Katy Goshtasbi, Author at Puris Consulting - Page 11 of 14

Author: Katy Goshtasbi

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Katy’s Journey Journal – Emotions and Control

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: July 10, 2018

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Katy’s Journey Journal – Emotions and Control

In these blog posts, I like to document, share and unravel my own personal journey working with the very same material I have you work on.
 
This week I’m examining the emotion upset- the upside and downside.
 
Just yesterday I experienced upset. We have two dogs; Betty is really old and Josie is seven years old. Betty likes to eat Josie’s food, if she can get away with it. Problem is that every time Betty eats Josie’s food, she gets sick and my husband and I have to clean up the mess. Yesterday, Betty ate a bunch of Josie’s food. For an old dog, she’s lightning fast, and I couldn’t stop Betty in time. I got really upset.
 
As I got upset, I kind of became the observer of my upset: why was I so upset? What really triggered this upset? How can I bounce back from this upset? How can I stop it from happening again? As I look at upset, I discover more and more that it’s about an underlying sadness that I’m trying to pacify or quench. What’s that all about, I ask myself often. The deeper I look at my upset and the underlying sadness, the more I realize my upset is as a result of me trying to control situations in my life- if only I could control Betty and get her to not eat Josie’s food! If only this, if only that…. Where does that get me? Nowhere except to a lot of upset that gets harder and harder to rebound from in life as my world gets more and more full. What’s the result? An ugly brand that I don’t want because that is not who I choose to be.
 
What’s the solution? I haven’t figured it all out yet. I do know the first and most important thing I can do is to stay self-aware, as I always tell my audience to do.
 

What does this mean for you? Stop and consider:

  1. When was the last time you had an emotion that made you feel out of control? Even consider happy emotions in this category.

  2. Why did these emotions occur in your life?

  3. What are you going to do about it and why?

 

For more support on growth and change, check out my guide, “Adapt and Adopt”

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Get Your Staff to Take You Seriously — How Great Leaders Inspire Action

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: July 2, 2018

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How Great Leaders Inspire Action

A client of mine quit her job the other week. Let’s call her Jane. Jane finally couldn’t take working for her boss anymore. She loved the type of work she did and their client base. But the pain of having to interact with her boss every day, was just too much. Her boss was not leading by inspiring action. It was a sad day for everyone involved.
 

Why did it have to happen?

This scenario is a very common one. Yet it keeps repeating- in large corporate settings and in small businesses. In Jane’s case, the issue was very clear. Jane’s boss was so involved in running the business, she really didn’t stop to express any appreciation or level of care for Jane, nor any of Jane’s colleagues. Here’s an example: Once Jane broke her toe on a Sunday and sent her boss an email letting her know her toe was broken and she couldn’t walk well. Jane apologized for having trouble driving to a client meeting. Her boss’ only response was to say, “Then I guess I’ll have to go to the meeting for you”. That’s it. There was no inquiry as to Jane’s broken toe, how she was feeling, etc. It was a very cold and uncaring interaction.
 
Over time, this lack of care for Jane as a human being, not just an employee, wore Jane out and left her with no choice but to leave her dream job. What’s the solution? How can you inspire action as a leader, and get your staff to take you seriously?
 
The answer is easy. All you have to do is care about those you lead. This presupposes you care about yourself first. Being a great leader isn’t about giving big raises to your employees or getting awards. It’s just about being a person who genuinely cares about employees and shows it.
 

How do you do this?

  1. First, step back. Look at everyone who reports to you as a HUMAN first, not as an employee.

  2. Second, how would you treat everyone differently if they were your mother, sister, brother, significant other, and/or child? Would you be interacting with them the same way you are now? If the answer is “no”, then adjust your behavior immediately.

  3. Third, find time to say “please” and “thank you” more often. This simple act, combined with real caring in your heart and mind, makes all the difference.

 
What you’ll find is that by caring about those you lead, you will inspire them to want to be around you, believe in you and follow your lead. Too simple to be true? Try it out and let me know what you find. I challenge you to prove me wrong.
 

Want more tips and tricks? Download my free Adapt & Adopt Guide

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3 Employee Engagement Ideas That Drive Growth and Company Culture

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: June 29, 2018

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Employee Engagement Ideas

When I was in-house council I remember how hard it was for management to have good employee engagement ideas to promote a healthy culture within, and outside the legal department, at our company. It seemed like there were only so many things you could do in an 8 hour day AND still allow enough time for your employees to do their substantive work.
 
Fast forward 13 years, and I still hear this from my clients. Their biggest question is often, “what else can we do to promote employee engagement?” Fair question. Pat yourself on the back for caring enough to even stop and ask. That’s the first step. The answer, in my expert opinion, is to step back and think more simply. As humans, we all just want positive attention and to be loved- yes, even at work.
 

Here are 3 employee engagement ideas that will drive growth and culture at your business and company:

  1. Weekly stretch breaks- this involves just 10 minutes on a pre-set day and time during the week to get EVERYONE (and I mean everyone) in the same physical space, doing the same task together. This can be stretching, having tea and cookies or building gift bags for the needy. If your organization is physically spread out geographically, no worries. The point is to get as many employees together in the same, smaller physical space to bond and talk about anything EXCEPT work. We find doing so between the hours of 2-3pm works best.

  2. Monthly plant of the month- each employee is responsible for bringing in a new/different plant to the office to be displayed at the reception desk. Ideally, the display has a note telling us all about the employee, why they picked the plant and giving us some facts about the plant.

  3. Monthly show and tell- have 2 employees each month provide show and tell. You remember, show and tell from when we were all kids, right? This can happen company-wide, or within your individual groups at the start or end of your regular team meetings.

Try these three out and let me know how it works.
 

For more information on growth and culture and brand building, download my free Adapt & Adopt Guide

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Katy G TV – Episode 4

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: June 28, 2018

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What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to your dream personal brand?

Email or call me and let’s connect and brainstorm:
katy@purisconsulting.com
949-274-6423

Want to kickstart your ideal and authentic brand-easily and for free:

https://purisconsulting.com/branding-made-easy/

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How to Become a Professional Musician Without Being a Sell-out

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: June 18, 2018

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A few months ago an up and coming artist and I reconnected after many months of being out of touch.  This artist and I knew each other through common connections and our college association.  His entire goal in life was to become a professional musician and land a record deal. Let’s call this artist, John, for simplicity.

John was so excited to talk to me. He told me that he had great news to share.  John shared that he was in Europe and had gotten signed to a record label.  Even better news, the record label was going to take care of his brand for him.

My heart sank for John.  I knew what he didn’t know.  While part of me wanted to celebrate with him, part of me was sad for him and feared he would suffer great disappointment.

John, like all other artists I know, are truly wedded to their art.  They want to succeed as an artist.  But more than that, they want to stay true to who they are and be able to self-express and move their audiences by writing and publishing music that they find worthy.

This goal does not always align with that of the record studios that sign artists.  Understandably so.  Stop and think about it: the record labels are responsible for making sure their investment in you, as the artist, pays off or else they have to close their doors.  They are running a business and thinking like business people about you and your art and music.  They have to do so.

You, on the other hand, don’t have much (if any) actual money of your own invested in this process once a record label signs you up.  So your entire focus is on staying true to yourself and creating the music that aligns with the real you. That makes sense, too.

So how do we get the two sides to align and respect and satiate each other’s’ interests?

This is where I enter the scene. I get that both sides have a goal to accomplish and it is not always, if ever, the same.  I respect both sides and work with both parties to get “it” done and leave both sides happy and both brands flourishing and growing.

What do you as the artist have to do to become a professional musician and not sell out?

  • Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient and stay in it for the long haul with your studio and label.
  • With compassion, put yourself in the studio’s shoes and see their perspective- even if you don’t share their perspective. This will allow you to be more flexible.
  • Remind yourself each day of why you do this work as an artist and what you stand for. This will keep you focused and help be the start for developing your brand.  This will allow us to communicate clearly with the studios and it will keep you in control of your destiny.
  • Stay self-confident: remember, you are not desperate for a record deal. If you don’t respect yourself and your art, no studio should or will either.
  • Be respectful of the studio’s goal and at the same time stay wise to their reasons. It helps if you keep in mind that the studio is not trying to screw you- it’s not personal for them. It’s business and your goals could be their goals, if we collaborate with compassion and street smarts.

 

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Katy’s Journey Journal – Adaptability Is the Name of the Game

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: June 11, 2018

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Adaptability

I had the honor of being the keynote speaker last week at a conference for investment advisers held in Mexico City. The theme was alternative investment strategies. Every time I speak, I learn something new from my audiences and for this, I am eternally grateful. The theme of my lesson for this trip/talk was adaptability. Of course, the theme of my teachings is also adaptability-being adaptable allows us to grow and lean into change, which allows us to use our brands well to sell ourselves and sell anything else we have going on.
 
So how did I get to practice being adaptable in Mexico City?
 
I woke up the morning of my keynote talk with food poisoning. I had trouble keeping anything down and I had body aches and a mild headache. Yikes!! So how did I adapt to this change that wasn’t supposed to happen? First, I cursed eating food I shouldn’t have eaten the day before! Then, I sucked it up, chuckled at myself, took two ibuprofen, choked down a piece of toast with Sprite for energy and smiled. How did my keynote go? Apparently really well. Let me explain. I felt out of breath on stage from the food poisoning, which was a new experience for me. However, no one else seemed to have noticed. Thank goodness.
 
My learning was that even with food poisoning right before a keynote in a foreign land, I have a choice in my response. I can choose to see the situation differently- from a different perspective and adapt my behavior and still deliver.
 
What does this mean for you?

  • Where in your life have you hit upon an unexpected circumstance that could stand to throw you “off course” or “ruin your plans” or business/career success? 
  • What did you do in that moment to adapt to the situation? Did it work for you? Why or why not? 
  • What can you do next time life throws you a different scenario than what you planned? How can you choose to see things differently in that moment in order to keep moving forward and deliver for yourself?

 

For more guidance and support, download my free Adapt & Adopt Guide

Download Here

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Katy G TV – Episode 3

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: June 5, 2018

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What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to your dream personal brand?

Email or call me and let’s connect and brainstorm:
katy@purisconsulting.com
949-274-6423

Want to kickstart your ideal and authentic brand-easily and for free:

https://purisconsulting.com/branding-made-easy/

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What Makes a Good Leader? How to Get Employees to Respect Your Business Goals

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: June 4, 2018

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I think about what makes a good leader all the time- not just for my clients, but for myself. I’m getting ready to take over as Chair of a board.  As often happens, there are some issues that have opposing viewpoints.  This of course leads to friction and differing positions.  Not to mention the poor communication between board members.

Some days I want to throw my hands up and run!

Most days, I choose to see each member of the board differently.  I’ve discovered the only way to make progress leading as Chair of this board is to choose to see everything external, and internal about myself, differently.

If I come at the other members with opposition and wedded to my views and opinions, then guess what?  It’s going to be a very long year and we are not going to make a difference anywhere.

If I choose to revisit my own views and see where I can be more flexible, then I can see each board member in this same light.  Guess what happens then?  The world is a much better place and we can all get along AND make progress.

So what does this mean for you, as a business with employees and as a good leader?  The only way to get employees to respect your business goals is by: 1) respecting yourself and seeing where you can be more flexible as a leader and 2) respecting your employees as human beings with vision and possibilities and the capacity to lead you to your business goals- if you only allow them to do so.

Noodle on that one a bit.  Even if you find it uncomfortable, keep noodling. I promise it will get you far.

Here’s to your leadership!

 

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Daily Inspiration: Making Money

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: May 29, 2018

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Hi my friends! Here’s a little dose of daily inspiration to kick off this 4 day week.  Enjoy and pass it on.

“There is no better way to earn money than to do the things that you love to do. Money can flow into your experience through endless avenues. It is not the choice of the craft that limits the money that flows—but only your attitude toward money”. ~ Abraham Hicks

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Why Bad Workplace Environments Can’t Improve Without Changing Organizational Culture

Written by Katy Goshtasbi

Posted on: May 21, 2018

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I remember when I took my last official job as a lawyer.  I was hired into a newly created position.  As soon as I got there, I felt a very “icky” feeling in the air. People were snide to one another, meetings ran overtime, processes were as long as the 405 freeway and no one liked being at work.

I panicked those first few months, wondering what I had gotten myself into.  At one point, I ended up in the General Counsel’s office.  He admitted he had made poor senior attorney management hires and regretted them.  He said he was near retirement and was going to do nothing about it at that point in his career. It was a bad workplace environment and going to remain that way.  Changing organizational culture was the only cure.

While I felt honored to be someone the general counsel could confide in, I was mortified, terrified and horrified.  Did I mention I wanted to run out of the company and never come back?  I couldn’t concentrate on my job towards the end of my employment there and it was all I could do to get out of bed in the morning.  And this was me- I had LOVED being a lawyer because I wanted to make a difference.

How did corporate America manage to take a devoted and gung-ho lawyer and turn me into a lethargic, passive, inefficient employee?

In my previous career as a securities lawyer, I had the opportunity to work in many different work settings including the federal government, law firm and major corporations.  The one thing that was true in each environment was the people.

Put together a bunch of people with real emotions and baggage from our personal lives and what do you get?  A mess if you are not aware and pro-active.  Then you have a “bad” workplace environment.

Most assume a bad workplace environment must mean the substantive work is not “good” and thus, the company is not a good place to work in.

In my experience as a growth and change expert, organizational culture must focus on the people at a much deeper level in order to get bad workplaces environments to improve.

However, management often tell me that they don’t want to focus on the people at such a deep level- it’s too “mushy” and “fluffy” and they are not there to babysit.

Really?  A businesses’ employees are its MAIN source of growth and evolution.  Without employees to execute on strategy, process and operations, then your organization cannot evolve and grow. Your employees are the main component of culture building, period. End of story.

So, aren’t your employees worth the time and attention?  You, as leaders of the business, don’t have to do anything yourself, if that helps.  You just have to choose to see things differently and acknowledge: 1) your workplace could be better, if not already bad; 2) your employees ARE your company culture and deserve a deep dive attention and 3) you shouldn’t do it yourself because your expertise lies elsewhere and the business needs your energy put where you are the expert.

If this was helpful, please pass it on to others who would benefit.  If I can be of support, please let me know.

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