How to Request and Receive Introductions to Grow Your Career or Business

There are countless job opportunities and client engagements that never get posted publicly. The key to discovering these hidden doors is networking, and one of the most effective tools is the simple act of asking for an introduction.

The Common Mistake

Too many people approach this the wrong way. They’re vague in their request and expect their friend or colleague to invest extra time composing the introduction. This slows things down and can even stop the process altogether.

Make It Easy for Them

First, politely ask if your contact is comfortable making the introduction. Include a question like, “Would it help if I gave you an email blurb you can use?” Almost everyone will appreciate this.

When they agree, provide a short, copy-and-paste paragraph they can use or edit. For example:

Thank you for agreeing to introduce me. Here’s a quick blurb you can copy, edit, or rewrite as you see fit. Please include me in the email so I can follow up directly.

I’d like you to meet Dave Delaney (CC’d here). Dave is a communication strategist and keynote speaker…

By supplying this, you remove friction. Including yourself in the CC ensures the introduction is made and allows you to immediately follow up with the new connection.

Follow Up Thoughtfully

Once the introduction is made:

1. Respond right away to the new connection and suggest a time to talk.

2. Thank your introducer immediately.

3. Circle back after the call to share how it went. This is a perfect time to send a handwritten thank-you note or even a small gift or lunch invite.

These steps show gratitude and strengthen relationships with both parties.

Focus on Connection, Not the Close

Remember, networking isn’t a sales call; it’s a two-way street. The goal is to create meaningful connections and open doors, not to land a job or client in the first conversation. I’ve found many speaking and coaching clients through this strategy, and each began with genuine curiosity and connection.

A Call to Action

Rethink how you approach introductions. Even if you’re not seeking new business or a new role today, think about your closest friends and colleagues. How could you help them by offering an introduction before they ask?

Business slowdowns and career stalls can feel discouraging, but that’s exactly when a friendly hand makes the biggest difference. After all, that’s what friends are for.

Why I’m Looking for a Podcast Business Partner for ADHD Wise Squirrels

For more than 20 years, I’ve been deeply involved in the podcasting world. I’ve taught podcasting workshops, advised clients on launching their own shows, co-founded PodCamp Nashville, and hosted and produced multiple podcasts, including my first show, Two Boobs and a Baby, which debuted in 2005.

Podcasting isn’t just a hobby for me; it’s been a through-line in my career, and it’s something I passionately know inside and out.

Today, my focus is on ADHD Wise Squirrels, a profitable podcast I created for late-diagnosed adults with ADHD, like me. The mission is urgent yet straightforward: to remove stigmas, inspire adults with ADHD, and help people understand why getting tested and treated is crucial. Research shows that undiagnosed and untreated ADHD can reduce life expectancy by up to 13 years. That reality drives me every single day to put this show into the world.

Why I Need a Partner

I’ve been running Wise Squirrels solo since launching in 2023. I research and schedule guests, facilitate interviews, edit the episodes, create clips, produce and host the conversations, write the email newsletter, and manage sponsorship outreach.

Despite doing it all myself, the results speak volumes: in 2024, the show hit 62,000 downloads, and in 2025, I’ve already surpassed 65,000 downloads with a clear path toward 100,000 downloads by year’s end. The audience is growing quickly, and the impact is real.

But here’s the truth: I can’t do it alone forever. To take Wise Squirrels to the next level, I need a business partner, a behind-the-scenes producer who can bring their expertise to help.

Who I’m Looking For

I’m seeking someone who is:

• Skilled in editing audio and video, and will manage this part of the podcast moving forward.

• Knows how to create and distribute compelling social media content.

• Understands SEO/SEM for optimizing said content to increase engagement and listenership.

• Brings savvy around business growth, strategy, and scaling with a sharp eye on metrics.

In short, I need a business partner who can balance production and business growth. At the same time, I focus on delivering high-quality content, engaging with guests, developing new sponsorships and revenue, and advancing the mission forward.

Where We’re Headed

My vision is expansive: audience growth, expanded sponsorships, live events, and even educational courses built around the community we’re growing. The opportunity is here; I need the right person to step in and help steer this next chapter, who will share in the success, profits, and goal of serving our fellow Wise Squirrels.

Why ADHD and Why Now

Because we’re at a unique cultural moment, adult ADHD diagnoses have been steadily rising as awareness grows and more people recognize their own lived experiences in the research and stories being shared. At the same time, society has made significant strides toward destigmatizing mental health and embracing neurodiversity. What was once hidden or misunderstood is now part of an open conversation about how different brains work and how those differences can be both strengths and challenges. This combination of greater awareness, better understanding, and reduced stigma makes now the right time to shine a light on ADHD in adulthood and provide the support so many people have long needed.

Why Partner With Me?

You be my Brendan McDonald and I’ll be your Marc Maron.

You could start a podcast on your own, but building something with staying power, an established audience, and a clear mission takes time and effort. With Wise Squirrels, the foundation is already strong and the momentum is undeniable. What I bring is two decades of podcasting expertise, proven consistency, and relentless focus on this mission.

What I need is someone equally passionate about making Wise Squirrels thrive. Together, we can transform this project into something bigger than either of us could achieve alone.

If this resonates with you or if you know someone who would be a great fit, I’d love to start a conversation.

Email me at dave@wisesquirrels.com and use the subject line: Partner.

Powered by Rephonic

This conversation happened with a coaching client recently. Supportively, I stated that he is a jack of all trades. Without missing a beat, he negatively replied, “Ya, and a master of none.”

I explained that it was not the most up-to-date version of the popular idiom, which intrigued him. In 1592, Robert Greene referred to William Shakespeare as a Johannes factotum, translated to Jack of all Trades, which first appeared in an essay by Geoffrey Minshull in 1618. It wasn’t until 1785 that Charles Lucas changed the meaning from positive to negative in a poem, adding “master of none.”

My client was joyed to hear the most up-to-date version from the 19th or 20th century, which is Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.

Since I’m writing this to you from the 21st century, I think we can update it for this century. What do you think of my new version?

Jack of all trades, master of some, Greater than many who master just one.

Are you with me on this?

• 16th century: Johannes factotum

• 17th: Jack of all trades.

• 18th: A Jack of all trades is a master of none.

• 19th or 20th: Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.

• 21st: Jack of all trades, master of some, Greater than many who master just one.

In today’s era of AI and online communication, being a jack of all trades, master of some is more valuable than ever. Technology is reshaping industries at lightning speed, demanding professionals who can adapt, connect across disciplines, and learn continuously.

While deep expertise still matters, it is the ability to integrate skills, pivot quickly, and collaborate across fields that sets people apart. Those with breadth and versatility often outperform narrow specialists because they can see patterns, bridge gaps, and apply knowledge in new ways. In a world where change is constant, adaptability is the true mastery.

It's lazy and sad.

I use #AI in many ways; it's crucial to learn and understand new technologies, especially new artificial intelligence agents, and to stay up-to-date on evolving ways to use such agents, whether through prompts or APIs.

What's lazy is using AI to write FOR you, replacing YOU from the writing altogether. Imagine a future of LinkedIn being filled with AI-written articles and AI-written comments. What's the point at that point?

I still believe in the power of human-to-human connection. Using AI to help is smart, but using it to replace us is sad. No more original thinking. No more genuine connection.

Naive or Dishonest

If you're using AI to auto-comment, reply, or send messages that pretend to be you, it's naive because you don't understand the implications. You haven't thought clearly about why you want to leave comments on hundreds of posts. If you do know what you're doing, it's dishonest because you are using this method to fool people (actual humans) into thinking that you read and enjoyed what they published - and we notice this.

Stripping yourself from otherwise genuine human interactions online removes the social from social networking, leaving the networking to bots, and then why even log in to LinkedIn anymore?

What do you think? Will AI ruin the social web in the hands of humans? Discuss here.

Recently, I sat down with Jeremy C. Park on cityCurrent to discuss the messy, meaningful, and often hilarious journey I've taken as a communication strategist, keynote speaker, and host of the ADHD Wise Squirrels podcast. We covered everything from networking tips to mindfulness, with some improv and salmon recipes sprinkled in for good measure.

Here are a few things we explored in the episode—and why they matter so much to me.

Improv Is My Secret Weapon

If you've ever taken an improv class, you probably remember two things: 1) how terrifying it was to not know what would happen next, and 2) how liberating it was when you let go and just listened and accepted.

That's what hooked me.

In my workshops and keynotes, I draw on core improv principles, such as active listening, overcoming the fear of failure, and leading with acceptance. These aren't performance tricks. They're human connection tools. And in an age of endless meetings and endless distractions, being truly present is rarer and more valuable than ever.

I joke that I don't always lead with the improv angle because some folks hear "improv" and assume they'll be forced on stage. Or worse, they're haunted by a bad comedy show. But when they experience the application of these tools and see how they improve team communication, leadership, and empathy, it clicks.

Networking Doesn't Have to Be Gross

I'm the author of New Business Networking, and networking should be based on humanness, not hustle. During the interview, Jeremy and I talked about my three "Ups" of networking that I teach:

• Show up.

• Follow up.

• Catch up.

Sounds simple, but most people forget at least one—especially the last.

We also discussed business card etiquette, which I'm passionate about even in a digital-first world. I always recommend writing something memorable on the card as soon as the conversation ends. Maybe it's a salmon recipe (yes, that actually came up in the episode). Maybe it's a personal anecdote. The point is to create a reminder of a genuine human moment, not just a LinkedIn connection request.

ADHD Isn't a Quirk—It's a Reality

This part of the conversation got personal. I was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, and it was both a revelation and a relief. Suddenly, many things fell into place. That's what inspired me to start the ADHD Wise Squirrels podcast and encourage people to take a free ADHD assessment on my site.

ADHD isn't just a quirky personality trait; it's a legitimate neurological type that often goes undiagnosed, especially in adults. It's also heritable, and when untreated, it can affect everything from relationships to life expectancy.

We need more honesty and fewer platitudes. ADHD is not "just being distracted." And no, "everyone is not a little ADHD." (To quote myself: "That's like saying everyone's a little pregnant.”)

Meditation, Tornadoes, and Joseph Goldstein

Like many of us, I started meditating during the chaos of 2020. Between the pandemic and a literal tornado hitting Nashville and disrupting our lives (school destroyed, house damaged), I needed grounding.

I was inspired by Joseph Goldstein—an 82-year-old meditation teacher who has spent over 10 years in silent retreat. His gentle voice and no-BS approach helped me build a daily practice that I still maintain today. Meditation, alongside medication and therapy, has become one of my most effective tools for managing ADHD. And no, I haven't done 10 years in silence. I talk for a living. But even 10 minutes of silence can change your day, just ask my wife! :)

Feel Seen, Heard, and Understood

At the heart of all this improv, communication, ADHD, mindfulness, and networking is a single through-line: belonging. Whether I'm coaching an individual, speaking to a crowd, or recording a podcast, my goal is to help people feel more seen, heard, and understood.

Because the opposite of connection isn't just loneliness, it's burnout. And I feel this way, too. Check out the full conversation with Jeremy on the City Current Show. And if you're navigating ADHD, leadership, or simply want to learn how to communicate more effectively and show up more fully, I'd love to connect. Now might be the perfect timing.

Burnout sneaks in when the well runs dry. For me, that happens when I’m not coaching enough clients, delivering enough workshops, or standing on stage doing what I love: helping people connect and communicate better. Without that work, my energy fades. I feel tired. Deflated. My sense of purpose disappears.

As an extrovert who thrives around people, working solo for over a decade has taken its toll. I’ve been running my own business since 2012, but these days the loneliness of working alone is louder than ever. I love using my strengths to solve problems, develop effective strategies, and help others bring their ideas to life. But I’ve reached a point where I know I don’t want to do it alone anymore.

I want to take an existing organization to the next level, together.

After my ADHD diagnosis in 2023 and subsequent treatment, I finally had the clarity to recognize something I’d always been too overwhelmed to see: I’m not great at everything. I don’t have to be. My mind had been moving so fast for so long that I never stopped to ask where I truly thrive and where I need support. I don’t want to build in a vacuum anymore. I want to collaborate with like-minded colleagues who bring strengths I don’t have. I want to take an existing company or cause to the next level, together.

I work across various industries and am open to different sectors. I’m especially passionate about partnering with organizations focused on areas such as:

Areas of Interest

• Nashville-area nonprofits that support our community

• Live events

• Ethical AI

• Digital literacy

• Behavioral and mental health

• Performing arts and film

• Neuroscience

• Higher education

Yes, I have many interests. 😉 I’m also well-versed in the technology and agency industries.

That’s the heart of it. I’m eager to build something bigger than myself.

I’m open to where this leads: remote, hybrid, in-person, or even relocating in the US, to Canada, or Europe (so long as I can visit my family in Nashville). What matters is people. Team. Mission. Momentum.

IF you're feeling burned out

And if you’re reading this feeling the same burnout or loneliness, questioning your next move, here’s what I want you to know: You only have one life. Do what’s best for you and your family. If you’re feeling stuck, find the others. Join a local group, attend a meetup, or connect with your industry peers. You’re not alone.

And hey, if you’re building something meaningful and could use a communication strategist by your side… let’s talk.

Listeners to my podcast, ADHD Wise Squirrels, will already be familiar with the executive coach and author, Rob Hatch.

I loved his latest book, Success Frames: Why learning from success is the key to understanding what motivates and inspires us.

In "Success Frames," Hatch delves into the intricacies of building a framework for success by learning from both achievements and failures. The book highlights the importance of reflecting on one's experiences, emphasizing that true learning stems from analyzing both triumphs and mistakes.

Learning from Experience

Hatch underscores the value of reflection in the learning process, citing John Dewey's assertion that "adults don’t learn from doing. They learn by reflecting on what they have done." This reflection is crucial in understanding why things go right and how to replicate those successes. Hatch shares that while failures can illuminate gaps in knowledge or execution, they must be balanced with an understanding of what successful efforts look like.

Defining Success

Success is a subjective term, and Hatch emphasizes the importance of personalizing its definition. His research identified education, relationships, and character as the top three components of their success. Hatch encourages readers to define what success means to them, incorporating elements like financial freedom and personal growth into their definitions.

Building a Success Framework

A significant part of Hatch's approach involves creating frameworks based on successful experiences. These frameworks, which he calls "Success Frames," help individuals and organizations replicate positive outcomes. The beauty of these frameworks lies in their flexibility—they allow for customization based on the specific needs and goals of the people using them.

Hatch introduces various strategies to build these frameworks:

• ActionStacks: These are step-by-step checklists that guide the completion of recurring tasks. By pre-defining the steps, ActionStacks help automate processes and reduce decision fatigue.

• OODA Loop: This decision-making model involves observing, orienting, deciding, and acting. It’s a cyclical process that encourages continuous improvement and adaptation.

Leveraging Strengths

Hatch advocates for a strengths-based approach, echoing findings from Gallup that focusing on strengths significantly boosts engagement and performance. By leveraging what people do well, individuals and teams can achieve higher levels of success and satisfaction.

Practical Application

Throughout "Success Frames," Hatch provides practical advice on implementing these principles. He discusses the importance of planning ahead, reducing reliance on willpower, and creating environments conducive to success. For instance, Hatch recommends scheduling specific "success blocks" of time dedicated to critical projects, free from interruptions.

Learning from Others

Hatch also highlights the value of learning from others' successes. By identifying and connecting with individuals who have achieved what one aspires to, people can gain valuable insights and guidance. This network of successful individuals can provide support, advice, and inspiration.

Emotional and Mental Well-being

Understanding and managing emotions is another critical aspect of Hatch's framework. He points out that focusing on what’s going well can help counterbalance the natural tendency to dwell on problems. This positive focus can enhance resilience and motivation, making it easier to overcome challenges. Hatch shares his own experiences with his late diagnosis of ADHD and how considering his coping mechanisms can be impactful.

You can listen to my full interview with Hatch by clicking the play button below or visiting Wise Squirrels.

Rob Hatch's "Success Frames" offers a comprehensive guide to achieving personal and professional success. By reflecting on experiences, defining success on one's own terms, building adaptable frameworks, leveraging strengths, and learning from others, readers can create robust paths to their goals. The book serves as both a practical manual and an inspirational resource, encouraging individuals to take control of their success journeys and that’s exactly what I plan to do after reading it!

It's lovely hearing from you both online and in person. I had a few recent encounters with folks I didn't realize were subscribers who asked about the return of the Nice Maker newsletter. I've been mulling over this thought for a while, and it's led me in a new/old direction. My decision will be essential for Nashville-area readers, but don't let that scare you off because I have plans for you, too. 

It's no secret how much I love connecting with people; I wrote a book about the topic. New Business Networking came because I spoke to a stranger at Jason's conference, and she became my publisher!

When I reflect on the sixteen years I've lived in Nashville, I think fondly of the memories of the people I've met from the events I've either organized or helped organize.

I co-founded BarCamp Nashville and PodCamp Nashville with Marcus Whitney, whom I worked with at Emma - my first job in Nashville. BarCamp planning led to meeting Mark Rowan, whom I worked for at Griffin, my second job in Nashville. Stasia Kudrez spoke at BarCamp, and that connection led to five years of speaking for Google. I founded Geek Breakfast to unite people between the events. I created Nashcocktail to connect the late risers who couldn't make breakfast. These two monthly networking events led to countless relationships with many wonderful people and rewarding opportunities for participants. 

I love you people! 

Nice people from Nashcocktail.

The truth is that 2023 has been a hell of a year for me professionally. I'm hearing similar feedback from many friends. Post-pandemic loneliness has been taking its toll on both our mental and physical health. Greedy algorithms and dodgy bots have hijacked our favorite social networking sites. Many of us work alone from our homes, talking more with ChatGPT than our friends, even when our loving families surround us.

The thing I crave most is human-to-human connection. The handshakes, high-fives, and hugs bring us together, and virtual reality hasn't replaced this and (hopefully) never will. I have a pretty decent track record of being this instigator, a misfit who loves getting nice people together. 

This is where you come in.

I've decided to start hosting events again. Most of these will be free, with some exceptions. One thing I've spun my wheels on is deciding whether I should start another breakfast thing, unconference, cocktail hour, a hiking group, a movie, or a comedy outing... and then I thought, screw it, why don't I do all of the above? Wouldn't this be a nice idea? 

And like the good old days of tweetups and meetups, why don't I organize similar events when traveling? Great things can happen at such get-togethers; just ask Merlene and Randy. 

And with this, I bring you the new and improved Nice Maker Substack newsletter. My goal is to communicate with you about upcoming events I'm hosting or attending. Sometimes, I will give you weeks' notice of an event; other times, I will invite you to join us for a hike in a few hours or a coffee that afternoon.

Of course, you don't have to commit to all the events I invite you to, but it is always nice to have you come along. I want to unite people again, and I hope you will join me.

NEXT STEPS…

Nice Makers, you are just three steps away from connection, collaboration, opportunities, friendships, and more... 

1. Subscribe to the newsletter and watch for each email.  

2. RSVP for an event. 

3. Show up for the event. Don't cancel at the last minute. 

I wish you a happy, healthy, and wealthy 2024! I hope to see you around.

In a world that often prioritizes speed, productivity, and conformity, it's easy to feel disconnected from our true selves. We often rush through life, barely pausing to reflect on who we are, what we value, and what brings us joy. This reality impacts everyone, regardless of their operating system. The Root Down process will help us better understand ourselves, respect our unique qualities, and forge deeper connections with others.

Understanding the Root Down Process

The Root Down process is a concept inspired by the experiences of individuals with ADHD, who often struggle to fit into a neurotypical world. My method encourages self-discovery, self-respect, and improved connections with others.

Here’s how it works.

Know Yourself - Understanding oneself is the foundation of personal growth and well-being. Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, interests, and values clarifies decision-making and helps you navigate life more effectively. For individuals with ADHD, this self-awareness is often heightened due to the daily challenges we face. However, anyone can benefit from taking time to explore their inner landscape.

When you know yourself, you can make choices that align with your true nature. This reduces inner conflict, boosts self-confidence, and increases overall life satisfaction.

Respect Yourself - Self-respect is the cornerstone of mental and emotional health. It means accepting yourself as you are, flaws and all. The ADHD community often faces stigmatization and misunderstanding, making self-acceptance challenging. Nonetheless, it's a vital step in the Root Down process.

Respecting yourself fosters self-esteem, resilience, and a sense of empowerment. It allows you to set healthy boundaries, say no when necessary, and prioritize your well-being.

Connecting Yourself - Humans are inherently social beings. Building meaningful connections with others is essential for emotional health and personal growth. However, these connections must be based on authenticity, not masks. We must seek out like-minded individuals who understand our unique challenges.

Authentic connections provide emotional support, reduce feelings of isolation, and enrich your life with diverse perspectives and experiences.

The Root Down will transform your workplace team or conference audience. Learn more and say hello here.

Ashton Applewhite

I recently interviewed Ashton Applewhite, an internationally recognized expert on ageism. Applewhite has been recognized by the UN and the World Health Organization as one of the Healthy Aging 5050 leaders working to make the world a better place to grow old. She has also written a book, "This Chair Rocks. A Manifesto Against Ageism," inspired by her interviews with people over 80 for a project called "So You Want to Retire?" that aimed to address everyday ageism assumptions.

During the conversation, we discuss the changing nature of work and retirement. We agree that the traditional concept of retirement is becoming obsolete as people live longer and need to retrain and learn new skills constantly. We also agree that work is essential for providing connection and purpose in life, especially for men. The information age has also provided new opportunities for people to work remotely and continue working at any age. We touch on the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement and how retiring too early can harm some people, particularly business owners.

Language and culture play a role in how retirement is perceived and celebrated.

We spoke about retirement and the judgment that can come with it. The traditional retirement age is obsolete, and that retirement itself needs to be rethought. I acknowledge my privilege in having work I love and control over my schedule. We also mention how language and culture play a role in how retirement is perceived and celebrated. We both agree that aging is not necessarily sad or depressing and the importance of continuous learning and growth.

During the conversation, we discussed how aging is fascinating and touched on fields of study and aspects of the human condition. We also agree that referring to someone as "old" is not inherently insulting but only becomes problematic when attached to value judgments. We then shift to embracing aging and how physical function is not necessarily linked to age. Personal experiences such as my annoying back pain and eye problems are shared to illustrate this point.

We discuss how apprehension about aging is often related to stereotypes and stigma around physical and mental capacity, which is ableism rather than ageism. While physical and cognitive decline is inevitable with aging, it affects each person differently. The negative aspects of aging, such as the possibility of running out of money or ending up alone, are legitimate fears. Still, society tends to only focus on the negative side of aging. I embrace both the positives and negatives of aging and question the notion that everything about getting old is awful while everything about being young is great.

Asking for help should not be shameful, and society should work to promote interdependence rather than independence.

During the podcast, we discuss how society reflexively blames age for various physical issues and how this can be harmful. People should ask for help more often and destigmatize asking for and accepting help. Individuals should remember that everyone needs help at some point, and it is a two-way transaction. Asking for help should not be shameful, and society should work to promote interdependence rather than independence.

We also share a story of an older woman who was offended when a young man offered to help her at a self-checkout machine and explain that the problem is not the offer itself but the assumption that the person needs help solely based on their age or appearance. We emphasize the importance of listening to and respecting the answer when offering help and suggest a kinder approach of offering seats to anyone who might need it rather than solely based on age or disability.

The podcast highlights the need for self-awareness and challenging internalized stereotypes to create a more inclusive and respectful society. During the conversation, we discuss the importance of respecting everyone regardless of age and physical ability. We agreed that ageism is deeply ingrained in Western culture, and we must examine our biases towards aging and physical ability. We also mention the benefits of living in mixed-age communities where everyone has visibility and purpose.

Listen to our full interview on the Nice Podcast.

This happens more than you think. You are an event planner, and your keynote speaker suddenly cancels at the last minute. Next thing you know, panicked, you are searching Google for the best last-minute keynote speakers for corporate events in Nashville and freaking out!

Here are some recommendations for meeting planners and conference organizers urgently seeking a replacement motivational speaker in Nashville, Tennessee.

Five Tips to Finding a Last Minute Presenter in Nashville (and beyond)

1. Have a backup plan in place: Have a backup list for Nashville-based speakers, just in case. Having a list of potential replacement speakers who can be called upon in an emergency is a good idea. An advantage is this should save you money because the speaker shouldn’t charge you for travel or accommodation. In cases like this, I always discount my speaking fee.

2. Communicate with event staff: Communicate with them to ensure they know the situation and can help you find a replacement speaker. They may have contacts or resources to help you quickly find a replacement.

3. Reach out to your professional network: Contact other speakers, colleagues, or industry experts to see if they can step in at the last minute. Contact me. If I am not the right fit or unavailable, I will connect you to Nashville area professional speakers who can help you. You may also have some luck with the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp or Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

4. Be transparent with attendees: Let attendees know that the original keynote speaker can no longer attend, but assure them that a qualified replacement has been secured. Communicating any program schedule changes is essential to ensure everything is clear.

5. Adjust the schedule if necessary: If the replacement speaker has a different topic or presentation style, consider adjusting the schedule to accommodate the change. This will help ensure the audience gets the most out of the event. Hopefully, you will find a nice speaker who is easy to work with (shameless plug) to fit your needs.

Don’t Panic. I will help you find a replacement speaker.

Overall, having a backup plan and remaining calm and professional can help ensure that any last-minute changes to the keynote speaker do not negatively impact the event. If you’re stuck right now as you read this, call or email me. I promise to point you in the right direction.

In 2017, I became a contract speaker for Google. Since then, I have taught thousands of people how to improve their digital skills to grow their businesses and careers. I’ve worked with wonderful organizations like the SBDC, SBA, SCORE, chambers of commerce, colleges, and libraries across the United States and Canada. Let me know if you’d like some help too.

As a Grow with Google speaker, Google trusts me to represent them across multiple states, including Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arizona. I’ve even represented Google on local and national television news.

One highlight of representing Google was being booked as the head trainer for six flagship events across Canada, where I spoke to audiences in the hundreds. Along this journey, I was also asked to train Google trainers to improve their presentation skills in train-the-trainers sessions.

Now I’m offering this to you. If you have a team of trainers or a department (like sales and marketing) who wish to improve their communication skills, or you want to communicate with confidence, check this out.

Next week, I will be in Arizona teaching a team of wonderful trainers in my COMMUNICATION & STORYTELLING WORKSHOP. I can't wait to help them improve how they represent their company. I’d love to help you too.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash.

I have read many definitions of what a brand is, but I believe the best one is by Jeff Bezos of Amazon fame. “Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room.”

If an unhappy team member complains about your company and you aren’t in the room to hear it, how do you know it was said? This sounds like a philosophical thought experiment like “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" It’s not.

The feedback (good or bad) that your staff members are providing is paramount to building a strong culture. Not only can unhappy people cost your business tens of thousands of dollars in rehiring and retraining when they decide to quit, but they can hinder your rehiring process too. Of course, it’s most important to focus on being nice and preventing this in the first place.

A good first step is to read the reviews of your current and former employees. To do this, I recommend searching for your company name on Glassdoor and Indeed. The following are a few examples Sunil Rajaraman found for his article, The 5 Most Hilarious Glassdoor Reviews of Silicon Valley Employers.

Employee Satisfaction Surveys

As a general rule, the more questions you ask in a survey the fewer answers you will receive. Brevity is important. Begin by understanding why you are creating an employee survey in the first place, perhaps it’s based on the feedback you discovered researching your company on the aforementioned sites.

I spoke with Susan Baier, whose work I admire at Audience Audit for her advice about the best tips for employee surveys.

Five Tips for Employee Surveys

1. Make it anonymous. Even if you tell people it is, if you're conducting it they might wonder if you're tracking their IP address or something. If you can have a 3rd party administer it, all the better. At the end, you can ask respondents if they would like to have a conversation with someone about their responses, but make it OPTIONAL. Nobody has to provide identifying information, department, level, location, etc.

2. Don't ask leading questions, like "Aren't we great?" "Is this the best place you've ever worked?" Instead, stick to: "How would you rate your compensation compared to your peers at other organizations?" etc.

3. Make sure you give people a full range of response options. No giving them a scale like this:

• Excellent

• Really good

• Pretty good

• Okay

• Not that great

Scales need to be balanced, with an equal number of positive responses as negative ones. You can't leave off "terrible" just because you don't want anyone to pick it.

4. Ask them how likely they think it is that you'll act on their feedback if they provide any. You can learn a lot just from that question.

5. Include an open-ended question asking for their advice, suggestions, etc.

Tap into your team’s feedback

Try not to take any negative feedback you receive from the employee surveys and the reviews you read online to heart. Use what you discover to improve your company culture.

Do you want to stop wasting money on recruiting and training? Do you want happier, more connected employees? Focus on how you hear your team.

“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

— Jeff Bezos, Amazon.

The CES Bound road trip team in 2010. I’m the one on the left (I look like a baby). Photo from Griffin Technology.

You have to acknowledge there is life outside the walls of your organization. I know, you understand this, but most people during the day-to-day forget. We are focused on prospecting and client work that we often neglect considering what’s beyond those walls.

I want to teach you the true value of embracing life outside your walls. Doing so will lead to happier and more connected employees. This will improve retention and save you money on recruiting and retraining your team members when they quit.

This particular story hits three of the most important pieces of life outside your walls. You have to have internal aspects, external aspects, and trust.

In 2010, I proposed an idea to gather a few fellow team members at Griffin Technology and embark on a road trip. The plan evolved into a major undertaking that involved rebuilding a 1972 VW Westfalia after hours, driving it 2,500 miles from Nashville to Las Vegas, organizing meet-ups with our customers, and parking ‘Double Nickles’ in our booth at CES (the largest consumer electronics show in the world).

Life Outside Your Walls

Trust

Let’s begin with trust. Without the consent of the leadership team at Griffin the trip, affectionately known as CES Bound, would not have taken place. People who work in companies that do the best job creating a culture of trust, compared to those in companies that are the worst at it, are 50% more productive, 76% more engaged, and have more than double the energy, according to research led by Paul Zak, director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate University. Trust matters.

Externally

Allowing your team members the freedom to leave the office to attend conferences and tradeshows can be incredibly rewarding. They learn new skills and build relationships with future clients or customers, employees, and strategic partners.

The CES Bound trip was a six-day journey of getting to know my colleagues better. Lifelong friendships and brand loyalty were established.

Internally

The staff at Griffin eagerly volunteered their time to rebuild an immobile classic VW bus after hours. The team also organized meetups, promotional partnerships, media coverage, and 2,5000 miles worth of content for social media and promotional usage like this road trip tips guide we made.

What happened?

The outcomes of this initiative were:

“This is a nice example of how the creativity of people who have a vested interest in an organization can be harnessed in completely novel ways.

What this tells me is that Griffin listens to its innovative talent instead of ignoring their disruptive actions. This is really necessary for an organization that has to remain nimble and resilient in an industry that changes daily. Being able to leverage its own internal creativity increases the chance that Griffin will continue to be successful.”

— Richard Gayle, President, SpreadingScience.

1. We had a team of connected people with unparalleled trust in the company.

2. We had a team that was more cohesive than ever and it actually led our work within those walls to be even better.

3. We had tons of content like photos and videos that helped promote our company culture and products.

4. We welcomed countless media professionals and buyers to our booth at CES who wanted to learn about our new products and have their photos made with the bus.

5. We received media coverage from technology and business reporters.

I’m not telling you to go on a road trip, but you have to get this right and do these things if you want to have happy connected employees and if you want to reduce costs of recruiting and training replacement staff. Think about other ways you can celebrate life outside your walls.

I loved working at Griffin Technology. We built such a strong team and culture that we were able to grow and eventually, the acclaimed technology company was even acquired.

What is it about starting a new job that makes you want to quit? Up to 20% of employee turnover happens in the first 45 days for new hires!

According to SHRM, one-third of new hires quit their jobs after nearly six months. Just putting bums into seats behind computers does not save your fast-growing technology company money. In fact, losing and retraining staff is costly. A company can spend six to nine months of an employee's salary to replace them. For an employee making $60,000 per year, that comes out to $30,000 - $45,000 in recruiting and training costs. Yikes!

You want happier and more connected employees to improve retention, build a strong culture, and stop wasting money on recruiting and training. According to an HR Executive article by Jamie Kohn, “Employees today are experiencing a crisis of connection. According to Gartner research, only 40% of employees feel a sense of belonging at their organization. The problem is even worse for new employees; just 32% of employees hired in the past 12 months feel a sense of belonging to their organization.”

Three common employee onboarding mistakes to avoid the wrecks.

1. Failing to prepare for the new employee’s arrival.

A study by Octanner found 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experienced great onboarding. Organizations with a standard onboarding process experience 50% greater new hire retention.

Alexandra Hicks at Zenefits shares ten ways to prepare for an employee's first day. She perfectly captures what I recommend companies do.

1. Send a first-day welcome announcement to the company. I suggest including an internal FAQ as I wrote about in my Nice Method post about how to avoid the wrecks.

2. Prepare their space.

3. Provide a staff directory.

4. Simplify first-day paperwork.

5. Offer a solid training program.

6. Assign a mentor.

7. Plan an activity.

8. Give a welcome gift.

9. Check in.

10. Show your enthusiasm.

2. Companies often fail to reinforce their values, purpose, and beliefs. 

What are your beliefs? As Ron Tite wrote in Think, Do, Say, “Believing isn’t enough. You have to act to reinforce your beliefs. These actions are based on who you do your work for, what they want you to do, and who you do it with. Tite shares the example of REI who states “We believe a life lived outside is a life worth living.” So they close their 167 stores on Thanksgiving and Black Friday to encourage their 13,000 employees to #OptOutside. In fact, they pay their staff to do this and encourage other brands to follow suit.

A Gartner survey from June 2020 of 600 employees revealed that employee engagement declined when their employer simply made a statement with no action behind it. When a company took action on a social issue, employee engagement increased by 20 percentage points.

3. Not setting clear goals and expectations.

View fullsize

Click to enlarge.

Leaders should use the Nice Method to encourage discourse and clarity with their new hires. To do this, be sure they are aware of your open-door policy for feedback and questions. Schedule “Ask me anything coffee” meetings ahead of time, so they are on your new team member’s calendar.

Create SMART Goals and share them openly. To do so; be specific, make the goals measurable by setting key performance indicators, set realistic and achievable goals, be sure your goals are relevant to the business and make them time-bound to know when each goal is due.

Finally, be clear with your team when onboarding begins, how long it will last, and what impressions you want new hires to feel at the end of their first day working with you.

Onboarding is a crucial process in the Nice Method and doing it well will help you avoid the wrecks.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.

The findings of The Achievers Workforce Institute’s February 2021 survey are sobering. Fifty-two percent of fully-employed employees said they intend to look for a new job this year, up from 35% in 2020. These numbers are especially concerning for the software technology industry who, according to LinkedIn’s most recent study found the industry has the highest turnover rate of 13.2% rate. This figure can be as high as 21.7% for embedded software engineers.

I worked for two fast-growing technology companies and experienced the negative side of growth first-hand. One day, as I was getting a cup of coffee, I noticed a new face preparing her own cup. Her affixed ID badge indicated she too worked there, so I concluded she had just joined our team.

“Hi, I’m Dave, I work in marketing. You must be new.” I smiled and welcomed our new addition.

With a half-hearted chuckle, she replied, “I’ve been working here for four months.” I could tell this was probably not the first belated welcome conversation she experienced in our quick-growing firm. I never saw her again, which left me to conclude she moved on to a different, more welcoming, nicer company.

Success can be a painful journey for your team members. Companies lose their heart as communication and cohesiveness faulters through rapid growth. Your longest and most loyal employees begin to abandon ship because they feel excluded or no longer heard.

A study by The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reported that on average it costs a company 6 to 9 months of an employee's salary to replace him or her. For an employee making $60,000 per year, that comes out to $30,000 - $45,000 in recruiting and training costs.

I want to give leaders a look behind the scenes at what goes wrong, and how to fix it. The fact that it takes an average of 51 days to fill an IT role in the US, you simply can’t afford to ignore the turnover. While compensation matters, it isn’t the top factor when it comes to retention. Work-life balance and recognition both rate higher than compensation for retaining top talent.

The Nice Method includes three pillars to leaving you with happier and more connected employees, they are Hear Your Team, Avoid The Wrecks, and Life Outside Your Walls.

When you hear your team members actively listening, you avoid the wrecks that cause churn. When you take the time to bring your people together and you consider life outside your walls, you humanize your team which makes them happier and more connected. Happier teams have longer tenures, so you can stop wasting money on recruiting and training.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found 4 million people quit their jobs in April 2021 — the biggest spike on record. The Nice Method will help you avoid being a part of similar future statistics.

If you’re a fast-growing tech company and you’re experiencing challenges with employee retention you are probably getting one of the Nice Method three pillars wrong.

Step 1. Hear Your Team 👈

Step 2. Avoid the Wrecks

Step 3. Life Outside Your Walls

Immigrants come to this country in droves. They start businesses and use a tax loophole, so they don’t have to pay taxes. They then invite their family members and friends here, they too start similar businesses, and they don’t pay taxes either!

This is something two American friends told me a number of months ago before dinner. They explained that these loopholes are how immigrants come from countries like India and Korea and now run most mid-range hotels and convenience stores, respectively.

Naturally, I was dumbfounded. I Googled their tax claim and discovered they were wrong. I politely added that I wish it was true since I’m an immigrant. I joked that I wanted to cash in on this*. They were both surprised but accepted my fact-checked revelation.

I explained that it made sense that an immigrant who comes to America and starts a successful business would invite their extended family. Naturally, they would support and mentor them to create similar businesses. This is what Irish laborers and Italian restauranteurs did in the early days of the US. Go back even further and it was the Spaniards and French who built great wealth from this Native American land.

I don’t expect the gentlemen were racist, they were simply ill-informed by rumors and misinformation. It’s easier to make the case when the people you refer to don’t look like you. Besides, I added, isn’t discovering loopholes to pay as little tax as possible the American way? Even that former president applauded such efforts, but I digress.

Sex & Donuts

Recently, I watched two documentaries on Hulu. I didn’t expect they would both leave me thinking a lot about immigrants... and sex and donuts.

The first film was Ask Dr. Ruth. I watched it because I was just speaking with my kids the other day about her. I told them how we (people growing up in the ’80s) learned all about sex from Dr. Ruth Westheimer (and Sue). I was curious about her story and decided to give the movie a try. I had no idea that Dr. Ruth had been a refugee who lost her parents during the holocaust. She ended up immigrating to the US in 1956.

The second film was The Donut King. The story of Ted Ngoy, also known as the “Donut King” who came to the United States as a penniless refugee from Cambodia in 1975.

Both Dr. Ruth and Ted Ngoy had horrific experiences that led in part to their relentless work ethic and passion for supporting others. Dr. Ruth literally taught thousands of Americans about sex, while Ngoy taught hundreds of Cambodian refugees how to open and run their own donut shops across the country. Both are heroes.

I had no idea that an estimated 80% of donut shops in the Los Angeles area are owned by Cambodian Americans. In Houston, Texas, the percentage is an even larger 90%.

This morning, on the way to school, I took my kids to our local donut shop and mentioned the movie to the cashier. She laughed and confirmed that she too was Cambodian!

I realize immigration is a complex topic that’s far beyond my scope. But I encourage you to watch both of these excellent films and use the web to fact-check when you hear outlandish statements.

And in case you’re wondering, here are the top 25 US companies run by immigrants.

1. Tesla

2. Google

3. eBay

4. PayPal

5. Nordstrom

6. BNY Mellon

7. Kohl’s

8. Cognizant

9. LinkedIn

10. Big Lots

11. DuPont

12. Pfizer

13. Yahoo

14. Soros Fund Management

15. Kraft Heinz

16. Goldman Sachs

17. General Electric

18. Comcast

19. Emerson

20. Capital One

21. Procter & Gamble

22. WellCare Health Plans

23. Honeywell International

24. Colgate

25. Thermo Fisher Scientific

*This immigrant always pays his taxes in full.

The Diamond Cutter by Geshe Michael Roach is a wonderful business book unlike any other.

The main story is the practical application of Buddhist philosophies to the world of business, based upon Geshe Michael Roach's seventeen-years of experience as an employee of the Andin International Diamond Corporation, a company that grew during his tenure from four employees to a world leader in the jewelry industry.

The two main takeaways, I want to share with you are related to how we treat our colleagues and how we consider money.

How we treat others

I once worked with a person who was a loud eater. They would smack their lips in a way that would drive me insane. I had to exit the room while the person lunched just to avoid flipping my desk over in disgust.

The Diamond Cutter made me reconsider this type of negative thinking when dealing with someone who annoys you. Here’s the passage I would like you to read and consider for yourself.

… nothing that ever happens to us is a good thing or a bad thing from its own side, because —if it were— then everyone else would experience it that way as well. For example, our irritating person at work would strike everyone else in exactly the same way, if his or her “irritating-ness” were something inside that was flowing out of that individual and flying across the room to us. In reality though there is almost always someone who finds the person to be good and lovable. 

The fact that this is the case has two important implications:

1) This person has no quality, within him, of being irritating or nice. He himself, from his own side, is “blank” or “neutral” or “empty”. 

2) The reason that we personally experience this person as being irritating must be coming from somewhere else.

Apparently, there is no “irritating-ness” flowing from these people to them— which very simply proves that this is not a quality within the people themselves. They have no such quality within themselves, or it would show itself to others; they are, rather, like blank screens, neutral and different people see different things in them. This is a very simple and undeniable proof of emptiness or hidden potential. And everything else in the world is the same.

So the next time someone is annoying you, consider why you are being annoyed. Rather, consider how the person is loved by others. Don’t be upset if others don’t find you as nice as you are striving to be.

Building wealth

Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash.

The Diamond Cutter spends a fair amount of time exploring the ideas of money and building wealth. I’ve shared strategies related to this with you here before. I’ve also written at length about the need to network nicely within my book, New Business Networking, and to always find ways to serve others first and foremost.

In The Diamond Cutter, Roach shares the idea of planting karmic imprints or seeds for the future. He also speaks of manifestation in this regard.

Now if all these theories are right, then the reason that any particular venture (brilliant or idiotic) is a success and makes money is due only to the good imprints in the mind of its creator: Those who succeed get to see themselves making money only because, at some point in the past, they planted in their minds an imprint to see themselves making money. And this particular imprint can be planted only by watching yourself giving all you can to others. As we’ve seen, this giving begins and should begin in a limited way: Small kindnesses done to people in your own department, or your own family, based on watching them closely to see what they want and need.  

Then the giving graduates to a broader level, say to every department in your company, with the gift taking on more substantial proportions- financial yes, but also in terms of giving your own time, and your emotional and professional support, and helping people with ideas. 

He describes three principles about making money. The first is related to how people feel about money and its connection to greed.

In Buddhism, it is not the money which is in itself wrong; in fact, a person with greater resources can do much more good in the world than one without. The question rather is how we make the money; whether we understand where it comes from and how to make it continue to come; and whether we keep a healthy attitude about the money.

The whole point then is to make money in a clean and honest way, to understand clearly where it comes from so it doesn’t stop, and to maintain a healthy view toward it where we have it. As long as we do these things, making money is completely consistent with a spiritual way of life; in fact, it becomes part of a spiritual way of life.

The second principle is that we should enjoy the money; that is, we should learn how to keep our minds and bodies in good health while we make the money. The activity of creating wealth should not exhaust us so much physically or mentally that we cannot enjoy the wealth. A business person who ruins his health doing business is defeating the very purpose of business.

The third principle is that you should be able to look back at your business, at the end, and honestly say that your years of doing business have had some meaning. The end of every business enterprise we engage in, and in fact the end of our lives, must come to every person who ever does business. And at the most important part of the business - at the end, when we are looking back on all we have achieved - we should see that we have conducted ourselves and our business in a way that had some lasting meaning, that left some good mark in the world.

To summarize, the goal of a business, and of ancient Tibetan wisdom, and in fact of all human endeavor, is to enrich ourselves - to achieve prosperity, both outer and inner. We can enjoy this prosperity only if we maintain a high degree of physical and mental health. And over the length of our lives we must seek ways to make this prosperity meaningful in a larger sense.

There is much more to explore in The Diamond Cutter. I highly recommend you give this gem a read for yourself. Feel free to share any takeaways with me here. I always love to hear from you.

Did you know on average, only 21% of organizations keep their workplace communications simple and jargon-free?

Not everyone understands online sarcasm, and some don't even understand it offline (I feel bad for them). Emoticons are a common thing to include in casual online communication. However, not everyone understands that :-) is supposed to be a smile, and ;-) is supposed to be a wink.

What does the J in emails mean?

Do you use Microsoft Outlook for email? You probably have the popular Wingdings font installed. The cute smile that you include in your message confuses the pants off the recipient if they use a different email client because the smile appears as a single capitalized letter "J."

When corresponding in a professional manner via email, it is best to avoid sarcasm and emoticons. Avoid slang, too, because that can really mess things up for you.

I once ran into a problem with my colleagues. There was confusion over what was needed for an important project. I composed a detailed email to clarify everything, but I made one big mistake.

I meticulously wrote out each step needed for the project in a bulleted email. To be absolutely sure that the team would understand what was needed, I proofread my message multiple times before hitting the send button. My big mistake was how I signed off in the message.

Who the heck is Bob?

You see, I'm Canadian. My Mum is British. That wasn't a typo; I actually call her "Mum." In Canada and the UK, there is a popular expression that we use instead of saying, "And there you have it." The expression is one that completely messed up my perfect email. I ended my email with, "and Bob's your uncle."

I hit send, and I sat back in my chair with a deep feeling of satisfaction for helping everyone understand what was needed. We worked in an open-environment without walls; I could see some of my colleagues at their desks. Their heads were down focusing on their work. Their email notifications went off as my message arrived in their inboxes. Slowly, their heads began to rise with looks of bewilderment across their faces. Finally, one of them exclaimed, "Who the heck is Bob?"

It was tragically hilarious that I then had to explain what the sentence meant. Not only this, but I had to reply to other colleague’s confused emails to me who were not in the room. Yes, it made for a great laugh, but caused a big disruption in the time we could have been using to finish the pressing project.

Whether you're writing an email to follow up with a person you met at a networking event, replying to a customer, or emailing your boss, do yourself a favor and avoid sarcasm, slang, and emoticons. Nobody has the time for long-winded email messages these days, so keep them short, sweet, and nice.

And Bob's your uncle!

In order to effectively lead an organization or department, one must be fluent in social intelligence skills.

The key elements of social intelligence are verbal fluency and conversational skills; knowledge of social roles, rules, and scripts; effective listening skills; understanding what makes other people tick; social self-efficacy; and impression management skills. Social intelligence (SI) is one of the core areas my corporate training focuses on in the Nice Method. How versed are you in each of these areas?

Social Intelligence Skills

Verbal Fluency and Conversational Skills. Ronald E Riggio Ph.D. explains this well in his article in Psychology Today. “You can easily spot someone with lots of SI at a party or social gathering because he or she knows how to “work the room.” The highly socially intelligent person can carry on conversations with a wide variety of people, and is tactful and appropriate in what is said. Combined, these represent what are called “social expressiveness skills.”

Effective Listening Skills. I obsess about actively listening with intent. I love the reaction I get from audiences when I share the fact that an anagram for the word ‘silent’ is ‘listen’ (also ‘tinsel’, but I digress). We don’t learn from speaking, we learn from listening. Here’s a quick video from The Master Communicator’s Secret Weapon presentation for more on how to improve your listening skills.

We don’t learn from speaking, we learn from listening.

Understanding What Makes Other People Tick. As a speaker and improv performer, I have studied how to read an audience. Noting the facial expressions and body language of the crowd is important in adjusting my performance to leave them satisfied. The same goes for professional settings like sales calls, video meetings, candidate interviews, employee performance meetings, and investor calls. Not only is reading the people important but understanding why they are behaving the way they do is crucial.

Knowledge of Social Roles, Rules, and Scripts. To come off as socially sophisticated and wise, one must understand the difference in the people they interact with. In an office setting or virtual meeting, you come across many different types of people who demand different styles of interaction. Recognizing these differences and adapting your communication style is key to effective communication.

Impression Management Skills. You need to be aware of the impression you are leaving on the people you communicate with. This means mixing a healthy dose of authenticity with self-censorship. Being honest and sincere is paramount in everything we do, but being completely transparent can have serious ramifications in professional relationships.

Role-Playing and Social Self-Efficacy. Knowing how to play different social roles will make you feel comfortable no matter who you are communicating with. When you practice these skills you feel socially self-confident and more effective. This is why role-playing is an important part of the Nice Method, which leads to improved social self-efficacy.