The Blog of
TEAM WORK EXCELLENCE
TEAM WORK EXCELLENCE
Episode Summary: In this special retrospective episode, Tim Sweet takes listeners on a journey through the most profound moments shared by past guests, all centered around the transformative power of "vision" in leadership. Through inspiring clips, guests reveal how they discovered their vision, how it shaped their leadership decisions, and why having a clear vision is vital for success in both business and life. Whether you're seeking inspiration or looking to craft a roadmap for the future, this episode is a compelling guide to creating clarity and purpose.
Episode Notes
In this special retrospective episode, Tim Sweet takes listeners on a journey through the most profound moments shared by past guests, all centered around the transformative power of "vision" in leadership. Through inspiring clips, guests reveal how they discovered their vision, how it shaped their leadership decisions, and why having a clear vision is vital for success in both business and life. Whether you're seeking inspiration or looking to craft a roadmap for the future, this episode is a compelling guide to creating clarity and purpose. Tim Sweet delves into the importance of aligning it with one's values and experiences. He highlights insights from 11 guests, including Teresa Waddington, who bridges past and future through her vision; Ryan and Shane Pegg, who value innovation and helping others; and Debbie Potts, who found strength in a vision of a little red house in her dream country. Erin Ashbacher stresses the link between physical health and vision, while Erin Lydon draws parallels between poker and leadership. Tim ends the episode with an inspiring call to listeners to define their vision and share it boldly! Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence: Transcript Tim Sweet 00:00 Over 42 episodes I’ve have had the privilege of conversing with incredible guests. One thing stands out, vision is deeply personal. It’s shaped by our experiences, values and our willingness to embrace vulnerability. Vision isn’t just about what we see, but why we see it. In this episode, I’ll share insights from 11 remarkable guests who have illuminated what it means to craft, nurture and live your vision. Their stories showcase authenticity, courage, the joy of discovering brilliance and exploring unexpected places. Tim Sweet 00:35 I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action? Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable? If any of these describe you, then you, my friend, are a leader, and this show is all about and all for you. I'm Tim Sweet. Welcome to Episode 46 of the Sweet on Leadership Podcast. Today we're diving deep into the concept of vision. It's more than just setting goals or dreaming big. It's about clarity and knowing where you're headed, and the courage to take steps to get there. And authenticity ensuring that your vision aligns with who you truly are. Tim Sweet 01:20 So let's begin. Vision begins with purpose. It's not about ambition for its own sake. It's about what truly matters to you. When I spoke with Teresa Waddington, an engineer and Vice President of Corporate Relations, in Episode 28, her story struck me. Teresa's vision bridges generations. It's shaped by her father's legacy and her aspirations for her daughter and the world she lives in. She beautifully illustrated how vision connects the past and the future. It's why I sought her out; because it's just such a compelling picture. Here she is. Teresa Waddington 01:54 I'm on a mission to turn my dad's oil patch into my daughter's energy garden, and when I think about that future energy garden. I really do think it is a whole host of things. It's a whole host of technologies, and couplings of those technologies between kind of old and new that'll really drive us forward. Tim Sweet 02:12 The idea of legacy can deepen and strengthen our vision. Teresa reminds us that its purpose that gives our vision its resilience. In episode 26, I spoke with Ryan and Shane Pegg. Ryan, a grade eight student and an inspiring entrepreneur, a triathlete and a wearable technology ambassador, had a keen eye for innovation and a desire to make an impact. His dad, Shane leads business incubators in their community, where he fosters creativity and collaboration. Their conversation covered the origins and purpose of how visions evolve and create value beyond ourselves. Here's Ryan. Ryan Pegg 02:51 I feel like business is not only about the money side of things, like you're not only trying to make money, you're trying to build new things, you're trying to help people. And that really changed the way that I thought about it. Tim Sweet 03:08 Ryan's clarity and focus stem from values that he's seen modeled and experience that he's been allowed to have. Shane shared how cultivating an others-first mentality has shaped not only his approach to business, but also his family's outlook on life. Shane Pegg 03:25 It's encouraging, you know, you try to model a kind of an attitude of generosity and compassion thinking of others and others-first mentality. So that's kind of big part of life here. It's what about others kind of take your focus off of yourself, and so the kids are all great at doing that, and yeah, it's encouraging, and that's certainly a life lesson that we find later in life that's amazing at how money can follow when you're not focused on it, but you're focused on doing good or doing something that you really enjoy doing, and you do it really well, and the money will follow if it's meant to be. Tim Sweet 03:57 As I reflect on this delightful conversation with the Peggs, it became clear that a really powerful vision transcends personal achievement. It is truly about creating something larger than ourselves, something meaningful and something that will leave that lasting impact. Having a vision is one thing, sharing it with others is another, and this is where clarity and confidence come into play. In episode 13, I was joined by Melanie Potro, an image consultant specializing in personal branding, she highlighted how our vision for the future is intertwined with the vision we have for ourselves in the future. This influences how we present ourselves and therefore can shape how we're perceived by others and how we can forward ourselves in life. First impressions often pave the way for new opportunities that will allow us to fulfill the vision we've got in front of us. Melanie Potro 04:51 If you want to inspire other people and want to make sure that they feel that you're trustworthy, competent and so on, and you feel that we don't carry that across at the moment, then you need to look at your appearance, because that's the first thing they see. So that can really be the entrance ticket, the ticket to open the doors for the next step in your career, or to get a big client on board, or to make a big sale. Tim Sweet 05:17 Melanie's insights inspired me. I hadn't considered that we can make ourselves a visual representation of where we plan to go. Our presentation reflects our confidence and our values and reinforces our undermining mission and where we're going in life. Likewise, Elayna Snyder, a creativity coach from Episode 25, took this idea further. She challenges her clients and our listeners to align their work with their unique identity and to use that alignment to push boundaries beyond what most people would think is possible. Elayna Snyder 05:54 What we're really looking at is this main question around, how do I powerfully articulate what I do to create more of my best clients at the fees that I desire? And there's another question that comes on the back of that, too. And that question is, how do I integrate more of myself into my work? What's that next big idea? Maybe it's a new offering, a book, or even the creation of a movement. Tim Sweet 06:19 This is an important reminder that a vision isn't static. It evolves as we grow. It gives us a new launch point to push even further. In fact, a vision usually is something we simply haven't achieved yet. The question isn't just what's my vision, but how is this a much more intense version of who I am? Obviously, vision isn't just about the immediate future, it's about the bigger picture. In episode 20, Debbie Potts, an educational economist, HR and productivity expert, shared a harrowing tale of her personal battle with illness through her struggle, my friend Debbie found an anchor, a vivid, unwavering vision of a red house in the forest that gave her strength and focus to survive and become an advocate for others. Here's Debbie. Tim Sweet 07:08 What did the Red House represent to you? Debbie Potts 07:10 Oh my gosh. It represented freedom. It represented achievements. It represented living life on my terms, and obviously I love nature, as you do, and it just represented, you know, being able to be close to nature. And, you know, completely do a 180 turn around of my life. You know, I lived in a big city, London, full of people, full of traffic, full of everything. And I've now completely reversed that. Tim Sweet 07:43 Debbie's story revolved around this idea of a true north giving us direction and focus in life during our most challenging moments. It's a compass that helps us define a path to those spaces in the world where we can truly thrive. Obviously, our vision is about how we care for ourselves now so that we can experience what's next. In episode 29 Erin Ashbacher, a leadership fitness coach and member of my team, spoke about the intersection between physical health and vision. She highlighted how neglecting our well being can become a barrier to fulfilling those goals in the future. In fact, it can completely derail where we think we're gonna be. Erin Ashbacher 08:22 There's definitely been a lot of people who think that being busy is really the gold standard and making sure that we do it all, and it's hard when you're working in cardiac rehab, and you see people that have all of a sudden just been stopped in their tracks. And it made me really realize that preventative medicine, preventative wellness, is where we want to be. Some of my clients that have reached retirement, and they've had a really successful career, and now that they're retired, they're like, oh, now I'm going to take care of my health, but maybe they have an ailment that has been kind of creeping around on them, and so they just feel like they're starting at a really deep bottom, like, oh man, if I would have just started going to the gym or being a little bit more active in my 40s or my 50s, now that I'm in my 60s, I wouldn't have to deal with this big mountain, right? And it can be a bit discouraging to people when they kind of thought that their retirement was going to be one way, and their health and physical limitations are creating some a different story for them, right? So, yeah, let's take care of it today. Tim Sweet 09:27 Those insights are both sobering and inspiring, challenging us to think if we are caving to short term comfort rather than investing in our future selves to achieve a vision, we need to be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared to enjoy the journey. This podcast is about leadership, and therefore it's about high achievers. But vision isn't about perfection. It's about showing up even when things are uncertain. In episode 24, Erin Lydon, founder of Poker Power, drew a fascinating parallel between poker and leadership. She explained how leaning in to take calculated risks, even when you don't have perfect information, even when you are out of position and maybe even at a disadvantage, is a skill that's applicable both at the poker table and in life. Erin Lydon 10:13 So often at a poker table, nobody has a made hand, you know, and so it really is going to come down to the person who's going to play their chips most aggressively and get the other players to fold, that person's going to win the hand. That is something you have to practice, shoving your chips all in when you have imperfect information, you don't know the cards still to come, and you certainly don't know what the other players have. That's a learned skill, because it's scary. Tim Sweet 10:40 like poker, a vision requires courage, not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act regardless of what hand you're dealt. Reflecting on these stories, I'm struck by how authenticity and trust in ourselves are intertwined with vision. In my conversation with Hanne Ballhausen, a director and diabetes advocate, I was deeply moved by her openness about putting a difficult history in its place. Hannah's honesty about her journey through a dark emotional forest showed immense courage. We can't show the whole episode here, but I would encourage you to listen to it for now. Just take this little snippet. Hanne Ballhausen 11:20 Trust your gut feeling. It's there for a reason. Tap into your superpower that are your feelings, and just join me in to give into all of your muchness of who you are. You're beautiful. Tim Sweet 11:36 Right before Hannah's episode, I met with Greta Ehlers, a med tech professional and diabetes technology advocate who shared how belief in your vision can inspire others. In episode 22 she highlighted how passion and conviction drive leadership forward, and there was a great moment when she realized the leadership torque that that had given her. Again, I encourage you to listen to this whole episode, but for right now, here's just a few words. Greta Ehlers 12:04 Leadership can be finding something you really believe in and driving it forward. And if it is something you believe in and you drive it forward, then others will follow. Tim Sweet 12:14 Hanne and Greta demonstrate how authenticity makes the vision and the person magnetic. People are drawn to sincerity and passion. It inspires them to take risks and pursue their own adventures. And on that note, in Episode 42 Renee Miller, an engineer and avid hiker who knows a little something about carving her own path, described how stepping away from societal expectations can lead you to unexpected growth. Here's Renee. Renee Miller 12:45 You get so caught up into your daily lives and the tasks that you know, you go to work and have to get all these tasks done and come home and have responsibilities at home, but yeah, you kind of forget about yourself. And you know, what about that professional engineering license that would be really good for my career? Oh, I don't have time for that because I'm busy working and, yeah, just talking with people and reminding them to prioritize theirselves and their resumes, and it'll probably be good for their company as well. Tim Sweet 13:21 Rene's story, which was shared with her partner, Tim, showed how this vision of adventure often emerges when we step outside our comfort zones, when we refuse to be defined, when we take risks, when we trust that life will provide and when we embrace what's over that next hill. Well, that's it. And I hope in this episode, with all the different facets we've explored around the concept of a vision, you've found some inspiration that you can use to meditate on your own. It's not about predicting the future, it's about creating it. Because life is a creative process, and our level of creativity is parallel with our willingness to dream boldly, express ourselves authentically and take courageous action. So here's my challenge to you, define a vision that resonates with your deepest values, share it boldly, let your uniqueness shine through in every detail and when needed, challenge that status quo and step courageously into the unknown. Take that first step today, write down a few words craft that future that only you can imagine. Remember, the world needs leaders. The world needs you. The world needs your vision, your passion and your unique perspective. Tim Sweet 14:40 Thank you so much for listening to Sweet on Leadership. If you found today's podcast valuable, consider visiting our website and signing up for the companion newsletter. You can find the link in the show notes. If like us, you think it's important to bring new ideas and skills into the practice of leadership, please give us a positive rating and review on Apple podcasts. This helps us spread the word to other committed leaders, and you can spread the word too by sharing this with your friends, teams and colleagues. Thanks again for listening, and be sure to tune in in two weeks time for another episode of Sweet on Leadership. In the meantime, I'm your host. Tim Sweet encouraging you to keep on leading you. Comments are closed.
|
Click to set custom HTML
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
