speak to what you are observing that isn’t working at a meeting
                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 13: Some of My Favorite Things appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903144 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4936 1168 full Mon, 03 Oct 2016 00:20:00 GMT false Listener Feedback and Questions

                                    This episode responds to listener questions and feedback from two previous episodes around how to collaboratively create meeting minutes and how a central mailing list repository for meeting minutes works.

                                    • How to Invite the Right People to Your Meetings (007)
                                    • Avoiding the Dreaded Meeting Roll Call (008)

                                     

                                     

                                    Discussion About Etherpad

                                    Etherpad is a collaborative text editor anyone with a web browser and and hosted instance can use.

                                    • Wikipedia history of Etherpad
                                    • Etherpad home page
                                    • Public instances of Etherpad useful for seeing what it’s like.

                                    In the episode I incorrectly suggested that Etherpad might not be maintained any more.  A quick look at the github page for etherpad-lite site does show some activity.  A reading of the Wikipedia page also explains the different versions and history.

                                    Other Collaborative Document Tools
                                    • Gobby
                                    • Google Docs
                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 12: Collaborative Meeting Minutes–Listener Questions and Feedback appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903145 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4956 953 full Sat, 17 Sep 2016 08:00:29 GMT false

                                    This episode covers some of my thoughts on a recent return from vacation and how to keep the vacation glow going for as long as possible.  Nothing is more disappointing to me than watching it evaporate 30 minutes into the first day back.

                                     

                                     

                                    As you are preparing to leave
                                    • Leave a clear trail of what you need to work on when you return. I like using Trello cards for this.
                                    • Set your email auto-responder to start a few hours before the end of the day before you will be gone and to end a few hours into the first day after you return
                                    • As you leave town (assuming you don’t need to be reached or won’t have service) set your phone to airplane mode and turn it off
                                    • Don’t check your email until the day you go back to work (not the night or day before)–all the problems will still be there.  “Getting a jump on things the night before” is an illusion
                                    • Create a gap day by blocking out your calendar the entire day of your return–automatically decline all calendar invites if your calendar does that (Google Calendar does)
                                    When you return

                                    On the first day back, ease into things and be intentional about what you’re going to work on instead of diving head first into deleting email (avoid the illusion that it’s going to make you feel satisfied)

                                    • Pack your bag and pick your clothes the night before your first day of work
                                    • Read a few pages from an interesting book to center your mind
                                    • Journal about what you want your day to look like and how you want to feel at the end
                                    • Meditate
                                    • Put clear boundaries around what you will and won’t do on that day
                                    • Look at that list of things you created before you left and prioritize the attention they deserve
                                    Dealing with a pile of email

                                    Turn off the email fire hose (and sense of defeat) by setting your email client to offline after you’ve downloaded all the new messages.  The world won’t end.

                                    • Sort your email in different ways to identify easy to delete messages:
                                    • Sort by sender… delete, delete, delete
                                    • Sort by subject/thread, delete, delete, delete
                                    • Reverse sort by date so that the oldest email is first (sometimes these take care of themselves)
                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 11: Keeping the Vacation Glow Alive Longer appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903146 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4969 765 full Sat, 10 Sep 2016 23:00:56 GMT false

                                    You can’t know if you’re ready to release unless you know what done means.

                                    ….

                                    When you use release criteria to know when a project is done, you have taken potentially hidden decisions and made them public and clear. Make your release criteria objective and measurable, so everyone on the project knows what they’re working towards. Use the criteria as you progress through the project and up to the final release. Then you can say ‘Release it!’ with pride. — Johanna Rothman

                                    The quote above is from a fantastic white paper on the subject of release criteria. It’s an easy, accessible read and I recommend it if you’re looking to tighten up the way you make decisions for software product releases and projects in general.

                                    This episode explores the benefits for setting and agreeing to criteria before making decisions.

                                    The mindmap below outlines the points in this episode.

                                    Benefits and Uses of Release Criteria

                                    A good example of establishing release criteria is the process I kicked off in the Fedora Project back in 2009.

                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 10: What’s Your Criteria? appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903148 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4937 698 full Sat, 03 Sep 2016 09:03:54 GMT false

                                    This episode talks about coaching and uses the recent Netflix documentary “I am Not Your Guru” as the the jumping off point. The documentary examines Anthony Robbins’ “Date with Destiny” event and his approach to helping people change.

                                     

                                     

                                     

                                    Topics and links covered in this episode:

                                    • I am not Your Guru on Netflix
                                    • The importance of restarting and Michael Hyatt’s podcast
                                    • The difference between coaching vs. therapy
                                    • The coach is not an an “expert” or a “guru”
                                    • Rapid change is possible
                                    • Sign-up for a free strategy session with John to see if coaching is a good next step for you
                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 9: Coaching Instant Transformation appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903149 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4954 1010 full Sat, 27 Aug 2016 16:00:47 GMT false

                                    In this episode I share a super easy way to take attendance at meetings–don’t! Instead have attendees take do their own check-in by adding themselves to the minutes (in a shared document).

                                     

                                     

                                    My meeting agendas are a shared document (which everyone at the meeting has access to) which morph into the minutes in real time as the meeting progresses. At the beginning of the meeting I remind everyone to register their presence and that’s it. This has the added bonus of avoiding the dreaded, gut wrenching “who just joined?” question that interrupts the beginning of most meetings and usually gets asked 20 times before the meeting starts.

                                    Reaching Critical Mass

                                    Once the meeting starts (and I don’t start unless I have enough people to cover some of the topics), I’m less concerned with who joins.  And since I try to keep my invite lists tight it’s easy to know whether the people I really need to start are present or not.

                                    Starting on time–within a minute or two of the scheduled time–is critical. It can take a while for the culture of a meeting to change to starting on time, but I’ve found that over time people know the meeting is going to start on time and if they want to know everything that happened they’ll be on time.

                                    How This Process Works
                                    • I use a shared document for the agenda that morphs into the meeting minutes or notes
                                    • At the start of a meeting I tell people to indicate their presence next to their name
                                    • If someone has told me before the meeting that they can’t come I put “regrets” or “PTO” or the reason they can’t attend after their name
                                    • For someone that doesn’t show up or doesn’t respond to the calendar invite I put nothing after their name
                                    • When the minutes go out that ambiguity is there for the reader to interpret
                                    • Someone that is invited or insisted on being invited and yet there’s never any indicator after their name raises questions over time
                                    Be Clear on Names and Representation
                                    • I like to put names in alphabetical order by first name and group them by role or functional team
                                    • Adding the role each person plays makes it easy to spot teams that are sending too many people
                                    • Always use a person’s full name
                                    • Removes ambiguity as to who “John” is, even if there is one John
                                    • Helps new team members really know who people are
                                    • My minutes go to a central meeting minutes list where context immediately gets lost
                                    Handling People that Come Late
                                    • You don’t have to say “oh, that’s okay, we were just getting started” if they just interrupted the meeting and it isn’t true
                                    • Thank the the person for coming and stop there
                                    • Re-enforce the value of being on time by refusing to go backwards in the agenda to re-hash a topic for the person who was late. Yes, there are obvious exceptions to this, but this is my general approach
                                    • Suggest that late comers read the minutes or get with someone who was there after the meeting to get caught up

                                    I realize people have conflicts, get stuck in traffic, etc. Over time you’ll usually see a pattern of who genuinely had a problem that couldn’t be avoided and the person who lives in their own timezone. I get that we are all wired differently, but I don’t think it is fair for one person to force 15 other people into their timezone.

                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 8: Avoiding the Dreaded]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903150 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4930 680 full Sun, 21 Aug 2016 02:00:22 GMT false

                                    This episode examines the process I use and suggest to decide who to invite to specific meetings.

                                    People to Invite

                                    In general, the best people to invite are those who can:

                                    1. Make decisions
                                    2. Give valuable input and insights
                                    3. Move things forward
                                    People Not to Invite

                                    Inviting the wrong people often drags the meeting down, makes it difficult to facilitate, and make decisions.

                                    I do not invite people to my meetings or ask them not to attend if they:

                                    1. Are curious to hear what is going on
                                    2. Can’t explain why they need to attend
                                    3. Can’t explain what value they will bring or ADD to the meeting
                                    4. Just want “keep tabs on what’s going on”

                                    If someone simply wants to be “informed” I don’t think that is a sufficient reason to attend unless the meeting minutes aren’t very good. Great meeting minutes should address all these needs. Are your minutes great?

                                    General Guidelines
                                    1. Set a limit of two people from a given team or function
                                    2. Send minutes to anyone that wants to receive them
                                    3. Make the minutes so good that people can substitute them for attending the meeting
                                    4. Keep track of each attendee and the function they represent with a “people map.”
                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 7: How to Invite the Right People to Your Meetings appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903151 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4931 378 full Sat, 13 Aug 2016 11:00:34 GMT false

                                    In this episode of the podcast my friend Charlie and I talk about the frustration of status meetings. Do you like status meetings?

                                    The post 6: Status Meeting Morass appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903152 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4932 741 full Sat, 06 Aug 2016 21:23:03 GMT false

                                    A wise person I work with made this profound statement today.

                                    You can release on time and still fail

                                    There’s a notion out there that project managers only care about making the schedule.  While it’s easy to get fixated on it, the more I work on product releases the less I find myself caring about “the schedule.”

                                    This doesn’t mean it’s not important to meet the dates we’ve committed to. If a release is off track, I’m more interested in constructing a realistic schedule everyone has confidence meeting versus whipping everyone into a frenzy to meet a date simply because it’s published on a schedule.

                                    Sometimes I find that the project team loses sight of who the schedule is for. When things are going well on one of my product teams, an anonymous colleague likes to say “This should make John Poelstra happy!” or “Look we’re meeting Poelstra’s schedule.”  And yet, while this person enjoys pulling my chain it really misses the point to call the schedule mine.

                                    The schedule isn’t mine simply because I’m the project manager.  No, the schedule belongs to the entire release team. It’s the release team’s schedule, not the project manager’s.

                                    If you have to re-evaluate or make adjustments to the schedule, make sure it makes sense to the entire team. Have you factored in all of the important aspects of the release?

                                    • Quality at sufficient levels
                                    • Features complete enough to meet goals of the release
                                    • Documentation complete enough to meet objectives
                                    • Marketing is able to promote its

                                    What do you think of my ideas here?  If you object, I’d love to hear from you.

                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 5: Failing by Shipping on Time appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903153 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4928 429 full Tue, 02 Aug 2016 03:56:49 GMT false

                                    Not too long ago I was in a situation with a very limited amount of time and energy and had to make sure I used every minute and ounce of energy on the right things. Prioritization with Post-it notes and a Sharpie was the solution!

                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 4: Ruthless Prioritization appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903154 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4919 442 full Sat, 23 Jul 2016 19:47:15 GMT false

                                    This episode is a conversation with my friend Charlie about how meetings drain our energy and what we can do to minimize it.

                                     

                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 3: Avoiding Energy Drain from Meetings appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903155 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4917 937 full Mon, 04 Jul 2016 09:00:34 GMT false

                                    Here are my thoughts and experiences on how to deal with worries (without solutions) introduced at software project meetings.

                                     

                                     

                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 2: Dealing with Worry at Software Project Meetings appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903156 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4909 381 full Sat, 02 Jul 2016 23:13:44 GMT false

                                    This kicks off the first episode of the John Poelstra Show. I talk about my goals and motivations for doing this new podcast and what I hope comes of it.

                                    Links mentioned in this episode:

                                    • Fizzle.co
                                    • Jocko Podcast
                                    • Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
                                    Credits
                                    • Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
                                    • Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

                                    All songs licensed under Creative Commons

                                    The post 1: Introducing The John Poelstra Show appeared first on John Poelstra.

                                    ]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/johnpoelstra/2903157 http://johnpoelstra.com/?p=4902 587 full Sat, 02 Jul 2016 03:50:13 GMT false