Provoking Your Greatness - Misti Burmeister

How to Keep Growing   In my last blog post, I provided practical steps for resurrecting your curiosity. Inflow and Outflow are two critical elements to I discussed at the end of that post.    To keep the inflow of ideas surging through you, follow your curiosity. And, remember that sharing what you’re learning is an excellent way to keep the full cycle in motion. When you share (outflow), you learn (inflow). It’s the reason I write blogs like this, coach, and speak.    Since we know that what gets measured, gets managed, be sure to go back to step two every day. Track your inflow and outflow by filling in the following in your journal every day:   Learning: (Take note of what you learned about yourself, or from your environment.) Contribution: (Take note of how you contributed to the world around you.) Action: (Take note of the actions you will take as a result of what you’re learning.)   Do this every day, and before you know it, you’ll not only be relevant, but happy.

Joel Boggess is an incredibly generous author, coach, and podcaster who loves his two Golden Retrievers.   Throughout the podcast, he not only shared simple techniques for getting unstuck, and increasing your confidence, he also gave a personal example of a challenge he’s addressing right now. It has to do with his belief about being an entreprenuer.   Thinking of yourself as an entrepreneur, a leader, or simply someone with influence can be overwhelming for those who didn’t grow up around entrepreneurially-minded people. Shifting our belief systems challenging, and worth every bit of effort.   Joel shared about how he’s doing it.   During the interview, I asked Joel about how he helps people get unstuck, and gain a sense of direction. He shared about an exercise he takes people through that has proven results – here it is, especially for you.   Do the exercise, and let us know what you learn right here on the comment section of this blog.   To learn more about Joel, the ReLaunch podcast, or his inspiring tra

Happiness and relevancy are made from the same material: Awareosity + tenacity.   Several years ago, I fell into the trap of believing that hunkering down and working harder would alleviate the fear and anxiety I was feeling and bring purpose to my life. Plugging away at my computer for hours every day, I struggled to understand why these emotions raged inside of me.   “Keep focused. Keep working,” I said to myself, embarrassed by my lack of focus, goals or direction. And—get this—at the time, I was writing a book about… focus. That sounded better than, “I’m sitting behind my computer, looking busy, but desperately wanting to be a student, learn, and connect with others.”   By the end of most days, I was thoroughly exhausted. Not from getting so much done, but from worrying about what I didn’t do.  The problem was, I could never get a sense for what I should have been doing.   Sound familiar?   You tell yourself, “Just get through this week/project/month/year, and then I’ll figure out what I need to do differ

Loving your customers makes good business sense. Show them some love, and they’ll reward you by purchasing more and raving about you, which hopefully leads to more love affairs, purchases, and ultimately growth. Loving on your boss makes good business sense too. Do remarkable work, and thank her for entrusting you with the project, and she’s likely to give you even more opportunities. Take those two actions consistently, and before you know it, you’ll be the boss. Loving on your colleagues and your employees also makes good sense. It makes for ease in collaborating, and ultimately finishing projects. The more you love on them, the easier it is to get stuff done. Fail to love on them and you’ll wind up complaining about…well, everything related to them. Finger pointing leads to frustration, hampering progress, and leaving you sitting at your desk late into the evening on Friday, searching for a way to complete the project by yourself. Doing it alone is easier anyway, right? In the moment, it seems smarter to f

A pioneer in website development for big business, winner of numerous awards for his work in marketing, Bill Carmody simplifies marketing and makes his strategies available and easy to understand.   During the interview, Bill talked about the critical steps to gaining clarity in your marketing:       Congratulate yourself when/if you recognize that you don’t know the “why” behind your business.     Reconnect (or connect) to real reason (why) behind your business.     Understand why anyone (beside obvious stakeholders) should care about the success of your business. E.g. Most people want to “Deliver Happiness” – well done, Zappos!     Ensure your messaging is clear and easy to repeat.   Books referenced during interview:   Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big Daring Greatly   Thank you, Bill! I so enjoyed our bantering, as well as the opportunity to learn from you!   Here’s to Your Greatness,   Misti Burmeister  

I pray every day, several times a time sometimes. I pray for clarity and opportunity—to speak, coach, and elicit meaningful conversations—to share the gifts God has given me. I’m not a religious person, but I am spiritual, and the word God works for me. My one request of God: “Open the door.” My promise: “I’ll walk through it.” Recently, I got a request to submit a video explaining what I would speak about, given the opportunity, to a group of small business owners that teacher insurance sales professionals how to sell. “Will you please send me a link to their webpage?” I asked Mauricio, the guy with the speakers bureau. “Well, I can, but it’s in Spanish. Is that okay?” He asked. “You know I don’t speak Spanish, right?” “Yes,” he said, “I submitted three names to my client—yours, and two Spanish women.” “Really God? You want me to speak at an event that is almost exclusively Spanish?” I thought as I drove home to grab a shower (I was at the gym when I took the call), and record the stupid video. I have no ide

“How old are you?” John asked, after I had shared a bit about my history, why I do this work, and a few of the results I’ve helped leaders create.   “Why does it matter?” I asked, wondering if he’d been listening to me.   “It lets me know how much experience you’ve had on this planet.”   Having met several wise teenagers, and at least as many 70- and 80-year-olds who are the opposite, I cringed at such thinking.   “Ask me about my results—they speak louder than my years on this planet,” I replied, irritated.   Considering his level of success as an executive, and the depth of his connectivity, I wanted to impress him—to get him to think of me as special, exceptional, and one-of-a-kind.   Abandoning my normal tendency to ask questions and listen when meeting someone new, I set out to prove myself. I rattled off one success story after another. All the while, John was staring off into space, waiting for me to stop talking long enough for him to end the conversation.   Soon after we parted ways, it occurred to m

his was quite possibly the most fun interview I’ve done. Dawnna’s approach to innovation is refreshing and practical.   Throughout the interview, Dawnna give’s practical steps for companies—large and small—to remain relevant, to innovate, and to do so within budget.   The following are 4 areas of innovation are covered within the interview (listen in to get the details):       Routine.     Disruptive.     Radical.     Architectural.   Also, Dawnna gave practical (and hugely valuable) advice to those of you who want to make sure your career is safe for the long haul. Relevancy is key to success whether you’re employee, or a company.  

Advancing, or getting different results than you’re currently getting, requires doing something different, which isn’t always comfortable.   How many people do you know who keep doing the same things and hoping for different results? We’ve all done it. Why?   Because it’s easier, and more comfortable, to do what you know. But we learn—and grow more effective—during periods of discomfort, which is exactly why we need to train in discomfort.   Here’s how I unintentionally trained in discomfort recently.     A good friend of mine told me about a spa that I had to experience. She went into elaborate detail about the healing nature of the various saunas, hot tubs, and treatments.   “It’s a full day experience,” Christina said, “and it’s thirty bucks.”   My partner, Yvette, had also heard great things about the spa from her aesthetician, who said we had to get the body scrub.   A full day of hot tubs, saunas, and body treatments? Sign me up!   We picked our date, and headed over to Security Mall, near Baltimore, Ma

Pam, a mentor cautioned me from the day I started doing this work nearly eleven years ago, “Misti, you’re going to need to expand on what you’re doing. You’ll get bored with speaking about generational differences at some point.”   At the time, I thought she was crazy, and so I ignored her advice. Instead, I kept my head down in my work, and stayed comfortable in what I knew, failing expand my service offerings.     A couple of years later, remembering Pam’s words stung as I struggled to learn two important lessons: enthusiasm sells and Pam was right—my enthusiasm was gone.     Instead of continuing to challenge myself, slowly over time, I was suddenly faced with, “Shift now, or die trying,” much the same as some big companies, like Blockbuster.   After spending far too long in self-pity and immense frustration, I allowed my natural curiosity to re-emerge. In my quest to understand the food industry, I found myself knee-deep in cow dung, learning about the proper density and it’s impact on the environment fro

The Truth About Leadership (Executive) Presence: An Interview With John Baldoni   I came across John Baldoni’s work through social media. His passion, knowledge, and first-hand experience with leadership is inspiring… and immediately useful.   John is the author of more than a dozen books, including MOXIE: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership, Lead with Purpose, Lead Your Boss… and so many more. He’s an internationally recognized leadership educator, executive coach and speaks throughout North America and Europe.   In 2015 Trust Across America named him to its list of top 100 most trustworthy business experts for the second consecutive year. In 2014 Inc.com listed John as a Top 50 leadership expert and Top 100 leadership speaker.   During this interview, John shares valuable insights and specific steps to addressing the following topics:    Driving fear out of the organization  Strengthening your leadership (executive) presence  Increasing your self-confidence and instilling it in others  And, finally

Imagine the power inherent in knowing how to cash in on the value of your life experiences. While I did buy a lottery ticket ($1.5 billion—who wouldn’t), the greatest winnings I’ve accumulated have little to do with paper (tickets or Benjamin’s).   In reality, the odds are stacked heavily against the $1.5 billion Powerball winner. And unfortunately, no dollar amount can buy a deep seeded belief in oneself, nor the courage to risk the vulnerability necessary to reach for your greatness.       How To Stop Pretending & Profit From Your Passion   I felt dread course through my body as I wondered, “Is she okay? Is this moment going to stop her from singing forever? I hope not.”   Just moments before, I’d watched Korin Bukowski, not once, but twice forget the words to, “Try,” as she sang live on The Voice. She has probably sung that song a million times. What happened?  By the grace of God, she managed to make her way through the song, and hold herself together as the judges—and Carson Dailey—did their best to

The first time I met Ari was through his book, Zingerman's Guide to Good Leading, Part 2; A Lapsed Anarchist's Approach to Being a Better Leader.    After underlining, circling, and writing all over the inside of his book, I couldn’t help but reach out and personally thank him for writing such an exceptional book.   I wanted to hug him then, but alas I had to wait a couple of years before I could give him a virtual hug through this podcast.   Throughout this podcast interview, Ari outlines critical elements to gaining the diversity and creativity that comes with a fully engaged team. He distinguishes between “shaming” your staff, and providing “creative consequences.”   His approach is simple and incredibly powerful. Naturally, they also require discipline, which Ari and I talk about during this interview.   The basic concept of discipline that we’re referring to is not much different from the daily decision to go for an apple verses a Hershey’s bar for nutrients. The obvious choice for health purposes is an

From kid programmer in 1971 to Forbes cover story in 2003, Richard Sheridan, author of Joy, Inc., has gone beyond creating a joyful company culture to teaching leaders around the globe how to do it.   While it’s easy to think such valuable company environments are created through a simple step-by-step process, Rich shares the real story behind Menlo Innovations, a company he co-founded along with James Goebel.   The foundation to this great story lies in the challenge of releasing the need to be the hero, and creating an environment that allows all team members to not only contribute, but take necessary breaks along the way. We all have egos that thrive on the opportunity to be the savior, and Rich is no different.   During the interview, Rich shared a few of the strategies he uses in order to fight off the instinct to be the hero:          Learn to manage without fear. While fear was his primary motivator prior to starting Menlo, Rich now teaches leaders around the globe to intentionally create a safe spac

Nearly everyone wants to achieve greatness—results they care deeply about.  Few do. Why? There is no simple answer to that question, but there is a simple 4-step formula that is certain to set you up for the best year of your life.  Here are the top 4 elements I discuss in the video above:  Go for Greatness. Avoid “familiarity” and go for “Meaningful.” Get specific. How do you know when you’ve reached your goal? Know Often, we set goals that don’t really matter to us—focus all your energy and attention on the ones that do matter to you. Celebrate your successes (big and small). Success—happiness, really—is in the process, not the product.  I’m excited to hear your goals, and delighted to do what I can to help you achieve Greatness throughout 2016, and beyond!  Here’s to Your Greatness,  Misti Burmeister   P.S. When you email me your top 3 goals for 2016, you will get a complementary e-copy of Provoking Greatness. Email: MB@MeasurableGreatness.com

Should you fire talented employees who frequently turn work in late and call in sick? If you could just get them to start working on projects sooner, they wouldn’t have to overexert themselves, wind up sick, and miss another deadline.   How about the ones who hoard information and don’t play well with others? Don’t they understand that the company’s success depends on a team effort?   Of course, there are many reasons to fire an employee, but don’t make the same mistake Gale almost did.   Sitting across from Gale, I listened as she shared a story about Tammy, a young woman she hired nearly two years earlier.   “She was probably at the top of her class in college—she’s smart, but we can’t seem to get her to complete projects in a timely manner. I think it’s a cultural thing,” Gale, the CEO of a well-established company, said.   “What do you mean by a ‘cultural thing?’” I asked.   “She’s from _____ (another country), and that must be the way they do things in that culture. She’s probably also still doing what c

Moments after I hung up the phone, my mind started racing, my stomach tightened, and I had to go for a walk.   “You just threw that opportunity away, Misti! And—it was perfect,” the voice inside my head screamed.   One week earlier, I had received a phone call from Bill, a guy in charge of booking speakers at an event for executives of a company that values professional development.   They had already interviewed several speakers, and they offered the opportunity to me. Every element of this opportunity was perfect for me—except for one. They wanted me to speak for 4 hours, instead of the 60-90 minutes I was accustomed to at the time.   “I haven’t done this before on this topic, Bill. I’m not sure how I will fill 4 hours,” I said, panicking about signing the contract.   “Your message resonates perfectly with what we need. I’m happy to help you structure your content to ensure success with this group,” Bill generously offered, as I continued to panic.   “I’ll do it, Bill, but you need to know that I’m scared.”

I had the rare chance to listen to Dr. Mario Livio speak at TEDx Midatlantic. His message was inspiring and interesting – check it out here.   After his speech, I met him in the hallway, grabbed coffee with Mario and his wonderful wife, and learned that he lives right around the corner from me.   Since then, I devoured his most recent New York Times best selling book, Brilliant Blunders. It’s excellent – grab your copy today!   I was delighted when he agreed to be on your Provoking Your Greatness podcast. While he shares many insights to instigating creativity and innovation, and also shared the top three strategies to reaching (and provoking) greatness. Here they are:       Stay Curious. We had some lively discussion on what it means to be curious, and how to stay curious.     Follow Your Curiosity. Listen in to learn more details on how to do this.     Invest in Your Interests. This is to say, feed your passion.   Dr. Mario Livio is an internationally renowned astrophysicist, who has worked for 24 year

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year.   Of course, that’s not because of the story of the Pilgrims and Indians. In fact, I’m embarrassed to tell you that I didn’t know what a Pilgrim was until roughly ten years ago.   “Misti, I slept through most of social studies class in school, but over the years and repetition, I at least picked up some history,” one friend said, after I honestly asked, “What’s a Pilgrim?”   Truthfully, I’d heard the word, and I even had visuals of a giant table with lots of food on it. I liked that part, a lot! But, I didn’t understand the story, or the truth of the history.   Turns out, neither did my friend.   Slowly, over time, we started reading books like Mayflower, and visiting places like Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learning about our history.   Over time, I’ve learned a ton about history, but most importantly, I’ve learned the real significance of #Thanksgiving.   The real meaning in this magical holiday, where we get to devour our favorite delectables, is in the act

The following are 7 simple ways to say Thank You to your team this year, and all throughout 2016:   Pause, and write your list of the specific qualities you’re authentically grateful for in each team member. Are they excellent with excel, public speaking, or maybe negotiating? Rather than simply say, “I appreciate you, or Thank you,” get specific. Gift cards are made even more special when the card you give has meaning. One of my teammates loves the outdoors, talks about shopping at REI, and so a gift card was the perfect for her. What about your team? Don’t know? If you don’t, no worries, just ask. Listening to their interests is generous, and will leave them appreciating your gift even more. Hand written notes are rare, and therefore even more valuable. If you have hundreds of employees, colleagues, or team members, perhaps handwriting all your cards isn’t practical. But, you can personalize (put a favorite quote, poem, or story) one card, and write a brief message for the most important people inside each