Today Craig shares valuable insights on mastering our emotions. Emphasizing the importance of understanding emotions as data points, the conversation reveals how emotions, both positive and negative, play a crucial role in our lives by providing essential information about our state of well-being. Craig introduces the concept of 'Affective Labeling' as a powerful strategy for emotionally engaging challenges. He references a study from UCLA involving participants with a phobia of spiders to demonstrate how precisely labeling emotions can significantly reduce stress responses and facilitate closer engagement with fear-inducing situations. The episode underscores the importance of acknowledging and precisely labeling emotions to process them effectively and act constructively, offering listeners a practical approach to better handle their emotional well-being in personal and professional contexts.

Key Takeaways:

• Affective labeling provides an action plan for addressing emotions. By accurately identifying how you feel, you can determine appropriate steps to align your emotions with your desired state

• Participants who labeled their emotions more precisely in a study experienced lower stress responses and engaged in more approach behaviors

• Avoiding or suppressing negative emotions can lead to increased intensity and difficulty in managing them

  
  

Podcast Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:35) A Big Thanks to You

(00:58) Mastering Emotions in Today's World

(01:34) Understanding the Value of Emotions

(05:35) The Power of Emotional Labeling

(06:03) UCLA’s Spider Phobia Experiment

(13:03) Applying Emotional Insights to Leadership and Personal Growth

(17:42) Conclusion

Key Topics Discussed:

Affective Labeling in Emotions, Fears, Stress Response and Management, Emotional Awareness, Constructive Approach Behaviors, Positivity, Negativity

More of Do Good to Lead Well:

Website: https://craigdowden.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigdowden/

Have you ever been interested in the field of positive psychology and coaching? Tune into this engaging episode for a captivating journey on the subject with Robert Biswas-Diener, a globally recognized thought leader and researcher. Listen in as Robert shares his extraordinary path, one paved by a childhood shaped by his parents who were top psychologists, to becoming a pioneer in coaching research and practice. His insights challenge us to reconsider our assumptions and approach leadership and life with a renewed perspective. This episode explores the transformative power of coaching and the intricate dance between empathy, questioning, and personal growth.

As we unravel the elements of effective coaching, Robert and I dissect the nuanced art of asking great questions. Learn how to cultivate patience and reflection in decision-making, harness the power of a coaching mindset, and empower the people you care about most at work and at home to find their own solutions. Discover why embracing uncertainty and fostering intellectual humility are the hallmarks of exceptional coaching and leadership. If you’re grappling with imposter syndrome, this discussion offers unconventional insights, including strategies to forge a positive self-view while also recognizing the value and necessity of self-doubt.

Wrapping up this enlightening episode, we delve into the ethical landscape of coaching within organizations, highlighting the vital role of confidentiality. The conversation also presents strengths-based and resilience-building strategies, providing a roadmap for fostering well-being and performance.

Whether you’re a seasoned coach, a burgeoning or experienced leader, or simply passionate about personal development, this episode promises to leave you with profound insights and actionable knowledge to elevate your coaching skills and enrich your leadership journey.

What You’ll Learn

- Provocative reflections on the ‘conventional wisdom’ of coaching

- The role of intellectual humility in coaching and leadership

- The art of asking the right questions

- The balance of empathy in coaching

- Strategies to combat imposter syndrome

- Navigating the ethical landscape of coaching within organizations

- Why you hold the key to building personal resilience

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) - Positive Psychology and Coaching Insights

(09:10) - Elevating our Coaching Practices

(16:36) – Effective Coaching and Asking the Right Questions

(30:08) - Navigating Misconceptions About Empathy and Happiness

(41:24) - Strengths-Based Interventions

(45:12) - Ethical Considerations in Coaching

(51:16) – The Future of Positive Psychology

Topics Mentioned:

Coaching, Leadership, Personal Growth, Positive Psychology, Intellectual Humility, Empathy, Resilience, Effective Coaching, Coaching Practice, Coaching Mindset, Ethical Coaching, Strengths-Based Interventions, Reflection, Professional Development

More of Robert:

Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener is a well-being researcher and is highly sought-after as a keynote speaker and trainer. He has published over 70 academic articles and chapters on happiness and other positive topics. His research interests include wellbeing, hospitality, leadership, social support, culture, and education. He is also the author of 8 books including the New York Times Bestseller, The Upside of Your Dark Side (2014), and, most recently, Positive Provocation: 25 Questions to Elevate Your Coaching Practice. Dr. Biswas-Diener is widely acknowledged as one of the world's foremost authorities on positive psychology coaching. He is an ICF-certified coach and has trained professionals in his techniques in 24 countries.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-biswas-diener-a860289/

More of Do Good to Lead Well:

Website: https://craigdowden.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigdowden/

What does it really take to scale your business and leadership while staying true to your culture and values? Cybersecurity expert and CEO of ReachOut Technology, Rick Jordan, joins me, Craig Dowden, to tackle this complex question. Together, we dive deep into Rick's story to understand how a potent mix of leadership, branding and tenacity catapulted his company from a fledgling startup into a publicly traded company without a single penny of outside funding.

The road to success is not a smooth ride. It is filled with setbacks and obstacles, which require more than perseverance to take us through. We must commit to learning the lessons that these experiences provide us. Rick opens up in a very personal way, even to his own surprise, to share some of his most difficult challenges, where he questioned himself and his vision. Rather than let these obstacles defeat him, Rick sees these inevitable moments as ones where we must ‘pay the dummy tax' so we can unlock the invaluable insights gained from those financial or emotional bruises. We also celebrate reframing setbacks into stepping stones, providing a roadmap for listeners to accelerate their growth by understanding and embracing the lessons in their own errors.

We close our conversation with a powerful discussion about how rejection isn't the end of the road; it's just a detour on the path to achievement. The art of turning a 'no' into a 'yes' is something Rick knows very well, as he has done this throughout his entrepreneurial journey, where, through persistence, he has turned an initial refusal into extraordinary opportunity. We explore the necessity of taming one's ego and fostering curiosity in leadership and business to strengthen connections and enhance personal development. This episode is a mix of motivational stories and practical insights, aimed at arming you with the mindset and tools required for overcoming obstacles and cultivating success.

What You’ll Learn:

- Scaling a business with integrity and innovation

- Employee engagement is at the heart of growing a successful company.

- How to make every team member an investor in your shared vision.

- Leveraging the 'dummy tax' we pay to overcome setbacks

- Turning rejections into golden opportunities

Podcast Timestamps:

(00:00) – Introduction and Origin Story – From Start-Up to Publicly Traded Company

(13:52) - Personal Branding and Failure

(24:42) – No Is Not Forever – It Means Not Now

(35:48) - Cultivating Curiosity and Managing our Ego

Key Topics Discussed:

Mindset, Personal Growth, Vulnerability, Successful Founder, Scaling A Business, Leading with Integrity, Tenacity, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Personal Branding, Dealing with Failure/Rejection, Ego, Curiosity, Relationship-Building, Cybersecurity, Ethics, Digital Age, Learning from Mistakes.

More of Rick:

Rick Jordan is a tenacious problem-solver with a passion for hard work and Scotch whiskey. From building his first computer at age 10 to writing Best Buy's B2B sales playbook, Rick's journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of solutions. Raised in the Chicago suburbs, he learned the value of human connection and resilience from his family's struggles. After his father's passing, Rick became the head of the household, working at McDonald's and later at RadioShack, where he earned $30,000 in commissions by spotting system security issues. Today, Rick is the founder of ReachOut, a cybersecurity-focused MSP recognized for its excellence and innovation. As a sought-after speaker and podcast host, Rick continues to inspire and empower entrepreneurs worldwide.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrrickjordan/

More of Do Good to Lead Well:

Website: https://craigdowden.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigdowden/