When we are validated in a healthy way, we thrive in all areas of our life. However, when we are gaslighted or invalidated, our self concept is diminished greatly. In this episode of the Better U Leadership Podcast Angela shares 4 points about validation that leaders need to understand.

1. KNOW THE DEFINITION:

Validation means that we are acknowledging another person's emotions, thoughts, experiences, values, and beliefs. Validation isn't about agreeing, placating, “fixing” the other person, trying to get someone to change, or repeating back what the other person has said.

Emotional validation is the process of learning about, understanding, and expressing acceptance of another person's emotional experience. Emotional validation is distinguished from emotional invalidation, in which another person's emotional experiences are rejected, ignored, or judged.

2. KNOW THE IMPACT OF...

Are you up for a summary of chapter 1 of the book, "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When The Stakes are High"?  The title of the foundational chapter is "What's a Crucial Conversation?" 

First, its a easy read for a topic we can't avoid. Effective leaders really must develop the skill of engaging in crucial conversations. 

Relationships are the priority of life, and conversations help us care for our relationships with talking and listening. The quality of your life comes out of the quality of your dialogues and conversations. Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler — the founders of VitalSmarts — helps you think about what you really want to say.

What’s a Crucial Conversation?

A crucial conversation, as defined by the four authors, is a discussion between two or more people where stakes are high, opinions vary and emotions run strong.

The effects of conversations gone bad can be both...

 Do you want more and better? The book "Can't Hurt Me" by David Goggins contains inspirational challenges at the end of ten of its eleven chapters. 

This book is one of ten on my reading list. HERE I absolutely love it. 

 The book, Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds  represents everything you were taught about self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work written by the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller.

Join us at our next book review and discussion on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 7 pm EST via Zoom

Join us on zoom on August 4, 2021

Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by authors Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler provides insights into how to handle crucial conversations well, influence others and get things done. 

At the heart of...

You want to lead effectively, then I encourage you to take your personal wellness seriously. More often than not, the people who work day and night without care or concern for their wellness will live to regret that choice. 

Wellness as defined by the University of California is “Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness; it is a dynamic process of change and growth. It is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Most of the time when we hear the word or concept of wellness its associated with working out or losing weight. Its best to focus on all dimensions of wellness to live your best life. 

Types of wellness include emotional, environmental, intellectual, physical, social and spiritual. [Basics of Leading Yourself]

The four basic aspects of leading yourself are:

1. ...

Life is filled with uncertainty. The only thing we can really control is how we lead ourselves. 

The four basic aspects of leading yourself are:

1. Well being
2. Vision
3. Execution
4. Productivity

 Much Love and Much Respect,

Angela

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angela M. Odom is a life and leadership coach, founder of The Better U Project brand, podcast host, proud Army veteran and the author of BRONCO STRONG: A Memoir of the Last Deployed Personnel Services Battalion and a contributing author to the book, "Camouflaged Sisters: Leadership Through The Eyes of Senior Military Women Leaders". 

ONLINE: Website I Instagram I Facebook I LinkedIn I Twitter I You Tube

Increase your emotional awareness by learning how to read people.

Read their facial movements, speech and body movements.

Hi all, Happy Tuesday! I hope the first few months of 2021 is going well so far.

I’m excited to announce that my private coaching program has enrollment slots open. I teach women in managerial and supervisory positions how to grow their skills and leadership capacity so that they earn more respect and increase their revenue.

My brand new coaching program is called Eight Steps to Grow Your Leadership Capacity in 100 Days!

 The Eight Steps to Grow Your Leadership Capacity in 100 Days is for you if:

• You would like to advance your career but don’t know how to do it
• You lack professional influence with your staff, clients or colleagues
• Your customers, peers or employees have expressed dissatisfaction with you
• You feel like a fraud; even though you have extensive experience in your career field
• Your staff struggles with growth and improvement
• You want more executive presence but don’t know how to achieve it 
• You are afraid to be your authentic self because...

Don't spend it all in one place. Have you ever heard that? I say we change our mindset to spend on purpose. 

Millions of Americans are receiving at least $1,400 because the US Congress passed the American Rescue Plan last week and US President Joe Biden signed the bill into law. In addition to the direct payments

Driving around my small town, I noticed long lines at the grocery stores, liquor stores, and restaurants. It seems to be a lot of traffic in every direction as it is compared to the previous 12 months. 

Last week when the US Senate passed the bill and sent it back to the US House of Representatives. I sat quietly, opened my notebook and documented a list of financial items that needed my attention. 

Listen to the Better U Leadership Podcast episode #11

Six Steps to Take Before You Spend Your Government Stimulus Money

1. List items that need to be paid or addressed; housing, transportation, food, work related incidentals, and debts.

...

“Honor your commitments with integrity.”― Les Brown

Establishing boundaries and guarding our time are two critical skills that women leaders honor.  Within The Better U Project community we:

1. Respond to request on your time, resources, effort, and money with either a “Full Body Yes or a Complete No”
2. Show up for yourself first, then serve others from the overflow

Over committing happens to the best of us. We are social beings and want to be included in activities, events and conversations. Most people want to be trusted and want to be seen as someone who can be counted on to accomplish a task.

The majority of us are not intentionally seeking to let someone down or to disappoint our work colleagues, direct supports, customers or our bosses. We're invested in the overall outcome. 

However, taking on more responsibilities when your time, energy, or resources are already low or limited is not a good look for women leaders. When you commit to a...

At the Better U Project, we believe the words "Executive" and "Leadership" are used interchangeably when paired with the word "Presence". When you hear the term executive/leadership presence corporate executives, authors or thought leaders are often describing the same outcomes or observations. 

You may be have noticed people who can instantly compel you look at them and sometimes to listen to them. 

You could be a high performer, your coworkers and employees say you go out of your way to help the team, you spend countless hours preparing for meetings and projects, and are focused on moving up the corporate ladder. However, when it comes time for your performance evaluation your boss tells you to improve your presence. 

But at your last meeting with the executive team, your boss said “If you want to move into upper management, you need to improve your executive presence.” When you asked him to explain further, his reply was...