Jennifer McClure`

Equipping people leaders to navigate change — and design the future — with boldness and purpose.

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Create High-Impact Presentations and Build a Profitable Speaking Business With Jennifer McClure and Dr. Daniel Crosby [Replay]

I’ve had the best job in the world for over 10 years now – where I have the privilege of speaking on stages and in training rooms to groups of leaders around the world about how to increase their influence, focus strategically, and make a positive impact at work and in life.

When I stepped out on my own in 2010 to start my speaking business, I had a little bit of experience, a healthy dose of confidence, and a whole lot of hope that I could build the relationships, and create impactful presentations that would result in a successful speaking business.

But like a lot of things in my life where I tend to jump off the cliff first, and then think about my parachute later, I wasn’t fully prepared for what it would take to find my lane, to determine how to set my speaking fees, or how to become a recognized expert.

So, queue admission into the school of hard knocks, where I’ve gained quite an education along the way, and as a result, have ultimately managed to build a business and life that I truly love.

Last year, my friend Dr. Daniel Crosby – who is a great public speaker himself, and was a also my guest on episode 14 of the Impact Makers Podcast, where he talked about understanding human behavior to do well, do good and do you – asked if I would join him on his Standard Deviations podcast to talk about what it takes to create great presentations — and if you’re into that kind of thing, how to actually get paid to speak, which is one of the most frequently asked questions we both receive.

Over a year later, the content of our conversation is still accurate and timely, and I continue to hear from people in Dr. Crosby’s audience who have found it helpful. So I asked him if I could share it with you today, and if you’re interested in crafting great presentations, and/or getting paid to speak, I think you’ll find it helpful.

Topics Discussed In Today’s Episode:

  • My path from HR executive to professional speaker, and why I felt like I needed at least 20 years of work experience before starting.
  • How giving away 10% of my time to help others helped me to get started as a speaker, and discover the work that I truly loved.
  • My personal recipe for crafting a great presentation.
  • What comedians and preachers can teach us about giving great presentations.
  • What adult learning theory tells us about what makes for a good speech.
  • Strategies for determining your speaking fee, what can happen if your price is too low, and how to get paid more.
  • Three books that I recommend for speakers to help with picking a lane, determining your pricing strategy, and building a memorable brand.
  • What Dr. Crosby did that 10x’d his speaking revenue.
  • 3 concrete steps to take to build a profitable speaking business.

LISTEN TO IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 91

Listen on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

FREE RESOURCE: 10 Tips To BUILD YOUR BRAND and LAND Gigs as a Speaker!

Dr. Daniel Crosby LinkedIn

Dr. Daniel Crosby Twitter

Standard Deviations Podcast

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 014: Understanding Human Behavior to Do Well, Do Good and Do You with Dr. Daniel Crosby

Standard Deviations Podcast Episode 14: Jennifer McClure – On Becoming a Public Speaker

Centennial, Inc.

Mike Sipple, Sr.

Michelle Cushatt

Million Dollar Speaking: The Professional’s Guide to Building Your Platform by Alan Weiss

Million Dollar Consulting: The Professional’s Guide to Growing a Practice by Alan Weiss

Ryan Estis

Jane Atkinson

The Wealthy Speaker 2.0: The Proven Formula for Building Your Successful Speaking Business by Jane Atkinson

Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt

Laurie Ruettimann

Jon Acuff

Toastmasters International

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Simplify Creative Problem-Solving and Innovation Using Light Bulb Thinking™ With Innovation Coach Ellia Harris

Discover the power of creative problem-solving!

On episode 90 of the Impact Makers podcast, I’m chatting with Innovation Coach Ellia Harris – an expert in creative problem-solving and creating cultures of innovation. Ellia works with managers, business owners, and their teams to get them out of habitual thinking, so they can find creative solutions that they couldn’t see before.

The creator of Light Bulb Thinking™, Ellia has over a decade of experience as an organizational trainer and coach, and her own experience as a manager seeking a creative approach to leadership led to her expertise in using creative thinking as the fastest route to becoming an effective leader of a high-performing team – which, in a time when we all need to be at the top of our game, is more crucial than ever.

I think you’ll enjoy my conversation with Ellia, because she reminds us that everyone has the capacity for creative thinking and creative problem solving — and thinking differently about some of the challenges that you’re facing may be the best way to identify the solution that you need to move forward.

Topics Discussed In Today’s Episode:

  • What is creative problem-solving?
  • Ellia’s Light Bulb Thinking™ framework for creative problem solving: planning, ideating, choosing, and then implementing or innovating.
  • The four categories of creative thinking tools for when you’re ideating: Re-expression, Revolution, Random Links, and Related Words.
  • Why many of us struggle with being creative, and how we can overcome how our brains are naturally designed to work.
  • How AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard can be used to fuel creativity — and how they should not be used.
  • Ellia’s passion for helping young people to develop leadership and creative problem-solving skills.

LISTEN TO IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 90

Listen on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Ellia Harris – LinkedIn

Contact Ellia – Hello@ThePotentialCenter.com

The Potential Center – Website, Facebook, YouTube

Light Bulb Moments™ online course

Book: Winner’s Mindset: Peak Performance Strategies for Success (contributor)

Impact Makers podcast episode 067: How to Make Work Suck Less By Making It Fun with Jeff Harry

Impact Makers podcast episode 084: Poetry, Hip Hop, and HR: Creativity and Leading in the Future of Work With Arend Boersema

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Challenging Traditional HR Paradigms to Create More Inclusive and Equitable Workplaces With Shahzia Noorally

On episode 89 of the Impact Makers podcast, I chat with Shahzia Noorally, a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practitioner, Speaker, and podcast host.

With her dynamic voice, Shahzia is changing the narrative around workplace authority and equity. In our enlightening conversation, she shares her inspiring journey from a place of isolation in her first leadership role, to becoming a passionate advocate for equity within the utilities industry and beyond. Her unique insights are shaped by her experiences as a woman of color, a child of immigrants, and an HR practitioner.

Our conversation takes us through the challenges and biases that persist in traditional leadership and mentorship models, and we also explore the concept of sponsorship, which can create a space for authentic expression, amplifying not just talent but also the voices that often go unheard.

I first met Shahzia when we were both speaking at a DisruptHR Calgary event back in 2019 and have been following her and her work since that time. I find her to be insightful and purposeful, and I really appreciate how she approaches equitable work and workplaces through a lens of possibilities rather than challenges, and a purpose that is rooted in influencing a more just-world.

Outside of her work, Shahzia hosts The Equity Gap podcast, and she leans into community, anchoring her energy towards amplifying Black, Indigenous and women of color to show up in the world, and take up all the space that they desire and deserve.

I think you’ll enjoy learning from Shahzia in our conversation, and I encourage you to share this podcast with others in your network who may benefit from rethinking some of our traditional approaches to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace.

Topics Discussed In Today’s Episode:

  • The challenges of relying solely on the concept of “diversity of thought” and why demographic representation is vital.
  • Why current leadership models need rethinking to encourage individual authenticity instead of molding individuals to fit pre-existing molds.
  • How sponsorship stands apart from traditional mentorship and can be more helpful in addressing systemic barriers faced especially by BIPOC.
  • Why modern workplaces must adapt to become inclusive, ensuring everyone has equal access to influence, and challenging traditional white male-centric leadership models.
  • The broader implications related to equity that extend well beyond equal pay.
  • The importance of optimism in addressing diversity and inclusion challenges with an open mind and proactive attitude.
  • Why a paradigm shift from a one-size-fits-all approach in HR practices to one that centers the experiences of the most marginalized employees is necessary, and how that can lead to broader benefits for all.

LISTEN TO IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 89

Listen on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Shahzia Noorally – LinkedIn, Website, Instagram

The Equity Gap podcast – On Apple Podcasts, LinkedIn, Instagram

HR, We Have A Problem | Susy Ko & Shahzia Noorally | DisruptHR Talks

Do You Know the Reference Man? | Shahzia Noorally | DisruptHR Talks

Rethinking podcast with Adam Grant: Finding–and becoming–great mentors and sponsors with Carla Harris

The Equity Gap podcast: From saviorism to solidarity in the workplace – a conversation with Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi – Changemaker, Speaker, Author & Founder of Accelerate her Future

Accelerate Her Future

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Creating People-First Cultures Through Transparency, Trust, and Transformative HR With Noah Warder

Get ready to reshape your HR practices with my guest on episode 88 of the Impact Makers podcast – Noah Warder!

Noah has been leading people teams across Canada and the US for over 10 years, and now leads the People Team at Guusto, a company that provides a recognition and rewards platform focused on both front-line and office employees. In this role, he gets to marry his passion for building a people-first culture that focuses on creating purpose, opportunity, and well-being for every member of Guusto team.

He’s also the Principal Consultant and Founder of PeopleOps Consulting, where he helps early-stage Founders to build people-first cultures in rapidly growing organizations, and he brings a fresh perspective to the role HR should play in advocating for a culture that stimulates open dialogue and forethought.

In our conversation on the podcast, Noah shares his thoughts on how to balance daily tasks and strategic initiatives while also debunking the misconception that effective people practices need to be intricate or costly. We also chat about the vital role of diverse leadership teams in recruiting a diverse workforce, and the significance of tying DE&I strategies to business objectives.

Finally, Noah share his views on trust-building within HR, and his strategies for providing constructive feedback, including the challenge of communicating with those skeptical of HR.  He firmly believes that transparency in leadership leads to more openness and clear communication that can empower employees and foster greater engagement.

I think that you’ll enjoy our conversation, and will leave it with some actionable takeaways to create, or further build a people-first approach in your own workplace.

Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:

  • Why HR leaders should get more comfortable with starting small, making mistakes, and avoiding perfectionism.
  • Strategies for prioritizing people initiatives when HR leaders have so much on their plates.
  • How to approach making a business case for important people strategies when the ROI is hard to quantify.
  • The importance of building influence and trust as a people leader, in order to get things done.
  • Why it’s important – and healthy – to embrace conflict in order to reach better outcomes.
  • Why transparency is so important for company culture and trust in organizations.
  • The importance of being intentional about adding diverse voices and perspectives to the people you listen to, follow and learn from.
  • Suggested communities and resources for people leaders to share ideas and best practices, and gain support from others facing similar challenges.

LISTEN TO IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 88

Listen on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify

People & Resources Mentioned in This episode:

Noah Warder – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahwarder/

Noah Warder – Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoahWarder

PeopleOps Consulting – https://www.peopleopsconsulting.com/

Guusto – https://guusto.com/

Lars Schmidt – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larsschmidt

Amplify Academy – https://amplifytalent.com/academy

ChartHop People Ops Community – https://www.charthop.com/the-people-ops-community/

The People People Group – https://thepeoplepeoplegroup.com/

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Amplifying Black and Brown Voices in the Workplace with Zachary Nunn, Founder of Living Corporate

Have you ever found yourself frustrated with corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives?

I know that I certainly have, and that’s why I invited Zachary Nunn to join me for a conversation on the Impact Makers podcast. Zach is the Founder and CEO of Living Corporate, – a diversity, equity, and inclusion digital media network that centers and amplifies black and brown professionals in the workplace through narrative storytelling. He’s has been on quite the journey – from starting his career as an HR Manager at Target to launching Living Corporate as a side project, and following the tremendous growth and reach of the media company that has blossomed from those efforts, to making that his full-time job.

I’ve long been a fan of the content that Zach and his team have created over the last five years, and as an entrepreneur, I’ve also been fascinated by how something that began as an idea became a single podcast – then a vibrant network of podcasts, web shows, blogs, and more – all while Zach was working full-time in leadership roles in HR, change management, DE&I, and strategy and growth for several large organizations.

I’d like to invite you to listen in as we explore the significance of authentic conversations and the impact that they can have in creating a more inclusive workplace. Zach will also reveal the exciting new plans for his future, which include making Living Corporate his ONE job – instead of a second job. He shares about developing a learning platform using AI technology, providing organizational assessments, and launching the Living Corporate Collective – an online space for those who are passionate about workplace fairness to collaborate for systemic change.

Get ready to be inspired, challenged, and motivated to take action. Whether you’re a people leader, a diversity advocate, or an aspirational ally, this episode will leave you better informed to make a positive impact in your own community by creating spaces where all voices are valued and can be shared and heard.

Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:

  • Zack Nunn’s journey from HR management to tech entrepreneur
  • Introduction to Living Corporate and its mission
  • The significance of amplifying marginalized voices in the workplace
  • Navigating the challenges of being an aspirational ally
  • Launching a learning platform with an AI engine for custom content playlists
  • Offering organizational assessments with interactive dashboards and recommendations
  • Introducing the Living Corporate Collective for HR leaders, executives, and DEI professionals

LISTEN TO IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 87

Listen on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify

People & Resources Mentioned in This episode:

Zachary Nunn – LinkedIn, Twitter

Living Corporate website

Living Corporate podcasts

Join the Living Corporate Collective

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