00:08 Hi, I am Denise Simpson, a master life and leadership coach who helps women step into their authentic and feminine power so they can lead like visionaries, influence with grace, and create a legacy of contribution and service. You'll hear about real leadership clients with real problems navigating their success in life, business and career. If you're ready to become a masterful leader, then this podcast was made for you. So let's get started.00:47 Be the change you wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi, dear leader, I want you to lead the change. What does this mean to us? It means that we get to change ourselves first before we look outside of ourselves. We want to lead the change in our families, in our communities, in our organizations. And yes, the world that you and I share, I'm going to lead the change. And what I'm leading the change in is being an example of what is possible for a woman of color leader. I am an example of what it is like to live a fulfilling and fruitful and joyous life doing what she loves to do, which is to empower other women. I am leading the change in the leadership training and development industry. I am a woman of color, minority business owner, a woman who walks into any organization and says, I can help you and here's why.01:58 I have had to overcome so many of my limiting beliefs to be right here with you, talking to you about being the change that you wish to see in the world. So when I read Mahatma Gandhi's quote many, many years ago, my goodness, I'm not sure exactly when I discovered it, but this is my guiding force. It's like a guiding affirmation. It reminds me that I have to go first. It reminds me that I am the first to get out of the barrio, to be the first, to get a college degree, graduate degrees, a PhD, to run a seven figure business, to be leading other leaders. I had to be that change. I had to see it for myself first in my mind's eye. And even before that, there was a calling. There's an urge there. There are desires that are stirred up and for many variables, I mean, it could be because of how I was raised by a feminist mother who had a lot of contradictory behaviors, but still wanted us to be very strong minded and empowered women, although again, her behavior showed otherwise.03:19 I was raised also by a dad who was an alcoholic, who had so much trauma and so many other interesting things that happened in his life that impacted his marriage, impacted the way he parented his girls. I was also part of community who had one foot in Mexico and one foot in Texas. And living on the Mexican Texas border was very interesting to see the Paton system and the patriarchal system against women and empowering women. So I was raised in a very specific era by specific parents in a specific subculture on a specific part of the Texas Mexico border region. So let's look at your specificities. What are all those variables that make you who you are today? Those are the desires and the urges and the calling. Sometimes it's a quiet hush and sometimes it's a loud roar. But you are here now leading.04:20 So something prompted you. Some things highly influenced the way you're leading the change. Those are the things that impacted me and many of the reasons why I'm leading the change. I am the change I wish to see in the world by being an example of what is possible for women leaders, for being an example of what's possible for a seven-figure owner who's doing in incredible work, conscientious work in this world, who is wanting to serve more women and keep more women in the leadership pipeline. I want to change the culture for women in leadership. No matter where they are, no matter where they are on that leadership ladder or on their leadership journey or what industry they're serving in or what tenure they have, I want to support them. I am the change that I wish to see in this world. So I want for you to start looking at what has prompted you to be the leader you are today.05:20 Again, all of those whispers, all of the quiet hushes. Maybe it's loud roar, maybe it was a big calling. Maybe it's something you learned from your mom, maybe from a foremother or an ancestor, maybe even your father was a big influence in your life. Whoever or whatever got you to where you're at today. That's what I want for you to tap into before we move forward is where I come from. All of those variables that have highly impacted or influenced who I am today and what difference I'm making in my family, in my community, in my constituents, in my employees today. And then where am I going into the future, right? So let's take a moment and reflect on our past so that we can understand who we are today. So do that for me. Look back, celebrate, take the learnings, leave what doesn't serve you, and then come on back to me.06:19 And let's focus on where you're at today. What role are you in the organization? What role do you play in the family? Are you the breadwinner? Are you the mother in this scenario? Are you the person that makes all the decisions for the children? Who are you today? What difference are you making? What is the change you wish to see in the world because of your upbringing, because of your past, because of your history? What change are you making in your world today? This can also look like what I'm doing in my community, serving on boards or being an executive director or starting a foundation. What are you doing for your community? What change are you making in your communities today? Same thing in your workplace. What change are you making in your organization? Are you a woman of color leader? Are you someone who is leading the way for other marginalized groups in your organization or in your workforce?07:25 Where are you today, dear leader, are you the change that you wish to see in the world? Because if you're leading the change, it has to start with you. It can not have anything to do with anybody else outside of your brain. This is all about you. And as you can tell, we always talk about you. You are the core, you're the nucleus. And so we always begin here with the source and that is you to dear leader, be the change that you wish to see in the world. Looks like first, evaluating your mindset, your beliefs about the change that you want to see in the world. I know when we look at wanting to change something, we're looking at how it has negatively impacted, and that's okay. That's a great fuel for me. It's what I use every day. It's like, I don't like this and I don't like that.08:17 And this is what I want to change. And by the way, I'm highly resourced and I am the person or at least one of the people to change this in our industry. This is how I see the world. This may not be like you. I'm a skeptic. I'm a contrarian by trade. It's something that was conditioned in me as a researcher. I'm always looking at the opposite viewpoint, but that may not be your case. You may be seeing something that's already changing something positive, something that's impacting your family or your community in a positive way, and you want to elevate that change. You have the resources to make it better, which is what a lot of us did when we raised our hand to enter the pipeline of leadership. I mean, look back at your first leadership rule. You raised your hand and said, I can do that better.09:08 It's good, that's good, but I can make it better. And I am that person. So think about your specific situation. How are you making things better? Are you elevating an experience for your people, for your family, for your employees? Are you taking something good and you're making it great? Or are you like me looking at something very negative and saying, that's not going to cut it. We're going to need to cut this shit down and we're going to need to start from the beginning and here we go. I'm not saying one way is better than the other. I'm just saying these are two different viewpoints so that we get to the same result. Changing what needs to be changed, improving what we can improve and being the change that we wish to see in the world. We start first. We go first, which is why we lead the change for ourselves and others.10:03 And so I want to briefly talk about the mindset of change because when I think of change, I think of all the actions that need to take place before change happens, before we can see proof that our actions have impacted the result. And so when I look at my mindset, I'm looking at it in a way where it serves me individually. The change that I want to see is that we have more women in the leadership pipeline. That's a change that's dominant in my business practice. And when I think that thought, I sometimes feel sad and defeated and hopeless, but it's my job and your job, dear leader, it's your job too to tie that emotion, a positive emotion with that running mindset, with that running belief or that thought. So when I think that thought, I want more women in the leadership pipeline and I'm the person to help them with this, my dominant feeling, when I think that thought is determined, another emotion that comes up is relentless.11:19 I feel like a dog with a bone. It's like, let's go. So it's my job to change those feelings that are conjured up because of that one thought. And so think about the change you want to see in the world. Is it in your family? Is it in your community? Is it in your organization or your industry? And I want you to choose that dominant thought. One simple declarative sentence. Remember, thoughts are just sentences that run in your brain. That is all that is. You get to pick a thought that you want to use to energize your actions, to reinvigorate your actions. So choose a thought that you can tie a powerful emotion to, because remember, your emotions propel your actions and your behaviors. This is so critical and this is the work we get to do as coaches and clients. We get to talk about what motivates our actions and behaviors, and we always go back to our thoughts and our feelings about a situation or a circumstance.12:27 And so when I feel determined, when I feel relentless, I take massive inspired action. Action that doesn't burn me out. Action. That is not stressful. It is action that just, it's like the wind beneath my wings. It's like, let's go. I'm flying in the air to get to a result because I'm so determined and I'm relentless and I'm a dog with that bone. It's so exciting for me because the result that I want to create is helping more women stay in the pipeline, get into the pipeline, and stay in the pipeline. That's the change that I want to see in the world. So I'm doing something about it. I'm starting with me first. I'm starting with me first. I'm doing the work. I'm doing the mindset work, the coaching work. I'm taking massive action in my business. I am first and foremost being an example of what's possible as a woman of color leader, right?13:23 And now I then get to go and help this industry. And I may not ever make a dent in this industry. I may not ever, ever see the results of what I'm doing in my business in this lifetime. And that's okay. What this is doing is keeping me focused on what my North star is. And that's because I want to be the change that I see in the world. I'm going to be the change that I want to see in this world and starts with me so that I can then help others. And so what is the change that you want to see in this world? Dear leader, how are you doing the mindset work so that you can identify that driving thought and those driving emotions so that those emotions propel your actions and ultimately create a result in your leadership practice? This is what we want to focus on, especially when we are trying to make a difference in the world.14:19 Again, we start with ourselves first. Alright, dear leader, I am so excited to help you with the change that you want to see in this world. You deserve to see a world that is just, it is fair, it is equal, it is filled with love and compassion. We all deserve that. And if you are needing support, leading the change, reach out. I am here to support you every step of the way. I'm over on LinkedIn at Dr. Denise Simpson, dmm me over there. Let me know you heard this episode and you're raising your hand and you are wanting support. I can't wait to hear from you, dear leader. Alrighty, I'm wishing you my best and I'm looking forward to serving you on our next episode. Take good care. Bye for now. Hey, leader, do you want weekly leadership tips, coaching and training straight to your email inbox? Yeah, I thought so. Head over to dr denise simpson.com/leadership. Again, that's dr denise simpson.com/leadership. Just submit your name and your email address and we'll get started right away. I look forward to serving you inside your email inbox. See you soon.
