Aim Higher: The podcast with purpose

Michael Hyatt: Creating a practical vision

I’ve known Michael Hyatt for years, have interviewed him before, and have written for his blog several times. It’s always a pleasure to sit down for a conversation with him, and this week on “Aim Higher” is no exception. Michael really differentiates between the idea of “having a vision” as a kind of nebulous, nice-sounding concept vs. a useful, real-world tool for guiding your organization. As a fellow fan of practical guidance and advice, I very much appreciated his thoughts on this topic, and I think you will, too.

Anese Cavanaugh: Be positively contagious

How can you master your personal energy, presence and intention? Anese Cavanaugh, author of “Contagious You” and Skip’s guest on this week’s “Aim Higher,” suggests that the “how” may not be as important as the “when.” And the when is always… now. It is always the moment to start. Take a breath. Examine how you feel. What intentions are you brining into the room you’re in right now and to your leadership journey. Because that energy is going to be what is contagious about you. Skip and Anese talk about how leaders who are conscious of that energy can then take command of themselves and make much more of an impact. That’s what it means to be positively contagious. If you listen, you’ll get some good, practical advice on how to start with your inner game – taking care of your health, your self-talk, your self-kindness – and then move outward to being “positively contagious” towards others.

Bruce Daisley: Bring joy to your job

My guest for this episode of “Aim Higher” is Bruce Daisley, Twitter Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa. He joined the company in 2012 having previously run YouTube UK at Google. Bruce is the author of a terrific new book, “Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat: 30 Hacks for Bringing Joy to Your Job.” I also highly recommend his previous book, “The Joy of Work.” Bruce has so many good ideas about how we can get away from the toxic treadmill of “more hours = more productivity.” He calls that mindset a “superhighway to burnout.” Part of the problem, he says, comes from leaders themselves, who claim that their secret to success is working 60, 80 even 120 hours a week. That’s just not possible for most people… and is actually counterproductive for almost everyone. I hope you’ll listen as we discuss the importance of sleep, how the “default mind mode” of boredom and relaxation can be our best creativity booster, the importance of building teams from the ground-up, and how to get back to the “magical creative version of ourselves” that existed before work environments began demanding so much of our time.

The power of focus

This week on “Aim Higher” my guests and I discuss the power of focus. So many people try to do too much all at once… and end up getting nothing done at all. The cure for that is an improved focus… on focus. In this episode I’m thrilled to welcome back to the studio Tammi Spayde, Drew Bordas and Rebekah Kilzer, and they each have some great advice on this important topic. What we agreed on was that, for us, improving our focus came down to three specific areas: eliminating distractions, remembering to focus on people as well as productivity, and the ability to shift focus as priorities and situations change. As always, we shared some humor as well as some very practical, day-to-day advice. So put down your second and third screens, and focus on this week’s “Aim Higher.”

Tom Rath: Following your contribution

This week on Aim Higher, Skip talks to author and researcher Tom Rath, who has spent more than 20 years studying how work can improve human health and wellbeing.  His latest book, “Life’s Great Question: Discover How You Contribute to the World,” addresses a new way of thinking about the contributions we make through our life’s work. Skip asks Tom some important questions about how to change from a self-focus to an other-focus mindset. Tom’s answer? Think about how your talents can be applied to have a positive impact and influence on others—on what the world needs, more than what you think you want. It’s a powerful conversation: not just for leaders, but for anyone looking to find more meaning in their work.

Welcome to Season Two

Welcome to season two of “Aim Higher!” Our goals with this podcast are to help you tip the scale towards positive thinking and propel you towards greater success as a leader and in every aspect of your life. We’ll cover topics like focus, handling stress, getting more business, setting boundaries, wellness… and more. I’ll share the wisdom of great guests like serial entrepreneur James Altucher, wellness and leadership expert Anese Cavanaugh  and Twitter vice-president Bruce Daisley. And we’ve got a mailbag section where we’ll take your questions from Facebook, at SkipPrichard.com, or anywhere where you can contact me—don’t be shy! I really hope to hear from you. And I hope you’ll join us for season two of “Aim Higher.”

The 9 traits of servant leaders: Recap

Over the past few months, Skip and his guests have explored “The Nine Traits of Servant Leaders.” This week on “Aim Higher” they review the most important moments of the series, focusing on details, stories and advice that can really make a difference in your servant leadership journey. Don’t worry about “spoilers” here: if you’re new to the series, this is actually a great place to start. Then return to the first episode and follow along as this group of experts unlock the tools you need to become a truly effective servant leader relying not on “positional” but “personal power.”

Wednesday Wisdom: William James

William James, often cited as the “Father of American Psychology,” brings us today’s Wednesday Wisdom: “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” As a leader seeking to “Aim Higher,” I’d like you to flip that around, and think about it from other people’s point-of-view. What do you do to show appreciation and send it out into the world? Every day, try to start a note or an email with, “Thank you for….” and go from there. Be a person who gives appreciation freely, and it will make a huge difference in the lives of people you interact with, and I promise it will come back to you.

The 9 traits of servant leaders: #9 Servant leaders act with humility

What one trait of servant leadership is absolutely crucial to the other eight? Humility. And in this episode of Aim Higher, Skip and his panel talk about why that is. In a nutshell, it’s because humble leaders understand that their ideas, goals, strengths and concerns aren’t the only ones that go into the mix of a high-performing team. In fact, when leaders aren’t humble – when they’re arrogant or proud – they shut down the traits that make for the strongest teams: creativity, good worth ethic, entrepreneurship, selflessness. Because a leader who takes all the credit and only thinks of his or herself won’t inspire great performances in others, only the bare minimum. How do you model humility for your team? Skip, Tammi, Drew and Jenifer have some great, practical advice.

Wednesday Wisdom: Bob Burg

Today’s “Wednesday Wisdom” comes from my friend Bob Burg. He’s a wonderful speaker and a great writer, author of “The Go-Giver,” book series, rated #10 on Inc. Magazine’s list of the “Most Motivational Books Ever Written.” Bob says, “The single greatest people skill is a highly-developed and authentic interest in the other person.” Such a great quote. Let me ask you: what does it take to be interested in another person? I’d say it’s valuing other people, judging less, understanding more. When you’re interested in others, you’re curious, caring, and supportive. And I love that he says this trait can be “highly-developed,” because this means it’s a skill and can be worked on. You need to be conscious of it and make an effort. Ask people, “Tell me more.” Make your interest in others a daily discipline. The second part of this important rule is that it must be authentic; it has to be sincere and from the heart. This isn’t a sales tactic. It has to be something you do because you believe. I recommend you put this quote from Bob on a piece of paper and leave it somewhere you’ll see it every day as a reminder.