The E-League Essentials
The essential teachings of The E-League
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9 Mission Vision And Values Examples
11/02/2020
9 Mission Vision And Values Examples
In episode 8 I gave you a high level overview of what Mission Vision and Values were. Episode 8 is essential the first step towards this on going work. What I know for sure is that you need to come back to this again and again. But now, we get to work things out a tiny bit more. I’ll also refer back to that which I recorded in 2017 plus updates, as of October 2020. For a quick reference lets remember what a Mission statement is. It answers the following questions: What does your podcast do for your listener What does your podcast do for you (and your team.) What does your podcast do for your community (the world) Let’s look at one of my all time favorite companies: Patagonia When I first recorded this episode the following is what I found as their mission statement. ❝Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.❞ I thought that it was pretty simple, clean and on point. That said, as I looked back to their current website (links can be found in the show notes!) I found this: I’m going to read an excerpt. Feel free to check out the whole thing yourself: We're In Business To Save Our Home Planet. Our Reason For Being At Patagonia, we appreciate that all life on earth is under threat of extinction. We aim to use the resources we have—our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations—to do something about it. We donate our time, services and at least 1 percent of our sales to help hundreds of grassroots organisations all over the world so that they can remain vigilant, and protect what’s irreplaceable. At the same time, we know that we risk saving a tree only to lose the forest—a livable planet. As the loss of biodiversity, arable soils, coral reefs and fresh water all accelerate, we are doing our best to address the causes, and not just symptoms, of global warming. Staying true to our core values during forty-plus years in business has helped us create a company we're proud to run and work for. To stay in business for at least forty more, we must defend the place we all call home. Yes. It’s a lot longer. It expanded and clarified exactly who they are and how they stand by who they say they are - less room for interpretation. A couple of years ago, I used a fantastic blog post that was 51 mission statement examples from the worlds best companies. I’m still going to share it in the shownotes so that you can reference it. The comments on that post are amazing. Worth checking out. But in doing research now I found another website that provides awesome insight into mission, vision and values from a ton companies. The website is called I used it as the primary source in getting these statements. What I want you to note is when you go “yes! totally!” and when you go “woah, really? um…who knew?” because then you will know whether that mission statement is translating all the way out to the world. Let’s start with PayPal, from Alessio’s article PayPal: “To build the Web’s most convenient, secure, cost-effective payment solution.” From PayPal now “We believe that now is the time to reimagine money, to democratize financial services, so that managing and moving money is a right for all citizens, not just the affluent. Tesla: “Our goal when we created Tesla a decade ago was the same as it is today: to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing compelling mass market electric cars to market as soon as possible.” Update — “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable transportation and energy” Here are a couple that stayed the same! Sony: “To be a company that inspires and fulfills your curiosity.” MoMa: “To collect, preserve, study, exhibit, and stimulate appreciation for and advance knowledge of works of art that collectively represent the broadest spectrum of human achievement at the highest level of quality, all in the service of the public and in accordance with the highest professional standards.” Here are others… SEPHORA - At Sephora, we believe beauty is for each person to define and ours to celebrate. Together, we support and encourage bold choices in beauty— and in life. Our purpose is to inspire fearlessness. Netflix - Our core strategy is to grow our streaming subscription business domestically and globally. We are continuously improving the customer experience with a focus on expanding our streaming content, enhancing our user interface and extending our streaming service to even more internet-connected devices, while staying within the parameters of our consolidated net income and operating segment contribution profit targets. Apple - We believe that we're on the face of the earth to make great products and that's not changing. We're constantly focusing on innovating. We believe in the simple, not the complex. We believe we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make and participate only in markets where we can make a significant contribution. We believe in saying no to thousands of projects so that we can focus on the few that are meaningful to us. We believe in deep collaboration and cross pollination in order to innovate in a way others cannot. We don't settle for anything other than excellence in any group in the company, and we have the self-honesty to admit when we're wrong and the courage to change. (If you listen to the podcast episode you will hear me editorialize a lot, especially about the ones below! Please make sure you listen to the audio episode) Some that I question: Facebook - “Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what's going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them" On the following, there was a change: Twitter: “To give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers.” NOW Twitter - Reach the largest daily audience in the world by connecting everyone to their world via our information sharing and distribution platform products and be one of the top revenue generating Internet companies in the world. Google - “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” VISION STATEMENTS The following are direct examples of from a post on the website Top Non-Profits. The numbers in parenthesis are the word count of each of the Vision statements. As you can see, they tend to be quite compact and to the point. I didn’t use all of the Vision Statements. I posted some of the ones that spoke to me the most. Human Rights Campaign: Equality for everyone (3) Alzheimer’s Association: A world without Alzheimer’s (4) The Nature Conservancy: To leave a sustainable world for future generations. (8) Habitat for Humanity: A world where everyone has a decent place to live. (10) NPR, with its network of independent member stations, is America’s pre-eminent news institution (12) Save the Children: A world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation. (15) Teach for America: One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education. (16) Smithsonian: Shaping the future by preserving our heritage, discovering new knowledge, and sharing our resources with the world (17) ASPCA: That the United States is a humane community in which all animals are treated with respect and kindness. (18) Goodwill: Every person has the opportunity to achieve his/her fullest potential and participate in and contribute to all aspects of life. (21) Kiva: We envision a world where all people – even in the most remote areas of the globe – hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others. (26) Special Olympics: To transform communities by inspiring people throughout the world to open their minds, accept and include people with intellectual disabilities and thereby anyone who is perceived as different. (28) Creative Commons: Nothing less than realizing the full potential of the Internet — universal access to research and education, full participation in culture — to drive a new era of development, growth, and productivity. (30) Here are 3 from for profits that were already mentioned. PayPal: PayPal’s vision statement is we believe every person has the right to participate fully in the global economy. We have an obligation to empower people to exercise this right and improve financial health. Sephora: Sephora’s vision main component will be to create a worthwhile experience for all its customers with its products, an aspect it has been unequaled in this niche. Netflix: Becoming the best global entertainment distribution service. Licensing entertainment content around the world, creating markets that are accessible to film makers and helping content creators around the world to find a global audience.’ The brand promise is a quest; Apple: We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products and that s not changing. We are constantly focusing on innovating. We believe in the simple not the complex. We believe that we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make, and participate only in markets where we can make a significant contribution. We believe in saying no to thousands of projects, so that we can really focus on the few that are truly important and meaningful to us. We believe in deep collaboration and cross-pollination of our groups, which allow us to innovate in a way that others cannot. And frankly, we don t settle for anything less than excellence in every group in the company, and we have the self-honesty to admit when we re wrong and the courage to change. And I think regardless of who is in what job those values are so embedded in this company that Apple will do extremely well. VALUES Looking at these was absolutely THE most informative than Mission and Vision statements. As you read the below you’ll see that some of these values you can absolutely see in the companies every day behavior, marketing and development. At times, it feels that the values are driving the behavior far more than the Mission and the Vision. Is that because they are easier to align with them? Is it because the Mission and Vision no longer support the reality of what’s happening day in and day out at a company or organization ? The below company values come from the website 6Q. Link below Facebook Focus on impact Move fast Be bold Be open Build social value Google Focus on the user and all else will follow. It’s best to do one thing really, really well. Fast is better than slow. Democracy on the web works. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer. You can make money without doing evil. There’s always more information out there. The need for information crosses all borders. You can be serious without a suit. Great just isn’t good enough. IKEA Humbleness and willpower. Leadership by example. Daring to be different. Togetherness and enthusiasm. Cost-consciousness. Constant desire for renewal. Accept and delegate responsibility. SquareSpace Be your own customer Empower individuals Design is not a luxury Good work takes time Optimize towards ideals Simplify Updated from the website! Be the customer Design is not a luxury Build the ideal Learn fast, act fast Protect creativity Simplify I promised the Squarespace about page: SO GOOD! Warby Parker Treat customers the way we’d like to be treated. Create an environment where employees can think big, have fun, and do good. Get out there. Green is good. Netflix Judgment Communication Curiosity Courage Passion Selflessness Innovation Inclusion Integrity Impact Are you a little clearer about Mission, Vision and Values? It’s your turn! NEXT STEPS Create 3 separate pages one for Mission, Vision and Values - in whichever medium helps you the most, text, mind map, notebook Mission: answer these questions: What does your podcast do for your listener What does your podcast do for you (and your team.) What does your podcast do for your community (the world) Vision: what do you want to become? Keep it short 10- 15 words (try your best, of course if you can’t expand!) Values: start with yourself first, your personal values - take your core values over to your podcast and expand on them to reflect your Mission and Vision As always, hit me up on Voxer either privately or within the group chat. The other place that you can go to is #TheSpaceIn The E-League. There is a corresponding post there with the check list items, and links to all of my references!
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8 Mission, Vision & Values
11/02/2020
8 Mission, Vision & Values
If you’ve been following these Essentials and doing even the smallest amount of work around them, you’ve started to gather all kinds of ‘words’ and language for yourself. I believe your Language is so very important, not only as a way to illustrate who you are as a brand and to highlight your big Why but also as a basic human skill to tell the world who we are. Key there, dear ones, BASIC HUMAN SKILL. I value this work more IN the world, as in your every day interactions in your life and giving each of these inquiries VOICE than any kind of copy for marketing purposes. In our every day life. This means having every day, real life conversation with one another, not only with our own families and loved ones, but also within our local communities - human to human. After that foundational work, it’s time to move to more tactical work. We begin with Mission, Vision and Values. This exercise of working on your Mission, Vision and Values is primarily internal. There is a possibility that no one will see this other than you, your community and/or possibly your team. Mission, Vision and Values serve to inform you and your choices as well as being a seminal educational and culture building tool to keep your work and your team in alignment. Your team you ask? Some of you already work with a team. Some of you are considering for the first time adding a team member. Some of you are starting to wrap your mind around seeing your podcast in a way that merits having a team. Some of you need to change your mindset to start to think bigger - even if it is recognizing that you could have a team or that all the different jobs that you currently do are many and each of them needs to always be informed by something bigger. It’s time to recognize that you are the boss, you are the EXECUTIVE PRODUCER of your show, which includes a cohesive experience of: content creation, production, audio processing, content marketing, products, services, events, etc. In episodes 4, 5, 6 and 7 we covered shifting your mindset from show to ecosystem, the power of the language that you can repeat and zeroing in on the conversations that you want to have. This is the time to refer back to that work and distill it into a tactical narrower vessel that keeps you on task as well as facilitates communicating with those that want to support you the most or you want to support you the most. So what does that mean exactly in plain english? Your Mission, Vision and Values are important because: ● They will not only strengthen your culture but will unify your purpose. ● Like the conversations that you want to have, they help you make decisions and continue to help align you to the BIG vision and keep you on track. ● This last point, might only affect a few of you: they will help you strengthen cross functional relationships What that means is that if you happen to have a team, it will help everyone to understand priorities. It will empower them to make decisions for the good of the whole. It will help every one work towards the one thing. Mission The Mission is your big Why (your purpose.) Why your podcast exists. You’ve decided to make a difference and you’ve chosen your podcast as either the main way or a very important channel for your message. Breaking it down, so that you can work on your mission answer the following questions: What does your podcast do for your listener What does your podcast do for you (If applicable) What does your podcast do for you team What does your podcast do for your community (the world) RE: that last one, which might feel like what’s the difference between your listeners and your community? This is all about the one and the many. The individual and the universal. The community is the whole, it’s the collective aka the world. After answering those what questions we get to the how…and for us, as podcasters, the HOW is your podcast + your ecosystem + your conversation, that is what drives the mission. How = your podcast + your ecosystem + your conversation (the drive) To wrap it up, your mission shares how your podcast (and by extension your ecosystem) does what it does for your listener, you and the world VISION Answers what you want to become. This is how I position it for your podcast: how your podcast would appear in a future successful state. If you got all that you wanted from the podcast, what would it look like 10 years from now? It really is all about focusing on TOMORROW It is the becoming It is the direction The Vision is the fuel that promotes growth, both internally and externally. It is the mental picture that keeps you on task. This is why vision boards are so popular, they represent a physical manifestation and clarity of possibilities for the future. The vision is inspiring, not just to you, but to all those that touch you and your work. This last quality of vision aligns once again with your Language That You Can Repeat because your Vision is easy to repeat. VALUES The values further the clarification of your Mission and Vision, but for me, I see them first and foremost personally and then universally - as in first I approach value for me, as a person. What are the values that I most resonate with. What are the values that I align with the most. What are the values that most matter to me and to my family? What are the values that I will not let go of? Once you have those values, then it’s about carrying them to your podcast. How much of those values also apply to your work in the podcast? And most importantly, are any of your personal values missing from your current approach to your podcast content, marketing, distribution, outreach, etc.? Once your values are front and center they will: Help you make decisions Help educate your listeners and your community about you and your work Help draw people to you - both listeners and those on your team! Your values help support and shape you as a content creator as well as your podcast. They are the essence (the principles, the beliefs, the philosophy) After taking this in, can you see how all of your work from the prior E-League Essentials can help you create your Mission, Vision and Values pretty simply? Can you see how doing the work from episode 2 all the way to episode 7 has prepared you to have all of this effectively already done, now it’s about putting all the pieces together. You’ve already done much of this work. Now it’s the time to put it altogether using your own language. Before we got to this point I needed you to start from a much deeper place (emotional, intuitive, creative) and challenged you to start to take action with it FROM THAT FREE INSTINCTUAL PLACE because doing this work can become too analytical, strategic, and methodical. I have found creating mission, vision and value statements purely from the left brain can be detached and not grounded in integrity and truth. It’s super easy to write down lofty ideals that sound ‘good’ but the reality of abiding by them is a completely different story. At the point of creating this episode, the political system and culture in the U.S. Is volatile, unstable and lacking in almost every single aspect. The entire society is being called out, Given our current world, many companies have re-aassessed their own Mission, Vision and Values and an equal amount have stuck to what they started with —- that’s not the issue. The issue is that what’s on paper does not add up. Before we get to the tactical and strategic we must do the hard work of introspection and intuition. When we align both, we’ll have one powerful weapon of good. In the next episode I’ll breakdown some of these concepts on current examples. Your homework is to start the process of creating your podcast’s Mission, Vision and Values as well as to do a bit of research on your own. Next steps Find three of your favorite big brands and find out what their Mission, Vision and Values are. Answer these questions for you Mission: What does your podcast do for your listener What does your podcast do for you (If applicable) What does your podcast do for you team What does your podcast do for your community (the world) If you already have already worked on your Mission, Vision and Values, do they still add up to you? READ THEM ALOUD TO YOURSELF Lastly, look back at the work that you’ve done, any journaling, any type of writing, any insights that you might have had, anything that you’ve said in conversation with our group work, or individually to me. I promise you’ve ironed out so much of this already. Plant your own seeds and reap your own harvest.
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7 Why YOUR Conversations Matters
10/26/2020
7 Why YOUR Conversations Matters
In Episode 6 Find YOUR Conversation First, I mentioned that the number one piece of advice I offer to most specific, seemingly individual questions from those I work with is almost always the question ❝ What is the conversation that you want to have? ❞ Your conversation is the beacon to your work. It’s in your ability to expertly guide dialogue that you’ll be able to effectively impact cultural narratives that might need to up-level or even evolve. I’ll illustrate here, with my guiding conversation, what I essentially use as a litmus test: How are we offering content that has impact and begins a larger process of building a greater understanding of our world, not just replicating existing media and cultural dynamics? I’ve expanded that language to describe ME. I challenge podcasters and the podcasting industry to offer content that not only has impact but builds a greater understanding of our world by breaking down outmoded and inutile cultural dynamics that aren’t merely duplicating existing media and it’s business models and reinforcing institutional racism I’ve narrowed it to be: Having conversations that shift inutile cultural norms. Now let’s put that conversation to practice to answer those specific questions that I mentioned in the last episode I’ve been approached by someone as an interview for my podcast but I’m not sure if I want to have them on the show (conundrums around this have to do with exposure from the person - or that they are famous in their space but something feels off) Is this person in some way breaking down useless cultural dynamics? Is this person doing something innovative in the way that they approach media? Will my audience benefit from the way that they have disrupted their niche? I’ve been considering publishing 2x a week vs 1x a week OR I’m feeling 1x a week is too much I want to cut back (explanation of why making this decision is challenging) In what way will changing my schedule help me model or experiment with connecting with my audience in a greater way? Will changing my production schedule help me have a different relationship and understanding of media creation and media consumption to better support my audience needs? Am I making my decision based on what ‘has already been done’ or ‘it’s what everyone else is doing’ or is it coming from deeper understanding that THIS is what I feel needs to be done? Should I be on Twitter or (fill in the blank of the social media platform that you have an inquiry about) Is Twitter where the majority of my conversation is happening? Are those that could potentially be interested in having conversations that shift the cultural norm around podcasting present in Twitter? Where do I feel the most comfortable and empowered to communicate the conversation that I want to have? Where can MY conversation have the most value and impact? How do you get more feedback and engagement from my listeners? Am I making sure that I’m asking for feedback or requesting to engage in conversation where my people feel the most comfortable in sharing? Am I reaching out to individual people that are currently wanting to have the conversation that I want to have? Have I been willing to educate my listeners about why dialogue is important to further greater understanding? I’m getting bored with my show, and I’m not sure what to do…should I quit? Should I push through it? Am I 100% engaging in having the conversation that I want to have? Am I feeling that my current episode template is not facilitating my ability to do something different? Have I outgrown the reason I started podcasting in the first place? Does my podcast need reflect who I am now? How do I differentiate my show from all the others out there? Am I having the conversation that I want to have. Am I challenging podcasters and the podcasting industry to offer content that has impact? Content that builds greater understanding? Am I challenging cultural dynamics that no longer serve us? There is no need to actively pursue differentiation if you are having the conversation that YOU want to have and that you feel is necessary to have. Please note, that when I say your conversation it does not in any way mean that you have an actual conversation as in, you need interviews, or a co-host. You can instigate and have a conversation as a solo show and any other iteration of ‘type’ of podcast. Your listener is the other side of the dialogue. Your clients, or those you serve are the other side of the dialogue. I hope that you understand how important your conversation is. Of course there can always be refinement. Of course there will be an evolution of your conversation. It continues to grow and change. Keep this in mind as you continue with this work and that which has happened before: YOU MUST HAVE A PREFERENCE. YOU MUST HAVE AN OPINION. YOU MUST STAND FOR SOMETHING. YOU MUST HAVE LIKES AND DISLIKES - AND YOU MUST BE WILLING TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. AND YOU MUST BE WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR IMPACT THAT CAUSES HARM REGARDLESS OF YOUR INTENTION That last part is possibly the most important and it’s how we evolve individually and collectively. It’s in our willingness to go all into our certainty, stay open to our doubt AND take responsibility that we can auspiciously evolve. That’s the dance of the divine paradox. Now that you’ve gotten an idea of how Your Conversation serves as the lens from which you make decisions about your show and your business, can you put it into action? What is a question that you might be having about your strategy, whether it be content, marketing, scheduling, however mundane it might feel and can you answer the question by usingYour Conversation? Coming up in the next episode we’ll start the process of putting it all together 😳 via your mission, vision and values.
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6 Find YOUR conversation first
10/26/2020
6 Find YOUR conversation first
Before we continue let’s tap in again to setting the space as in the introduction to the Essentials ”I am willing to learn from this experience” ”I’m willing to dive into the space in between” ”I will re-discover the space in me that holds the wisdom of what's next” ”I give myself the gift of the space in” Why is this important? Because being able to move from a beginner’s mind is one of the most important skills we can develop as a human being. This skill is taught through most spiritual and scholarly schools of thoughts. In Sanskrit, the term for the beginner’s mind is abhuta (a b h u t a) The best word in English that the term translates to is wonderment. It’s the wonder in a child’s eyes when he sees bubbles for the first time, or when you have your very first encounter with a puppy, kitten or a baby. It’s the moment when you walk outside and something about nature blows your mind. It’s the WOW. A beginner’s mind is the entry. It is the doorway to depth, complexity and refinement. As skills build to excellence, the beginner’s mind is step one into a systematic approach towards optimal performance that begins from a state of expansiveness. It’s the possibility. From that place…on with the show! I’ve asked for you to consider your foundation: what is the underlying principle or essence of you I’ve asked you to look at your podcast or podcast business in it’s current iteration and answer: Is your podcast, your podcasts or your podcasting business the axis from which your digital footprint expands? I’ve introduced you to the concept of moving your podcast from Show to Ecosystem and seeing the possibilities of expansion through transmedia. And finally to recognizing the power of language that you can repeat as a key differentiator and instigator to growth - not only for yourself but for your work. As you’ve mulled over these concepts, regardless whether or not you’ve gotten some specific answers or feel that you are still in the murky waters of “I have no idea what’s going on” - trust that the endeavor itself is enough. I’m going to repeat that one more time - trust that the endeavor itself is enough. You making time, whether it’s 15 minutes to hours to focus your mind and contemplating you and your work in the world is enough. I guarantee that the act of stepping into the inquiry has created a level of awareness that will prove invaluable - trust me! My hope is that you now recognize that you and your Voice in the space isn’t simply about the podcast. My hope is that as you reference back to your foundation and the other E-League Essentials you see the capacity that we have to expand not only the message of our podcast and our work in podcasting but who we are in the world. Moving forward, working on that infrastructure will inform the focus of the rest of this episode and the remaining Essentials. Here are a few questions and concerns that I get a lot: I’ve been approached by someone as an interview for my podcast but I’m not sure if I want to have them on the show (explanation of why they should or why they feel weird about it) I’ve been considering publishing 2x a week vs 1x a week OR I’m feeling 1x a week is too much I want to cut back (explanation of why making this decision is challenging) Should I be on Twitter or (fill in the blank of the social media platform that you have an inquiry about) How do you get more feedback and engagement from my listeners? I’m getting bored with my show, and I’m not sure what to do…should I quit? Should I push through it? I have x amount of downloads, is that good or bad? And two of the biggies How do I differentiate my show from all the others out there? How do I find my Voice? All those questions might seem to not have anything to do with one another, and I’m sure as you heard them, you started to come up with solutions, either for yourself or possibly the advice that you would give to someone asking these questions. I have one answer, in the form of a question (of course) to the above and all of the variations: What is the conversation that you want to have? The E-League Essential for this episode is Find YOUR conversation first Your conversation is absolutely informed by your Foundation plus The Language That You Can Repeat. On the next episode I’ll share the conversation that I want to have so you hear this concept in action. How I arrived to it came from months (possibly years) of an inner dialogue that I’ve been having for a long time. I found that from within, in my own head, I kept having the same thoughts arise. I found myself drawn towards a type of book, a style of movie, a particular topic. I also had enough awareness that I kept bringing up a lot of the same things with my friends, family and online acquaintances. Which brought me to this thought (in all honesty - I have no idea where I got this - I found it in my myriad of notes that I take all the time!: Am I arguing or getting really good at solving a problem that is THE problem that needs to be solved to have the greatest impact. I’m not interested in arguing. I am 100% into creating meaningful and life-affirming impact. And I created a mind map to get clearer. In looking at my map, I plucked out the most important parent categories. I implore you to do the same. If you’re not a mind map person, an outline, if not an outline, a page split into 6 columns. Here are the categories What are the conversations that I want to have? What is important to me that isn’t being said in digital or social media? What are the things I cannot shut up about (in my head or otherwise) Whose voices do I resonate with the most? and why? What types of things trigger me? Who or what has had the most powerful positive impact in my life? I found those to be the guiding principles around crafting my ecosystem and the conversations that I want to have. They are the pulse of creation, choice making and groundedness. Here comes a BIGGIE. In sitting down and working on the above it will help you in recognizing that… You are the cultural creative in the conversation. Take that seat. And give it voice Being public with our voices challenges us to deepen the game. In order for us to have the conversations that we want to have, the conversations that are going to change, transform or evolve culture we must have them. We can only become fluent in our voice if we practice IN the world. Pay attention to the ideas, the narrative that will NOT GO AWAY. For you. The same teachings continue to appear, meaning, the same conversations, the same words, the same dialogue will surface around you. That or those that influence you have something that connects them. Once we speak, we are given the opportunities in real life to articulate and refine - and PRACTICE. These conversations are there to inspire us to ask deeper questions, not to settle, and NOT to regurgitate! It’s about iteration and distillation of who we are and what we stand for. Actions are powerful, and for those of us that podcast, VOICE rules. Stepping into you as leader in creating the culture that you want, that you need, is imperative. As you work on this, write this on a post - it or note card or maybe create or as the top of the page of your work: ● Hold the vision of the WHOLE. ● What is your through line? ● What’s the story you’re telling and where is it going? You’ll start to see the patterns. It’s about seeing the connections. Josh Waitzkin said it better than I ever could Find hidden harmonies between seemingly disparate parts of life A quick re-cap of the next steps Create a mind-map, an outline, use index cards or simply 6 columns that answer: What are the conversations that I want to have? What is important to me that isn’t being said in digital or social media? What are the things I cannot shut up about (in my head or otherwise) Whose voices do I resonate with the most? and why? What types of things trigger me? Who or what has had the most powerful positive impact in my life? Once you are done refer to these questions: ● Hold the vision of the WHOLE. ● What is your through line? ● What’s the story you’re telling and where is it going? So that you can make connections and see the patterns! In the next episode I’ll illustrate how all of this comes into play in real life and how it applies to making choices about your podcast and you work in the world.
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5 Language That You Can Repeat
10/18/2020
5 Language That You Can Repeat
In 2014 I was introduced to Adam Braun Adam Braun is a New York Times bestselling author and the Founder & CEO of MissionU. He was previously Founder & CEO of Pencils of Promise, the award-winning organization that has built nearly 400 schools around the world. That’s how I got to know who he was, through Pencils of Promise. Marie Forleo interviewed him in 2013 and he told the story of how he created this organization after traveling abroad as a college student and meeting a young boy begging on the streets of India, who when asked what he wanted most in the world, simply answered, “a pencil.” That shook his world. And Adam, inspired me. Jump to March 2016 and me messing with Snapchat for the first time. I followed Adam. He was one of the only people that I recognized on Snapchat at that time. He would post super personal random content, but one day he posted about a webinar around how to get funding for your non-profit. I’ve always had a dream in creating some kind of non-profit. At that time I had no idea what that would be or even if I would EVER have one, but decided to sign up. It was one of THE most informational webinars I’ve ever attended and he was SO personal and down to earth. It was through that webinar that he introduced to me what I now call within the context of The E-League and what I work on with my clients: “Language that you can repeat.” That’s a bit of a back story of when this concept started to simmer, because of a particular slide that Adam used during that webinar, which I will share in a little bit. It also was so poignant because one of THE biggest questions that I get asked by now thousands of podcasters is “how do I grow my audience?” And all variations therein. Let’s cut to when this concept was no longer simmering, but boiling. In April of 2017 I ran the first round of The E-League. I was deep diving into all of these incredible women’s work and of course refining how to communicate what I understood in my gut but was having a hard time sharing. In comes an article from Buzzfeed all about the then newly launched Pod Save the People from Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson. (Ma Ke Sen) The article included a quote that blew my socks off. Here it is “I’m trying to figure out how we give people language that they can repeat. I think a lot of the media, not just podcasts, are doing a lot of the ‘Let me explain the world to you’ format but not in a way listeners can actually keep explaining the world to people. I want to be intentional about how I use platforms to amplify this work. I think a podcast will be a great opportunity to do that.” Although this quote is about social & political activism within media, and within this article more via podcast, it can absolutely be applied to what we do, how we do it, and how we can take responsibility to ‘give people language that they can repeat’. So let’s dive deeper into the concept, not yet the tactics of how this is directly related to podcast growth. Mr. McKesson (Ma Ke Sen) says that we are currently explaining “the world to you’ format but not in a way listeners can actually keep explaining the world to people” As podcasters, as those of us that use our voices, we tend to err on the side of being vague and sometimes noncommittal about who we are or what we stand for. Or we often assume that those listening are already aware and possibly even knowledgeable about concepts that are familiar and constant to us. We might use jargon. We might gloss over content or give a very rough idea about why we’re interviewing someone, or why we’ve decided to cover a topic or why we even have a podcast. Those words coming from our mouths might impact people. Those words might be enough, as in you reached THAT person. They got it. They felt it. They totally align with you. They get you, they will come back. The question is - will they be able to communicate YOU to others? There are two ways in which we can communicate effectively with other people about the things that matter to us: With our bodies With our words When I say with our bodies, think about HOW, in real life, you share about a dish you LOVED with your significant other, or how you tell your best friend about the crazy awesome movie you just watched, or a brilliant podcast episode that was insanely powerful for you. Usually we use ALL of ourselves: our arms, our torsos, our face, our LACK of words, our voice intonation, our tears, our laughter, our noises - from human to human, in real life, sometimes THIS is the language that is repeated. That’s how we transfer the why, the need for the one that receives our enthusiasm (positive or negative.) It’s energetic and hard to pinpoint The other way to communicate effectively is through the clarity of our words, which is when Mr. Adam Braun comes back into the mix. In that webinar that I took in the spring of 2016 there were 2 slides that provide the tactics of how to do this ‘Language that you can repeat.’ He taught the following checklist around an effective pitch: It needs to be short It needs to have clear language It needs to be TRANSFERABLE FROM ONE PERSON TO THE NEXT ← This one people. This one. It needs to have optimistic language when describing your WHY It needs to have active language when describing your HOW How do these 5 check points apply to your podcast and growing your podcast? How do these 5 check points apply to your podcasting business, or your work? Let’s start at the minimum taking a look at your bio in social media. At the maximum with your About Podcast Page (or description) or your About Me page on your website. And yes, I want you to think into your personal language as well, because remember we are moving from show to ecosystem. All parts of your online presence feed the whole. The whole is how we began this journey - your Foundation - what is that underlying basis or principle of you? I’m not done just yet. The other powerful slide that Adam had in this webinar was one that said this: The First Follower validates your idea and attracts the masses Because ultimately it’s not about you promoting yourself like crazy. It’s not about how often you post on social media, or what platform you’re on or not on, or how big your list is. It’s about the clarity of your language and the ability of that First Follower to attract the masses aka tell someone else. This is what I label as influence, which is built from that ONE person with the capacity to repeat to others about you, because of your pristine salient language. Before I wrap up this episode I want to share a little more about influence, this time from long time OG podcaster Christopher S Penn, someone that I’ve followed on the online space since I stepped into it in 2006. He is still co-hosting his long running podcast Marketing Over Coffee. Here is what he says: “Influence is action, engagement, people doing something. When someone takes action beyond a simple tap of a button, pay attention and engage.” I’ll leave you with that one quote for now, as we will get into how to measure beyond simply focusing on download numbers in a future episode. And also, note the last part of that quote - pay attention and engage. This Language That You Can Repeat is not static or stagnant, it is a practice, and it happens in our willingness to pay attention and engage with those that DO, whether it’s ONE person or hundreds. For now I offer an exercise that you can do periodically - give yourself a Language That You Can Repeat Audit. Use the effective pitch 5 point checklist to streamline your social media descriptions aka bio and your podcast description. Practice saying your newly crafted podcast description or your personal bio - speak it - notice the ease or not of the words that you are saying - and based on that knowledge adjust If you’re stuck - or want to practice - Vox me - go for it - share with me why you do what you do, if you can’t find the words - LOOK AT YOUR APPLICATION THAT YOU SUBMITTED TO ME, I promise you will find the language right there! As always, hit me up on Voxer either privately or within the group chat.
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4 Mindset Shift: From Show To Ecosystem
10/18/2020
4 Mindset Shift: From Show To Ecosystem
And now, we get to the nitty gritty. For me, shifting my mindset around how I view my role in podcasting has absolutely been influenced by the concept of transmedia, which I started to actively pursue and teach in 2017. When I work with folks I see it from this trans perfective. Trans (as a prefix) = across, beyond, through, changing throughly, transverse That is from the dictionary. EXPANDING FROM SHOW TO ECOSYSTEM. That’s how I refer to transmedia. That’s the language that you’ll hear me use and how I refer to this concept. From show to ecosystem. But before we get to me, I’ll define transmedia. Transmedia is, the interwoven experience of a larger storytelling tapestry through all of your media. From Wikipedia Transmedia storytelling (also known as transmedia narrative or multiplatform storytelling) is the technique of telling a single story or story experience across multiple platforms and formats using current digital technologies, not to be confused with traditional cross-platform media franchises, sequels, or adaptations. From a production standpoint, transmedia storytelling involves creating content that engages an audience using various techniques to permeate their daily lives. In order to achieve this engagement, a transmedia production will develop stories across multiple forms of media in order to deliver unique pieces of content in each channel. Importantly, these pieces of content are not only linked together (overtly or subtly), but are in narrative synchronization with each other. I’m deeply captivated by this approach. It feels like THIS is very important way to reach our audiences. It essentially offers us an opportunity to offer an into our work, particularly to our Voices from not A place but many - in a strategic manner - that tells a fuller story that is not bound to ONE form of expression. It is a holistic expression of your Voice and Story. What does this look like for us as digital media creators and producers? That having someone immediately listen to our podcast is not the only way for them to get what they need. That having someone listen to our podcast is not the only way that they will listen to our message. That the possibilities for us to grow our audience and our influence becomes less constricted to download numbers and more expansive to our entire online and digital platform. I even think it has powerful In Real Life opportunities. Each time someone touches any of our online properties, it’s an opening for them to experience our ‘larger storytelling tapestry.’ Each channel becomes an opportunity to create a deeper layer to the story - a deeper level of immersion, or perhaps simply the first step in to your work. My curiosity to create more engagement from my audience drives me to experiment with The E-League itself. I’m so fascinated by incorporating as many different ways of getting concepts across as I can, and it’s why I wanted to set up the options for interaction beyond login into a website to get the content or creating a group in a known platform like Facebook. We become immune to receiving information in certain ways. In stepping into less familiar situations we are forced to engage more parts of ourselves and in turn (my hope is) that the idea will become more embedded. Since we are in an educational setting, under fair use, I’m going to read an article from WIRED that I found to be quite fantastic in illustrating transmedia. I’m not sharing this with you to ‘teach’ you to do it this way. I’m sharing this article with you so that you allow for possibilities around your current work in podcasting to expand beyond what you know. We are here to challenge ourselves our we not? Here is the fantastic article that illustrates exactly what this concept is and how it would be applied. It’s called Transmedia: Entertainment reimagined. In the podcast episode I read some of it. Now you get to read it. Do you understand the concept of taking your show from ecosystem? Will you allow yourself time to sit with this concept and see how it plays out as you establish your platform? Your network? Your work? NEXT STEPS How are you currently telling your story? What parts of your story can be told beyond your podcast?
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3 Knowledge is Bondage
10/13/2020
3 Knowledge is Bondage
Before we get into the concept of show to ecosystem, think into these queries - and answer them. Is your podcast, your podcasts or your podcasting business the axis from which your digital footprint expands? (Another way to understand this is - is your podcasting work that which fuels everything) Do each of your digital properties stand alone? Can they? Given the answers to the first 2 inquiries, In what way is your podcast work a reflection of that? An example of how to go about looking at this inquiry from a tactical point of view. Let’s say you ADORE your show. It’s the thing that gives you LIFE, but as you look at your digital footprint and all the ways that you are present online, your show is hidden, it’s not obvious that your podcasting work is how folks can get the best of you. OR You are really focusing on building a sustainable business, your show is a huge part of that, but it’s not the center, the show is primarily a way for you to expand your brand but in looking at your digital footprint, someone that looks at everything doesn’t quite understand how to even hire you! Now those are some extreme examples, I think you get what I mean by this. This may be incredibly obvious to you, where you don’t even have to think or it might just leave you a bit unsure. Or both! In order for your work in podcasting to continue to grow, the above queries MUST be answered - again and again. There are no shortcuts in addressing those questions. At this point, as a leader, you don’t have the luxury to be all la-di-da about your content, where it’s going or what you want. You are here to make strong, informed decisions. That said, you can absolutely change your mind once you decide. This process evolves and builds on itself. Having the capacity to change your mind and re-align is a powerful skill. Let’s say that you wanted to make your podcast your hub. It’s 100% the axis. You are all in with your podcast being IT. Once you’ve committed, in your podcasting day to day you get some clear insight and/or possibly a change in your personal life (time, resources, priorities) and all of a sudden, the focus of your podcast being IT, simply isn’t going to work. Or the reverse might be true. Your podcast could be a part of your platform but now you feel that it’s become a lot more than you thought it would be. You need something more. You need to pivot. That’s totally cool. Do it. Re-align. What I don’t want is allowing yourself to wallow in a noncommittal space. I’m all for following intuition and valuing moving from an organic place, but even within that realm there are boundaries. Nature thrives in clarity. Nature loves patterns. Nature revels in boundaries. My teacher once had this powerful lesson about this, he told me “Knowledge is bondage.” jnana bandaha. It is the second sutra in the Shiva Sutras, in case any of you scholars in the group wanna check it out 😜 It comes from the assumption that we are already free and it’s in the skillful way that we bind ourselves to our choices that creates our optimal capacity to live fully (personally, professionally and everything in between) In this context, binding does not equal bad. It’s in fully binding ourselves to our decisions that creates freedom. We bind as a way to cultivate the depth of our work and our experience of our lives. The binding feeds goodness. Truth be told, the word bondage, historically and culturally and even cellularly can have a deeply disturbing and traumatic reaction - it did for me. I questioned Douglas as I came into this idea from my own lived experience that was for sure not his. He lightly guided me to let go of the word in English into the the larger meaning of the Sanskrit stanza. My understanding came from an example he shared about marriage in its highest most auspicious expression, of humans choosing to bind themselves to each other. One of the rituals in primarily a Catholic Latin American wedding, the bride and groom wrap a very large rosary, or other symbolic rope to signify the invisible bond they’re choosing to go into. The ritual came from Spain into the Americas but also mirrored an existing practice of indigenous people who would tie parts of their clothing together. It is a sovereign choice to bind yourself as a free human vs an external entity binding you. How is answering those prior questions going to deepen your ability refine your Voice and how you step into this industry and build community? Here are the questions again. Is the podcast the axis from which all the other digital elements run? Do all other digital elements stand alone? In what way is your podcast a reflection of that? Working through this inquiry Journal about it Vox me privately to discuss or question Voice your thoughts in the Voxer Group
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2 Foundation
10/10/2020
2 Foundation
Regardless of where you go next in your work in podcasting, voice, outreach, advocacy or taking on the world: always start here. Before we swan dive into Foundation and what that means. Let’s first talk about discernment. Discernment definition: 1. The quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure (skill in discernment.) acuteness of judgment and understanding 2. The act of perceiving or discerning something From Wikipedia: Discernment is the ability to obtain sharp perceptions or to judge well (or the activity of so doing) In the case of judgment, discernment can be psychological or moral in nature. Within judgment, discernment involves going past the mere perception of something and making nuanced judgments about its properties or qualities. Considered a virtue, a discerning individual is considered to possess wisdom, and be of good judgment; especially so with regard to subject matter often overlooked by others. Key point: it is a virtue, especially so with regard to subject matter often overlooked by others. That’s where the magic is! And there’s no one more equipped to discover that then you. AND as expanded from the dictionary when discussing the meaning of discernment: A power to see what is not evident to the average mind - stresses accuracy My challenge to you as we move into this work, as we give voice, as we facilitate others to give voice, as we empower ourselves to use our voices to effectively to recognize the impact within and the world around us - - - we work to cultivate discernment, because YOU have the power to see what is not usually evident - because YOU are NOT of the average mind. Because average answers do not to serve to up-level you work. And thus, the first step in developing the skill of discernment, is coming back to FOUNDATION. Again, from the dictionary. An underlying basis or principle for something. The lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level. In the context of The E-League foundation arises out of your ecosystem. And foundation is at the root of your ecosystem. I’ll let you simmer with that point for a bit 😁 It is not enough for us to ‘have a podcast,’ or to ‘be a podcaster.’ I know for sure, that each and every one of you that have decided to work with me in this capacity are bringing MORE to the table. You already recognize the more. Now is the time where you define what that is - for yourself. TO PONDER ON A PERSONAL LEVEL What’s the underlying basis or principle for YOU. This often stumps folks. I mean, what does that even mean? I’ll repeat it, once more, and I will pause for a few seconds, so that you let yourself listen to your inner voice. What is the underlying basis or principle for YOU. Here are some other words that might spark some insight for you: Core Essence Sap And I want you to get expansive in your thinking. I don’t want you to get into only the why of your podcast or your podcasting business. I want you to get super spacious in your thinking and the things that rock your world and spark you into BEING. Why is that important? Because as you begin to define moving from show to ecosystem, this principle will continue to inform the path you take. It puts you in the seat of power. Keep another thing in mind when working with this, you might have defined this for yourself in the past and You are still deeply grounded in that knowing or You have evolved in some way and it’s time to claim this new knowing anew Feel free to start the conversation with yourself (journaling) or to Vox me privately or in the Voxer group chat. I implore you to GIVE IT VOICE. It’s more powerful 😉
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1 Essential Introduction
10/10/2020
1 Essential Introduction
We begin, and putting on my yoga teacher hat for a moment…setting the space: ”I am willing to learn from this experience” ”I’m willing to dive into the space in between” ”I will re-discover the space in me that holds the wisdom of what's next” ”I give myself the gift of the space in” Welcome! Are you ready to get things done? Each one of you is here for a reason. Each one of you has a high level skill-set that is unique to you. Each one of you has insane strengths in the type of work that you do, in the audience that you serve, and intuition in how you can serve them. All of you have different aspects that need a little love, whether they be, audio, content, community building, monetization, clarity around your brand, marketing, stepping into something else, creating a whole new thing, rediscovering your voice…the podcasting journey is strictly individual and what you bring to the E-League at this point in time is also relevant to THIS TIME. As you step into your own work and are exposed to each other’s work, through community in this new process, I’d like to offer some guidance: look for the good and keep your gut open. Be kind, above all else, to both your fellow e-leaguers and yourself. You ALL belong here. This is highly iterative experience that is dictated by those that choose to participate. The experience is collective. The experience is individual. Learning to receive. Learning to give. Learning to embody. Learning to take action, follow through and execute. None of it is compulsory, none of it is mandatory. You choose. You discern. You engage. And that is the X-factor. The experience is ultimately created by you. The medicine is in your courageous engagement. And on that note! I am so thrilled that you are all here, and know that whatever you decide to work on, we will be here to support you. Let’s raise all of our podcasting vibrations! 😁 ⭐︎ ⭐︎ ⭐︎ One of the key differentiators of The E-League approach to podcast growth and development is that the information that you get here comes from a very unique lens. Almost 20 years ago I did my very yoga teacher training, and the most impactful lesson that I learned was to make sure that I knew the lineage of the teachings. My teachers made sure that we were able to quickly discern the philosophy behind the language, because the world view of what we were teaching mattered. I want you to know front and center, the roots of my teachings as well as the lineage that has informed these lessons. I’ve had the opportunity to work professionally in three distinct fields which have all build upon each other and now have seamlessly informed who I am and how I work. I worked as a professional stage and screen actor for 10 years I worked as a professional yoga teacher for 12 years I’ve worked building online communities using social media and content marketing since 2010. I’ve now worked in podcasting and digital media since 2006 There is yet another layer to this lens. I was born in El Salvador and am an immigrant to the U.S. I’ve had blessings, challenges, traumas and privileges that I can now see a little clearer as a middle aged woman, now proudly owning my journey as The Crone What you get through the E-League Essentials, are the most distilled lessons that have consistently shown themselves to be the most powerful, effective and simple regardless of the industry I was playing in. Even though I can give pat answers to questions like: When am I ready for a sponsor? Should I publish my show weekly or bi-weekly? How do I get more twitter followers? Should I be on this platform or that one? And give you true data, I prefer to challenge you to look genuinely at your foundation: more to come on that for sure. I have found that answers that are easily given and taken, don’t take root. In fact, they are often used as an excuse, and a way to remain unaccountable, especially when things don’t work out exactly the way that you wanted. It’s the answers that you choose to dig and search for, in earnest, that become solid cornerstones of confidence and stability. After you are finished listening to all of the Essentials, regardless of how long you’ve been podcasting, whether you wanna start anew, with a new project, you wanna pitch your show to a corporate podcasting network or you have a way bigger vision of what you want to do with your media empire, you will have the groundwork to effectively make decisions that are aligned, informed and formidably clear to take you closer to your goal. Before this introduction is done, I want to remind you that if you have any questions, feedback, thoughts and ideas, please feel free to Vox me. I will be all in Voxing with you and participating in the conversation with you during the schedule outlined for this round. And one more time to remind you that: None of it is compulsory, none of it is mandatory. You choose. You discern. You engage. An now, moving on to Foundations, which begins with discernment
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