Jennifer McClure`

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Written by Jennifer McClure

Putting Yourself First and Finally Taking Control of Your Career With Laurie Ruettimann

photo Laurie Ruettimann

I’m coming in hot into 2021 with Episode number 53 of the Impact Makers podcast!

Seriously.

I’m ready to emerge from my 2020 coronavirus induced cocoon, and to make great things happen in my world, and for you in this shiny and promising new year. And I can think of no better way to kick off the year, than with my BFF, Laurie Ruettimann.

Laurie is back as a guest on the podcast to chat about her first traditionally published book – Betting On You – which will be released on January 12, 2021.

And that’s truly a big deal.

In Episode 002 of the Impact Makers podcast, I shared a little bit about how I originally found Laurie online through one of her early blogs – Teambuilding Is For Suckers. She wrote every day about work, life and cats – among other things – and even though I didn’t always agree with her, or share some of her views, her writing style was totally engaging, and she always had an informed point of view that made me think.

Over the last 15+ years, she’s evolved online from the anonymous voice behind the Teambuilding Is For Suckers blog, to being the pixie of the apocalypse who penned the wildly popular Punk Rock HR blog, and then the successful blogger who blew everything up to rebrand, and become The Cynical Girl for awhile.

A few years ago, she took all of her great writing and talents over to her own online domain – laurieruettiman.com – and resurrected Punk Rock HR as the name of her popular weekly podcast.

And while she’s become my best friend over the last 11 years, I’m also her biggest Fan. She’s simply one of the best writers out there, and can always be counted on to share frank, informed – and sometimes contrary to popular opinions – career and life advice, which is what is needed in a world where many of the so-called career experts sound very much the same.

It’s always been a personal dream of Laurie’s to write a book, and to have it published by a traditional publishing house, and she’s finally made that dream come true. Her book – Betting On You: How To Put Yourself First And (Finally) Take Control Of Your Career – will be published and released by Henry Holt & Co on January 12, 2021.

So, of course, we needed to talk about this moment in time, and what it took to accomplish this major life goal. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m so glad that Laurie pushed through the challenges, did the hard work, and has reached the point where the book will go from a dream to reality next week.

In this episode, Laurie will share a couple of the career and life stories that are included in the book, and she’ll also unpack the framework she proposes for fixing work by fixing yourself – which includes focusing on self leadership, well-being, continuous learning, and risk taking.

I’m so proud of my friend. And I’m really proud of this book.

I’ve read an advance copy, have pre-ordered a hardback version, and will also purchase the audio book. I hope that you’ll buy at least one copy too, and will connect with Laurie to continue to follow her journey, as well as learn from her in the future.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

  • The steps Laurie took in the long process of selling her book proposal for Betting On You, and ultimately signing with a major publisher.
  • The project plan that Laurie and her team created to ensure that the book was written, and delivered on time.
  • The role that her husband, and a bottle of tequila, played in the receipt of the long awaited initially proposed book cover for Betting On You.
  • The framework for fixing work by fixing yourself: self leadership, well-being, continuous learning, and risk taking.
  • What the buyer of Betting On You is going to get – a fresh take on the world of work, and also life. Also, good stories, well told.
  • The role that punk rock singer Courtney Love played in Laurie deciding to put herself first, and reclaim her life.
  • Why everybody good gets fired at least once – and the lessons that can be learned in that process.
  • How using the pre-mortem process can help you approach your life and career more effectively.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 53

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

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“You fix work by fixing yourself. People really get sick and tired of me saying that. I don’t care. I’m going to say it until I die. You fix work by fixing yourself. When you look at your employer for the answer, you’re never going to be satisfied. When you look for your HR lady to swoop in and solve a problem, even if she nails it, it’s never going to feel good. Because most of the problems we have at work reflect the problems we have in our own personal lives. I’ve never dealt with someone who was chronically late at work that didn’t have something going on in their personal life that was driving some of those attendance issues. For me to just sit there and blather on about an attendance policy was a failed way to solve that problem. We had to drive in deeper. And it’s not just attendance. It’s attention, it’s attitude, it’s engagement. All of this doesn’t start at work, it starts at home. That’s what I believe.” ~ Laurie Ruettimann

“Your worth is not your work.” ~ Laurie Ruettimann

“If you’ve been fired, know that you’re in really great company. But beyond that, know that it’s not the defining moment of your life – or it doesn’t have to be.” ~ Laurie Ruettimann

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Order your copy of Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your Career by Laurie Ruettimann

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 002    – The Thriving Contrarian with Laurie Ruettimann

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 036    – The Random Show — Conversations with My BFF Laurie Ruettimann

Laurie Ruettimann Website

Laurie Ruettimann books

Betting On You Book Resources

Laurie’s LinkedIn Learning courses on Self-Leadership & Managing Conflict

Punk Rock HR podcast with Laurie Ruettimann

Danny Ozment / Emerald City Productions

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

Blake Mycosckie / Madefor

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: Career Development, Personal Development, Podcast
Posted on January 8, 2021

Written by Jennifer McClure

How Leaders Can Step Up to Promote Racial Justice and Equity in the Workplace with Katie Augsburger

Katie Augsburger photo

My guest today is Katie Augsberger, who is an employee experience strategist that’s disrupting how we think about employee experience, and helping organizations to rethink their policies and practices to create a more healing and inclusive workplace for all of their employees.

I was first introduced to Katie through my friend Laurie Ruettimann’s podcast in early 2019, and then shortly thereafter Laurie introduced the two of us so we could connect, and get to know each other better.

You’ll hear more about that phone call in this conversation today, but let’s just say that I felt that I made a less than positive impression during our chat, and I was grateful then – and even more grateful now – for Katie’s grace, support, and forgiveness.

I hope that you’ll find this conversation today helpful to you in your learning journey, and take action, along with me, to create a network of authentic relationships with a diverse group of people, a more equitable workplace, and a better world where all people feel welcomed and included, and they can thrive.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

  • We’re all on a learning journey to understand “How do I show up based upon my identity, and how do I not do harm?”
  • We have to call people in, and not call people out. But also, those people who get called in have to have the grace to hear feedback about how they’re showing up.
  • The importance of building authentic relationships with black and brown folks in order to see potential in them, amplify their voices, and allow them to give you feedback about how you show up.
  • Recognizing the difference between “intent” and “impact” – and how to ensure that those are aligned.
  • How workplaces have changed, and must change, as a result of the recent death of George Floyd.
  • Why some HR leaders are doing tremendous harm to black and brown people in the workplace, and what needs to be done to fix that.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 41

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

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“The goal is not perfection, the goal is that you try, and are comfortable getting feedback when you get it wrong. The goal is to make sure your impact and intent are aligned.” ~ Katie Augsburger #ImpactMakersPodcast

“I believe that we’re in – somebody said to me recently – “the great white awakening”, which I found both hilarious, and also really interesting. White folks have not had to think about race and racism. That has been the privilege of being white. I, like many other black and brown folks have participated in that system, because that was a survival mechanism of – I don’t want to talk about race, because I don’t know how you’ll react, and I want to stay safe. And we just have not had this conversation at this volume – I know in my lifetime – and I think probably ever. And that feels radical, and it feels scary, and it feels depressing, and it feels new, and it feels exciting, but I also feel in my bones that it feels different.

It feels like we’re on a precipice of big change. And I’m hopeful, because I think that we’re ready for it.” ~ Katie Augsburger #ImpactMakersPodcast

People & Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

Katie Augsburger LinkedIn

Katie Augsburger Twitter

FutureWork.design

Dear White HR Ladies, We Need to Talk: How a Homogenous Profession Has Shaped Our Workplaces, and What We Need to to About It – Fistful of Talent 

5 Things Organizational Leaders Can Do This Week To Support Black Lives

From Personnel To Employee Experience: How History Has Shaped HR | Katie Augsburger | DisruptHR Talks

Laurie Ruettimann

Let’s Fix Work Episode 9 – Measure by a White Male Yardstick with Katie Augsburger

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 8 – Fairness Without Sameness: Embracing Diversity at Work and in Life with Sarah Morgan

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: Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Podcast
Posted on September 24, 2020

Written by Jennifer McClure

The Random Show — Conversations with My BFF Laurie Ruettimann

When my BFF, Laurie Ruettimann, called me up and told me about her unplanned, open afternoon and a need for a last-minute podcast guest, I suggested we do a recording together to fill the gap.

Inspired by Tim Ferriss’ recurring random conversations on The Tim Ferriss podcast with his friend Kevin Rose, I suggested we do something similar. The resulting conversation was fun, and also ventured into both Laurie and I sharing some of our highs and lows of 2019, as well as what we’re excited about and focusing on in 2020.

In addition to being my friend, Laurie is also one of my personal mentors and a frequent travel companion. She’s a well-known writer, speaker, and podcaster who helps executives and HR leaders prioritize the employee experience to avoid the collateral damage of a toxic work environment.

Laurie Ruettimann

 

In this podcast conversation, we chat about where Laurie is in the process of writing and publishing her first traditionally published book, and then we move on to chatting about our outlooks for the new year, my epiphanies about time management and some of our favorite travel stories. We also discuss burnout and rethinking the way that we view our businesses.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 36

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

Show Highlights:

  • Laurie’s book writing journey, the editing process, and what to expect in the new year and beyond.
  • Goodreads and Amazon as incredibly important platforms for authors and how Laurie’s publishing team is prepping for her book launch later next year.
  • Some of the places and events I’ll be traveling to in 2020.
  • My epiphanies around time management, which I had while recovering from a horse-riding accident.
  • What we’re excited about for 2020, including doing things a little bit differently in our lives in regards to our physical and mental health.

More Info and Resources:

King University

Laurie Ruettimann

Impact Makers Episode 2 – The Thriving Contrarian with Laurie Ruettimann

Let’s Fix Work podcast

The Tim Ferriss Show podcast: The Random Show — On Fasting, Forest Bathing, How to Say NO, Rebooting the Self, and Much More (#391)

ERE Recruiting Conference

Igniting Souls Conference

Kary Oberbrunner

Full Focus Planner

—–

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: Podcast
Posted on January 30, 2020

Written by Jennifer McClure

The HOW and WHY of LinkedIn, Twitter & Facebook For Business [Webinar Series]

I get to do many cool things in my job at Unbridled Talent, but one of the best things about my job is the opportunity to travel around and meet professionals who are interested in learning more about how to grow their professional careers or how to implement best practices to improve their company’s performance.

In addition to working with business leaders to define and implement people strategies required to achieve business objectives, I’ve had the opportunity to speak at over 150 conference events, corporate workshops, association meetings and webinars – often about how to utilize social media for career development, why social media matters for business and how to utilize social media tools and resources in Human Resources and Recruiting.

LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

I love my job.

But even though LinkedIn recently reached it’s 10th anniversary, Facebook has turned 9 and Twitter has crossed the 7 year mark, many people are still confused about or unaware of how to best utilize social media tools as business and professional resources. It’s not uncommon for me to talk with someone after an event where the person relates something similar to, “I was skeptical that using social media was something that I (or my organization) needed to do and I didn’t understand it, but now, I believe that it is – and I can!” Best. Feedback. Ever.

And it’s ok.

That’s one of the reasons why Laurie Ruettimann* and I are teaming up to offer a series of upcoming webinars to help business professionals, human resources pros and talent acquisition geeks understand the HOW and WHY of LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook – and we’d love for you to join us!

We realize that many of you may not be inclined to attend a conference to learn more about how to use LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook and you also may not have the time or budget resources to do so. So we’re coming to you – in your offices, your cubicles or out on your back deck – via a series of 90 minute webinars to share what we’ve learned about using social media to cultivate awareness, develop your brand/your employer brand and effective ways to nurture both consumer and employment leads in the marketplace.

So here’s the scoop (click on the links for full session descriptions and for registration):

  • Developing a Strategic and Effective Presence on LinkedIn (May 21, 2013 at 2pm ET/11am PT )
  • Essential Elements for a Successful Twitter Presence (May 28, 2013 at 2pm ET/11am PT)
  • Strategies to Establish and Amplify Your Presence on Facebook (June 4, 2013 at 2pm ET/11am PT)

After doing webinars for other companies for years, many of whom charged quite a bit of money, we’d like to offer these webinars at an affordable price ($37 each or $99 for all three) and we’ll also provide everyone who registers with a free toolkit after each webinar that includes a copy of the slide deck, a recording of the webinar and a resource sheet with links to learn more from leading social media resources.

Not available during the specific dates or times? No worries. The webinars will be recorded for access at any time and you’ll still receive the toolkit!

Why are we doing this now? Because we want to help you and we want to share what we’ve learned from years of working as entrepreneurs, recruiters and human resources professionals along with our experience working in a variety of industries – both within corporate America and as external consultants working with some of the best leaders and companies in the world.

Have a question about the webinars or what’s in it for you? Let me know in the comments or you can find both Laurie and I on the interwebs via

LinkedIn – Laurie Ruettimann / LinkedIn – Jennifer McClure

Twitter – Laurie Ruettimann / Twitter – Jennifer McClure

Facebook – Laurie Ruettimann / Facebook – Jennifer McClure

Or just go old school and send me an email!

If you know someone who could benefit from one, two or all three of these webinars, please share this information with your colleagues or clients!

*True story. Laurie is my favorite Cynical Girl, Pixie of the Apocalypse, cat lover and thinker/agitator in the world of work. We “met online” years ago when I found her Punk Rock HR blog, so when we actually met for the first time in person at the 2009 SHRM Annual Conference, we were already BFF’s. Ultimately, Laurie has been one of the most helpful people to me in developing my business and my speaking career and is firmly ensconced in the Unbridled Talent President’s Club. See? Using social media to build real relationships and to grow your business can definitely work!

—–

Unbridled Talent LLC is a consulting and advisory firm providing services to clients in the areas of recruiting & human resources strategy, employment branding and leadership/career development. We offer keynotes, workshops and training that inspire and teach business leaders to be more effective in their careers and as leaders of their organization’s most valuable resource – people. Contact us to schedule an event or to discuss our strategic consulting and advisory services.

Categories: Blog, Employment Branding, Facebook, LinkedIn, Personal Branding, Social Recruiting, Twitter
Posted on May 8, 2013

Written by Jennifer McClure

Social Media For HR – Now & Next [Interview With Laurie Ruettimann]

I’m on vacation this week – well as much of a vacation as a self-employed person can take – and I’m coming down from a fantastic month of attending and speaking at conferences, as well as connecting with a ton of new professional relationships and long-time social media friends!

However, I wanted to take a moment to share this great Q&A led by Curtis Midkiff with my friend and Cynical Girl – Laurie Ruettimann – from The Hive at the 2012 SHRM Annual Conference. Watch this brief video (email subscribers click through to view) to learn more about:

  • Tips for HR pros who want to get involved with social media for their job.
  • How to find usable info on Twitter
  • Using social media to facilitate connecting with professional relationships online – and offline
  • Is Twitter a credible source of information?
  • How do you use social media to connect different generations (or can you)?
  • Are you doing it wrong by using social media as part of the hiring process?
  • What’s coming next? (Hint: Going retro.)

You can also learn how women like Laurie’s Mom are using Facebook. Now that’s money right there.

SHRM Day 2: Ask an Expert Session: Laurie Ruettimann

Categories: Blog, Facebook, Human Resources, LinkedIn, Twitter
Posted on July 2, 2012

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