R.O.G. Return on Generosity

173. Patricia Makatsaria - Kindness Habit

“That's the special thing about kindness. It is so many different things. It can be generosity. It can be forgiveness. It can be trust. Compassion. It's all these things.”
Patricia Makatsaria is a Civic Volunteer and Philanthropist who has dedicated herself to her community, promoting kindness and inclusion and striving to empower young leaders.
After completing her MBA and Masters degree in Healthcare Administration, Patricia and her husband, Vladimir, moved abroad, embarking on an international life which spanned 23 years, living in Moscow, London, and Singapore. 
Patricia’s career and life journey has been an untraditional one due to the one constant in her life: change. In her early years, she worked in healthcare–managing an American Dental Clinic, and in private business–owning a distribution business for a luxury Swiss facial care line. Desiring more time to manage an expanding family and their international moves, Patricia moved to a career that gave her more flexibility: volunteering and philanthropy.
In addition to a range of school and community volunteer activities, Patricia most notably worked with Operation Smile, an international charity which provides cleft lip and palate surgeries for children in third world countries.  Her experiences on missions in India inspired her to commit to spreading awareness and developing young leaders for Op Smile through fundraising events, student leadership conferences, and the creation of new Operation Smile Clubs in schools.
In their family’s most recent move, Patricia landed back in the United States. Challenged with the opportunity to reinvent herself, she decided to systematically build a new life around a value that had served her well throughout her life journey: kindness.
Patricia’s blog on her website, KindnessHabit.org, shares her research and ideas around kindness and her effort to create a kindness habit in her own life. Focused on the core values of kindness, inclusion and the empowerment of youth, Patricia is actively involved in a variety of projects including: Program Director of a positive psychology program for medical trainees at Mount Sinai, Chair of the Garden Committee for New York City’s 2nd oldest public park, and Board Member for her high school in Kentucky.
Patricia currently resides in New York City with her husband, Vladimir, son, Max, and bernedoodle, Mila. She also has two children who have already left home: Alex, who lives in Brooklyn, and Alisa, who resides in Chicago.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Kindness transcends difference.
Kindness is connection and awareness.
Seek opportunities to notice: What is the need? How can I help? 
Have the willingness to learn about people. 
Positive psychology is something that we can develop. 
We can, we can
Taking time to connect with people. 
Lead with vulnerability.
Willingness to be imperfect and learn from our mistakes. 
Practice. Start implementing small little changes in your life.
Be kind.
Resources:
KindnessHabit.org
Operation Smile
Friends of Duane Park
The Flourishing Center
Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:
R.O.G on YouTube
R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G on Spotify
How diverse is your network? N.D.I. Network Diversity Index
What is your Generosity Style?  Generosity Quiz
Credits:
Patricia Makatsaria, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 174, with Shannon Cassidy for a Generous Leadership Coaching Tip.

172. The 5° Principle | Look for Blind Spots | Generous Leadership Coaching Tip

"We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are."  - Anaïs Nin
Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in behavioral change, executive presence, effective communication, collaborative teamwork, empowering leadership, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, retreats, conferences) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) and Mentoring Programs (associations, ERGs, leadership circles) all custom designed. She has a podcast called R.O.G. Return on Generosity that focuses on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude. 
Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding bridge between, she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success, enabling her to provide clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and lead with vision, values, and purpose.
Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work.
 
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
What are some bad habits you relish? 
What are some things that annoy you about other people? How does that affect your behavior? 
What are some of your bad habits? 
How can you gain greater self awareness? 
How will you watch your blind spots?
Resources:
View this episode on YouTube
BridgeBetween.com
Network Diversity Index Quiz
The Five Degree Principle by Shannon Cassidy
V.I.B.E. by Shannon Cassidy
R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G. on Spotify
R.O.G. on YouTube
Coming Next:
Please join us next week, Episode 173, with special guest Patricia Makatsaria.
Credits:
Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

171. Kia Afcari - Goodness Helps You Win

“I call it strategic appreciation because you don't do it strategically, but you do it because you care about the person, and it ends up benefiting you as well. It's an immediate return on your generosity…I've just noticed time and time again in my career, when I give - I get.”
Future World of Work Summit: March 28, 2024, San Francisco, CA - Discount code: ROG
Kia Afcari is the Co-Founder & CEO of Caravann Consulting. Kia is on a mission to re-imagine the workplace and bring a lot more joy and impact to the future of work.  He has over twenty years of experience helping leaders, teams, and organizations with culture and collaborative change. He has consulted with a wide variety of organizations, including tech companies, UN agencies, universities, and US climate change organizations. 
As a Co-founder and CEO of Caravann Consulting and the Future World of Work Summit, Kia is a sought-after speaker, consultant, and facilitator that employs facilitative techniques, executive coaching, graphic facilitation, theater, and the latest in social science research to help organizations win by aligning their strategy, culture, and DEI efforts.
For his help to shift the organizational culture of UC Berkeley’s 8,000 staff, Kia was awarded Chief Learning Officer Magazine’s Silver Award for Innovation.  Kia’s TEDx talk on How We Can Reshape Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Together has over 73,000 views.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Ask yourselves as business leaders, “How are we going to win?” 
What is the culture that we want to create? 
What are the behaviors that enable us to have that culture? 
How does DEI help you win? 
How is this a part of the package for enlightened leadership? 
Change requires energy.
Scale strategic appreciation.
How can we gamify things? 
Where do you invest your time and attention?
Resources:
Future World of Work Summit: March 28, 2024, San Francisco, CA - Discount code: ROG
Caravann.co
How We Can Reshape Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Together | Kia Afcari | TEDxGeorgetown
Diversity and Unconscious Bias: The Creativity Matters Interview with Kia Afcari
Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:
R.O.G on YouTube
R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G on Spotify
How diverse is your network? N.D.I. Network Diversity Index
What is your Generosity Style?  Generosity Quiz
Credits:
Michael Powell, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 172, with Shannon Cassidy for a Generous Leadership Coaching Tip.

170. The 5° Principle | Say No to Say Yes to the Right Things | Generous Leadership Coaching Tip

“Each of us, every waking hour, is called upon to say no, whether to friends or family members, to our bosses, employees, or co-workers, or to ourselves. Whether and how we say no determines the very quality of our lives. It is perhaps the most important word to learn to say gracefully and effectively.” - William Ury, Mediator, Writer and Negotiation Expert
Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in behavioral change, executive presence, effective communication, collaborative teamwork, empowering leadership, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, retreats, conferences) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) and Mentoring Programs (associations, ERGs, leadership circles) all custom designed. She has a podcast called R.O.G. Return on Generosity that focuses on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude. 
Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding bridge between, she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success, enabling her to provide clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and lead with vision, values, and purpose.
Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work.
 
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Identify your “big rocks”.
Block time on your calendar to focus on what you prioritize.
Resources:
View this episode on YouTube
BridgeBetween.com
Network Diversity Index Quiz
The Five Degree Principle by Shannon Cassidy
V.I.B.E. by Shannon Cassidy
R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G. on Spotify
R.O.G. on YouTube
Coming Next:
Please join us next week, Episode 171, with special guest Kia Afcari.
Credits:
Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

169. Sally Helgesen - Rising Together

“The best assessment tool is to listen to your people. They talk about “we” when they're talking about the organization - you're on pretty good track to have an inclusive culture. If they talk about “they” you don't have it. Save your money. Don't do an assessment and just listen to how people talk.”
Sally Helgesen, cited in Forbes as the world’s premier expert on women’s leadership, is an internationally best-selling author, speaker and leadership coach. She has been inducted into the Thinkers 50 Hall of Fame, which honors those whose ideas have shaped the field of leadership worldwide. She is ranked number 3 among the world’s thought leaders by Global Gurus.
Sally’s latest book, Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace, offers practical ways to build more inclusive relationships, teams, and workplaces.
Rising Together builds on Sally’s remarkable success with How Women Rise, co-authored with legendary executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, which examines the behaviors most likely to get in the way of successful women as they move forward in their careers. Rights have been sold in 23 languages.
Other books include The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership, hailed as the classic in its field and continuously in print since 1990, and The Web of Inclusion: A New Architecture for Building Great Organizations, cited in The Wall Street Journal as one of the best books on leadership of all time and credited with bringing the language of inclusion into business.
For over 30 years, Sally has delivered seminars, workshops and keynotes for companies, partnership firms and associations around the world, working in 37 countries.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Build relationships with people different than ourselves.
Give people the benefit of our good will.
Build networks, not grapevines.
How are you engaging in inclusive leadership? Are people being seen, heard and valued? 
Do your team members use “we” or “they”? 
Establish boundaries. 
Actively listen.
Follow up with people. 
Actively promote and celebrate others. 
Resources:
SallyHelgesen.com
Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace by Sally Helgesen
How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back – Summary
How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job | YouTube
The Female Vision: Women's Real Power at Work by Sally Helgesen 
The Power of the Feminine Vision | Sally Helgesen | Talks at Google
Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:
R.O.G on YouTube
R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G on Spotify
How diverse is your network? N.D.I. Network Diversity Index
What is your Generosity Style?  Generosity Quiz
Credits:
Michael Powell, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 170, with Shannon Cassidy for a Generous Leadership Coaching Tip.

168. The 5° Principle | Prioritizing Priorities | Generous Leadership Coaching Tip

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.” - Stephen R. Covey
Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in behavioral change, executive presence, effective communication, collaborative teamwork, empowering leadership, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, retreats, conferences) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) and Mentoring Programs (associations, ERGs, leadership circles) all custom designed. She has a podcast called R.O.G. Return on Generosity that focuses on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude. 
Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding bridge between, she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success, enabling her to provide clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and lead with vision, values, and purpose.
Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work.
 
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Identify your “big rocks”.
Block time on your calendar to focus on what you prioritize.
Resources:
Stephen Covey “Big Rocks” 
Stephen Covey - The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People 
View this episode on YouTube
BridgeBetween.com
Network Diversity Index Quiz
The Five Degree Principle by Shannon Cassidy
V.I.B.E. by Shannon Cassidy
R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G. on Spotify
R.O.G. on YouTube
Coming Next:
Please join us next week, Episode 169, with special guest Sally Helgesen.
Credits:
Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

167. Michael Powell - Take Care of the Troops

“If you said…What do you think is the indispensable value of leadership? I would say it is to be selfless…to sacrifice for the good of others. To be willing to give without expecting something in return. Because the beauty is in the giving.”Michael K. Powell is the former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1997 and appointed Chairman by President George W. Bush in 2001, serving until 2005.
During his time as FCC chair, Chairman Powell oversaw the rapid transformation of communications markets into the Digital Age. During his tenure, the Internet came into widespread commercial use, as did smart phones, Wi-Fi networks and satellite radio. In his current role as President & CEO of NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, Mr. Powell leads one of the largest trade associations in Washington, D.C., representing the communications and content industries. Prior public service includes Chief of Staff of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, Policy Advisor to the Secretary of Defense and service as an armored cavalry officer in U.S. Army. In the private sector he practiced law and was a senior advisor in a private equity firm. Chairman Powell also served on the public boards of Cisco and AOL.
Chairman Powell serves on several nonprofit boards. He is the Chairman of the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees, Vice Chairman of America’s Promise Alliance and serves on the William & Mary Foundation Board.
Powell received his bachelor’s degree in government from William & Mary and his JD from Georgetown University Law Center. He holds honorary doctorate degrees from William & Mary, Pepperdine University and Mayo Clinic Alex School of Medicine and Marymount University.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Be a steward.
Leave everything better than you found it.
Be human centered.
Take care of the soldiers.
Add a layer of intimacy.
Consider methods of caring: Hand written note, drop off a gift, send a text.
Give without strings attached.
Share knowledge and experience.
Who am I? Who do I want to be? 
What is a good life? Are you on a path to have one? - Aristotle
Everyone you see is suffering. You can go and help - Buddha
Perpetual Optimism - 13th Rule 
Resources:
NCTA | https://www.ncta.com/people/michael-powell
FCC | https://www.fcc.gov/biography-michael-k-powell
Michael’s eulogy for his Father, Secretary Colin L. Powell 
Colin Powell's 13 Rules of Leadership
The Road to Character by David Brooks
Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:
R.O.G on YouTube
R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G on Spotify
How diverse is your network? N.D.I. Network Diversity Index
What is your Generosity Style?  Generosity Quiz
Credits:
Michael Powell, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 168, with Shannon Cassidy for a Generous Leadership Coaching Tip.

166. The 5° Principle | Expect the Unexpected | Generous Leadership Coaching Tip

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face…You must do the thing you cannot do.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in behavioral change, executive presence, effective communication, collaborative teamwork, empowering leadership, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, retreats, conferences) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) and Mentoring Programs (associations, ERGs, leadership circles) all custom designed. She has a podcast called R.O.G. Return on Generosity that focuses on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude. 
Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding bridge between, she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success, enabling her to provide clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and lead with vision, values, and purpose.
Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work.
 
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Generously rebound from mistakes this week. Own it. Fix it. Apologize.
Learn from others - positive and constructive. We must learn from the models around us.
Resources:
View this episode on YouTube
BridgeBetween.com
Network Diversity Index Quiz
The Five Degree Principle by Shannon Cassidy
V.I.B.E. by Shannon Cassidy
R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G. on Spotify
R.O.G. on YouTube
Coming Next:
Please join us next week, Episode 167 with special guest Michael Powell. 
Credits:
Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.