267: Why Consent Is a Must for Connection and Respect in Life and Work

Relationship expert, trainer, speaker, and author Dr. Eric FitzMedrud uses his wide-ranging expertise to teach men how to hone their consent skills for stronger relationships and hotter sex, and also has witnessed how consent enhances connection, reward, respect and fulfillment in work and organizational settings as well.  As a therapist committed to helping people live more meaningful, connected lives, Eric wrote the book The Better Man: A Guide to Consent, Stronger Relationships, and Hotter Sex to offer much-needed tools for instruction, healing, and growth. As you'll discover in this episode, these tools can assist us in nearly all aspects of our lives. Today on Finding Brave, Eric paints a clearer picture of consent-driven leadership, highlights some of the systemic barriers that hinder the creation and growth of a consent culture at work, and delves into the emotional responses that often make the word "no" so difficult to hear and accept and what to do to shift that. We also touch on the important role of curiosity, open dialogue, vulnerability, and more. For a broader view of consent and how it can help you build deeper connections and mutual respect in life and work, be sure to tune in today!   Key Highlights From This Episode: •   How toxic masculinity negatively impacts men, not just women and others. [03:55] •   What consent is and why many of us lack the skills to communicate our needs. [08:10] •   The biggest problems that men have with consent in their intimate relationships. [14:29] •   Why receiving a "no" can be so difficult to deal with, the role of curiosity, and how to empower yourself using the things within your control. [17:00] •   The importance of (re)examining unconscious assumptions in relationship contracts. [24:11] •   How to ask better questions and encourage participation in consent conversations at home and at work. [30:40] •   A look at what consent-based leadership looks like and why open dialogue is crucial. [35:52] •   An invitation to add to and share your takeaways from this conversation with us! [42:53]   For More Information: Dr. Eric FitzMedrud Dr. Eric FitzMedrud on LinkedIn Dr. Eric FitzMedrud on Twitter Dr. Eric FitzMedrud on YouTube Dr. Eric FitzMedrud on Instagram   Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Order your copy of The Better Man and gain FREE access to The Better Man Summit! Check out Kathy's LinkedIn post on the Barbie movie and read her article, 'The 'Barbie' Movie Missed the Mark for Me – Did It Work For You?'.   Are you ready for a BIG positive shift in how you're working and what you're capable of achieving today in your career and leadership? Let's work together and make that happen! While you might know me best as a podcast host and writer, a key focus in my work is career and leadership coaching for mid- to high-level professional women around the globe. In my top-rated Career & Leadership Breakthrough private (1:1) Coaching Program, I help women achieve and create what they want most, which includes more confidence, impact, recognition, advancement, financial reward, well-being, and fulfillment in work that matters to them. And I also help them close their power gaps and embrace their most exciting visions for the future. In the past 16 years, I've worked with over 20,000 women across 6 continents. Before that, I served as a therapist, and prior to that, I was a corporate VP managing multi-million-dollar budgets and global initiatives. I leverage all of that experience to help women build a new chapter of work to reach their highest and happiest potential in careers they love. For organizations looking for top-level career and leadership coaching to support for your emerging and seasoned female leaders in your workforce, I'd love to support you. 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And check out Kathy's digital companion course The Most Powerful You, to help you close the 7 most damaging power gaps in the most effective way possible.  Kathy's Power Gaps Survey, Support To Build Your LinkedIn Profile To Great Success & Other Free Resources Kathy's TEDx Talk, Time To Brave Up & Free Career Path Self-Assessment Kathy's Amazing Career Project video training course & 6 Dominant Action Styles Quiz   ——————— Sponsor Highlight I'm thrilled that both Audible.com and Amazon Music are sponsors of Finding Brave! Take advantage of their great special offers and free trials today! Audible Offer Amazon Music Offer   Quotes: "Consent is the process of using our communication skills to deliver the love that's in our heart, to deliver positive intentions for connection – and also to telegraph what our needs are so that people are empowered to give us what we need." — @drericfitz [0:08:19] "Managing [our] emotions is a foundational principle underneath the scaffolding of consent conversations." — @drericfitz [0:16:28] "'No' can mean a lot of different things but often, when we lean into our emotional response, it feels like rejection even when it isn't." — @drericfitz [0:17:45] "When we are living a multi-dimensional, thriving life, the desperation to get this one particular domain from this one particular person shifts. It becomes something we want to offer instead of something we're trying to get." — @drericfitz [0:22:05] "When things move too fast, there can be a systemic barrier to the process of giving and maintaining the consent process or consent culture at work." — @drericfitz [0:40:17] "We need to work with each other to build a conversation of consent." — @drericfitz [0:43:36]   Watch our Finding Brave episodes on YouTube!   Don't forget – you can experience each Finding Brave episode in both audio and video formats! Check out new and recent episodes on my YouTube channel at YouTube.com/kathycaprino. And please leave us a comment and a thumbs up if you like the show!