Episode 26: From Survive to Thrive - Leadership for Global Impact
A friend and collaborator is in circle with us today who I know you’re going to love. You’ll instantly pick up on how much care Sarah Francescutti has for leaders and organizations who are trying to thrive but are stuck in survival patterns. Sound familiar? What I love is that her mission is not just to transform the leaders themselves for the purpose of fulfillment, ease and joy - which is so important - but how this work allows them to have a broader global impact. Amazing!
When I am around Sarah I am lit up, I learn something about myself, I'm held to account, and also find myself dreaming bigger. She is a joy to be around and I know you’ll get that today.
What’s in this episode for you:
The importance of self-development in our leadership journeys
A powerful story of the current state of executives being in the survival zone
Why shifting our perspectives around self-care is essential if we and our organizations are going to survive
How the Sweet Spot Global Leadership Summit will amplify your ability to lead at this time
The role of choice in being the change
This episode is an invitation to join Sarah and me and 21 other international speakers for the Sweet Spot Global Impact Leadership Summit happening Feb 22-24, 2022. This is free and it is jam packed with speakers from around the globe talking about personal development, communication, team management, and transitioning from surviving to thriving. There is lots of inspiration on how to have a global impact too!
I am passionate about this Summit. It is the second time I’ve participated as a speaker and I highly recommend it to you. Click on this link for more information and to register.
Who’s in circle with us:
An Executive Leadership Coach, Sarah Francescutti believes that strengthening leaders and expanding your global impact is an inside-job.
Sarah helps visionary organizations and their leaders grow their capacity for transformative change that ripples from their teams outward, strengthening your entire organization with the big-picture vision and inspired solutions that catalyze growth.
Connect with Sarah through, exhaleandthrive.com, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pintrest, and Instagram.
Pick up the talking piece:
What came up for you as you listened to this episode? I'd love to hear your experiences with any of the reflections and exercises. Send me an email at podcast@humconsulting.ca or leave a voicemail (click the voicemail button on the right).
Transcript: (Some words may not be accurately recorded. Please let us know if something seems off.)
[00:00:00] Ame-Lia: Change begins from within. As easy as it is to look outside of ourselves and want the world to change, the truth is, it never will if we remain the same. This podcast was created for change-makers like you who want more love and connection in your community. Today you are going to hear stories that will inspire you, and also challenge you to be the change. We are going to go deep, my friend, so take a deep breath and settle in. My name is Ame-Lia Tamburrini - Welcome to the Circle of Change.
[00:00:50] Hi change-maker. I am so excited that you're joining us today in circle. We are sitting with a friend and a collaborator who I know you're just going to love. You will instantly pick up on how much she cares for leaders and organizations out there who are really trying to shift from survival mode to thrive mode.
[00:01:15] What I love about her is that her mission is not just to transform the leaders in themselves for the purpose of more fulfillment, ease, and joy, which is so, so important, but also so that they can have a broader global impact with their work. So when I'm around Sarah, I am a lit up. I learn something about myself,
[00:01:36] I am held to account and also find myself dreaming bigger. She's a joy to be around, and I think you're going to get that today. In this conversation, we get into the importance of self-development in our leadership journeys, she shares a powerful story of the current state of executives being in survival mode,
[00:01:58] she speaks of the urgency of shifting our perspective around self care if we and our organizations are going to survive. We talk a lot about the Sweet Spot Summit, which is coming up, and it's something that I really want you to know about and to come to with us, and the role of choice in being the change.
[00:02:18] So this Sweet Spot Summit, this episode is an invitation to join Sarah and I and 21 other international speakers for this summit happening February 22nd through February 25th. It is free and it is jam packed with speakers from around the globe, talking about everything from internal development to how you're handling your teams to how do we switch from survival to thriving,
[00:02:46] and so much inspiration on how to have a global impact. I am really passionate about this summit. It's the second time I have participated as a speaker and I highly recommend it to you. I know there is a nugget in there for you and you can take it in and absorb it at your own pace. It's awesome. The link is in the show notes, and please reach out if you have any questions at all.
[00:03:08] Okay. Let me introduce you to Sarah. Sarah Francescutti is an executive leadership coach. She believes that strengthening leaders and expanding your global impact is an inside job. She helps visionary organizations and their leaders grow their capacity for transformative change that ripples from their teams outward, strengthening your entire organization with the big picture and inspired solutions that catalyze growth.
[00:03:39] Let's begin. Hi, Sarah. Welcome to the Circle of Change.
[00:03:44] Sarah: Thanks Ame-Lia. I'm so excited and honored to be here on your amazing podcast. I have listened to some of the episodes and the heartfelt connection I get through your just listening to your words and your conversations are, it's just been amazing. So honored to be here.
[00:04:01] Ame-Lia: Aw, thank you. This is really fun for me to do this collaboration with you. Just so the listener knows Sarah and I met a few years ago. We were both working with the same coach at the time. And I remember listening to Sarah and being so inspired and moved by the way in which you shared and the vulnerability, and also the growth that I got to see over that time in our group sessions.
[00:04:29] When I found out that you were actually in the same town as me, I was like, oh my goodness, this is amazing. I really need to connect with this person.
[00:04:37] Sarah: So, so appreciative that you reached out and, and just saying, Hey, we're both in Victoria. Well, that, that made it so much more cool to know that or somebody in that similar sort of business and personal journey here locally, and so cool to finally be able to meet you in person the other day was also great.
[00:04:54] Ame-Lia: That's right. That was a bit weird. I had forgotten, we hadn't actually met in person cause it just feels like we have this connection and, uh, but that was really great.
[00:05:05] Sarah: Wonderful to get to know you over the last few years for sure. And share and collaborate and cheer each other on along the way.
[00:05:10] Ame-Lia: Yeah, absolutely. I agree. Okay. So we are going to settle in, we're going to talk about all things leadership today. We're going to talk about this amazing summit that I got to be a part of. Was it last year? The year before COVID.
[00:05:26] Sarah: Yes, last year. Sorry. My dog wants to be in on it too.
[00:05:29] Ame-Lia: That's okay. He can be in circle.
[00:05:30] Sarah: Yes, it was last, last February was the first round and now we're doing the second round.
[00:05:37] Ame-Lia: Okay. Well, yeah, I can't wait to dive in more and, and have our listener find out about it because I know. The people that listened to this podcast are the people that want to, need to be a part of that experience. So we will get there, but as we began, I'm going to settle in with a, with a reading.
[00:05:57] And this is from Michelle Obama and it is, uh, from her book Becoming, and I thought this is fitting for what we might dive into today. So for the listener and Sarah as well, if you want to take a deep breath and even close your eyes, if you'd like to, and let these words wash over you.
[00:06:26] Let's invite one another in. Maybe then we can begin to fear less to make fewer wrong assumptions, to let go of the biases and stereotypes that unnecessarily divide us. Maybe we can better embrace the ways we are the same. It's not about being perfect. It's not about where you get yourself in the end. There's power in allowing yourself to be known and heard and owning your unique story in using your authentic voice.
[00:06:54] And there's grace in being willing to know and hear others. This for me is how we become.
[00:07:03] Sarah: Wow. That just brings, uh, shivers and goosebumps and emotion all up all at once. What an inspiring reading. Thank you.
[00:07:17] Ame-Lia: It reminds me of what it is you're up to in the world, because I think it, my impression of what it is that you do is really about having leaders find their own voice, know themselves better, and really deepen into who they are so that they can lead bigger and better, and not only shift their organizations, but have that ripple out into the world.
[00:07:40] And I'm so inspired by that work that you're doing.
[00:07:45] Sarah: Thank you. I'm, uh, touched and pleasantly surprised that that's what you're perceiving, because that is my personal and internal mission. Uh, but I'm not sure how, you know, it always necessarily comes across. And, and, uh, I know like your, your work that you're doing here with, with this podcast and the people that you support and serve,
[00:08:05] I know you focus on being that change internally first. And so we definitely align very well on that as, as a personal mission and that we get to be able to integrate that into our work and how we interact with people is incredible.
[00:08:21] Ame-Lia: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Okay. So Sarah, the first question we always ask here is who are you?
[00:08:28] And this is. Yeah, this is something you can take wherever you want to go, whatever pops up for you as we begin our journey here together. So Sarah, who are you?
[00:08:40] Sarah: That's a big question. As you know, and, and something that I've actually worked with for years over my personal development journey. And I think that's kind of what.
[00:08:50] Part of what brings me to where I am today and that clarity of, of who am I, I think is always evolving right now. I like to identify myself as a teacher and a coach. I find that those things resonate with me the most for, you know, when you're doing something and get into that flow state. That's it for me, you know, some people paint, for me, it's teaching.
[00:09:12] So I feel like helping, shaping, and uplift others is my way of creating and helping the world and making the thing, everything a better place, basically.
[00:09:24] Ame-Lia: Beautiful. You’re also a mom.
[00:09:26] Sarah: Yes. Yes. I don't know if you can hear her back there. It's nap time right now. I was hoping she'd be sleeping during this time window. So hopefully this works okay though.
[00:09:37] Ame-Lia: She can join us in circle too.
[00:09:39] Sarah: Yeah. Thank you. Yes, it is. Uh, it is a all family place in my house today. So part of being that authentic whole self person now, so yes.
[00:09:51] Ame-Lia: So let's speak a little bit more about the work that you are doing in the world. I love hearing people's stories, their journey to how it is they got to doing the things that they're up to and those, those life moments that, uh, brought us to where we are, or the teachings, whatever it happens to be.
[00:10:11] But, um, for you being an executive leadership coach with a particular angle, You apply to that, which really is, I think, like I said earlier, sort of extending beyond the leader and the organization, but actually making a global impact. What is it that drew you to the work that you're doing right now?
[00:10:33] Sarah: well that, that global impacts is huge when I think about it with my brain, but that's what I wanted to.
[00:10:40] That's sort of like the root of my desire to want to make a difference in the world was beyond just not helping one person. Not that just what helping one person isn’t enough. But I want to be able to help everybody. So I realized like if that's the root of my kind of passion for, for life. And so I realized if I can help leaders, then they can help those people that they reach.
[00:11:02] And then we can all help be that change piece. And so the motivation comes from being bigger than where I can potentially reach on my own and also the joy of collaboration, which I'm learning part of through the summit that I ran for the first time last year, that collaboration piece. It was just so much fun, you know, to be able to get together with like people like yourself and the other speakers to really work together in supporting each other and also helping bringing these positive uplifting messages, in a time when I think people can really use that kind of connection and inspiration and authentic kind of dialogue.
[00:11:40] And I found over the years, Well, I've been trained as a, um, a leader through an MBA and which was amazing and all kinds of different courses and things I've done over the years, I found what was missing was the personal development piece. And, you know, through any sort of interaction, how you show up is going to be impactful and how people respond.
[00:12:03] And so, uh, in my personal development journey, I spent a lot of time, in my kind of twenties, thirties working on my personal development. Cause I wasn't a parent yet, but I was a parent later on in life. So I, I had that kind of luxury at that time to really go into meditation and, and, uh, self-development studies and all of that over quite a few years.
[00:12:25] Because I needed to, I was struggling with stress and overwhelm and all of those things that a lot of people do, um, struggle with. And so what I found through that is that development of self awareness. And like we talked about when we did your interview the other day about the conversation mastery, it was really around knowing yourself and,
[00:12:48] when you're triggered and when you know how you react when you're present versus when maybe you're not fully, you know, in your full self, you know, whatever's kind of maybe not too off your center a little bit. And, and so what I've, I've seen over the years, um, guess this has a bit of a story journey.
[00:13:06] Uh, I was involved locally here with a mental health organization, sort of a committee within the federal government here. And, um, what I found in talking to leaders in that kind of role, was that all the leaders at all levels of the organization, whether they knew boys, new managers, or even some of the most senior leadership, they all were in what they called the red zone, where you're kind of in that sort of barely surviving panic mode all the time.
[00:13:37] Not just because there's something going on, but because that's just how life was and what I realized was a lot of leaders don't know how to get out of that. I had the honor, like years ago of going to UBC and taking some education there and the executive program. And, um, I was teaching meditation at the time.
[00:14:00] I haven't done that doing it lately, but I was for awhile and they asked me to do a little meditation session for the executives. So during lunch, but it's some people to try that with me and we did five minutes. So it wasn't long. We did. I just guided them through a five minute meditation. And some of these executives that they've never had that peace in their mind ever before in their life.
[00:14:24] They'd never had that kind of calm moment. And so these kinds of pieces along the way, I've started to kind of put together this puzzle of some of the pain points of, in my community. You know, the whole concept of healing, the tears in your community. Uh, I realized that's sort of something that I see people struggling with that I don't believe they have to.
[00:14:47] And I've gone through my own journey of finding how to manage, doing everything I want to do. Cause I'm visionary, passionate, excited would like to be involved in a lot of things. Um, but without that offset of the burnout and the overwhelm where you're in that survival mode all the time. And so slowly over the years, I've kind of built my own
[00:15:06] strategy or approach, I guess, for my personal needs. And then I've also now been able to share it with others. And so they've been able to get more what I like to call it, out of that thrive mode or sorry, out of survive mode and into thrive mode where they can really be that inspired, passionate, creative, big picture, strategic, visionary that they are because they're handling the pieces that we're putting them into survive mode.
[00:15:32] So, I don't know if that answered your question's a bit of a long answer. They're a bit on the journey, how I am, how I have gotten where I am today.
[00:15:39] Ame-Lia: No, it's brilliant. I love it. I love too the flow of it. Your, your story just really demonstrates that life isn't linear. And it sounds to me like you were picking up and doing things that interested you and you needed for yourself and you found nourishing.
[00:15:59] And then now, what you're doing today is really offering those gifts back to the world. And it's not a path that you probably knew in high school or university or whatever, but it's, it's the sort of the flow of the river that you followed and, and landed you here in this beautiful space, doing really powerful work.
[00:16:20] Sarah: Thank you. Yes, it's been a journey, my own journey. And then. Slowly creating sort of a process around it, you know, you can look in hindsight, oh, well, what kind of transformation did I go through? And then, you know, starting to show, share that with others and have them also do the same kind of transformation.
[00:16:39] That is really pretty neat, actually. Um, so I feel like what, there was a bumpy ride along the way to get where I'm at today. It was definitely worth it to be able to, um, be the person that I am now and have the honor to support others and organizations and leaders in their own personal journeys and their kind of personal and professional development.
[00:17:00] Ame-Lia: Yeah. Yeah. Beautiful. So let's talk a little bit more about that. I think, um, your work focuses a lot on personal growth and building that resilience, it sounds like. And then also working on those big mindset pieces that of course really govern our actions and like those thoughts and beliefs that we carry really
[00:17:26] indicate, like you said earlier, even when we're in difficult conversation that shows up those things are running in the background and, and really, um, impact how it is we see the world and how we show up in the world. So when you're doing this work, what is the biggest resistance that you see in leaders?
[00:17:42] Or is there a resistance to doing this work? I guess that's the first question. And how are you supporting leaders to work through that or work through whatever comes up for them.
[00:17:54] Sarah: Yeah, that's a good question. And the first thing that comes up is sort of my thought around the whole piece of that inner work.
[00:18:01] And I feel like that's crucial because if we are feeling like a three out of 10 on energy or mood or whatever, then we're going to be acting at a three out of 10 level with everybody that we connect with on our teams, our colleagues, our customers, whoever they are, we're going to make level three decisions.
[00:18:23] And we're going to react at a level three level. And so, um, if we can get our inner level higher, if we can start at a nine or 10 for the day or an eight or seven, whatever, you know, is good. I guess ideally would want to be starting at a 10, I guess let's use that as an example. So imagine if you are starting at a 10 level of emotion and energy and how that will impact how you are connecting with people, how you are leading, how you're inspiring, how you're handling difficult situations, you know, um, maybe something happens at work with your team or a member on your team.
[00:19:01] Has something has personal come up. Maybe there was all of a sudden, an immediate deadline and, you know, you can just sail through these things and hold kind of that authentic thriving energy if you start there. And so the resistance, I think is partially, not necessarily prioritizing that inner work. And that's, I think part of, part of my message is that for me, anyway, I know that that is crucial because if I'm not taking care of that person piece first, then you can imagine the ripple effect, right.
[00:19:32] The negative ripple effect. So, so part of it is just acknowledging that it's actually more important than it might seem. It's not just getting a good night's sleep and, you know, feeling happy, you know, there's a lot more, like you said, that mindset work and that sort of how we perceive things and how we choose to think about things.
[00:19:50] And all of that really changes in how we show up as a leader, how we show up as a person in our personal relationships and all of that.
[00:19:56] Ame-Lia: Absolutely. Yeah. I've been thinking a lot about that in terms of putting it in the context of colonialism. And how it is. We are how it is. We've created this society really.
[00:20:08] And these workplace cultures. Are so driven and so undervaluing that personal aspect about self care and building our own resilience. And it's definitely been highlighted I think in this world of COVID where people's resilience is maxed because so much is changing and we're responding to so much on a daily basis that, and that I know all the work is still there to do.
[00:20:35] And I've heard from a lot of leaders that there is a big struggle right now on that resilience piece. I was just at this decolonization workshop and they talked a lot about our beliefs and our values that have stemmed from this colonial system and sort of this permission piece of knowing that we are, we are in these structures that don't value connection to self, and it's not our fault, you know, the way in which we show up in the way in which our organizations are structured.
[00:21:09] And, as we raise our awareness of the structures that are around us and give ourselves, uh, some forgiveness in terms of why it is we show up this way, there's an opening to create new ways of being, and it feels like the work that you're doing is really helping people step through this, walk through this process, uh, to really normalize, taking care of themselves, normalize a new way of doing work in the world.
[00:21:38] Sarah: I think it's mandatory. I think we can't continue the way we have before it. And I think this COVID kind of whole lifestyle of the pandemic has shifted for many people. You know, how things have worked for their work life. Um, I mean, right now I'm working from home and previously I said that never would have been an opportunity.
[00:21:56] Another thing is I've talked to a lot of leaders lately who have found more health and more wellness in this last couple of years because they're not commuting multiple hours a day. They're not, you know, um, dealing with those other types of things that maybe have shifted. I mean, we have different stressors, but then also what, some ways there've also been, I think for many people, some positive changes and some people that I've been speaking to lately haven't wanted to go back.
[00:22:26] They haven't wanted to kind of lose that. Another complaint that has come up or concern, I guess, would be: Well, they have a good health life work-life balance now, but they don't want to progress because then they feel like they have to give that up to be able to be promoted. And this is a theme that I've seen for a while and maybe it's because it might be something I hold.
[00:22:46] I don't think so. I got something that I wanting to transform that I believe that we need to have well, healthy people are, are, our organizations are built on people. Whatever work we're doing, whether it's making something or government work or values based kind of more of a not-for-profit, any kind of employment has a mission.
[00:23:11] And that that mission can’t be fulfilled if people are suffering or struggling. So I think we have to, and it's becoming even more prevalent and required, I think has we're looking at the whole concept of this great resignation as employees are becoming even more needed, whatever level that we're looking at.
[00:23:30] And so the organizations that aren't taking care of the people, I don't think will be able to sustain themselves and maybe that's okay. I don't know. I mean, I feel very strongly about if we are in a leadership position of any kind, whether it's one person or thousands. We need to take care of our people and we can't take care of our people if we're not taking care of ourselves first.
[00:23:55] So it's it's yeah, it's all comes down to the people piece for me, with the ultimate big picture aspect of then if our people are thriving, then we can have extra to think about how we can do better in our communities, but can do extra and taking care of each other there's room then for all of that. So the first step I find is that, you know inner piece.
[00:24:19] Ame-Lia: Beautiful.
[00:24:20] I went to a summit a little bit, a little while ago, and it was all of these really visionary leaders, much like the ones that you're gathering together. And I want to go there next. Um, but there, the theme there was that the businesses and organizations that will survive and thrive are the ones, exactly
[00:24:38] like you're talking about that. Take that internal focus first and also have that mandate to serve. The world, uh, serve those most in need, make some sort of social difference. And if organizations are not focused on that, they're still focused on shareholders and money and that kind of thing, that not just money, but money for the purpose of making money, not money for the purpose of how much can we give back and serve that they will not do well.
[00:25:11] So it's all resonating with what you're sharing here today and probably what we’ll hear a lot of in your summit that starts on February 25th. So I want to go there. Um, I participated in the summit the first time you ran it. And I have to say that it was an amazing experience for me in that I got to hear so many amazing, powerful women who are doing such great work in the world.
[00:25:39] And these women are not like the Lisa Nichols and the Oprah Winfrey's and the Changemakers at that level, but they are infiltrating society at all different levels, doing all sorts of amazing work. And, and that's, I really love that about the summit. Um, and then also just being able to meet with them and build relationship and community.
[00:26:01] And I think you did a stellar job at creating community, not only amongst all the speakers, but with the folks that show up. So, um, Well, let's hear about this summit. So you're calling it the Sweet Spot of Leadership Summit. It's February 22nd to the 25th. What is it? And why, why are you dedicating your time to putting something like this?
[00:26:26] Sarah: Oh yes. So great questions. Well, I'm dedicated my time this year, because it was great. Last year, I had such a great time, like you said, connecting with yourself and getting to know other amazing people that are up to great things. And, and like you said, the people that we've gathered, even though I'm using a lofty title of global leadership summit, that actually came from the fact that we had people from around the globe, speakers from around the globe speaking.
[00:26:52] And so it also pairs with my mission of wanting to have a power through positive, global impact. So, so that worked really well. And I really think that there's something important about sort of this, not quite grass grassroots, but, um, I want to support people that are doing great things and help uplift each other.
[00:27:12] And so the summit has just been great that way to sort of amplify each other's voices and to share that way. And the sweet spot title actually came from, that's been a bit of a theme that's been running through my life this last year. People were speaking to me and saying, Hey, you know, it looks like you hit your sweet spot, Sarah.
[00:27:32] And people kind of said that multiple times. And so I thought, you know, that sounds great. And it's true. And I think that's come from being in my thrive state more regularly. That was my goal this past year. And so I prioritize things differently, so I could be at that higher energy state and not saying that you have to be perfect and happy and high energy all the time, because I know that's not realistic.
[00:27:54] And we, we need these times of rest as well as times of activity. Part of why I call my coaching business, Exhale and Thrive Coaching. Cause I believe we need the exhale peace, that yin internal piece before we can do that external yang piece. Um, so that sweet spot piece is coming from a place of, you know, how do we get to that?
[00:28:16] And so we have speakers from, again, all over the globe, touching on those topics from anything from kind of dieticians. Cause I know the internal functioning is important to systems and a lot of personal mindset and leadership pieces. And it's going to be great this year. It's been an honor to get to know each of the speakers along the way.
[00:28:38] Ame-Lia: Awesome. It looks like the diversity of who you have is fantastic. Um, and I'm really excited to participate again and get to get to meet the new folks that you've been able to attract in. Who, who is this summit for and what will they walk away with by attending?
[00:29:00] Sarah: Yes. Yeah. So my goal is to aim this for leaders, but also for organizations themselves with, that have, leaders and
[00:29:08] I found that I've been able to support organizations where I've been able to come in and help multiple leaders in their organization. And so that's, my mission is to continue to do that. Partially because I wanted to have a bigger impact beyond just one, one individual leader at a time, but coming into organizations and helping them transform.
[00:29:28] Um, but this summit specifically is for leaders and organizations with leaders, really. So whether all a whole team wants to attend, uh, or, you know, an, a leader wants to attend and bring some of their friends or their colleagues that are, you know, their leadership buddies, uh, whatever feels good for them, but I've also had people that aren't necessarily in formal traditional, you know, assigned leadership roles still have value out of the content because I believe everyone is a leader, can be, regardless of your title and it's all in how we choose to show up.
[00:30:03] And I think that really also resonates with your message here, Ame-Lia, of being that change piece. And, and so, the idea would be that somebody would pick something from this buffet of the speakers and you know, it's not necessarily meant for somebody to take in all 22 sessions. Cause that's a lot in a week, but the idea is to have things along the journey.
[00:30:27] So whether you're looking at your internal development piece, maybe you're wanting to look at how you're handling your teams differently or looking at your organization or looking for inspiration and how to have a better global impact. Hopefully there's something along that journey that will resonate for you.
[00:30:43] Ame-Lia: Amazing. I love it. Tell us a little bit more about how, how it works. So, um, for example, will people be able to, if they register, will they be able to watch replays?
[00:30:56] Sarah: Yeah. Great question. Yes. So the idea is that it's going to be emailed out to people that register. So you'll get each of these speakers emailed to you each day
[00:31:07] will have multiple speakers. So. A bunch of emails, so you can pick, you know, oh, I want to see Ame-Lia's presentation. And so you can watch that in your email. And then I also have a Facebook group for the summit attendees, and we will be streaming them, the presentations there as well. So you have multiple options.
[00:31:26] The recordings will be available for the week. And so you don't have to watch it necessarily on that hour, especially cause I know we have people from across the globe attending, so not everybody's going to be available or even awake at the time when things are landing. So the idea is that you'll be able to check it out and, you know, absorb that information when it's going to work best for your, your time and your calendar.
[00:31:47] Ame-Lia: Cool. Amazing. I know it going to be awesome. Um, yeah, the, the summit last year, especially for being the first summit you organized, I just, I will always remember the professionalism and the quality that went into this and the care. I think that's what I really noted is that you really have a deep desire to support people and have done an amazing job at cultivating the people that have the message that will be able to speak and support.
[00:32:19] those that you're, you're out there to serve.
[00:32:23] Sarah: Thank you. Well, it's funny that I liked the whole organizing piece and you know, that that kind of aligns with my personality, but also the leading piece and sort of, I believe in servant leadership and, and I guess honestly, in a way this summit is, um, an example of that, where I've been able to kind of support the speakers in sharing their message and, and being authentically
[00:32:46] passionate about it, uh, and, um, kind of share it, share everybody with my community and vice versa. So it's, it's, I think I hit my sweet spot that I'm, you know, summit as, as an activity within business to really be able to connect with people and share and, and have fun along the way. So I really appreciate your feedback Ame-Lia on the experience and, and, and how, uh, highly you've spoken of it.
[00:33:09] So thank you. It's meant a lot.
[00:33:10] Ame-Lia: Yeah. You're welcome. Okay. To close out. Um, I have one more question and that is, and you've spoken a bit about this throughout our dialogue today, but what does being the change mean to you?
[00:33:28] Sarah: Um, well, I think it basically comes down to empowerment and to really recognize that we have
[00:33:38] the influence in ourselves on how we choose to show up every day, how we choose to think, how we choose to act, what we choose to do and don't, and so being that change really comes from a place of empowerment in recognizing that you are kind of the, the leader of your own self, and then that can then come from, from internally and then externally into the world.
[00:34:03] And so to really recognize that. Well, sometimes it feels, can feel overwhelming or whatever's going on in life can feel like a lot, but you always have the choice to choose how you show up and how you want to respond. And so that change, I think, is the best one to pay attention to. And when you're empowered, then you know, you, you can be that change and be that leader and be that kind of authentic
[00:34:28] self of your, you know, alignment with yourself so that you can truly show up in whatever that change mission is for you. Because I believe everyone has a positive something that they can contribute to the world. And if we can all give our gifts and share that, then I think that we can really uplift and help so many different ways, um, to really have that amazing impact in the world, whatever it is that we choose to do.
[00:34:58] Ame-Lia: Yes. And you're contributing to that every day with, with your own work that you're putting out there, but also your internal work. You're very grounded and self-aware, and, uh, that's one reason why I really love our connection, our collaboration and our conversations. So this was no different. I am so grateful that you joined us here today and we'll have all the links to register for the summit in the show notes.
[00:35:23] So please check it out. Um, thank you so much, Sarah, for everything.
[00:35:28] Sarah: No, thank you. It's been a gift to be here and to share, and I appreciate you asking such insightful and, uh, um, mind opening questions. So thank you very much for the opportunity to talk about the summit. And, um, I just wanted to let everybody know that Ame-Lia does have a presentation in the event.
[00:35:45] So if you want to come hear her over there, uh, she has done a great job talking about communication mastery. And I got some great takeaways there that have already been applying, so I'm sure everyone else that will be listening will enjoy it as well.
[00:35:58] Ame-Lia: Cool. Thanks. Thanks for that plug.
[00:36:01] Sarah: Yes, no problem.
[00:36:03] Ame-Lia: Awesome.
[00:36:07]: I'm now passing the talking piece to you. If you feel called to put your voice in the circle, please head to humconsulting.ca/podcast and share your story there. I cannot wait to hear what has come up for you as you have listened to what has been shared here today. I wish you love and joy beyond your wildest imagination. Thank you so much for being here in the Circle of Change.
I also wanna express my gratitude to the following peeps: Circle of Change is recorded on Lekwungen territories and I am so grateful to live on this land. Our opening and closing music was created by the talented E-Rol Beats. You can find his creations at erolbeats.com. And special thanks to my coach, Mary Chan, of Organized Sound Productions for bringing this podcast to life. Until next time, Ciao!
Gratitude:
Circle of Change is recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territories.
Our opening and closing music was created by the talented E-Rol Beats. You can find his creations at www.erolbeats.com
My fabulous podcast coach, Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions, brought this podcast to life www.organizedsound.ca