On The Brink With Andi Simon

Hear how games can make your employees' effectiveness soar! Several years ago, Andy (my husband and business partner) and I went to Brussels to train in Innovation Games. IG is a wonderful set of creative tools to help people see things in new ways by playing games. In fact, IG downloads are the most frequent downloads from our website, www.simonassociates.net. Here at SAMC, we integrate IG into many of our workshops and leadership programs. Take a look at some of our IG white papers and PowerPoints which might open up your mind to what gamification can offer you, your team members and your customers as you rethink your organization to face the challenges of these fast-changing times. Today's podcast is with gamification strategist Naomi Redel I was thrilled to recently meet Naomi Redel to discuss how she has become a gamification strategist with her own methods for increasing the effectiveness of organizations through what she calls “Collaborative Emotional Intelligence.”  Our podcast was global. Naomi was

Hear how to build workplaces where everyone is valued  This podcast interview is exceptional. Just listen to Maria Colacurcio tell you about her journey and think about your own. Her career has spanned many different industries, propelling her to leadership positions in innovative companies. Our conversation took us through those profound experiences and unexpected moments that can transform our lives in new ways. Others often accelerated her career, seeing her talent and advocating for her. She speaks about learning on the job and being excited when new career opportunities opened up for her. She also provides wisdom to other women and men trying to build more diverse, equitable and inclusive organizations, and how women are changing our society, a step and then a leap at a time. Enjoy. Watch and listen to our conversation here Maria's mantra: "When preparation meets opportunity" Today, Maria is CEO of Syndio, a SAS startup helping companies worldwide create an equitable workplace for all employees, regardl

Hear how to refuse to be held back, especially as a woman  I listened to Kerry Flynn Barrett give a marvelous talk recently about burnout for the Westchester Business Council and couldn’t wait to share her ideas and insights with our fans. Careers like hers are common among many women I know who have started in a corporate job, moved up the ladder to higher positions in leadership, and then took off to form their own business. Kerry has done just that, and now she is building an exceptional business serving as a fractional CHRO officer and also a business partner and solutions provider. Do you wish to do this too? Listen in! Watch and listen to our conversation here Faced with a wall? Like Kerry, leap over it! In some ways, Kerry Barrett reflects the tensions women in business and corporations are feeling today. Perhaps exaggerated by the pandemic, women are abandoning the corporate ladder to find their own purpose and passion, much like she has done. Kerry spent her entire career in healthcare as a Human Re

Hear how to make the most of your choices, at work and in life Meet Christina Sistrunk, former President and CEO at Aera Energy. You are going to love listening to her wisdom for thriving in the male-dominated energy industry. As Christina will share with you, she found that the hardest problems to solve usually were the ones around how well people work together, or don't, that made the problems more complicated. She explains how figuring out how to bring people together and enable them to be as successful as they had the potential to be was the most challenging part of being a leader, especially a woman leader. A lot to learn! Watch and listen to our conversation here Your ability to think independently actually creates opportunities One of Christina's main joys at this stage in her career is helping people understand how they can be more effective, not only in their career, but even in their personal life, about seeing the opportunity to make different choices. Better choices create better outcomes, whethe

Hear how to identify your values and live them every day Today you will meet Shayna Bergman, a terrific executive leadership coach with big ideas to help you find your way during these challenging times of change. Her goal is to empower you to unlock your personal potential. Shayna specializes in helping people achieve deeper meaning and fulfillment in their personal and professional lives through authentic leadership and clarity of purpose. She believes, as do I, that you have to have a purpose-driven life. There has to be something that really motivates and drives you, a North Star. Need help finding yours? Listen in! Watch and listen to our conversation here What is the purpose that you're living toward? With a focus on parents in executive and leadership positions, Shayna challenges her clients to look deeply at themselves by reflecting on their values, dreams, limiting beliefs and inner critics. She then helps them create an action plan that inspires breakthroughs and leads to sustainable change. Shayna

Hear why it's so crucial for success to build effective teams My guest today is a remarkable individual, Mark Samuel, who's now written seven business books. I interviewed Mark back in June of 2019 and thought he had such a powerful message about how to get people to change, even when they really don't want to, that I had him back. Today's podcast is about his most recent book, Reimagine Teams: The Missing Piece in Team Building to Achieve Breakthrough Results. Our discussion focuses on the vital role of accountability, which makes teams work or fail. With over 30 years' experience in the business world, Mark is a transformative leader, having helped hundreds of companies overcome stagnation, transform their businesses, and eliminate toxic work cultures to increase profits, morale and customer experience. Does your culture need an overhaul? Be sure to listen in! Watch and listen to our conversation here How do you rebuild your company culture as we come out of the pandemic? In our podcast, Mark and I had a w

Hear how memories impact you now and guide your future What are your memories of growing up? Your friends? Neighborhood? Life-changing moments in our society? In today's podcast, Helen Newman, a friend from my elementary school (Davis Elementary School in New Rochelle, NY) and I discuss the power of memories. Although we had different experiences in high school (she was in a sorority, I was president of the Salmagundi Club), we both experienced the good times and not-so-good times of the 1960s. The funny thing about memories is that they're selective. We pick and choose the ones that fit our own story, often one where we are the heroes and we forget what others were struggling with or enjoying all around us. I guarantee that after listening to Helen, you will be amazed at her wisdom and joy. Helen writes about something every month. Sometimes it is about why that month means something to her. Other times, she writes about old friends and new ones. But in today's conversation, we go deeply into the anguish we

Hear how to boldly take control of your own career path Dr. Vicki Baker's sixth book in five years solidifies her standing as a nationally recognized expert in the unique issues faced by mid-career faculty in higher education. As she coaches numerous professionals, she has discovered a recurring theme: academicians get their degrees and often their tenure, but then get stuck or stalled in their career advancement. Is it that they need better mentors? Or do institutions need to identify and sponsor their high-performing stars earlier, and coach them along their pathways to career advancement? And this is happening not just in the world of academia. Industry is struggling with the same dilemma. Are you stuck or stalled in an academic position or a corporate career trajectory? Make a point to listen in for Vicki's solutions. Watch and listen to our conversation here Why women academics often get stalled, and what to do about it On an annual basis, I have conducted workshops for Vicki's students involved in busi

Hear how telling each other stories helped us evolve My audience knows how much I like to learn about early human evolution and how we continue to adapt to changing times. Thanks to my former PR guru, Sarah Wilson, I was introduced to Byron Reese, who is a futurist, an author and an entrepreneur. He tends to see things through that fresh lens I always talk about. Byron’s new book (his fourth) is called, Stories, Dice, and Rocks that Think: How Humans Learned to See the Future—and Shape It. This is a fascinating book that provides a new look at the history and destiny of humanity. Storytelling allows us to envision the future. Dice teach us about probability, which enables us to try to predict the future. And rocks that think—a reference to a computer’s CPU—enable us to build the future. Listen in! Watch and listen to our conversation here From our very beginnings, we've been a very different type of being. I wasn’t quite sure what Byron's book is about until I opened the first pages and began to wander

Hear how to make your business better, remotely It should be no surprise to you that as an anthropologist specializing in helping companies change, I loved my interview with Liam Martin. As we've all experienced, the pandemic has dramatically changed what we think of as “normal.” In particular, the meaning of work has changed and continues to, as each generation moves into the workforce with different values, beliefs and behaviors. Businesses, both small and large, are trying to recruit, retain and develop their talent pool, only to find that today's workers have very different ideas about what matters to them, reflecting fundamental societal questions about what “really matters” to each of us. Enjoy. Watch and listen to our conversation here Today’s podcast contains very valuable data, information and insights about how to manage a remote or hybrid workforce Think of it as today’s future way of working. But, as so many of our clients are asking, how do you manage a remote workforce, particularly since wome

 Hear how to really live diversity, equity and inclusion  This was a very special podcast with Dr. Rohini Anand, a global strategic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) leader. A published author, Dr. Anand’s new book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations, sets the stage for her own journey as a pioneer in DEI and a woman helping global companies transform their organizations, one person at a time. You are going to enjoy learning from Dr. Anand. Open your notebooks, iPads or computers and get ready to capture the innovations, the insights and the impact she is making, and which you can as well. I just love women who are changing the world! Watch and listen to our conversation here Rohini's 5 principles for truly bringing about DEI change: The first principle: Make it local. Global change has to be anchored in an understanding of the local context. It has to be rooted in the local particulars informed by the history, the culture, the lan

Hear how to see through a fresh lens, then embrace the new Today we have Maria Lizza Bowen, a scientist and Oncology Clinical Development Director with almost 30 years in the pharmaceutical industry. She has a new book that came out in March that I found very interesting: Reflect: A Perspective on Understanding Your Reality and Becoming Unstuck. If this sounds like something I would like, you are right. You will love it as well. Maria's message is so important: In just about any situation, be it a performance review or co-worker interaction, when you start to get nervous and feel "off," don't run away from it. Face it. Embrace it. Be vulnerable. And then maybe, like Maria, your whole life will change. Listen in, then try it! Watch and listen to our conversation here Some of the key themes Maria and I focus on There is no truth or reality. Our minds create stories, and those become our illusion of reality. We live those illusions as if they are the only options until something happens and we must change. Rem

Hear how to make your website your best marketing tool We're going to do three things today for my audience as you're listening in or watching. First, Jann Mirchandani will tell you about her own journey as a marketing maven. Then we're going to talk about what Google has done to change the way we search for what we want to buy or answers to what we want to know. For solutions to what you need, you start by asking Google. Have a physical ailment? You ask Dr. Google. Second, do you know why that is so important for your business and its image, identity, brand, presence and what you communicate in the marketplace? And third, what do you need to do to build a brand identity? How can you create the story you want for your business? If you have a company or want to start one, this is for you! Watch and listen to our conversation here Can Jann help you? I have known Jann Mirchandani for a long time, and she has built several websites for our clients. While she was speaking at a Westchester Business Council event,

Hear how to be bolder and braver at balancing your life Suppose you are a working woman with children. I bet you have experienced the "Balance Dilemma." How can you find the right balance between home life, family, a business or professional career, and even your own self-care? You, your partner or spouse, your friends and your family will enjoy this podcast. My guests, Maura Carlin and Christie Derrico, have an awesome podcast called The Balance Dilemma. Yes, the title is exactly what we want to share with our audience today. Need some help balancing all the different parts of your life? Listen in! Watch and listen to our conversation here How to help women and men have families, careers, and a life to live A little background: Maura and Christie are both attorneys. Maura describes herself as: “Litigation attorney turned journalist, writer, podcaster, still asking questions.” Christie is an entrepreneur, lawyer, podcaster and author who combines her multi-disciplinary talents with her passion for giving ba

Learn how to face adversity, change your thoughts, and smile Do you ever wish you could handle your emotions better? In difficult conversations at work or in life, do certain words or attitudes trigger negative reactions, maybe from years ago? We've all been there, which is why I'm so happy to bring to you today Paula Guilfoyle, an expert in change management, a transformational leader, and a wonderful  lady. She will teach us all to PBS: pause, breathe, and smile. Another tip from Paula: when that voice in your head is trying to make you feel bad, just NBC: notice, bounce, and change. Sound simple? It is, and it isn't. Listen to our conversation and I guarantee that afterward, you will be more peaceful, more focused and more productive, at home and at work. Change is hard but you can do it! I know you can. Watch and listen to our conversation here Paula and I talk about the challenges of changing a person, much less an entire organization. Through her company, Claim Leadership, Paula focuses on helping com

Hear how to provide optimal customer journeys for your prospects In this On the Brink podcast, I had an amazing conversation with Patrick Van Gorder, Executive Vice President and Partner of Level Agency. Conversations with strategic marketers is always exciting. The world we used to market in has changed. And marketing is supposed to encourage people not just to purchase but to engage with your products and services. The buyer, however, has changed their journey over the past 25 years. As we know from our own work as HubSpot Partners, the buyer’s first task when considering a solution to solve their problem is to Google it. If you don’t have a digital experience that comes up on the first pages of Google search, you're not a good answer for that person’s problem or question. What does that mean for your business? Patrick has many great answers to that question so listen in, learn and share! Watch and listen to our conversation here Here are some statistics Patrick shared that you should consider: 65% of to

Hear how to rediscover your curiosity to "see" new ideas! Today I have a fabulous speaker for us, Dr. Debra Clary, who is here to talk with us about curiosity. What a great topic, and also a great lady to have you listen to. Debra shares how we should stop assuming we know the answers to our questions or the solutions to our problems. Rather, it is time to begin to think and listen differently, to open our minds to possibilities. You might be asking: But how do I become and remain curious? (There is actually research on a person's CQ—curiosity quotient). Have you thought about it? Do you love new things? Or does your brain fight the unfamiliar and flee away from it? Many great things to think about. Listen in! Watch and listen to our conversation here You're really going to enjoy Debra's perspective. She talks to thousands and thousands of Humana folks about how to be curious, and today she shares those insights with us so we too can push past our mental boundaries and discover new ideas and solutions. Conn

Hear how to harness your inner CEO and prioritize your happiness  Are you the CEO of your life? What does that mean? In this podcast, I bring to you Becca Powers Vaughn. Her story, like those of so many women, is in part about discovering your own self-worth, in part realizing that you should not let others define who you are, and in part turning your purpose into something to benefit others. But this podcast is not just for women. Men, listen carefully. Becca’s message is as relevant for you as it is for women. Why? So you can help women thrive in your personal and your professional life. A wise woman with a lot to teach us. Watch and listen to our conversation here Much to learn from Becca's “aha” moment She says it was not a very pretty moment, but one in which she had to stop the “blame and complain” game. If you are doing something like Becca was doing—blaming others for your limits or your difficulties—it is a good time to listen to this podcast and discover yourself. Becca also has a great book you

Hear how gratitude can change your life and your business  Michele Bailey and I had such a terrific interview discussing her own life’s journey and how to be a successful woman entrepreneur. She is the founder of The Blazing Group, a brand and culture agency born of her strategy-first approach to business, her flair for sharing stories, and her desire to enhance employee wellness while pursuing business goals. Now she has a new program to improve employee mentoring and wellness called My Big Idea® which accelerates business growth while addressing the challenges of balancing work and personal life. Listen in! Watch and listen to our conversation here The power of gratitude can be life-changing Michele Bailey was a driving force in bringing the first Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO) chapter to Canada and currently sits on the WPO board as its international representative. She is committed to supporting entrepreneurs in the underrepresented diverse and inclusion markets, and is also a successful author. He

Hear how to transform your company by telling your story Suppose you have a great company with fantastic talent. Could speaking become a critical part of your marketing and business development strategy? Perhaps your team could tell your story, explain and enhance the value of your solutions, through the speaker circuit. Although it was difficult to do in-person speaking during the last two years of the pandemic, those times are fading into the background (as we all hope they do) and speaking has emerged once again as a very vital and viable way to tell your story. And that is what speaking is all about — crafting and sharing the right stories to propel your business forward through the voices of your talented leadership. Listen to Steve Markman tell you how he helps businesses do just that. Enjoy. Watch and listen to our conversation here Marketing your company and your brand through speaking engagements As the founder of Steve Markman Speaker Management, a public speaking specialty firm, Steve excels at pr