Take Your Shoes Off First w/ Julia Freeland

She was the keynote speaker, but I didn’t know. It was just her lovely energy that drew me to start speaking with Dr. Katie Eastman at the Seattle Founder’s Live event last year. With a mutual passion for helping people through change, we hit it off right away. When I learned that she had been mentored by the Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, I knew this was someone who knew more than a few things about what it takes to find peace with transition. Even more impressive than her close connection to the Kubler-Ross legacy is her 3 decade long career as a therapist and guide for parents of terminally ill children. The stories she tells are heart-wrenching and heart-warming – a true testament to the human spirit.  Although we don’t dive deep into these stories in this episode, her soon to be published book - “Uplifting – Stories of Change, Loss and Growth!” - does. In this episode, we explore why the famous Kubler-Ross change curve work is likely very different than what you think it is. We discuss the messages of Jung and Meister Eckhart, as well as exploring why we struggle to follow their wisdom. Tune in to hear:-          What it means to deny death and the impact it has had on the U.S. ability to navigate the COVID pandemic (Wow.)-          What one thing we always have, even at the end of life.-          Why stress is a 15 second experience unless your brain gets in the way.-          Why the origins of the mental health crisis can be found in our inability to reset.-          Why the best thing we can do for kids today is to teach them how to just be at peace with how they are feeling, accepting it as real and normal and passing.-          5 tips for helping kids and adults to be with their body and self-calm.  As “Dr. KatieE” will be showing the world in the next few years, there is so much we can learn from the death of some of our youngest humans. Be sure to tune in to this episode for a glimpse of her wisdom and get ready to read her book soon!  In her words, “Kids have been my greatest teachers, especially dying kids. Death is the greatest place to learn about living.”  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keastmanpsydlcsw/Website and Book Release List: https://www.drkatiee.com    

What does it take to find stability and thrive when everything seems to have been turned upside down and nothing feels guaranteed? What can you rely on and how do you navigate such uncertainty? If you have been looking for something to put your hope into, tune in to this episode with recent high school graduate, Indira Heller. A high schooler???  YUP.  Well, actually, NOW she is a freshman in college and I can not wait to see what this young woman creates next! Her gift? Words that give hope and are grounded in all that is human and earthly. I first learned of Indira at my son's high school graduation where she was one of two graduates delivering the graduation speech.  Her words left me speechless.Tune in to hear an 18 year old speak wisdom far beyond her years and learn about the experiences that have nurtured her outlook.  There is something in here for us all to reflect on and help us find our own personal hope and stability.When your high school experience is shaped by:- COVID school shut down in Seattle - one of the longest in the country- SEATTLE - where you can't really gather outside much of the year as it RAINS.- A brand new school where you are the oldest class for every year you are there - Mental health tanking in yourself and all of your peers - A lack of long standing school traditions- Attending a school where they are working to disrupt what school has always been.What do you learn? How do you grow? What do you think about the future? Tune it to find out!  The speech is worth tuning in to alone!! 

When you do a podcast with someone you used to date, I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that the conversation centered around navigating difficult relationships and growing through discomfort!We met through Bumble, dated for a while, and stayed in touch over a shared passion for developing humans. In this session we get into the details of what it means to embrace discomfort and the growth opportunities it presents.  Urs Koenig, Ph.D. is a keynote speaker, champion ultra-endurance athlete, U.N. Peacekeeper, and long-time executive leadership coach. Today, he speaks on leading with humility and the 5 Shifts of Then to Now Leadership, which will be the focus of his upcoming book. In this episode, Urs expands the perspective of this podcast by bringing his global leadership and education experiences to light. Born in Switzerland, Urs spent his young adulthood in Australia, had his children in the U.S. and travels the world for his work as an international speaker and U.N. Peacekeeper in the Middle East. As we wind our way through talking about the mind-body connection, how our bodies can do far more than we believe they can, the natural cycles of discomfort, and how to navigate tough relationships, including divorce and Middle East diplomatic meetings, you will notice a theme, Urs is a master at throwing himself into new situations and growing through discomfort.  In this episode, we discuss the how the origins of Take Your Shoes Off First are found in my own experiences of healing deep conflict. Even as Urs challenges me, I explain how a shift in my perspective always preceded a breakthrough in understanding in which I could suddenly see what I could not before, enabling me to find neutral ground and bridges of understanding.We discuss the importance of having solid boundaries but making sure they aren’t so impenetrable that you can’t see beyond them, and the power of realizing you can only change you.  Tune in to learn why Urs is passionate about leading with humility and embracing discomfort as he talks about his experiences:-          Becoming a semi-truck truck driver -          Going on two Peace Keeping missions-          Leaving his kids for a year to pursue a life calling -          Living and working in Egypt, navigating daily the influence of radical Islam-          Navigating conversations between ambassadors from countries who believed in genocide. Urs shares that we have an inversion of expertise these days where all around you know more than you could possibly know, so it’s important as a leader to let go of the idea that you know it all.  He notes that the leader doesn’t have to have all the answers, but he should be focused on cultivating deep relationships with his  people.“A strong focus on the relational piece between co-workers is where leaders need to be.”For more information on Urs, visit: Urskoenig.com

Humergence Reflection episodes are glimpses into a library of micro lessons aimed at helping people achieve breakthroughs in their lives so they can get unstuck, find balance, or move past blockers. "Have you ever been staring down the abyss of a big big leap you needed to make? Standing on the edge looking over it, knowing you had to take it, but not wanting to?" This short Humergence Reflection episode is a glimpse at how I handle these sorts of situations.  At the end is my three step formula for motivating myself to take the leap I know I must take. Perhaps it will help you achieve breakthroughs just as it does for me!

In the shadow of Roe vs. Wade being overturned, it seemed fitting to release this podcast interview and feature the “shoes” of someone who has felt isolated during COVID due to not only pandemic restrictions but also for being harshly judged for her religious beliefs and correlating decisions. I invite you to get curious and learn about the shoes of Alice McIntosh - even if...no especially if they are very different than yours.  Thanks to her mother, Alice learned at a young age how to get beyond the victim mindset and not let her circumstances keep her down. Her father died suddenly when Alice was only four years old, leaving her immigrant mom who couldn’t speak the language, didn’t have a job, and couldn’t drive a car, to raise her and her one year old sister. “It takes two to Tango” was the idea that resonated from her childhood and still guides her thinking today. There is always something you can do about your situation and always something you contribute.  After earning her way through college playing volleyball, Alice made working for various national security agencies and government departments her life's career. But all of that almost came to an end when the vaccine was mandated for Federal employees. Listen in to hear how she navigated what felt like a mine field to her. Be inspired by how she found her voice – breaking free from the “old me” that was mired in a lack of self-confidence and introversion – and how she embraced trying new things and becoming more than she thought she could be. Learn about how she shifted her personality and shook off the weight of self-doubt. Within this episode, we also talk about several critical questions that Take Your Shoes Off First inspired her to ask and work through: How do we come together to respect other people’s decisions? How do we make space to HEAR and allow the perspective and experiences of another to influence what we think?  What are we missing? How do we really get curious about the shoes of another? To learn more about Alice...well, when you work in the national security field there are a lot of rules...but you can find her on LinkedIn. Bonus in this episode, if you have been wondering what Humergence is, there is an intro in here!

What does agriculture have to do with leadership and thriving in the future? In this episode, that’s what Christopher Cooke and I dive into. Long ago Christopher chose to focus his holistic engineering oriented mind on agriculture because it is the one of the most complex sectors on the planet. It’s relationship with religion and economies and governance is one of the tightest of all industries, and it is based on the way the world was long before any of those were formalized.Studying with the likes of greats like Ken Wilbur and Alan Savory, Christopher has learned from a few of the great thinkers of our time and is making his own mark in the world of soil and water conservation.  However, if you speak with him (or listen to this podcast) you might think we were talking about leading humanity through change rather than about agriculture! That’s because from Christopher’s perspective, the biggest challenge we face today is not the individual problems faced by each industry or business, it is the lack of understanding how humans change and how best to facilitate the adoption of new paradigms to help humans reverse the damage of years of degradation of soil, plants and humans in the name of production. “We are actually overcoming or reversing a lot of beliefs and values that have been established and enculturated over the last 10,000 years.” Not only in business but in most every industry. “The present paradigm of most human cultures has one underlying ethos which is to dominate nature. It’s vital that we avoid discounting nature. Discounting that serves nobody.” Christopher notes how one of the primary challenges we face is a lack of a common understanding of what it takes to move humans through change. He explains that there are two types of change:1)      Change within the paradigm – like palliative care for the dying2)      Reframing and allowing the space for a new paradigm Our job is to grow the new until the existing is no longer needed so it can just go away. Unfortunately, very little attention is given to the second type of change and without it, no new paradigm will be able to take root. This is why he is a huge fan of “Take Your Shoes Off First” as it helps leaders, teams and individuals address that second type of change and take conscious steps towards making room for new ideas to bloom. “Your book takes us beyond the VUCA times, as it is encouraging people to thrive through the VUCA times but also be able to prepare to utilize innate capacities that they didn’t know existed before they chose to take their shoes off.”I couldn’t have said it better!  Many thanks to the incredibly insightful Christopher Cooke for joining me on this episode of Take Your Shoes Off First. To learn more about the groundbreaking Christopher Cooke and his work, check out: -          LinkedIn HERE.-          3LM Website HERE.-          5 Deep Website HERE.

A short diversion from my regular podcast format. No guest, just me, reflecting and processing. Doing  my best to leave the world a better place.  The shootings at Uvalde Elementary School left me feeling raw this week. After presenting to a group of futurists yesterday, that rawness shifted to a feeling of distance from humanity. While on a run, only nature's small miracles - the color, the buds, the shapes and the human babies I passed - were able to get through to me and stir new motivation.  Trying something new with the best of intentions. 

If you have ever wanted to write a book or take on a creative project that is bigger than you think you can handle, this is the episode for you!While on one of my exploratory sessions – time that I give myself to just be pulled along by whatever interests me - I stumbled onto Anne Janzer and I’m so glad I did! Anne is a multiple book author and writing coach.  She is also a wonderful example of what it takes to let your creativity bloom. Her advice? Get writing. Get creating. Get doing. What if you don’t have a solid idea on what you are wanting to create? Get doing. Get writing. Get creating!In her experience, she says: “The idea came through the work. You don’t wait for the idea to come until you do the work. You do the work, and the idea will come.” This matches my experience too.  Although hard, as it is against what we have all been taught in school and business, it is also the right approach to take if you want to be better at thriving in change! When we engage with curiosity and flexibility in all we do, we make room for the differences in all of us – including our morale taste buds.  Yup…tune in to learn more on that!There is sooooo much great content and ideas in this episode! Listen in as our conversation emerges and we wind our way through: How the creative process can feel like wading through a field of LegoWhy it’s good to cherish the time when you aren’t being seenHow our priming impacts our behavior in big waysWhy you should expect the messThe benefits of letting failures be seenIdeas and resources for expanding your thinking – including taking your shoes off first!Enjoy!To learn more about Anne Janzer, check out:LinkedIn HERE.  Her Website HERE. Her books HERE. Resources discussed in this Episode: Being Wrong – Kathryn SchulzThe Righteous Mind - Jonathan HaidtTake Your Shoes Off First - Julia Freeland

What does it take to be a Head of Human Resources at Amazon for over 100,000 people? Tune in to this week’s podcast to find out! After 7 years leading in various HR positions at Amazon, and 9 years at Blackberry before that, my guest, Dayna Perry knew Human Resources for tech companies backwards and forwards. As a fellow people geek, she is someone I have bounced numerous ideas with over the years.  However, we have bounced far more balls – beach volleyballs, to be exact.In fact, it was years after welcoming Dayna into the beach volleyball scene in Seattle that I learned just how high up and influential she was at Amazon. I’d wager that many who know her still have no idea. At the beach, she is known more for her incredible margaritas, killer serves, and quick laugh. When she told me that humility is an attribute she looks for in candidates, it came as no surprise.  Today, Dayna is the Head of People for rapidly growing revenue lifecycle company, Conga. Joining me on the podcast after being in her new role for just a few short months, she shares a few challenges and insights on how she is managing the transition – one that was made harder by the virtual nature of work today.  Listen in as our conversation emerges and we wind our way through:  How “Vipers” show up at work and destroy relationshipsThe similarities between beach volleyball and business partnerships What an “About Me” interview is and how it helps build connection How Amazon kept the “beginners mindset” freshThe drawbacks and benefits of virtual working Why it is so easy to have two people talk past each other and what can be done to stop itEnjoy!To learn more about Dayna, check out:-          LinkedIn HERE.  

There are many moments when the actions of another changes the course of your life forever. Although we are unaware of many, it’s the ones we know about that fascinate me. I can think of a few which one person’s decision led to a radical different trajectory for my life. This week’s episode features one of those people.  I didn’t know Ed Hess, but I did admire his thinking and books. After reading one, I thought I would be bold and let him know how much I liked it via LinkedIn. Surprisingly he accepted. Fast forward a few years with no communication between us, I had my draft manuscript of “Take Your Shoes Off First” and I was looking for a review from someone who could tell me if I had a hit or a dud. I immediately thought of Ed as I thought the book might resonate with his own thinking. Knowing it was a one in a million chance he would say yes, I sent a message to Ed asking if he would review my manuscript. He said yes.This is where we start our episode. I’ll let you tune in to find out what happened next. Suffice it to say, Ed helped me jump to a new path for my life and I will be forever grateful for this now friend, but then stranger, for saying yes. Ed is a Professor Emeritus of Business Administration at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and a coach, consultant and connector focused on human performance in the digital age.  He is the author of “Humility is the New Smart” – a book in which Ed details his own transformation from ego-centered expert to humble learner, which was an inspiring read that resonated deeply with my own hard lessons. Our conversation touches on lessons we have both learned and the focus of his latest book, “Hyper-learning: How to Adapt at the Speed of Change.”Listen in as our conversation emerges and we wind our way through: What is the “New Smart”The problem with the current “people development systems” in the U.S. How tech is moving faster than we are and why that is a big problemWhy he is passionate about the idea of “otherness”  What “hyper learning” is and why it is critical we shift our thinking about how we teach and learn if we want to be relevant in the futureEnjoy!To learn more about Ed, check out:-          LinkedIn HERE -          “Humility is the New Smart: Rethinking Human Excellence in the Smart Machine Age” Book-           “Hyper-Learning: How to Adapt at the Speed of Change” Book-          Website

Have you ever met someone and immediately known that it was going to be a waste of time? This is the story my next guest tells. The person she was talking about was me!Meeting Tia Price was a serendipitous accident in many ways. I stumbled into Catch-a-Fire (an amazing organization) while curious about doing more pro-bono work to help non-profits, and Tia accidentally hit “Yes” when asked if she wanted to work with me. Yup, you read that right - she didn't mean to!Listen in to this incredible episode where we discuss the pitfalls and benefits of seeking to work with those that look like us. We explore how we can unintentionally cause harm to ourselves, our relationships, and others when we act based on our assumptions about others – especially those who have very different backgrounds - like me and Tia!Tia’s rough past left her feeling like she was destined to serve and live with little. After being told she wouldn’t make it in college by a high school counselor, she defied the odds and earned a full ride as an opera singer. Despite having to live in a homeless shelter for months of her college experience, she successfully graduated and then figured out how to give back and serve the struggling community from which she had come. Today, after working with me, she is on to a new career in tech and flipping the script on the stories of her life – seeing them as experiences that make her valuable rather than evidence of not being worthy.   You will be in awe of the wisdom and insights that pour through this reflective and caring soul.  Tia is the former Director of Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition and currently a Learning and Development Manager for rapidly growing start up Zoominfo.  She is an advocate for disadvantaged kids and  passionate about helping people become more financially savvy.  If I had to choose just one episode for you to listen to, this is the one. Listen in as our conversation emerges and we wind our way through: How being an opera singer helped Tia process trauma and grief.How financial stability can change everything.The common struggles between non-profits and their funders. The double standard and the double meaning when it comes to money.How feeling low in life can be the catalyst for new possibilities to take root.Why taking your shoes off first can lead to deep healing.Enjoy!To learn more about Tia, check out her:-          LinkedIn HERE. Interested in learning more about Catch-a-Fire and donating your gifts to help a non-profit?Check Catch-a-Fire out HERE.

Sometimes, when you least expect it, magic happens. It did for me in January of 2022 when serendipity and engagement led me to be connected to one of the few people I have ever really “fan-girled” over – Brian Miller. He is a magician whose words stole the show from his magic tricks in his 2015 TED talk – which has 3.5 million views!Since all of my transformations have been ignited by understanding something I hadn’t before, most of my work centers around helping people do the same, and usually, it's about helping someone see the perspective of another.  Brian’s TED talk, which beautifully illustrates just this idea, has been a resource I have referred on to hundreds of people. So, you can only imagine my excitement when a mutual connection made the introduction! Then, you can imagine my disappointment when Brian’s response to my initial message felt like he hadn’t even read it.And this is where our podcast begins – talking about how two experts on connection started off struggling to connect! My favorite quote from Brian’s TED talk is this: “Our world is a shared experience, fractured by individual perspectives. Imagine if we could all feel understood.” It is with this idea in mind, Brian and I remembered to take our shoes off first and seek to understand the other.  When we did, understanding, connection, and laughter ensued. Why? Because, despite fractured perspectives, we have so many parallel passions it was easy to feel understood by the other. Our experience, which we discuss, is a wonderful case study on how to look beyond the surface of an interaction and find connection in the differences.Today, we have spoken together for many hours and I anticipate we will do so for many more. I’m honored to have Brian on the podcast to share his wisdom, perspective, and ideas. (Yes, I'm still fan-girling.)Get curious and join us as we wind our way through: Why 2022 is calling us to be intentional.How parents and uncontrollable events shape the shoes we wear. Why we need to take advantage of the times we are in. Why he thinks it’s the communicator’s fault if they aren’t understood. Why focusing on getting what you want is the wrong strategy.This is such a great episode!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!  (We scheduled a follow up that will be releasing on his podcast in March!)To learn more about the talented Brian Miller, check out his:-          LinkedIn HERE. -          Website HERE. -          Podcast HERE.AND of course, because it is a must see:Brian’s masterful TED Talk HERE. 

Sometimes losing yourself down the rabbit hole leads to amazing results! It was on one of these circuitous ventures that I fell upon the work of Sawsan Khuri, the founder of Collaborative Capacities, and a Genetics Lecturer at the University of Exeter. Our shared backgrounds in science, disrupting status quo, and helping kids reach for more made this conversation feel like two friends catching up, despite only just meeting. Sawsan (pronounced ‘saow' ‘sand’ without the d) is an expert at moving teams through innovative collaboration. She is a Lebanese immigrant who has called several countries home, including the US and Britain. The concept of “taking your shoes off first” resonated on a deep level given her many experiences both personally and professionally in which addressing biases and putting them to the side are critical before a goal can be successfully achieved. In this episode, Sawsan and I explore how women are raised and the impact messaging and culture can have on our futures, her passion for helping youth think like entrepreneurs, and how she moves people to be more innovative together in her Innovation Interventions. We also discuss what “resilience” really means and why it’s important to call out the elephant in the room quickly.Get curious and join us for our discussion that winds its way through: -          Why losing sight of what you believe is right is the best way to discover something better.-          How a glass of water can teach empathy.-          How accents get in the way of effective collaboration.-          Why “wifey” is a troubling word.-          How equality became an imperative in Sawsan’s life.-          Why non-linear learning in small steps is the best way to make progress towards a big goal.I hope you enjoy my first international guest as much as I did!Enjoy!To learn more about Sawsan, check out her:-          LinkedIn HERE. -          Website HERE. 

OK, have to admit I had to edit this one a bit!  You see, Dave and I…well, we’ve known each other since 7th grade! In this episode, you will get a chance to not only learn about life from the perspective of world travelling expert fly fisherman, incredible photographer, and passionate community builder, but also a little about my history and what makes me so passionate about expanding people’s minds so they can see beyond their own perspectives. Fish pellets are going to have a whole new meaning for you after this! Dave McCoy is the Owner of Emerald Water Anglers and the artist whose breathtaking work can be viewed at Dave McCoy Photography and on the Emerald Water Anglers website. (Warning, you might lose a good hour day-dreaming of your next vacation while looking at the photos!) Dave uses his photography to capture stories from the world he has travelled extensively and document the beauty of nature as seen from the water’s edge. Hanging out with Dave always feels a bit surreal because of his genuine presence that has an intensity that is rare in our tech distracted world. You can sense that he is both deeply reflective and a complete goofball who has a joy for life and a passion for waking people up from a “keeping up with the Jones’” technology filled trance to really seeing and living life just as we are – humans that are a part of a beautiful and suffering natural world.While there are a few curse words and some loud laughs (sorry), you will also be inspired to see the world from a new perspective and perhaps re-think how you are moving through life as you listen to us wind our way through: -          How and why Dave works to maintain discomfort in his life-          How high school and human “fixes” can have big unintended consequences-          Why taboo topics are the key to his business’ success-          Why he never washes his coffee cup-          His vision for re-connecting people with nature and creating a new kind of community-          His secrets for growing a successful business  -          What fish pellets and home-waters have to do with your lifeIn the spirit of Dave and his passion for nature, I hope you enjoy listening to this and are inspired to get out for a walk or hike, perhaps by the edge of a river, and you take the time to just listen and be curious about the beautiful world you live in. Enjoy!To learn more about Dave, check out his:-          LinkedIn HERE. -          Website HERE. -          Podcast HERE. (In Episode #4, Dave demonstrates "Taking Your Shoes Off First" beautifully!)

Get ready for some emotion in this one – a lot of laughing and a few tears.  In this episode we talk about the importance of words and explore what lies beyond them, including the emotions that are often triggered because of them. As we emerge into a time where texting is prolific, common phrases are reduced to acronyms (IDC SSDD  FOTFL QQ ILY anybody?) and new words are being created at an unusually rapid pace, do words matter anymore? My next guest insists “YES.” As a Physical Therapist, Lora Clothier, is adept at looking beyond words as she works to both put her patients at ease and get to the root of what is really causing pain.  She is also very particular about words, and for good reason! As Lora takes us on a tour of what shoes she is wearing in life, you will get a chance to see life through the lens of an athlete, a first-generation U.S. citizen, a health care worker and stepmother. We talk about how important it is to be clear in conversation but to temper expectations with an understanding of who and what is being discussed.I can’t promise you won’t cry, but I’m willing to bet you will laugh and walk away thinking about how you process ideas and information and the impact that has on your relationships and your interactions with others. I invite you to join me as I interview a woman who I have known for years as a part of my beach volleyball community, but never realized just how much we had in common. Perhaps it will inspire you to reevaluate what you know about others and make that intentional investment to get curious about what is beyond the words of those you know – especially the ones you feel you already know well.Lora is the owner of BioJunction Sports Therapy in West Seattle and Seattle and is the go-to PT advisor for many professional (and recreational) athletes. Her generosity, kind spirit, and love of life is overflowing in all she does. Enjoy!To learn more about Lora, check out her:-          LinkedIn HERE. -          Website HERE. 

If you need a little pick-me-up, a boost of hope, or just want to be inspired about how you can move through life a little differently for the better, I invite you to join us in this intimate conversation about what it means to disarm and align yourself and why it is so important. This episode features the fabulous Nicci Roach!  She is the Host of “Conversations in the Nic of Time” Radio Show out of St. Lewis and a long-time Leadership and DEI Educator, as well as an experienced Higher Education Administrator. She is one of those beautiful curious spirits that you just want to spend time with so you can learn from and share her view of life.  In this episode, Nicci shares her thoughts on how “Take Your Shoes Off First” motivated her to reimagine how she teaches DEI programs and how it is a formula for becoming a better leader no matter where you are starting from. (Of course I agree, whole-heartedly!) As we build on the lessons of the book, our conversation winds through the following topics: -          Why celebrating shallow victories can lead to stagnation.-          How peace lies on the other side of an alignment journey.-          Overcoming the guilt of low productivity during tough times.-          Why disarming yourself is critical to seeing progress.-          The importance of stillness.In 2015, she married the love her life in Lambert Airport…yup, you read that right! The airport symbolized key moments of transition for the couple and so seemed fitting for another milestone transition. Unfortunately, Nicci lost her husband to cancer just a few short years later. In our first conversation on her radio program, we bonded over how these kind of experiences transform how you move through life. Although we don’t talk about it in this episode, this is a glimpse into her life and why she shows up with such presence and grace in everything she does. Although passionate about DEI work, she is also a strong advocate for women’s empowerment and a current PhD candidate focused on women’s leadership. In the episode, you will see how her many facets come together to create soulful commentary and humorous interactions.  To learn more about Nicci, check out her:-          LinkedIn HERE.-          Website HERE.-          Facebook HERE.

In this episode, Elay Cohen, CEO of SalesHood, opens up about how becoming aware of his actions and learning to question his beliefs were pivotal for the growth of his company. He shares how the story in "Take Your Shoes Off First" reminded him of his own journey to dislodge dogma associated with an ancient tradition – the art of selling – and replace it with a new understanding – one that includes Sales Enablement.  For those unfamiliar with the idea, Sales Enablement is a functional area that has only been around since the early 2000’s. Like many new job field’s that have been created to deal with the challenges resulting from technical advances, it is quickly becoming a critical component of most sales functions. Sales Enablement is the result of a shift in the type of selling that is needed to sell: To a much more educated and empowered customer (thank you internet)Products and services that are far more complex than the analog widgets of yesterday (hello SaaS, big data, AI, etc.) In a world where customers have grown to expect custom messaging and products.As the former Senior Vice President of Sales Productivity at Salesforce, my guest, Elay Cohen, was in a great position to understand and anticipate the needs of this new field. After being recognized by Marc Benioff as the “2011 Top Executive,” Elay decided to make the leap to head up his own company in pursuit of building a digital learning and collaboration platform to support this growing functional area. Today, Elay has been at the helm of SalesHood for eight years and is the author of two books, his most recent, “Enablement Mastery: Grow Your Business Faster by Aligning Your People, Processes, and Priorities” was released in 2019.Within this episode, you will hear us discuss:The challenges associated with breaking through status quo to help people see the value of new idea / role and what it takes to overcome them. Why relationships of all kinds are better when you work to take your shoes off first.How the pandemic has been a good thing.How being forced to let go is often the best gift we can receive. What it means to have a “customer first story telling culture,” and why it works. Are you a founder growing your business? A sale professional wanting to stay current? A people curious learner? Tune in to this episode where we will explore the metaphorical “shoes” of Elay Cohen by diving into the world of sales enablement and what it takes to grow a company in disruptive times. Want to learn more about SalesHood and how they help enable teams of all kinds? Want to learn more about the origins of Sales Enablement and the journey to get people to accept and adopt it?  Check out Episode 2 of the Inside: Sales Enablement podcast. Interested in learning more about Elay Cohen? Check out his Linkedin here.