We did it! Looking Back on 100 Episodes

[00:00:03] Welcome to the Quick Take Podcast, the show where you get targeted advice and coaching for executives by executives. I'm Susie Tomenchok. And I'm James Capps. Give us 15 minutes and we'll give you three secrets to address the complex topic of issues that are challenging executives like you today. Hey, welcome to QuickTime. Welcome to Quick Take. I'm your host, Susie. Are you all tangled up? I was all tangled up and yeah, literally.

[00:00:33] And I was enjoying watching that go down. I'm like, oh my gosh, she's all tangled up. This Quick Take is our podcast. This is. And we've had, this is our 100th episode. I feel like it might be, yeah, well, it's definitely 100th. I don't know that it's 200. I feel like we've undone and redone a few here and there.

[00:00:53] I do not feel like an expert at this by any means, but do you know that most podcasts, they only, like the majority of podcasts, they only record, I don't even think it's 20. And then they stop. And what's funny about podcasts is they don't go away. Like you can't just go in and delete them because you have no control over it. So those ghost episodes. Live forever. So that's kind of a motivating factor to me is I don't want to be one of the stats.

[00:01:21] Yeah, but I would say that even those first 20 we did were so different than the next 20 and the next 20. I feel like it took us some time to find our voice and get our cadence. And so I can't imagine having just done 20, but. I know. It's all kind of a blur. It's crazy how people have found us and how we've had this quick stir community kind of just rise up. Yeah.

[00:01:45] Without us even trying. And it's, it's kind of cool to think that we're just sitting here talking about different topics and looking at what people are telling us and research and that kind of thing. But it's landing with some people and that's pretty cool. Yeah, I think it's fun to be reminded that good conversation and good insights are helpful to people at all sorts of different times.

[00:02:10] One of the things that I learned so much about doing this podcast is that we could do the same topic five times and it'll finally resonate with somebody on the fifth time. Yeah. And so there's no shortage of topics for sure, but there's also everything is very time dependent. And so who's hearing us and when they're hearing us and what has influenced us along the way.

[00:02:33] It's so fluid that it's just really fun because I don't think any topic is ever the same thing twice. No conversation is the same thing twice. Yeah. It's always just a very different experience. Well, let's just keep going on that. I have a suggestion. Let's put some structure around what we're doing and what we're going to give to the audience today is what are some of the things that we know people have learned or that we've heard that people get from this?

[00:03:02] And then let's talk about the, I don't know if it's three things, but what are the biggest learnings that you've had as an individual? Because I think that relates to our professional journey. Gosh, that's on the spot. I guess, you know, if I had to put one thing out there and I don't know that this was an epiphany really, but I think it was so consistently reinforced was that, you know, some things that seem to be common sense to maybe you and me.

[00:03:29] People who are coaching people who are in leadership roles, those common sense things are not necessarily common sense to everybody. And so it's so important that we talk about those things and we provide that information because the things that I have learned over the years, and I know the things that you coach and teach people are so often new and land on fresh ears.

[00:03:51] And so I think that one of the things that I constantly think about is how these things that we are talking about are really helping people who haven't heard it before. Just to add on to that, my point was aligned with that. What I hear is, you know, when you read a leadership book or you read an article, you dive into that content. You think, oh, this is really good, but you don't always think about how it applies.

[00:04:17] But people have told me that they listen to hear the stories and are able to then go, oh, I'm dealing with that right now and really see it because so often we don't live it. And it's so hard to live it because we think that our experiences, our examples are not applicable, but they really are. Right. And I think it's important for us to remember that, that people will need to hear these stories and really to find that information that applies to them.

[00:04:45] I think it's just it's it's constantly amazing that, you know, we'll be at a conference or we'll be speaking somewhere or I'll be at somewhere and somebody will come up to me and tell me how great. And episode, you know, 74 was and how much they got out of it. And it just it's always so super interesting. It's like tidbits of information. I as you know, I went to a pretty high exposure wedding over the weekend.

[00:05:10] And the groom is actually an athletic director for a big sports organization. And he's new in this role. And I was talking to him and he said, I said, what's your superpower? What do you what are you really excited about in this new role? And he said, I love leadership. And he and he's like, but I haven't really done a lot of it. So if you have any resources or books. And I think that's so amazing podcast.

[00:05:36] Yeah, there's one amazing podcast. But I also think that we we believe we're we're never quite there. And what what do I need to know and what resources are out there? And it's all a journey around collating all of this perspective, this portfolio of leadership that we talked about last time is how can you get that? And I think that this can be a source for people. Oh, yeah. And I think that like many things, it's not just one thing you need to hear.

[00:06:04] You know, have lots of methods and systems and things to help you along that journey. And that makes me think of, you know, we're sort of talking about this as a mechanism to help people. It's like this one broadcast out. But I can't help but talk about how there is the other way where I consistently have learned so much. And I have been so excited to have these conversations, to have some amazing guests like we've had.

[00:06:31] And really, I feel like this podcast has given me an opportunity to reexamine some of the things that I think I know so well and to force me to have a different perspective. And I think that's made me a better leader, a better coach, a better mentor by just being constantly, you know, sharpening the tools.

[00:06:53] Yeah. And it's like when you always say, try to do something before you're ready and ask to do something, even if you don't think you have the experience or exposure to do it. Right. Just do it. And I will say that there's been I like how you said that I have found voice of my opinion because you have to when you're being recorded, you're you're on the record, you know, quote unquote.

[00:07:16] And so you want to have a smart perspective or a thought out, I should say, a thought out way of looking at your perspective. And so it's forced me to be to show up, but also to show up every week. I can't say we feel like do we have the knowledge to do this? Do we have the expertise? Not always. But we're just kind of being who we are. And it's been like every time we do it, you get a little bit more comfortable.

[00:07:46] Oh, my gosh. Now you're saying it that way. And I'm feeling wildly insecure. Well, good. I thought I could do that for you. You're welcome. Oh, my gosh. Yes. I don't know. It is hard, though. I mean, when I think about it at a macro level, it is kind of wild. I mean, I remember the first few episodes. I was super uncomfortable with the fact that this would be out there and uncontrolled and unchecked and anybody could see it. I don't do social media. I am not out on the gram or anything along those lines.

[00:08:16] And so it just isn't my thing. And so for us to do this was kind of an interesting risk. And so it does take a little bit of thought and courage. But also, you know, if we do the right work and we show up, I think it's something you can be proud of. Yeah. I think another takeaway for me is you show up every week. Like we have a schedule and we have to record because we have to hit the regular schedule. Right.

[00:08:43] And it creates this habit that you just do and you don't overthink it. And I think that's a great takeaway for people is when you're thinking about your leadership and what you need to do different, know that you have to always show up. And what do you have to do to create that urgency that we you do this every single time, whether it's having an agenda for a one on one or thinking about before you go into a one on one?

[00:09:12] Where's the development areas for this person? What is some feedback that I can give them? What muscle can you or, you know, little intricacy? Can you shift your new leadership and make a habit out of it? I think that's a really great observation that as you were talking about that, as you and I are both, you know, athletes by nature that, you know, it is like once you get into that cycle of going to the gym or doing a workout on a regular basis, you really don't think about it. And so, yeah, certainly we have gotten into a cadence here, which has been beneficial.

[00:09:41] But at the end of the day, the more meta thought is as a leader, leadership is all the time, right? You have to show up and you can't be a leader on Thursday and then one of the boys on Friday and then on a Monday phone it in. You are the leader, whether you're leading or not. You are in charge or you are seen or you are in front of the audience, whether you want to be or not. And so it is something you need to realize and work on that muscle.

[00:10:07] You should be forward thinking and thinking about leadership in the way that you show up all the time. So we talked about what some people have gotten out of it, what we've gotten out of it. And let's talk a little bit about where we're going because you and I have talked about what is this look? Because as you're doing this, as we talk about this muscle, the other thing that happens is you become, you want to have this structure and you want to always show up the same way.

[00:10:31] And we want to have structures that people know what they're going to get when they get here, but we also want to, yes, but we don't want to become this stale. We always do it this way. Let's be real. And sometimes that means we don't agree or we take on topics that we're unfamiliar with, but we challenge ourselves around it. So we're really thinking about how do we continue to just be us?

[00:10:59] A lot of the feedback is the topics are good, but your energy is great. James, you're a B plus, B minus, Susie, you're an A plus, A minus. So we want more Susie and less. No, that's, nobody tells me that. But I mean, everybody loves Susie. Don't get me wrong. I'm just saying that our conversations and our perspectives are more valuable and more interesting than I think the being overly structured.

[00:11:24] And so we're going to create more of a dialogue as then maybe we have in the past. But I think, you know, it's worth mentioning too, and I'd love to hear from our listeners. Maybe some of that structure is in our heads and we feel like we have gotten in a rut. But even if it's not obvious to our listeners, we are afraid, right? We want to ensure that we're challenging ourselves. So we enjoy it, right?

[00:11:50] I can imagine character actors on television sitcoms who play the same role, you know, for years and years learn to hate it. And maybe not the audience won't recognize it because they're still playing that character. But, you know, that doesn't bode well for them as an actor or really the character. And we want to make sure as we continue down this road that we are having as much fun as you are. And we want any feedback.

[00:12:14] But if we go back to the core of why we started this, we talked about we answer the questions that are on the minds of executives everywhere. So we want to know what's on your mind. We'd love to hear from you and tell us like what you like, what you don't. If you want more of this or that, we don't care what it is. We would love to do it. But I also have to say this magic, the way this gets all pulled together is not just us.

[00:12:38] It's our great partner, Taryn, who puts together, helps us with strategy, puts together all the creative and edits everything and takes out some of our homes and stuff, which is so helpful. So she makes us look good. So we appreciate her. Does she take out the ums? She does. Some of us have more than others, but we'll just leave it at that. Oh, now I feel like I need to really watch that or I need to do more of it. That makes you a better person.

[00:13:08] Well, it's been such a great journey and we're happy to see what the next 100, how that takes us. But we would really love to have your partnership in this as you listen to this and let us know what we need to do more of, what we need to lean into and how we can provide value to you. So fun. It's been a great journey. I have to also say there's no way I would have done 100 episodes with anybody else. You are the most fun. You are the best partner in this.

[00:13:35] I did this because you asked and I keep doing it because you are just a smart, amazing, really ambitious person that I learn a lot from all the time. So thank you for taking me on this journey. Thank you. Ditto. Ditto. Because I knew you could be a good yin to my yang. We should just leave it at that. So thank you, James. What a way to end 100. On a fantastic Susie.

[00:14:06] Thanks for listening to this week's episode of Quick Take, where we talk about the questions that are on the minds of executives everywhere. Connect with us and share what's on your mind. You can find us on LinkedIn, YouTube, or whatever nerdy place on the internet you find your podcasts. All the links you really need are in the show notes. Thank you. Thank you.