Soul Searching

Soul Searching: What I learned from trauma and when things blow up in your face On the 4th of July a firework exploded in my face. Here's an "explosive" story about the terrible accident that resulted in 20 stitches to my lips, lacerations and burns all over my face, chest and arms that left me terrified and temporarily unable to eat, speak or smile.  This video is part Public Service Announcement to beware of fireworks. It's part deeply personal sharing about how faith and gratitude got me through pain. It's part call to action for us all to be open and let people help us through our difficulties and foster meaningful human connection. It's a reminder that things usually end up better then we think and blessings, insight and love can come from suffering. Here's the video as well.It's also a sincere thank you to all my family, friends, neighbors and colleagues who got me through this adversity and continue to support and uplift me. I'm awed and humbled by the responses my original post got. Connections of connections I don't even know commented with prayers and support. People from all over the world messaged me with encouragement. I discovered how truly connected we all are! Thank you so much for sharing this vulnerable life experience with me. I'm happy to be back at work. 

Soul Searching with Tionka Humphrey: Obstacles Don’t Block the Path, They Become Your StoryWe wrap up this pandemic season’s soul searching interviews with a big dose of inspiration to help us develop leadership and resilience.Tionka gives tools to develop confidence. Her goal to become CFO is rooted in helping others “I want to be a beacon of hope for my community because we don’t see a lot of Black CFOs. How you speak can influence the world. I knew I needed practice to develop that necessary skill.” She knows “practice makes perfect, so I say yes to almost everything.” She recently gave a large presentation at nonprofit Year Up and transformed that nervous energy to be of service to the audience. She shares her pep talk “the audience is rooting for me” instead of “what if I mess up” to overcome fear of public speaking and silence our inner critic.She shares her philosophy that “obstacles don’t block the path, they become your story” on how she reframed the challenge of an unplanned pregnancy in college and reframed “I can’t” to “how can I?” She also learned that “motherhood and leadership go hand in hand. I enjoy seeing people become what they want to be.”Let’s use these best practices to be servant leaders too!Free resources to find joy at work and life https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel

Lessons on Leadership from Human Resources, Teachers and CoachesWe can improve success at work and home when we make a stronger connection and apply best practices from all areas of our life. Here are 3 techniques to help you get results and peak performance from colleagues, customers and children. Core values: Let’s apply the same best practice that our companies use to create culture and foster empathy at home too. Creating family values appeals to noble motives, develops character and shared meaning.Let’s learn from teachers who dramatize the idea using props, songs, mock trials, and costumes to increase retention. Let’s turn on video in virtual meetings to increase engagement and let’s use visual aids to engage our customers and teams to be more memorable.Coaches know that performance improves with a bit of friendly competition. Let’s copy how youth sports creates camaraderie and winning back at work too. When we include awards, prizes, leader boards, and reward personal bests we get better effort and results.More resources: https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppelWhat’s your work life connection insight? 

This heartbreaking and heartwarming interview will help you face some of the challenges of leading during a pandemic. Eric shares principles he used from How to Win Friends and Influence People with his 15-year-old to overcome difficulties with remote learning, gain cooperation from teachers, and create peace at home with his spouse. Try a new approach. It’s easy to fall into old patterns especially when we’re feeling pandemic fatigue ourselves.Avoid the argument by using a calm voice. “Hmm, looks like there are missing assignments.”Don’t say you’re wrong. “Maybe there’s a sync issue?”Give a fine reputation to live up to. “I see you’ve been working hard.” Praise helps people feel less overwhelmed.Ask questions. “Can you reach out to your teacher to see what the misunderstanding is?”Dramatize the idea. “Can you include a screenshot of your completed homework?”Empathize. “Sometimes there’s a stigma about mental health. Pay attention to warning signs like weight loss and kids not playing Xbox with their friends. Take advantage of resources like counseling.”Free resources to find joy at work and life https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel.

Employee Engagement, Jedi Parenting, Zen Moments & EmpathyHere are 3 techniques to help you improve relationships at work and at home:1)    People support a world they help create. Brainstorming and asking questions to get others to offer solutions makes them feel empowered and they’re more likely to think it’s a good idea if they come up with it. This is a great antidote to apathy and the complaint, “Don’t tell me what to do!”  2)    Are you analytical? “Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view” is the principle for you! It challenges us to gather additional data to evaluate. By examining the facts of a person or situation, we can use logic to reframe how we interpret it. It helps us understand human nature, gain insight to other people's thinking and behavior, and neutralize our frustration.  3)    There’s power in saying “me too, I know how you feel.” The story my client shares in this video shows when we’re sympathetic, we transform our relationships and increase happiness. Let’s foster empathy and inclusion by considering what it’s like to be a kid, an intern, a new employee, and a minority. Let’s remember the challenges of reorgs, exec presentations, and pandemic fatigue.   What’s your favorite?More resources: https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel 

Turning acquaintances into real friends can be hard in the best of times, much less while social distancing. Creating belonging on teams can challenge even the best of managers, much less while on boarding employees remotely. Turning small talk into meaningful connection can be hard for even the best of conversationalists, much less during this season of isolation. Tasha shares some tips on how she’s been able to thaw the Seattle freeze and help “make friends so when the worlds opens up again we can meet people in a different way.”Change our mindset: don’t assume people don’t want to talk to you. “I thought people who were higher up then me in the organization didn’t need to hear from me. I’ve learned people appreciate you connecting with them.” Reach out and invite people to come over or go out.Share yourself: “Be comfortable sharing your struggle. We don’t need to show up perfect. Social media can make us think lives need to be filtered and perfected."“Making friends is about making time for other people.”Remember people’s names.“Listen to their story.”Find inspiration you can share with others. Tasha shares how the Navy Seals have inspired her: “when you think you’re done you still have 40% more.”Free resources to find joy at work and life https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel.

Gaining Cooperation with Fun, Socrates and Venting: Lessons from Family that Apply at Work Here are 3 techniques to help you gain cooperation from colleagues, customers and children.Have fun. I’ve interviewed over 10,000 adults from all over the world who shared stories from their childhood. This research revealed memories of joy and play. Let’s apply this best practice to our leadership at work and engage employees with celebrations, gifts, and games.Socrates taught by asking questions to encourage problem solving. Dale Carnegie said, “get others to say yes to win people to your way of thinking.” My clients sometimes ask if this principle might be perceived as manipulative. I share in the video I loved being on the receiving end of this diplomatic principle when my 10-year-old got me to agree to let him quit piano lessons. Let them vent. I’m an educator for The Gottman Institute 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work and encourage clients to leverage his 40 years of research in romantic partnerships at work: understanding must precede advice. Let’s first understand our colleague and customer pain points before we problem solve. We interfere with implementing solutions if we haven’t fully listened and understood their feelings and problems.More resources: https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppelWhat leadership best practice can you share from work or home? 

Soul Searching with Theresa Francomacaro: Neuroscience and Storytelling TipsWhether you are selling a product, pitching your ideas, leading a team or interviewing, stories help you communicate clearly. Presentation coach Theresa says, “Think ‘where do I want my audience to go’ and reverse engineer your story accordingly. Have a character that solves a common problem uncommonly well. Research shows we remember 22x better with a story than data alone.”Here is a framework to craft your story based on how you want to impact your audience based on the 5 neurological responses that stories create in the brain and body:If your audience feels fear, tell a story on finding clarity to release cortisol so they focus.Isolation causing loneliness? A happy tale releases dopamine so they feel love.If they feel longing, instill peace with examples of hope to release serotonin.Generate empathy with a story on human connection to release oxytocin.Create action in your audience describing a brave character to produce adrenaline.Let's tell stories of soul searching in this season of pandemic and virtual work to inspire resilience. Free resources to find joy at work and life https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel. Join Theresa’s upcoming workshop www.whystoryworks.com

My clients have discovered a paradox with applying these ideas. It seems like weakness to admit mistakes to our employees and kids, but others actually perceive it as strong leadership skills and emotional intelligence that builds trust. Here are 3 quick tips to help you avoid conflict at work and at home.  1)    Avoid the argument: Most disagreements are triggered by the angry look on our face, the harsh tone of our voice, bad timing and saying “you should” which makes people feel defensive.  2)    Show respect for the other person’s opinion. Never say “you’re wrong” Different doesn’t mean wrong. There are usually several right ways to do things.3)    If you’re wrong, admit it quickly. Model how to build trust.  Try these and 10 phrases to preserve your sanity and your relationships.Try these and 10 phrases to preserve your sanity and your relationships.You’re rightI’m wrongI haven’t tried it that way beforeThat’s a different way that works tooYou came at this from a different angleYou know yourself bestCan you show me how you did itYou had a good intentionCan you help me understand your perspectiveI understood it differently, can we look at it togetherMore resources: https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppelWhat leadership best practice can you share from work or home?

Our guest this week inspires us to cultivate gratitude, resilience, and connection. She shares techniques she’s learned to find purpose and thrive despite challenges.As a mom of a special needs child she’s discovered the power of mindset: changing “I have to” to “I get to” as a tool to reframe is her top advice. “God had a lot of lessons He wanted to teach me and He brought this nugget of joy, passion and challenges. Just seeing the world in such a different light in his body and brain due to his genetic disorder. That’s the greatest lesson any of us can learn is how we perceive the world.” Daily movement, meditation, healthy habits, and inspiring podcasts also help. She leads us in her favorite powerful 16 second reboot (10:35).She says finding purpose and a strong community help her stay positive. “Challenges teach me empathy. We have to let our cracks show and let the light show to us so we can give it to others.”She hopes we all have done soul searching during the pandemic to inspire us: to talk about mental health, be more vulnerable and realize we can do things we didn’t think we could, like work, learn, exercise and connect virtually. Follow Amy @happierhealthierliving and follow me for uplifting content and free resources https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel to find joy at work and life. 

Do you need to be more convincing? Do you want to negotiate effectively? Do you want to ace an interview or make a sale?Try this communication framework that builds trust:1) Evidence: Instead of just stating your opinion with “I think” use these 7 forms of data to make a compelling case: Demonstration, Example, Facts, Exhibits, Analogies, Testimonials and Statistics. This helps you tailor the evidence to align to the other person’s influence style.2) Ask for what you want: “This evidence shows I’ve earned a promotion.”3) Make them your ally: “Thank you for your support.”4) Pause. Listen to their rebuttal. Don’t interrupt or show defensive body language.5) Respond with a cushion to show you see their point of view: “Yes, you make a good case that this wasn’t budgeted for.”6) Say AND not but to show respect and keep negotiation positive.7) Use additional evidence “another consideration is” to show business impact.Comment in the chat on how this process has helped you preserve relationships and be more effective at work and at home.Get free resources https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel Join my free workshop: How to Tell a Story that Influences People

Our guest this week shares her journey of self-discovery of her talents, passion and insights gained from her job change. How can we overcome imposter syndrome? “You have to change your inner mentor. I saw a lot of transferable skills. Although my entire career has been on the tech side of the house, a lot of the work I do outside by day-to-day job in the professional organization I support qualifies as marketing experience. Ask yourself “what gives me joy on the job? What do I want to learn?” Reframe I’ve never done that to How have I done that?How do we nail an interview? “Prepare, research, bring ideas. I’m a huge fan of affirmations and power pose to hype myself up. It’s especially important for women to negotiate.”She also shares insight on social justice, “I remember going to the 25th anniversary of the March on Washington with my dad. Now, 25 years later, we’ve made progress and we have a long way to go. I challenge companies to do a pay equity analysis.”Her faith helps her mindset “God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Her practical wisdom: Grind, execute, hustle. Follow me for uplifting content and get free resources https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel to find joy at work and life.

Learn 2 of the top principles from How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. You'll create a more meaningful connection with others so they are inspired to act and think differently. You'll motivate people and teams to perform at their highest level, create a stronger culture, and accomplish shared goals. Try these approaches to be a more effective leader, colleague, mentor, activist and parent. These principles can help you gain support of social, political and environmental causes to inspire volunteers and donators. These techniques help you connect with people on an emotional level, especially when combined with sharing your personal and authentic experience. You create purpose, foster empathy, and develop community when you focus on the greater good and shared values. Throw down a challenge. Appeal to the nobler motives. (2:11) Get free resources to help you at work and home https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel Join my free workshop: Advancing Women in Business

Our guest this week takes us on an uplifting journey of how to find joy during challenging times. As she was finding a way to stay healthy during the pandemic, she remembered the delight she had in her childhood from singing and dancing. She recalls a defining moment from her childhood when she won a performance competition “that really changed my life.” She joined with friends from the social group she started to “create my own stage” to let her natural talent and happiness show, watch it here: https://youtu.be/_fOs5QBvZ9M?t=11 Her tips to reframe worrying about what people think: Lower expectations “if only 2 people liked it, that’s enough.” Stats: On the 1 dislike she received “they’re just jealous and I have 1000 friends who support me.” Lean into purpose “I have a mission to empower everyone around me to grow so I feel more joyful.” Pay attention to what feels fun “I found motivation to create something new.” Have a mantra, hers is “work hard, play hard.” Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel and free resources.

People are naturally thinking “what’s in it for me?” So, when we think about the other person’s point of view and how to solve their problems, we build trust. When we position our request to show them exactly how they will benefit by doing the thing we suggest, we create a win-win. Try these simple changes: Stop saying: “I want” “my team needs” “you should” “you need to” “this is due” Start saying: “so you” “your team will get” “this will help you” “you’ll save time” “the benefit to you is” This technique motivates managers, employees, customers, vendors and family! Get free resources to help you at work and home https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel

Our guest this week takes us on a heartbreaking and heartwarming journey. She opens up about the pain of her sister’s death. “Losing someone during the pandemic, grieving while social distancing, it is so hard. Hugging is part of the healing process.” She shares what she learned at the beginning of the pandemic, from just having started a new role, to taking on the daunting task of acquiring PPE for Microsoft employees and donating supplies to first responders, to supporting her employees. “All of us have had to adapt, our motto was: stay agile.” She also found strength in aligning her work and personal life: “Everything we had to do to stay connected in our day job also came over to family. Upleveling communication and organizational skills, showing respect, staying connected.” These strengths developed on the job helped her and her family get through the loss of her sister as well as support her elementary school teacher husband and kids with the transition to remote learning. She said she cured mommy guilt by sharing with her kids the greater purpose of helping others and the joy she finds at work. Her practical wisdom: “Find joy in encouraging the team.” Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel and download my free guide to work life satisfaction.

One way to improve our work life balance is to apply leadership lessons from work and apply them at home. Here are 9 best practices that strengthen relationships with our loved ones, from toddlers to teenagers, and significant others and in-laws. Join my free work life connection workshop on Feb 24 for more ideas to help you improve your work life balance and feel happier https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel These are based on How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Don’t Criticize: 10 phrases to avoid like “you should” Give appreciation and an example like “thanks for being thoughtful, like putting your snow boots on a towel” Motivate kids to cooperate by adding fun with these 5 games like “kind or quiet” Become interested: how 5 minutes together on their hobby can lead to real connection Smile: how modeling enthusiasm can help your kids make friends Remembering names of your kids’ friends’ parents leads to belonging and carpool help Listen: learn from my parenting failure of how interrupting led to a fight Talk in their interests and how your ask will benefit them. Try the phrase “so you” to get them to do chores and homework and make safe choices. Make them feel special: create family traditions to make memories and feel close.

One shift is around our ego. He quotes Journal of Management research that found “humility in CEOS leads to increased collaboration, flexibility and developing strategies.” He also shares a source of confidence “my faith whispers that I am loved and I have potential.” Improving patterns of relationship, he advises “strategic vulnerability, it endears others to us. And name the emotion versus just showing it. For example, to say ‘I am feeling embarrassed’ instead of ‘I’m feeling attacked’.” He shares his favorite principle in parenting is don’t criticize and he created a don’t complain challenge with a reward for the kids at the end of the week to help create positive patterns at home. His practical wisdom “We have to make a choice everyday to grow.” Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel and join my free work life connection workshop to learn ways to thrive.

Our guest this week is an expert on avoiding burnout. She shares practical tips to manage stress and personal wisdom on gaining peace. “Differentiate between pressure and stress. We aren’t helpless victims.” We can interrupt the process and choose our reaction. Problem focused coping: “We need to be really smart about how we put routines back together. Adding structure, creating a map of the week is calming to our minds to know what’s coming next.” Emotion focused coping mechanisms: “Getting emotional reserve that bolsters our ability to cope and helps us surrender.” She likens this to care instructions we might find on clothes, and reminds us it’s different for each of us so we need to “play and do things just for the joy of doing it.” Meditation and belly bringing, she shares how she does this with her 6-year-old. Develop intuition and listen to those “divine redirects.” Kate shares the soul searching she got from beating cancer: “it was a hard lesson to learn to strive less and appreciate more.” Her practical wisdom “Nothing that is truly meant for me can ever miss me.” This mantra helps release micromanaging and focus on all we already have. Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel and join my free work life connection workshop.

Soul Searching: Work Life Connection and The 5 Love Languages One way to improve our work life balance and is to align all areas of our life. We can improve our leadership skills, confidence and mindset by applying life lessons from parenting, personal relationships and volunteer roles. https://lnkd.in/gG5YAWx to join my free work life connection workshop to learn how. For example, an insight I discovered as a volunteer leading marriage preparation weekend retreats with Engaged Encounter, has had a significant impact on my career. “The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman, describes how people express and receive love and respect through 5 main ways: quality time, acts of service, gifts, words of affirmation and physical touch. This framework also helps with parenting. This model is applicable at work to help leaders show respect and build trust and inclusion. It’s especially helpful now, in this season of social distancing, to have a tool to improve relationships and morale. Practical Wisdom: When we adjust our approach and give people respect in the way they want to receive it, we strengthen our relationship. When we align work and life, we thrive. How has volunteering helped you develop skills that you've applied at work? Please comment and inspire others.

Our guest this week leads Conversational AI product development at Microsoft, is a D&I leader and speaker, founder of the Asian Leadership conference and chair of the Asian employee resource group and mother of 2. She offers insight from soul searching during the pandemic, “I was so exhausted. I gave myself time to ponder what is essential for me and what changes I’m willing to make. I had a mindset shift from struggling with work life balance to embracing work life integration with grace.” Self acceptance “It’s ok if a project, homework or housework aren’t done. I’m good enough here and now.” Gain wisdom from connections “My international customer actually appreciated the good mood that started our meeting when my daughter just showed up. I also learned the power of analogies that works well with kids helps explain concepts to customers.” At minute 14 she shares “I learn tons from my kids: a great analogy of how trying to keep a beachball underwater is like suppressing unwanted feelings.” She now joins her daughters in their online art class and draws along with them to get a few moments of quality time and creativity. Manage energy “I think of energy as my measurement instead of managing time. I consciously seek those positive tiny moments throughout the day to regenerate my energy.” Her practical wisdom: “Prioritize yourself. Live in the moment. Focus on finding your “me” mindset+energy so you will have a strategy for resilience and live a more meaningful life.” Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel and join my free work life connection workshop.

Soul Searching with Michelle Gnida: Seize the Moments Our guest this week inspires us to kick off the New Year by taking action on our dreams. For 5 years she’d been dreaming about launching a blog to share stories and insights from clients. Soul Searching over the pandemic gave her courage. “I realized that (professor) from decades ago was still in my head getting in my way. I thought: it’s not going to be perfect, I’m not a professional writer, and right now people need these (uplifting) things! I just decided to go for it and put it out there. I was shocked by the number of people who responded positively.” She also offers insight to overcome polarization: “When we’re grateful, we’re less likely to have hatred towards others who think differently. It boosts oxytocin and increases our happiness set point.” She shares her favorite #DaleCarnegie principle “become genuinely interested in people” and how that helped her as a parent to coach her son to improve relationships. Her practical wisdom: “Seize the moments. Enjoy the little things.” Follow me for uplifting content https://lnkd.in/gG5YAWx and join my free mindset training.

Soul Searching with Jamie Cabaccang: How to spend our time and energy on the meaningful things Our guest this week is a lead at Pinterest, the founder of Techies and Wellness, and was recently published in the bestselling book “Miracles of Healing from Around the World.” A serious illness led to soul searching, learning about energy work, and prioritizing what’s important in life. She shares how she went from doctor recommended chemo for life to holistic healing that put her in remission. She shares an analogy of energy being like water: “Like when rocks block the path of water, we can have energy blockages that cause anxiety, depression and illness. Energy work can clear those blockages. The Universe somehow manifests people and situations into your life that are opportunities we can create.” She shares a story how being a good listener develops compassion and is her favorite parenting principle that helped her son struggling with bullying. Her practical wisdom: “ask is this yes going to be meaningful and serve the highest good for me, my family and for all?” Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel and join my free workshop.

Free Mindset Training: Get Lucky: 5 Steps to Manifest Abundance & Success December 15th from 12:30p-1:30p PST My mom grew up poor: in a refugee camp and an immigrant. Unfortunately, her experience created a mindset of scarcity. Trying to protect me from feeling disappointed, she taught me that “money doesn’t grow on trees” and “there’s no such thing as free lunch." I had to unlearn this limiting mindset. I learned about the Law of Attraction, watched the movie The Secret, studied Hill, Peale, Chopra, Dyer and tested the principles. Dale Carnegie said his deepest belief was: “Your life is what your thoughts make it” quoting philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Please join this free interactive workshop and learn the life changing spiritual laws of the universe to develop an abundance mindset. Learn how you can apply the power of thoughts, words, images, emotions and actions to help you deliberately create a life of greater luck and prosperity. Test out the principles of faith, asking, giving, receiving, and contrast to see how you can intentionally feel more joy. Sign up to receive the invitation, recording and resources. Who else can benefit from this? Tag them in the comments or share this post and invitation. https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel

Thanksgiving: A New Way of Life & How to Give Appreciation In honor of Thanksgiving, let’s cultivate appreciation and train our brains to look for good in others, situations and ourselves. Let’s use growth mindset and see that we can become more positive and grateful. In How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie invites us “to a new way of life. If we stop thinking about ourselves for awhile and begin to think of the other’s good points, we won’t have to resort to flattery.” Do you feel awkward in praising people? You're not alone! Once we see the strengths of others, we can tell them genuinely using the formula: “you are (positive quality), for example (specific moment).” This phrase ensures we highlight who they are as a person instead of just what they do, and we use evidence to demonstrate our sincerity. This method is also useful in interviews and performance reviews. When we consider our own abilities by saying “I am” and remind ourselves “for example” of specific achievements, we genuinely build our confidence and articulate value. Happy Thanksgiving! Who else needs to hear this today? Tag them in the comments, give them appreciation and share this post. Follow me for uplifting content https://lnkd.in/gG5YAWx and join my free zoom workshop

Our guest in this week’s family friendly episode is my inspiring son who gives reassurance to all parents struggling during the pandemic with supporting their kids with virtual school. “It’s not as bad as it can seem. You guys have done great!” He also shares his soul searching from a very unlucky break, literally, when he fractured his hip playing basketball on Dec 30. “Breaking my hip was a blessing in disguise. Going to Children’s Hospital and seeing all the kids there…it’s important to see your bad things in a light and understand there are people suffering and you have to have compassion.” He learned to reframe challenges and look for the good. He summarized those life lessons in an insightful essay and won a $1000 scholarship. “It was one of the best experiences I’ve had this year!” The parenting lesson I learned was to give him a $20 incentive to write the essay. How do we improve our luck? “You can’t win if you don’t try.” Andrew also shares what he learned from taking #DaleCarnegie for teens: “Confidence can help you when you’re trying to convince or have a good conversation with someone. Confidence is key.” His practical wisdom: “Get involved. Get out there and try your best.” Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel and join my Soul Searching Bootcamp.

Soul Searching with Ram K C: Business, Belonging, and Breath Who else needs a stress release? Our guest this week is a tech leader and meditation instructor. He gives a practical tool: in minute 16 he demonstrates a meditation exercise called “cappuccino breath” to give us energy. Take 3 minutes now and feel the positive effect! He shares his soul searching of hitting rock bottom: “the ambition and stress as an entrepreneur led to the greatest learning of my life: how breath can build resilience, calm ourselves, and access endless reservoir of energy.” (10:30) On the pandemic: "Nature is forcing us to give our best." He shares wise leaderships tips to create an effective team: “Most of us carry a private image to work and keep our own image in our personal life. Once we carry our natural self to work those barriers come down and we create belongness. I’ve realized the more generous I am in sharing appreciation it gives exponential impact on the team. Celebrating every small win builds the emotional fabric of the team. Love is one thing that grows with giving and the more we see happiness.” His practical wisdom: “Clarity in mind. Purity in heart. Sincerity in action.” Follow me for uplifting content https://lnkd.in/gG5YAWx and get Soul Searching resources

Soul Searching with Corey Perlman: Tips for Maximizing Social Media and Keeping Perspective Our guest this week is the author of Social Media Overload He offers practical tips: Prioritize the platform your customers are using Create useful content: “what questions do you get all the time from your clients? Answer those questions to help them.” Use video: “especially now, we’re unable to meet in person, video is a powerful tool of connection.” Limit your time on social media: “it can be a tool or a drug.” “Choose whatever you feel most comfortable with and enjoy: video, podcast or blog.” “Don’t take advice from people who haven’t earned the right or you don’t think is a good person.” This helps us not worry about the critics or the haters. The wisdom he shares: “The pandemic has taught me how important connection is. Doing huddles virtually with clients and reaching out to friends so they know you care. The shining light in this dark moment is spending so much time with family.” His practical wisdom: “Don’t let your ego get in the way of receiving help or advice.” Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel access my free workshop and resources

Be confident of your value: how to let go of criticism One of my favorite analogies to remind us that we are priceless is money. If someone disrespects a $20 bill, compares it negatively to other currency, even rips it, it still is worth $20. Likewise, if someone criticizes us, compares us or hurts us, we are still valuable. Here’s a video from the “good old days” of a live keynote from a corporate event so you can feel the energy of this awesome audience and get inspired. Take 5 minutes to recalibrate your confidence: What unkind thing has someone said or done that your need to let go of? What job didn’t you get that you need to stop ruminating about? What manager didn’t see your value that you need to forgive? Who do you need to stop comparing yourself to? What are your unique strengths, talents, and gifts? What is your favorite scripture, verse or quote to remind you: you are divine? For example: Bible "God equips me with strength" Lao Tsu "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." Qur'an "and He is with you wherever you are" Buddha "The mind is everything. What you think you become." Star Wars "I'm one with the force, the force is with me." Who else needs to hear this today? Tag them in the comments or share. Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel access my free workshop on How to Win Family and Influence Kids

Soul Searching with CEO Joe Hart: Strategies for a successful business, family and mindset Our guest this week, CEO of Dale Carnegie, shares how his mentor (Ford and Boeing CEO) Alan Mulally’s Working Together framework can transform business. “The cornerstone is live to serve. Listen, appreciate, be transparent, have integrity, hold people accountable and create a safe space and you’ll deliver results. The CEO sets the tone.” (5) When I shared I battled imposter syndrome approaching the CEO, worried he’d decline being a guest on this show he said, “It didn’t dawn on me. These things we create in our minds, we can be our worst enemy.” We discussed the importance of mindset, “almost the only problem we have to deal with is choosing the right thoughts.” (12:58) How does he instill confidence in his 6 kids? “My job is to help you make good decisions for yourself, take command of your thoughts” and he gives a lot of praise, 1:1 time and love. On soul searching during this pandemic he now “looks with proper perspective to remind myself of the tough things I’ve been through before. I’m not afraid, I was born to do this.” His practical wisdom: “Believe in yourself” and his mantra when running marathons “Dig deep.” Follow me for uplifting content https://linktr.ee/nikkikloeppel access my free Q&A on How to Win Family and Influence Kids

Soul Searching with Dee Brake: Finding yourself, a dream job and parenting success during a pandemic Our guest this week offers insights for managers to create loyal employees who will follow them anywhere, ideas for interviewing with confidence and a framework to build inclusion and respect at work. She also shares her top tip for leading and parenting. Don’t believe everything you think about interviews. She shares her mental shift that interviewing is a 2-way process. (6:25) “I’m a female in tech, I’m a great catch and I’m here to figure out if you’re good enough to catch me.” This made her realize her own worth and the value of a previous manager who had built connection by sharing his personal stories, built trust by asking questions and created loyalty that made her follow him to a new company. Her inclusion certificate from Cornell taught her a framework for handling disrespect. First, assume their good intent. Then focus on impact. “When you interrupted me, I lost my key point. In the future can you please ask questions at the end?” This helps us feel empowered and helps others change bad behaviors they likely aren’t intending. (13) What’s her favorite leadership technique? (18:50) “It’s the same for parenting. #DaleCarnnegie advises to ask questions so they think of consequences. It’s about influence, not power.” Her practical wisdom: always be open to learning. She shares the value of self-reflection, thinking of our past and our values, to understand our future. "It helps us communicate better knowing those personal stories." Follow me for uplifting content http://eepurl.com/dELfT5 to access my free workshop.

Soul Searching with Guillermo Vazquez: How to Cultivate Belonging and Listen to Yourself Our guest this week is a Senior PM in Xbox and the Communications Director for the Microsoft Hispanic and Latinx Employee Resource Group #HOLA. In celebration of #HispanicHeritageMonth he shares why he loves volunteering: “Don’t be afraid of failing. People will see your positive intent and you’re trying to help. It’s so rewarding.” He shares strategies we can all use to cultivate belonging in our teams: (5:35) “We showcase what makes us human and unique, and what brings us all together, like art and music. We have fun, we use trivia, Cahoot, comedy, and bring in speakers to educate us. We also have hard discussions like the importance of voting.” His soul searching during this season of Covid has led to (14:28) “learning to meditate, do yoga and learning to listen to my body. Don’t let the previous version of yourself bash you. Be compassionate to yourself. It’s ok some days to have a hard day, it’s ok to fail. It’s an opportunity to do better the next day.” He’s inspired by Jay Shetty “Think Like a Monk” especially to let go and forgive. Guillermo's practical wisdom: “I am present for you.” Follow me for uplifting content http://eepurl.com/dELfT5 to access my free workshop.

Overcome Fear of Public Speaking and What People Think About You As a speaker coach, exec coach, and life coach, I've helped 10K people to feel more confident and feel free to be themselves. Here is our insight to help you too: Do you worry what people are thinking about you? Good news: they aren’t even thinking about you! They are thinking about themselves just like you are! It’s human nature to assume others are judging us, but most people are too busy worrying what we’re thinking about them. This one paradigm shift can help you release your fears and feel more confident. (:53) Do you dread presenting? Stop rehearsing failure and start remembering a success story and visualizing best case scenarios. Don't just prepare your content, prepare your mindset too. (2:12) Is your fear of public speaking holding you back? Try this mantra: “My goal is to help.” When we remember our intention is to serve others, we can release self-criticism and better achieve our potential and speak up, mentor, and volunteer. (2:56) Feeling alone? Don’t believe everything you think. You are worthy. You are amazing! No one's against you. People want you to succeed. We are connected. We are one. The cure to feeling separated is to feel part of something bigger. (3:52) Follow me on linkedin and youtube Nikki Kloeppel and Facebook @PracticalWisdomStories for uplifting content and to access my free workshop: http://eepurl.com/dELfT5

Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching with Miri Rodriguez: Storytelling to build your brand Our guest this week Miri Rodriguez is the author of Brand Storytelling. She shares the practical 5 strategies to create a story concept: design, empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test (2:57). She also shares the wisdom she discovered in creating this process: “The first and last step of the cycle is to empathize. I had to learn empathy as a soft skill, which I didn’t know was a thing.” She also shares how to create more understanding and human connection, “develop cognitive, emotional and compassionate empathy, which can be uncomfortable…all of my content that’s gone viral has been emotionally charged. That’s the power of storytelling. We’re all in it together. We often downplay our stories and think they are ordinary, but that's what makes them extraordinary.” (7:47) She shares a connection she discovered between work and parenting, “understand their personality type and love language and tailor your approach to the individual.” (17:40) Her practical wisdom advice: “Learn, like and brand yourself.” Follow me for uplifting content and to access my free workshop: eepurl.com/dELfT5

Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching with Sara Abdelmottaleb: Perceptions, Pandemic and Parenting As we strive to become more empathetic individuals and build a more inclusive culture, our guest helps us to not believe everything we think. I first interviewed Sara 4 years ago (24:36) where she shared about being an Olympic athlete and the perceptions people have of her and why she wears a hijab (21:36). We discuss the benefits of working remotely (20:25) and how seeing colleagues with their families helps us realize “you’re just like me” despite our differences in faith and color. She also shares stories on parenting during a pandemic. Her daughter recently said, “Mommy, you are so confident. I listen to your meetings and I’m learning from you.” She shares a framework for creating work life balance, “I’ve learned to prioritize. I block 2 hours to help my daughter with eschool and am open with management. I was afraid I’d be perceived as slacking.” What helps her be a great mentor and also be brave to ask for help (14:56)? “Be generous with your knowledge is a guiding principle of my faith.” Her practical wisdom: “Be yourself.” Click here eepurl.com/dELfT5 to receive free coaching and register for my free workshop.

Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching with Ashleigh Williams: How to Have Difficult Conversations Our guest this week Ashleigh Williams shares her insight on social justice and having difficult discussions at work (12:10). “I had to have that conversation in love and kindness.” She shares her experience as an African American woman with a police officer dad and her experience as a White House HBCU Ambassador (18:22). “Covid (season) has given me the opportunity to do some soul searching and I’ve realized priorities that are extremely important to me” including strengthening faith and intuition, developing patience, what she learned from a social media fast and job search and interview process. She shares how she learned to be vulnerable at work (3:30) and the importance of showing emotion when telling stories and learning other people's perspectives. Her practical wisdom, “You never know what people are going through, so be kind at all times…stay hopeful and stay rooted in your values and your worth.” Click here eepurl.com/dELfT5 to receive free coaching on writing and sharing your story and register for my upcoming program. Ashleigh is a Business Development Manager at Microsoft, driving virtual solutions in healthcare so people can have proper care during this pandemic. She is originally from Maryland and enjoys traveling, cooking and volunteering. She is passionate about creating financially literate communities and views it as her life mission to uplift others.

Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching with Nikki Kloeppel: 12Ps: How to Deliver a Great Presentation, be Confident in Public Speaking and Improve Storytelling Are you looking for practical ways to improve your presentations and overcome your fear of public speaking? Here are the 12 P’s I’ve learned from coaching 15,000 leaders: Purpose: feel confident in your value, you were asked to present for a reason Process: include when, where, who, what, how and why to add structure to your storytelling Posture: sit and stand tall to look and feel confident Project your voice: be louder than you think, our calibration is off when we’re in front of people Pause: slow down to look poised and cover mistakes Pace: align your speed to the emotion and content you’re conveying Power: be yourself and use your platform well Passion: care about your content and your audience can tell Personalize: use names and give credit to your team, mentor, family People: include your audience, compliment the panelist before you Props: exhibits help your audience visualize concepts and make you memorable Personality: tailor your talk to the audience and stakeholder. Use the type of evidence that aligns to their influence style 13:18 offers specific tips for presenting virtually and creating connection. Click here eepurl.com/dELfT5 to receive free coaching on writing and sharing your story and register for my upcoming program.

Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching with Ani Babaian: How to See the Good Our guest this week shares a vivid story of growing up in Iran during war and revolution and how this helps her to find the good in challenging times. She has cultivated optimism and an ability to reframe problems into opportunities that has helped her go from “the immigrant kid who qualified for free lunch” to a CEO thriving even during a pandemic. Ani gave me a defining moment as a speaker coach, as she was my first client with a speech impediment. At minute 5:15 she shares a vulnerable story of overcoming a stutter and the achievement of presenting to 2400 people that will inspire you to not worry what people think about you. She taught me not to make assumptions and to coach people to their full potential. She says, “it’s just a feature” not a flaw. Her practical wisdom, “I really believe everyone internally is good. We’re all meant for great things. I love my brothers and sisters of all colors, races, religions, and genders.” She shares how to cultivate hope (14:30) and inspires us to feel unity and human connection. Click here eepurl.com/dELfT5 to receive free coaching on writing and sharing your story and register for my upcoming workshop.

Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching with Cabrelle Abel: Developing Confidence Our guest this week shares about how to develop confidence to speak up and have difficult conversations. She says, “It doesn’t come naturally for most of us. It’s a skill you develop over time by educating yourself.” She suggests applying the same strategies for volunteering that are successful at work. For example, as an attorney, her first step on a project is to listen and learn. This helps become a trusted business advisor. She followed this same path to approach her company’s Diversity and Inclusion team in January to initiate a discussion group of the Seeing White podcast for her colleagues and write a letter to her organization encouraging social justice. “I made myself vulnerable at work” and it’s been very rewarding. She discovered that being a change agent is often just writing an email or making some calls. “Home is another sphere we can influence.” Minute 7:45 she shares how to be a change agent as a parent. The confidence of making social change at work also led her to collaborate with her kids’ school to get Stamped as required reading. Her practical wisdom, “There’s tons of opportunity for us to make small change in the communities we’re already a part of.” Click here eepurl.com/dELfT5 to receive free coaching on writing and sharing your story.

Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching with Jeffron Smalls: How to be authentic at work Our guest this week shares about his experience at a Historically Black College and University and the powerful impact of being surrounded by Black excellence, including meeting President Obama (minute 11). This helped him become self-aware and develop the confidence to be wholehearted at work. He recently won a HBCU 30 under 30 award from thousands of nominees. He also shares a heartwarming story of how his mom inspired him in faith, and about how this helped him make a spiritual connection with a colleague. He inspires us on the value of truly being your wholehearted self even in a corporate environment (minute 8) and what leaders can do to cultivate inclusion. Jeffron loves the quote “tough times never last, tough people do”. He believes 2020 is the year for all of us to refocus and shift our way of thinking to evolve through this pandemic personally and professionally. His practical wisdom advice: “you can do anything you put your mind to once you start generating energy to allow others to succeed, that’s how you change the world,” Click here eepurl.com/dELfT5 to receive free coaching on writing and sharing your story.

Our guest today on Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching is Fernmarie Rodriguez. She tells her fascinating journey of 9 years in college, 3 degrees, 15 years in tech that honed her analytical skills and led her to study the neuroscience of change and the surprising way it connects to personal development and spirituality. She shares the story from her childhood in Puerto Rico where she had a passion for stargazing that led to a dream job as an aerospace engineer working at NASA. Her defining moment came she she had a baby at age 16. She overcame adversity, inspired to give her daughter a better life. She quotes Paulo Coelho’s the Alchemist “When you want something, the whole world conspires to help you achieve it.” Her practical wisdom advice: “learn to understand the difference between thoughts and feelings.” To bridge the gap in vastly differently points of view she advises: “experience teaches. Learning to trust our intuition helps us pursue true happiness.” She aspires to accelerate the evolution of human consciousness by teaching the power of experience. Click here eepurl.com/dELfT5 to receive free resources to help you share your story and inspire others. Follow on youtube Nikki Kloeppel and instagram and Facebook @practicalwisdomstories

Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching: The Power of Childhood Stories. The challenges of a global pandemic, adjusting to a virtual work environment, and creating social justice require us all to up level our confidence and ability to connect with others. A useful tool to help us thrive is to share a defining moment from childhood. When we reflect on those significant milestones from early in life, they reveal our inherent strengths, talents and gifts. These achievements remind us we can do hard things. As we recall the ways we’ve overcome adversity in the past, we face current hardships and upcoming challenges with renewed grit. This confidence is contagious. As we share these relatable stories, we create trust and understanding. When we articulate our own narrative, we create space for others to communicate their perspective and we inspire empathy and unity. Please comment and share your story to encourage others. Click here eepurl.com/dELfT5 to receive free coaching on writing and delivering your anecdote to inspire your team and family, give a great speech, land an interview and be part of the documentary.

Our guest today on Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching is Anne Borozan. She shares insight on the joys of volunteering. She says, "there's so much to do. There's low hanging fruit. You can make a difference. It's easy to jump in. You don't have to be intimidated or wait to be an expert." She shares a story from volunteering with Women at Microsoft board where she was inspired by what's possible for a team. How trust, respect and appreciation created a culture where everyone contributed their passion, talent and it was a safe place to disagree. She said being an advocate for change is actually a very rewarding and remarkable experience. Yes, you're helping others, and you also receive bonding and friendship with the other volunteers. It's not just giving, but you get back so much. She said, "creativity comes out and fears drop away" when you're working freely for a cause you're passionate about. Anne Borozan works in Customer Security & Trust within the Microsoft CELA organization. She is a regular contributor on women’s boards and D&I councils at Microsoft, and has a particular interest helping to facilitate culture change in the tech sector for women. Feeling inspired? Click here to receive free resources to help you feel confident and discover your talents so you can become an advocate for social change and discover the joys of volunteering eepurl.com/dELfT5

Our guest today on Practical Wisdom Stories: Soul Searching is Harpreet Kaur. She shares insight on finding your superpower, becoming a confident speaker and developing resilience. Her practical wisdom: Stand out. Be resilient. Be hopeful. #Whyblendinwhenyoureborntostandout My favorite part? At minute 16: witness her journey in becoming a speaker and watch her first ever live video interview from 3 years ago when she shared a story with me on overcoming prejudice and embracing diversity. She also shares "I had rejections, bad interviews, managers who didn’t see the potential in me, surviving illness. I asked myself 'what did I learn from these? How can I make sure my teams, my mentees learn from my experience?' Grieve for a moment. Then become even stronger. Life’s an ocean. Waves keep hitting you, but keep learning to surf higher and higher." Harpreet is a 1st gen senior technical product manager at #Microsoft with proven track record of leading business/digital transformation, managing teams and shipping high quality products/solutions. She is well known speaker and thought leader across the industry on technology, branding and diversity & inclusion. She's a mom of 2 and an abstract artist. Check her out at whyblendin.com Share your story and get a free coaching session: eepurl.com/dELfT5 I'm a consultant with 15 years experience specializing in culture change and inclusion initiatives and coaching programs on leadership, speaking, mindset, relationships. Follow me for professional, personal, and spiritual success and happiness.

Some of the practical wisdom Pooja shares: On manifesting our goals: What you believe is what you become. Having a clear vision, taking actions to achieve that vision, and thinking about it all the time. Limitations exist in your mindset. Don’t downplay yourself. Look outside the box and you would find opportunities. How to stay positive in difficult times like loved ones dying of covid...it’s ok not to be ok...one thing I tell myself all the time is things are going to take time but things are going to get better. Ask yourself: What are my core values? Moments of gratitude can bring happiness. Happiness leads to success, not the other way around. How to cultivate confidence? We need to ask people questions. We are in this together. Active listening is what makes a great leader. You don’t need to be an expert in a domain to share your knowledge and wisdom with others. Start with your strength. Empathy is feeling what others are others are going through. Compassion is also what can you do to help solve their problems. Parenting lesson same as leadership: Let each kid and each team member be the better version of themself. She encourages us to take advice from others, like how her 12 year old taught her how to stop lecturing and to just give tidbits of information never more than 2 minutes. She now asks her kids to give the summary so she avoids nagging. Her practical wisdom: Keep learning, keep growing, keep sharing. Watch on YouTube at Nikki Kloeppel Join our community and get resources: eepurl.com/dELfT5

Thanks to everyone who has been listening to this podcast. We're kicking off season 2 with adding videos on youtube, and deep dives interviews with people who have been soul searching during quarantine. This season we'll cover topics like what perspectives and character you've gained during this season of Covid and social distancing. We'll explore how to develop resilience, confidence and connection. We'll apply some of this insight to help us find our voices, follow our intuition, speak up for social justice, and become more of who we are capable of being.

From being spanked with chopsticks in China, to escaping danger in Bangladesh, to teaching value of immigrating to America, these storytellers help you imagine their childhoods and the values their parents taught them. One dad broke culture to consult with his daughter to get her opinion, one mom said, "yes, you sure can become the first female President." You'll hear how qualifying in a swim meet created dedication, the value of being voted Freshman class president, and how being told "your voice isn't that great" helped realize that sometimes life isn't fair, but talent isn't the only cause of happiness. Be swept away by defining moments from storytellers around the world.

A theme of these personal stories of defining moments teaches us how to stay calm in crisis, go from timid to resilient, and stand up for ourselves from bullies. You'll learn to stay in the game, turn haters into friends, and see how math is a universal language. You'll laugh at how blaming his brother for acetone on the TV led to valuing admitting mistakes, you'll cry at the faith developed by tragedy, and cheer for the tall girl who switched from ballet to choir. These storytellers inspire us to find ways to connect with people and better understand ourselves.

You'll be inspired as you hear the lasting character strengths that come from hardships. From the tragedy of watching a young cousin die, to discovering happiness comes from within, not necessarily from dad, to being beat up for being black. You'll hear how body language makes friends at camp even without knowing English, how to avoid acting stupid when backed into a corner, and the importance of asking for help. You'll see the power of mindset like saying "girls can do anything" despite culture and sports that say otherwise, and self talk like not quitting which ruins our confidence, and power of saying to ourselves "just get a foot in the door." You'll also be entertained with the power of a McDonald's cheeseburger and a fancy pair of shoes.

We often feel regret for mistakes we make. This episode teaches us to reframe difficulties and see how they are the birthplace of becoming our best selves. From a girl in Puerto Rico who gets inspired by her dad to pursue a lifelong goal, to discovering it feels good to tell the truth even if we get in trouble, to seeing the value of effort and achieving an MBA. You'll hear when it's worth it to lose a best friend, discover the importance of taking the blame, and see how time management can unlock potential. You'll be inspired to look back on your own life and reframe hard moments and see how they benefit you years later. You'll discover our own strengths lie just below the surface if you look more closely and see that you weren't a victim, you were actually a hero.