Jennifer McClure`

Helping Leaders Leverage Influence & Create Maximum Impact.

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Written by Jennifer McClure

Creating a Life of Adventure While Making the Workplace and the World Better With Kate Bischoff

With the Impact Makers Podcast, my goal is to inspire you to identify ways that you can make a difference at work and in life — either through providing education on a topic to increase your influence, clarify your message, or lead with greater impact, or to bring you conversations with interesting guests who are doing just that.

In Episode 48, I’m chatting with someone who not only inspires me, but who often pushes me to think bigger, and to think differently, and to take action.

My friend Kate Bischoff is a mom, a former US Foreign Service worker, an employment lawyer, a social justice warrior, and an avid adventurer.

Whether she’s working with clients, doing a free webinar on the latest rules and regulations affecting the workplace, or providing manager training, she brings an educated, experienced, and often witty perspective towards bringing about her goal of making both the workplace, and the world, better for all.

Kate has an incredibly positive outlook about life, accompanied by a thirst for adventure. After listening to this episode, I hope that you’ll be inspired to think about your own life, and how you can find meaningful ways to do work that you love, while living life on your own terms.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

  • How joining the foreign service on a whim resulted in Kate working as the Head of Human Resources for the Consulate General in Jerusalem and the US Embassy in Zambia.
  • What inspired Kate to become a lawyer, and to ultimately focus on making workplaces and the world better places.
  • Kate’s advice for how we can all add more adventure to our lives.
  • How the #MeToo movement, the global pandemic, and recent social unrest has impacted the work that Kate does, as well as the workplace.
  • What and why Kate is planning for her next travel adventure to Antarctica.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 48

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“Well, my life is kind of like that, you know, I’ve practiced in big management side firms, I’ve practiced in small firms, I’ve started my own business. My whole life has kind of been – I don’t set a goal for where I’m going to be in five years, I want to see how much adventure I can have in the next five years. I just sat and discussed dates for when I’m going to go to Antarctica hopefully next February, and that’s kind of what my life has been. I have this passion of trying to make workplaces and the world better, but I need to have adventure too and fun. And so I try to seize on those opportunities as they come.” ~ Kate Bischoff

“There’s no good reason not to be helping people when you have the time and the resources to do it.” ~ Kate Bischoff

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Kate Bischoff LinkedIn

Kate Bischoff Twitter

tHRive Law & Consulting

Hostile Work Environment Podcast

Marc Alifanz

Hostile Work EnvironmentPodcast S2E4 – The Poop Rails Come Off

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Categories: Blog, Podcast
Posted on October 29, 2020

Written by Jennifer McClure

Combining the Power of Moonshot Thinking With Actionable Plans to Make an Impact in Work and Life With Ozan Varol

photo of Ozan Varol

How many times have you heard the phrase – “Well, it’s not exactly rocket science” – when someone is referring to something as easy?

I guess that means that we associate those who actually ARE rocket scientists with being exceptionally smart. 🙂

And while that’s probably true – actually it IS true – the reality is that you and I can THINK like a rocket scientist, without actually having to send anything into space.

So, just how do rocket scientists think? And how can you and I apply that thinking to our work and our lives in order to increase our impact?

My guest on Episode 47 of the Impact Makers Podcast has an idea. In fact, he’s been there, done that, and has written the book on it.

Ozan Varol is a rocket scientist turned award-winning professor and #1 bestselling author. He’s also one of the world’s foremost experts in creativity, innovation, and critical thinking.

Ozan grew up in Istanbul, Turkey, learned English as his second language, and moved to the United States by himself at the age of 17 to attend Cornell University, and major in astrophysics in order to achieve his dream of becoming an American astronaut.

While attending Cornell, he served on the operations team for the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers project that sent two rovers – Spirit and Opportunity – to Mars. Then in a surprising twist, he ditched his dream of becoming an astronaut, and chose to attend law school instead, where – in true rocket scientist form – he graduated first in his class, earning the highest grade point average in the school’s history.

After practicing law for a few years, Ozan joined the ranks of academia at Lewis & Clark Law School in beautiful Portland, Oregon, where he became a law professor, with a goal of influencing others to make giant leaps on Earth.

In April 2020, Ozan’s book – Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life – was published, and it was recently named one Inc.com’s 6 Business Books You Need to Read in 2020. It’s also listed as one of Amazon’s Top 20 books of 2020 in three categories (non-fiction, business, and science), and was chosen as the number one pick on noted author Adam Grant’s list of the top 20 leadership books of 2020.

I recently connected with Ozan, and have enjoyed learning from him through his popular weekly emails, and I’m challenging myself to apply the 9 strategies in his book to make giant leaps in my work and in my life.

I think you’ll get a lot of great takeaways from my conversation with Ozan, and I encourage you to connect with him, buy the book, and sign up for his weekly email that shares one big idea that you can read in 3 minutes or less.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

  • Why moonshot thinking can produce great results – even if you don’t reach what you’re aiming for.
  • What we can learn from snakes that can create space for new ideas to emerge.
  • The importance of just starting – and not waiting until everything is in place – to facilitate the emergence of new ideas.
  • The benefits of moonshot thinking during times of chaos and uncertainty.
  • How looking at the assumptions in your life and applying first principles thinking can generate original insights.
  • 3 ways to open up your mind to allow for moonshot thinking – even if you don’t consider yourself a visionary thinker.
  • What George Costanza and rocket scientists have in common – and what you can learn from both.
  • The power of putting yourself into “Airplane Mode”, and why doing nothing is more valuable than you think.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 47

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“We really are a species of moonshots, even though we’ve largely forgotten it. We’ve been seduced into believing that small dreams are wiser than moonshots, that coasting is better than soaring, that flying lower is safer than flying higher. So even in moments like this, where the world is turned topsy-turvy, where there is so much uncertainty, there is a lot of room for moonshot thinking.” ~ Ozan Varol

“The great thing about moonshot thinking is – even if you don’t get what you’re aiming for, you end up soaring far higher than you otherwise would.” ~ Ozan Varol

“Moonshot thinking isn’t just about dreaming big, and then sprinkling some fairy dust and hoping that your dreams magically take flight. That’s not what moonshot thinking is. Moonshot thinking is that intersection between pragmatism and idealism. So you’re dreaming big, yeah, but you’re also combining it with a very actionable plan for actually making your dreams reality.” ~ Ozan Varol

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Ozan Varol

Weekly Contrarian – one big idea you can read in 3 minutes or less

Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life Hardcover by Ozan Varol

Impact Makers Podcast episode 009 – Prison to Plan to Payoff: Becoming an Entrepreneur with Kary Oberbrunner

Adam Grant

X, the Moonshot Factory

Astro Teller

SpaceX

Elon Musk

Blue Origin

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Categories: Blog, Podcast
Posted on October 22, 2020

Written by Jennifer McClure

Creating High-Impact Presentations and Building a Profitable Speaking Business With Jennifer McClure and Dr. Daniel Crosby

photo of Jennifer McClure and Dr. Daniel Crosby

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 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 This 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.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 46

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“I always tell people who want to be a speaker – it’s a journey. I don’t know anybody who is a speaker – who is doing this for a living, or either a big component of their business – who just one day said, ‘I’m going to be a speaker’ – and hung their shingle up and people start clamoring to pay them.” ~ Jennifer McClure

“My advice to people who want to be a speaker? First – what do you know, and how can you give that knowledge away? And if you’re adding value to people while doing that, then they’re going to start asking you to do that more and more.” ~ Jennifer McClure

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

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Categories: Blog, Podcast, Speaking
Posted on October 15, 2020

Written by Jennifer McClure

Developing a Strong Personal Brand That Enables You to Lead From Where You Are

photo of Jennifer McClure

Sometimes, I have the honor of being a guest on other podcasts or webinars, where I’m typically asked to share about one or more of the topics that I’m passionate about, including leadership, speaking, and personal branding, and I wanted to share one of those recent conversations with you.

Shortly after the world changed for us all as a result of a global pandemic, my friend,  Erich Kurschat – who is the owner of Harmony Insights LLC, as well as the founder of an inclusive mastermind community called HRHotSeat – started scheduling half hour conversations over the lunch hour with people in his network to be intentional about connecting, and also to stay inspired in order to do his best work.

Back in June of 2020, I joined Erich for one of these lunch date conversations, where we chatted about the importance of personal branding for leaders at all levels, why introverts do not get a pass when it comes to personal branding, and how you can grow and develop your personal brand without having to be a speaker, a blogger, or an online Influencer.

I asked Erich if I could share the conversation with you, and he graciously agreed. So I hope that you enjoy it, and get a few takeaways from it that you can apply to your career.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

  • The importance of having a personal brand and being known for something / your expertise / doing great work.
  • The need to embrace your position as a leader – regardless of your position in an organization.
  • Why introverts do not get a pass when it comes to networking and Personal Branding.
  • Why you shouldn’t get hung up on the term “Personal branding”. Yes, it’s marketing, but truly it’s about becoming known, so you can be discovered for opportunities.
  • Growth and impact comes from challenging yourself and doing hard things
  • Does personal branding extend outside of your professional life?
  • Ways to develop and build a strong Personal Brand beyond becoming a speaker or having your own blog.
  • How my journey to become a professional speaker began with teaching what I knew – even if it wasn’t something that I was passionate about.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 42

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“You’re in a leadership role in your organization, whether you have a leadership title or not. By being in the people profession, people are looking to you for leadership.  So you have stepped into the light. There will be heat.” ~ Jennifer McClure

“An HR leader’s Personal Brand is so synonymous with the company that they work for – in both the quality of the people that work there, as well as the culture – that HR leaders who are still taking a back seat, and not taking active steps to develop their Personal Brand are not only hurting their careers, they’re also hurting their companies.” ~ Jennifer McClure

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

HRHotSeat Mastermind Community

Harmony Insights

Harmony Insights Lunch Dates

Erich Kurschat LinkedIn

Steve Browne

HR On Purpose !! Developing Deliberate People Passion – by Steve Browne 

HR Rising !! From Ownership to Leadership – by Steve Browne 

Kary Oberbrunner

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 9 — Prison to Plan to Payoff: Becoming an Entrepreneur with Kary Oberbrunner

Storybrand – Clarify Your Message

Donald Miller

DisruptHR

—–

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Categories: Blog, Personal Branding, Podcast
Posted on September 25, 2020

Written by Jennifer McClure

Four Strategies to Meet Business Challenges in the Future and Deliver Maximum Impact on Results

I’m very fortunate that my dream job is also my day job, and through my work as a professional speaker, I have the opportunity to speak at conferences and events around the world to leaders in a variety of organizations.

Typically, I’m speaking about topics related to making an impact through people strategies, effective leadership, and personal branding, and one of my favorite audiences to speak to includes human resources leaders.

As a former HR leader and executive, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for HR and People leaders, and I’ve got tons of stories that I can share from my own personal experiences to connect with them.

While reviewing various audio and video files from past speaking events recently as I prepare for a website update, I came across the audio from my 2016 Mega Session at the SHRM Annual Conference, which was held in Washington DC. SHRM is the largest HR association in the world, with over 350,000 members, and every year, their annual conference draws 20,000 people or more. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking at the conference every year since 2012, and leading MEGA sessions – which can sometimes include over 2,000 people.

I decided to share the full audio from my MEGA session at the conference with my podcast listeners, because even though I’m speaking to a room full of HR leaders and many of the stories are HR-related, the core message is about how to make the most impact at work, and the strategies and advice shared can be applied by any leader who wants to make a difference.

Also, this particular program is my most popular keynote speech, which I’ve been giving in some form since 2014. If you’re interested in what makes an effective keynote that’s received countless positive testimonials, has takeaways for audience members at all levels of an organization, and has earned multiple 6-figures in income for me, pay attention to the structure of this program. You’ll hear numerous stories, learn four key points, and also get some great takeaways that can be applied immediately.

Although I’ve thought about retiring this program for the last couple of years, it continues to be requested – and I love delivering it. It’s updated regularly to keep the data current, and I’ve since made the stories shared in this version sharper to meet the shorter keynote slot times that are becoming more common, but the bones are still good bones.

I hope you enjoy listening to my signature keynote – The Future of HR: 4 Strategies to Meet Business Challenges in the Future and Deliver Maximum Impact on Results!

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 39

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Show Highlights:

  • The top challenge global CEOs predict for their organizations in the future
  • How to make the most impact in your business, through analyzing data to make decisions
  • The difference between “being strategic” and thinking strategically
  • How to identify the most important problems that your business is facing, and take the lead in developing solutions
  • Why the ability to influence others is a super power, and is key to creating impact at work and in life

More Info and Resources:

King University
SHRM Annual Conference & Exhibition
Jennifer McClure / Keynote Speaker

—–

Thanks to King University, who’s support makes this podcast possible! King is proud to offer sixteen online degrees with accelerated programs and affordable tuition so you can start a new career faster than ever. You can choose from programs in technology, communication, and business – like an online MBA with six concentrations including human resource management. And because the program is offered fully online, you can earn your degree on your own schedule in as little as 16 months. Visit https://online.king.edu/impactmakers to learn more about the King Difference today.

Categories: Human Resources, Leadership, Podcast
Posted on February 27, 2020

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  • Putting Yourself First and Finally Taking Control of Your Career With Laurie Ruettimann
  • How Human-Centered Workplaces Will Transform the Future of Work With Derek Irvine
  • The Value of Taking a Strategic Approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion With Jennifer Ingram

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