Your Intended Message

From Rock Bottom to Millionaire: David Price

Communication, Recovery, and Massive Action

Massive Success Requires Massive Action

Episode 285 (David spends his time between Floirda and Puerto Rico)

In this conversation with David Price we explore:

• how a destructive inner narrative keeps people stuck and how to rewrite it

• why massive change requires massive action

• how relocating or disrupting routine can break old patterns

• how listening to successful people accelerates learning and results

• how emotional truth drives better communication and better sales

• how to uncover the client’s real fears and desires through deeper questions

• why vulnerability and honesty strengthen client trust

• how to succeed in selling the most intangible product—life insurance

• why heart and resilience matter more than experience in entrepreneurship

• how refusing to quit transforms long-term outcomes and personal identity

-----

About our guest, David Price:

David spent nearly 20 years battling addiction and has been clean and sober for 12 years.

He entered the insurance industry in 2018 and became one of the fastest to reach millionaire status.

In 2004 he walked away from a $2 million annual income to rebuild on his own term after challenging how agents were being treated.

Learn more about David and working with him in the life insurance business at:

https://tpglife.com/

-----

Key lessons from this conversation with David Price:

• change demands massive action, not minor adjustments

• listen to people who demonstrate results, not those who speak the loudest

• emotional self-talk shapes choices, progress, and setbacks

• drastic change in environment can break destructive patterns

• selling begins with uncovering the client’s emotional reason for buying

• effective communication requires truth, clarity, and genuine listening

• emotional sales outperform logical sales, especially for intangible products

• success in entrepreneurship depends on showing up consistently

• heart, resilience, and coachability matter more than experience

• momentum grows when you refuse to quit and commit daily to action

-----

Read the rest of this entry »

Why Servant Leaders Win: Gary Ridge

The Donkey Leadership Mindset Every Leader Needs

From "I Don't Know: to Great Leadership

Episode 284 (Gary is based in California)

In this conversation with Gary Ridge we explore:

• how humility accelerates learning and strengthens leadership

• why saying “I don’t know” unlocks collective intelligence

• what servant leadership looks like in practice inside WD-40

• how leaders shift from managing to coaching

• why culture requires consistency, not charisma

• what it means to lead from the “stinky locker room”

• how clarity about “what an A looks like” transforms performance

• why purpose matters more than product

• how to protect culture by removing toxins early

• how great leaders help people step into the best version of themselves

-----

About Our Guest, Gary Ridge:

Garry has 25 years of experience as Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego, where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program.

He’s the USA Today Bestselling Author of Any Dumb Ass Can Do It and co-author of Helping People Win at Work with Ken Blanchard.

Learn more about Gary Ridge and his services at

https://thelearningmoment.net/

Follow Gary on Linkedin   

https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge/

-----

Key Points from this Conversation with Gary Ridge:

1. Leadership begins with humility and the willingness to say “I don’t know.”

2. Great leaders embrace the role of forever learner and forever teacher.

3. Coaching, not managing, is the true work of effective leadership.

4. Trust is built in the “stinky locker room,” not the corner office.

5. Culture requires values, behavior, and consistency — not quick fixes.

6. Purpose gives meaning beyond the product and unites people around impact.

7. Clarity about “what an A looks like” prevents conflict and accelerates performance.

8. Leaders must remove cultural toxins early, even when performance is high.

9. Ego destroys leadership; empathy and awareness enable it.

10. Leadership is not about the leader — it is about helping people step into the best version of themselves.

-----

Read the rest of this entry »

The Dirty Dozen Words That Destroy Your Message

12 Words and Phrases That Sabotage Your Communication

Communication Tips from George Torok

Episode 283

In this episode we explore:

• why vague words prevent listeners from seeing what you mean

• how double negatives create confusion and weaken your intent

• where emotional trigger words derail your message

• how insulting phrases show unintended arrogance

• why self-diminishing language lowers your authority

• how dishonest openers destroy trust

• why clichés signal lazy thinking

• when jargon works and when it alienates people

• how slang phrases degrade the message

• why absolutes distort meaning

• how weak adverbs dilute clarity

• how filler words clutter your message and add noise

-----

George Torok is known as The Speech Coach for Executives. He helps business leaders speak with more confidence, clarity and consiness.

Learn more about communication coaching with George at https://speechcoachforexecutives.com/

Arrange for weekly presentations tips at https://toroktips.com/

-----

Key Learning Points from George

• eliminate vague words like “stuff” and “things” because they communicate nothing

• avoid double negatives which confuse listeners and weaken your intent

• beware emotional trigger words that create unintended reactions

• drop insulting phrases that imply superiority over your audience

• stop using self-diminishing phrases that reduce your credibility

• remove dishonest or insincere qualifiers that signal lack of authenticity

• avoid clichés that show lazy thinking and add no value

• use technical jargon only with those who understand it

• remove slang terms that degrade your message and your audience

• limit absolutes, which are usually inaccurate exaggerations

• avoid weak adverbs like “very,” “really,” and “pretty”

• eliminate filler words that clutter your message and reduce clarity

-----

Read the rest of this entry »

Charisma, Connection & Credibility: Roz Usheroff

Fear, AI & Leadership: How to Stay Human in a Digital World

The Truth About Executive Presence

Episode 282 (Roz is based in Florida)

In this coversation with Roz Usheroff we explore:

• how authenticity shapes executive presence

• why emotional intelligence matters more than polish

• how leaders can support people through AI-driven uncertainty

• the rise of “quiet cracking” and what it signals

• why psychological safety fuels innovation

• where charisma comes from and how it works

• the power of host behavior in building trust

• how leaders can read the room and adjust

• why embracing imperfections increases credibility

• how to seek useful feedback without creating defensiveness

-----

About our guest Roz Usheroff:

Roz is the founder of the Usherfoll Institute whose core mission is to help people discover and understand their unique talens and embrace their leadership capabilities that lead to both personal and corporate profitability.

She is host of The Roz Usheroff Podcast that is designed for professionals who want to enhace their leadership presence, personal brand and career trajectory by developing executive presence.

Learn more about Roz and her services at https://usheroff.com/

-----

Key Lessons from this conversation with Roz Usheroff:

• authenticity is the foundation of executive presence and differentiation

• emotional intelligence is more important than polish or perfection

• leaders must help people navigate fear, uncertainty and AI disruption

• psychological safety drives innovation and engagement

• charisma is not extroversion; it is the ability to connect and make people feel seen

• host behavior builds trust, approachability and stronger leadership presence

• leaders must read the room, adapt and adjust based on emotional cues

• perfection erodes connection; humanity strengthens credibility

• feedback must be sought strategically through third-party questions

• avoid being an “advice monster”; ask deeper questions before offering solutions

-----

Read the rest of this entry »

A Better Way to Drive Change: Jeff Wetherhold

Why Top-Down Change Fails and how leaders can fix it

How to lead change without burning out or losing your team

Episode 281 (Jeff is based in Maine)

In this conversation with Jeff Wetherhold we explore:

• why 88% of change initiatives fail and what leaders consistently overlook

• how treating change as a communication challenge shifts results

• how ambivalence, not resistance, explains employee behaviour

• how motivational interviewing helps leaders reduce resistance

• why reflections help people reveal their own motivations

• why benefits must be discovered rather than declared

• how top-down directives undermine trust and buy-in

• how leaders can engage skeptics without burning out

• why individual conversations drive organizational change

• how leaders can begin using these tools immediately

-----

About our guest, Jeff Wetherfold:

Jeff has 20+ years understanding what helps or hinders change for people and organizations. He is a former behvioral science researcher who has learned and worked extensively in the fields of change management, process improvement, motivational interviewing and leadership communication.

Learn more about Jeff and hisspeaking, training and coaching services at https://www.jeffwetherhold.com/

-----

Key lessons from this conversation with Jeff:

• in this conversation we explore why 88% of organizational change fails and what leaders overlook

• in this conversation we explore why change is primarily a communication challenge, not a technical one

• in this conversation we explore how leaders mistakenly assume employees hold fixed attitudes toward change

• in this conversation we explore the concept of ambivalence and why every person has reasons both for and against change

• in this conversation we explore why top-down change efforts almost always fail

• in this conversation we explore how motivational interviewing helps leaders move people toward change

• in this conversation we explore why leaders need more reflections and fewer questions

• in this conversation we explore how to identify and amplify employees’ intrinsic motivations

• in this conversation we explore why benefits must be defined by employees, not assumed by leaders

• in this conversation we explore why organizational change succeeds only when individuals choose to change

-----

Read the rest of this entry »

Five Roles Every High-Performing Team Needs: Mark Murphy

Don't force teamwork, harness your team's superpowers

Great teams don't need to be friends

Episode 280 (Mark is based in Georgia)

In this conversation with Mark Murphy, we explore:

• why you don’t have to like your teammates to perform well together

• how forced fun can kill real teamwork

• the five essential roles that make up every high-performing team

• how to diagnose what’s missing when your team is stuck

• why adaptive leadership means the best person leads in each situation

• how understanding others’ strengths makes collaboration easier

• why leaders should stop trying to fill every role themselves

• how team diversity creates synergy instead of friction

• what new team leaders often get wrong

• how real teamwork feels more like training for a marathon than going to a party

-----

About our guest, Mark Murphy:

Mark is a New York Times bestselling author with books, Hiring for Attitude, Hundred Percenters and his latest, Team Players: The Five Critical Roles Your Need to Build a Winning Team.

You can learn more about Mark, his books, reserch and programs at his website

https://www.leadershipiq.com/

Take the free quizs to clarify your leadership traits.

-----

Key Lessons from this conversation with Mark Murphy:

• teams don’t need to be friends to be effective

• fake team-building activities can actually hurt performance

• high-performing teams rely on five critical roles: director, achiever, stabilizer, trailblazer, harmonizer

• it’s okay not to like everyone on your team—focus on results, not relationships

• leadership on great teams is adaptive—who leads changes based on the situation

• knowing your strengths and appreciating others’ roles builds trust and efficiency

• team balance matters more than team bonding

• great leaders don’t try to play every role—they delegate and empower others

• when teams stall, identify which missing role is causing the blockage

• success is measured by outcomes, not by how much fun the team has

-----

Read the rest of this entry »

Catch People Doing Things Right: Lessons from Ken Blanchard’s Editor Martha Lawrence

Praise in Public, Criticize in Private

Leadership Lessons with Martha Lawrence

Episode 279 ( Martha is based in San Diego, CA)

In this conversation with Martha Lawrence, we explore:

• how the culture of positivity shaped Ken Blanchard’s leadership philosophy

• why The One Minute Manager changed how organizations lead and communicate

• how to apply “catch people doing things right” both at work and at home

• the fine line between genuine praise and shallow flattery

• what “servant leadership” really means in practice

• how leaders can help team members by asking better questions

• how Martha Lawrence turned trauma into meaningful creative work

• why apologizing and letting go of ego strengthen leadership

• how Ken Blanchard modeled love and humility in leadership

• how positivity and purpose can transform organizations and lives

-----

About our guest Martha Lawrence:

She's a vertern book editor who has edited hundreds of book including major bestsellers - Feel the Fear and Do it Anyways and The One Minute Enrepreneur.

As the executive editor at Blanchard, she worked with business guru, Ken Blanchard for over two decades.

Learn more about Martha and her new book at https://marthalawrence.com/

Books by Ken Blanchard https://www.kenblanchardbooks.com/

Wow! More resources from Ken Blanchard https://www.blanchard.com/

-----

Key Lessons from this conversation with Martha Lawerence:

• Positive leadership is rooted in valuing people as much as results.

• The One Minute Manager principles — clear goals, one-minute praising, and one-minute redirects — remain timeless leadership tools.

• Catching people doing things right is more effective than focusing on mistakes.

• Praise in public, criticize in private — simple rule, powerful impact.

• Servant leadership means inverting the hierarchy: leaders serve their teams.

• Leadership is learned behavior; empathy and humility can be practiced.

• The best leaders help others grow by asking, “How can I help you do your job better?”

• Adversity can become the catalyst for purpose and contribution.

• Apologizing well is a leadership strength, not a weakness.

• Real leaders let go of ego — as Ken Blanchard says, ego means “edging good out.”

-----

Read the rest of this entry »

What Nature Teaches About Communication: Hugh Coppen

The Power of Listening—Lessons from Elephants and Lions

Elephant Wisdom: Be Still, Listen, and Lead

Episode 278: (Hugh is based in San Fransico)

In this conversation with Hugh Coppen we explore:

• how animals communicate clearly without words

• why listening is a survival skill in nature—and in business

• what elephants and lions can teach us about leadership

• how body language signals intent, trust, and respect

• the importance of belonging and team spirit

• why patience and silence build awareness

• how communication extends across species

• how natural systems model mutual respect and cooperation

• how immersion in wilderness renews perspective and purpose

• the elephant’s message for human beings: listen, think, and be content

-----

About our guest, Hugh Coppen:

Hugh grew up on his family farm in Zimbabwe where he developed his lifelong passion for wildlife and nature in the African wilderness.

He eagerly spreads his love of nature and lessons from wildlife.

He has severed as CEO of companies in the US, Canada and the UK.

He leads safaris to Zimbabwe to help connect you with nature and the lessons of African wild life. https://tasimba.com/

-----

Key lessons from this conversation:

• Listening deeply reveals more than speaking.

• Body language is the oldest and most honest form of communication.

• Smell, sound, and stillness carry powerful meaning.

• Awareness depends on observation and patience.

• Trust and belonging are essential survival messages.

• Respect sustains harmony and safety.

• Communication includes shared signals across species.

• Leadership in nature depends on clarity and calm.

• Contentment and self-awareness are signs of true wisdom.

• Happiness is created, not consumed.

------

Read the rest of this entry »

Align Conscious and Subconcsious Intentions: Vince Poscente

Managing Fear and Chaos

The Ant, the Elephant, and the Earthquake

Episode 277 (Vince is based in Dallas, Texas)

In this conversation with Vince Poscente we explore:

• how fear operates in both the conscious and subconscious mind

• why alignment between intention and emotion determines progress

• the meaning behind “there’s no linear way out of chaos”

• how to face personal earthquakes like loss, failure, or crisis

• why breathing is the antidote to panic and paralysis

• how curiosity and letting go create the “third reality” for problem-solving

• the role of outside perspective in breaking self-sabotaging patterns

• how to reframe fear as a source of drive rather than a block

• why connection and community are critical after trauma

• how leaders can model vulnerability and emotional awareness

-----

About our Guest, Vince Poscente:

Vince is a New York Times best selling author of eight books including his latest, The Earthquake.

He is president of Board Developer providing sound advice for high growth companies.

You can learn more about Vince Poscente and order his latest book at 

www.VincePoscente.com

----

Key Lessons from this conversation with Vince Poscente:

• Fear grows when we run away from it and shrinks when we face it directly.

• The conscious mind (the ant) must align with the subconscious (the elephant) to move forward effectively.

• There’s no straight path out of chaos — progress comes through curiosity and releasing control.

• Breathing interrupts the brain’s fear response and helps bypass the amygdala’s freeze-flight-fight loop.

• Fear can be reframed as a motivator rather than an obstacle — make fear your friend.

• Personal earthquakes (crises) expose misalignment between conscious intention and subconscious patterns.

• Healing requires acknowledging pain rather than suppressing it — the “solution loop” starts there.

• Outside perspectives can reveal paths we can’t see on our own.

• Connection and community are essential for long-term recovery — isolation fuels dysfunction.

-----

Read the rest of this entry »

Make Your Messages Stick with Brain Glue: James I Bond

Why Logic Doesn’t Sell — and What to Do Instead

Brain Glue: Why Emotion Beats Logic in Business Communication

Episode 276 (James is bases in LA, California)

In this Conversation we Explore:

• Why the emotional brain makes 90% of our decisions

• How rhyme, rhythm, and repetition make ideas memorable

• The secret power of metaphors and analogies in persuasion

• What “Brain Glue” is and how to apply it in marketing and leadership

• Why logic kills sales and how to reframe your message emotionally

• The psychology behind successful brand names and slogans

• How humor and passion build trust and connection

• Real-world examples of how a name change or focus can skyrocket sales

• The behavioral triggers that make communication stick

• How leaders can craft messages that resonate, not evaporate

-----

About our guest, James I Bond:

James Bond is one of America's leading behavioral management and marketing specialists. He is author of the bestselling book, BRAIN GLUE - How Selling Becomes Much Easier by Making Your Ideas "Sticky"

Learn more about his book at www.BrainGlue.com

-----

Key Learning points from this conversation with James I Bond:

1. Emotion Drives Decisions

   • Over 90% of decision-making (including financial) is emotional, not logical.

   • Logical arguments alone often fail to persuade because they bypass the emotional brain.

2. Rhyme and Rhythm Create Memory Hooks

   • Poetry, rhyme, and sound patterns activate emotional centers and make ideas unforgettable.

3. Use Visual or Sensory Context

   • Statistics and facts gain impact when tied to vivid imagery or sensory descriptions.

4. Emotional Selling Beats Logical Selling

   • Stories, metaphors, and analogies trigger empathy and attention more effectively than logic.

5. Metaphor and Analogy Are Powerful Tools

   • “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus” turned a modest book into a worldwide bestseller.

6. Alliteration Amplifies Appeal

   • Repeated sounds in names and slogans (Coca-Cola, PayPal, Best Buy) make them easier to recall.

7. Humor Builds Connection

   • Laughter produces oxytocin, increasing openness and receptivity to your message.

8. Renaming Can Transform Success

   • The right name reframes perception — “Sell More” became “Brain Glue,” and sales soared.

9. Focus Creates Breakthrough Growth

   • Simplify your market and message — one clear focus can multiply results.

10. Passion Is Contagious

• Selling is the transference of passion; when you express genuine enthusiasm, others feel it.

-----

Read the rest of this entry »