The Power of Agency: How Writing a Book Can Build Trust and Elevate Your Brand
Release Date: 03/24/2025
Confidence Isn’t a Trait, It’s a Practice
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic of confidence. Self-confidence The topic originated with Jim’s interest in elitism - entitlement - self-accountability - confidence In order to be self accountable, one must be confident Jim ties in the current news events and his recent book as he frames his view of confidence. Particularly sports and business He distinguishes between confidence and the competence required to be confident Jim brings up academia. See civically Harvard…and entitlements/elitism He shares the academic idea that perfection is attainable. We both support the reality of...
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Frameworks: The Invisible Structures Behind A Well Lived Life
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark shares the value of the “pregame” the guys use to prepare for the podcast He introduces the topic of frameworks How they can be good or harmful Jim shares how frameworks evolve and how ours did. Our tagline “The Imperfection Is The Perfection” Jim used this with his kids when they got frustrated with him He thinks imperfections and failures make us who we are Jim shares how when we started the podcast, we were thinking of “Civill Discourse” as a theme. Then we came upon our Wheel Of Life Jim takes us around the wheel and digs into all 5 areas of life and then some deeper...
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The Freedom of Solitude: Evolving Beyond Our Old Personas
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topics of solitude and one’s persona Jim jumps in to help contextualize this discussion Mark reads the definitions of “Persona” and “Solitude” Mark asks Jim about his trip Jim separates being alone for a few minutes from the very different version of a 7 day solo trip Jim has chosen solo trips in the last few years He reflects on how his roles and personas have changed as he’s aged He talks about not caring what others think and how freeing that is Mark reflects on the solitude that can from his divorce. He didn’t choose that but did choose how to...
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The Science of Self-Talk: How Thoughts Shape Our Reality
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic of the power of the mind and self-talk The idea that we now have science and data to support the value of positive talk, visualization and vibration in influencing our happiness and peace of mind Jim got the idea from Billy Carson’s appearance on Lewis Howe’s Greatness podcast Jim shares the story of how we met. He was struggling mentally and emotionally and had some evidence that concussions might be part of his challenge. In his research, he found me. He flew out to Orlando and we met. Jim tells his concussion story and the details of his journey toward a...
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How Sensitivity And Unconscious Bias Shape Us As Men
Imperfect Mens Club
We just started talking. No Intro! Mark brings up human nature. He suggests that men and women have unique natures as well He says recognizing and acknowledging human nature is necessary as part of any discussion of behavior Jim asks Mark his opinion about homosexuality Mark shares his ignorance and his opinion as well as his curiosity Mark brings up the Catholic Church Jim shares his significant skepticism about the Catholic church, but he doesn’t want to go any deeper So Mark shifts the topic to “standing”. Who has it, how we give it to people and how it impedes our progress He say...
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The Power of Agency: How Writing a Book Can Build Trust and Elevate Your Brand
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic of agency. Jim thinks Mark is a great example of what an agent is He reads a definition and adds some context to what an agent is and how he may, in fact, be one The value of having an objective third party negotiating on your behalf Jim thinks AI will make being an agent much more valuable He discusses the agents he uses. His patent agent, for example. Agents are not as close as we are to our capabilities and competencies Agents can be particularly helpful negotiating your price. What you’re worth He talks about his most recent projects to operate as an agent Jim...
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Finding Strength in Adversity: Navigating Suicide and the Power of Self Fortitude
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark leads with the definition of “fortitude” and “self fortitude” He suggests the one is more internal and the other more external Jim shares his recent difficult week due to 4 or 5 people he is close to are experiencing hardship. From illness to the loss of a young man to suicide Jim puts his experiences in the context of our “Flywheel of Life” “When you’re healthy you have hundreds of things on your mind. When you’re ill, you have one” Jim shares some of the challenges his friends have. His mom is in pain, his cousin has cancer and another has upcoming surgery. Finally...
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Unconditional Service: Navigating the Complexities of Helping Others
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic of serving others and connects it to the flywheel of life in the category of relationships/others. Jim brings up the wheel and discusses each of the 5 areas - Money, worldview, relationships, health and career/profession This episode is about others. Men and women He says there are two types of service and then shares his recent event KBIS in Las Vegas. He was selected as #1 membership chair in the country Two types of service are paid and unpaid He talks about the unpaid type - how different it is to serve for pay and to serve simply to serve “Unconditional”...
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How Are You Serving Others? What Does That Look Like?
Imperfect Mens Club
Jim - the most important conversation you’ll ever have is with yourself…and that person is a crazy person Jim frames service in the context of bringing a product or service to the market to help people in some ways He frames this in the context of his most recent project that he asked Mark for help with - his talk about the kitchen and bath industry Jim asks. If it’s not just money, why do we seek to serve. What’s the bigger picture Both guys feel strongly that they have something to offer the world and the world has things to offer them Our experience leaves us with knowledge and...
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Growth Is On The Other Side Of Resistance
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic and both guys have personal accounts of dealing with making themselves vulnerable Jim thinks that most of us don’t put ourselves out there Jim brings in our flywheel and the 5 areas of life and then uses his 5 W’s approach (Why, who, when, where and what) Mark reads the definition of self-vulnerability that Jim provides from his online searches about the topic Jim says acknowledging your strengths is easy, but sharing your weaknesses is much harder Jim shares his fear he experienced getting ready for a recent webinar presentation. He wonders why he put himself out...
info_outlineMark introduces the topic of agency. Jim thinks Mark is a great example of what an agent is
He reads a definition and adds some context to what an agent is and how he may, in fact, be one
The value of having an objective third party negotiating on your behalf
Jim thinks AI will make being an agent much more valuable
He discusses the agents he uses. His patent agent, for example. Agents are not as close as we are to our capabilities and competencies
Agents can be particularly helpful negotiating your price. What you’re worth
He talks about his most recent projects to operate as an agent
Jim shares his story about a meeting he had recently and how he’s being told he should write a book
The value of having your own book
He shares his “Greenbuild” story. What it’s like in the San Francisco Bay Area regarding diversity, women’s groups and other woke topics
Jim thinks it would be great if we just got back to building things. Diversity on it’s own is a silly topic
Jim shares his conversation with a grant writer…the importance of human interaction and how we are disconnecting from it
She brought up the book writing topic
Mark says he has also been told to write a book. He reflects on a couple of recent conversations. Both became about human interaction and the value of having an agent to move the professional ball forward. Objectivity alone can be very helpful. How powerful it is to have a 3rd party voice
Mark talks about the value of authority/credibility that a book brings
Jim asks Mark about how he works. He pokes at the details of how Mark chooses and helps people. He thinks we all underestimate our capability and willingness to help
Our value goes well beyond our direct skill. Trust opens up those doors
Mark shares how he has access to market data that might be worth even more than his coaching
Jim cautions Mark that this knowledge is NOT FREE
Second, he talks about IP and how valuable it is
Jim puts on his agent cap and shares with Mark how he might be his agent
Jim then goes into his opinion on AI and the creation content…podcasts, books, articles…everything
Jim thinks AI create content “equality”
Mark loves the contrarian approach to rules and ways of doing things
Mark asks, “what am I worth?”
Mark is convinced that Jim would ask for more than Mark would for himself
Jim gives examples of agents we all work with
Real estate agents, sports agents, career agents…
He shares his pro baseball story about his friend the pro coach
The $40 million dollar negotiation and the value of an agent in that negotiation
Mark shares his perspective on the value of agency. He shares how helpful he can be to IT people who are mostly introverted
Mark shares how candid and authentic approaches are so much more influential
He shares his perspective on salespeople too
Mark brings up helping friends and family and Jim cautions that they might be a little too close to help objectively
Jim talks about being “unemployable”
Mark shares the importance of messaging and how your “brand” fits in
Jim gives us a bit more detail about his 3 recent requests for speaking/advice gigs
Jim is wary of “big consulting firms” and Mark shares his perspective on this
He talks about competing against big brands/logos/t-shits/reputations by being authentic and practical and trustworthy. Different ulterior motives
Jim brings in the political agents who got it all wrong and are now wondering what to do next
Mark shares his confusion about how these people/agents keep getting hired
He also clarifies how powerful brand is and how clients without confidence hire brand simply to protect themselves. Momma duck and her ducklings
Jim says the big ad agencies do the same thing
Are the industries going away?
If you can’t measure it, you can’t determine efficacy. Jim says AI will change this
Mark - why do they hire the big known brand?
It’s all changing