Authentic Leadership for Everyday People

The Power of Voice Roundtable

This is the first special edition roundtable episode. These episodes provide an in depth look at an interesting topic. They feature guests who are experts in the specific area, who share their experience and then discuss the connection between that area and leadership

Today’s topic is the connection between voice, creativity and leadership.

Allison Bennie, Jenee Halstead and Ruby Rose Fox have one thing in common. Each one of them started their career as a singer and performer. And each one of them found an interesting way to expand beyond voice to use their experience to help people in different areas of their life.

We start from their stories, what attracted each one of them to sing and how they went on the journey to be an artist. It is a pretty raw and candid discussion. Along with the passion and the joys, they cover some of the less known and less glamorous realities of life as an independent artist and as a woman in show business.

From there, we talk about the moment when they realized that their expertise in voice and performance could actually benefit people who are not artists, and how the three of them has used this platform to expand career into new areas . Spoiler alert: everyone can sing, no matter what they have been told. You will hear about the physiology of voice, and what impact realizing they can sing has on adults who were told their whole life they couldn’t.

Of course, we talk about some of the connections between voice and leadership. And they share some exercises that you can use in your everyday life to improve your overall presence as a leader, in any situation. As usual, we close the episode with some great recommendations for food for the soul.

Enjoy this episode, it is a good one.

Key Takeaways:

04:14 – Dino introduces today’s special roundtable episode, featuring Jenee Halstead, Allison Bennie and Ruby Rose Fox

07:25 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby share the moment they realized they wanted to become performers

11:37 – The less glamorous side of being an independent artist

23:28 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby talk about what led them to pursue more powerful and meaningful initiative through their collective experiences as artists

40:45 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby provide advice for those looking to truly be seen more

54:15 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby share some food for your soul

59:38 – Dino thanks Jenee, Allison and Ruby for all joining the show

1:02:25 – Dino leaves the audience with two songs: ‘Solitary People,’ by Jenee and ‘Matador,’ by Ruby

Tweetable Quotes:

“I’m a musical artist of various kinds and storyteller of various kinds.” (05:09) (Ruby)

“So, here were these white men who were telling me how to get my dream as how I saw it. And I said, ‘Ok, cool. I’ll stop eating.’ So I did and I lost a ton of weight very quickly. I got very ill, very weak, and lost my voice. By the age of twenty-four my voice was gone and my singing career was over.” (13:50) (Allison)

“I didn’t know why, but my heart was calling me somewhere else. And, I think I could have stayed in theatre if I had wanted to but there was so much negativity there. And I knew that I could produce my own shows, put my name on the marquee so they know a woman is coming through the door. And it just empowered me in a way that made me feel like an entrepreneur.” (18:16) (Ruby)

“Since that time, it’s just been really a process of facing my own insecurities and my own fears around being seen.” (22:47) (Jenee)

“Just all these little pieces of saying yes, and saying yes, and saying yes, and realizing that all of this stuff that I had been through and all of this training that I had was still within me.” (26:43) (Allison)

“Everybody can sing. The fact that we’re putting people on a pedestal that only certain people are born to sing and others aren’t was just this terrible narrative that’s false. So, I’m on a path to deconstruct that.” (39:55) (Jenee)

“That’s the place to start is to breathe and to chill out and to relax and to support yourself with that breath.” (42:07) (Allison)

“Switch your focus from thinking that whatever apparatus you use – whether it’s your voice, or a saxophone, or whatever instrument you’re using to perform with – that there’s an instrument prior to that, which is your nervous system. And that instrument is what people are gonna pay you a lot of money to see.” (49:35) (Ruby)

“Nobody comes to me for voice lessons because they want to be a professional singer. I don’t teach professional singers. I have no interest in polishing something to perfection. I only work with people who just want to connect with something.” (52:48) (Allison)

Links Mentioned:

Dino’s Email –

Today we delve deep into authenticity, vulnerability and the power of resetting your life. Our guest is leadership mentor and branding coach, Kasey Jones. Kasey helps entrepreneurs to gain clarity on what they are doing and where they’d like to go. In June of 2020, was almost killed by a dog attack. Today, she opens up about the experience how it changed her, and the incredible gifts that came from her overcoming this challenging time. We speak about trauma, living life without fear and what we all can do to be better versions of ourselves. We also talk about how the experience informed her work with her clients, and how when tackled the right way, personal branding is actually a way to become a better and more focused leader.

Key Takeaways:

01:59 – Introducing today’s guest, Kasey Jones, who speaks to the work she does as a business coach and shares her harrowing near death experience

10:51 – Kasey recalls what went into the decision to speak publicly about her experience

16:56 – Kasey talks about living life without fear and things in her life that now move her to tears

20:32 – I share a story connected with my own bout with depression

23:55 – How Kasey helps her clients discover their own superpowers

26:19 – Kasey provides best practices for making positive changes in your life

30:34 – Kasey speaks to her passion for personal branding

33:34 – The business practices that drive Kasey absolutely crazy

35:22 – Kasey shares some food for your body and food for your soul

40:25 – And now here’s ‘Carried,’ a song written and performed by my wife, Susan Cattaneo and featuring Jenee Halstead

Tweetable Quotes:

“As I got through it, I felt like I had been given this second chance. It felt like I had this reset button on life. And I’ll be honest, it’s very hard for people to understand this, but this experience turned into – and I am not exaggerating – the greatest blessing of my life.” (08:38)

“I remember having this ‘Aha’ moment where I realized that if I didn’t start talking about this, it would become exponentially harder for me every single day to talk about it at all.” (13:50)

“I’m not afraid anymore. I’m not afraid of things. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have little fears that come up but I have a vision for the kind of life that I want to lead, and the kind of business that I’m building and the kind of impact I want to make. And it makes whatever little fears that come up feel like nothing.” (17:15)

“Yeah, there’s a rawness. But what that means is that I connect more deeply with people, I feel more deeply, I am inspired more easily. I am connected to life and to others in a way that I think I avoided for so much of my life. And to me it’s the greatest gift that I ever could have asked for.” (19:28)

“For me, there is no greater purpose than helping somebody else feel the strength and the courage to show up authentically and holistically as themselves.” (23:24)

“I am a big believer in treating yourself to a decadent meal and savoring every single bit of it.” (36:13)

Links Mentioned:

Kasey Links

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/abetterjones/

Kasey’s Twitter – @abetterjones

Instagram: @abetterjones

Kasey’s Website – abetterjones.com

Kasey's 5 Easy Steps to Unapologetically Build a Powerful Personal Brand: go.abetterjones.com/ppb

Authentic Leadership for Everyday People

Email: [email protected]

Website: al4ep.com

Facebook - facebook.com/al4edp

Twitter: @al4edp.com

Instagram: @al4edp

Ted Lasso – https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10986410/

‘Carried’ – https://susancattaneo.bandcamp.com/track/carried-feat-jenee-halstead

Welcome to Authentic Leadership for Everyday People, the podcast that investigates the connection between effective leadership and authenticity. Today, Dino is sitting down with speaker, author and catalyst, Dr. Steve Yacovelli, a.k.a. “The Gay Leadership Dude.” Steve is the Founder and Principle of Top Dog Learning Group, a firm that provides guidance and solutions in leadership, change management, diversity and inclusion. Steve is an expert practitioner in leadership, change management and diversity and inclusion, a published author, and a sought after keynote speaker. He’s worked one-on-one with some of the most prestigious global firms and institutions, including Disney, IBM, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The Ohio State University.

In this episode, Steve opens up about how he came to embrace his identity as LGBTQ+ and the impact that had on how Steve showed up to work. Dino and Steve talk about trends Steve has noticed in twenty years as a leadership trainer in Corporate America, the value that equity, diversity and inclusion bring to an organization and the connection between authenticity and courage.

Key Takeaways:

01:28 – Dino opens the episode by sharing his connection with today’s guest, Dr. Steve Yacovelli, who speaks to discovering his true authentic self and the role that equity has in the workplace

08:07 – What led Steve to focus on training and development

10:10 – Steve expounds on The Top Six Leadership Competencies he helps his clients develop

14:26 – Steve provides insights and advice on leadership

16:37 – The significant shifts in leadership that Steve has observed throughout his career

18:15 – Steve speaks to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace

22:13 – Advantages to having a more equitable and diverse workforce

25:44 – Steve talks about the conscious choice to brand himself as The Gay Leadership Dude

32:31 – The connection between authenticity and courage

39:04 – How Steve built up his own courage

42:19 – Practical steps that can be taken to enhance the voices of marginalized groups

44:51 – The business phrases that drive Steve absolutely crazy

45:48 – Steve shares some food for your soul

49:01 – Dino leaves the audience with ‘Let the Music Deliver Me,’ a song written and performed by his wife, Susan Cattaneo

Tweetable Quotes:

“I started spending my focus trying to help folks really see that leadership is important – regardless of if you’re an army of one or an army of a thousand – and what can you do to be more effective in that leadership journey that you’re on.” (09:56)

“The number one strategy that I share with any leader, regardless of the level that you’re at, is your job is to cultivate the garden.” (14:51)

“Several studies show that if you have diverse Boards of Directors and C-Suites, your profits are better.” (25:02)

“If you focus on these competencies that I identify, which are authenticity, courage, empathy, effective communication, relationships and shaping culture, you’re gonna be just awesomely inclusive and really successful.” (30:02)

“To be authentic is to be courageous and to own it and to be yourself.” (34:23)

“If you’re a rock star at what you do, where you live won’t matter.” (37:43)

“I could take my three hundred and fifty-six page book, put it to one page, one word. And that’s trust. Best, authentic, effective leaders have trust with those around them. And that’s not just direct reports, that’s 360.” (40:11)

Links Mentioned:

Dino’s Email

Dino’s Instagram

Dino’s Twitter

Authentic Leadership for Everyday People Website

Authentic Leadership for Everyday People Facebook

Dr. Steve’s Website

Dr. Steve’s LinkedIn

Dr. Steve’s Book

Dr. Steve’s Instagram

Welcome to Authentic Leadership for Everyday People, the podcast that investigates the connection between effective leadership and authenticity. Today, Dino is sitting down with musician, activist and educator, Erin Barra. Erin is an authoritative voice in music, tech and education and currently serves as the Director of Popular Music at Arizona State University. Today, Dino and Erin’s vision for the new music program she launched aimed at giving access to world class music education to the underserved. They discuss her journey to discovering her identity and coming to terms with a big shift in her career. Finally, Erin opens up about the connection between her passion for fine wine, science fiction, music production and the design of education.

Key Takeaways:

01:03 – Dino introduces today’s guest, Erin Barra, who shares her background in music, tech and education and what inspired her to launch Beats by Girlz

07:23 – Erin speaks to the identity crisis she faced as an artist and the challenges she faced

12:31 – Erin talks about overcoming scarcity mentality and her strong belief in community service

17:25 – Key lessons Erin’s imparted on artists she’s worked with

22:23 – How Erin regulates and promotes participation among her students

27:55 – Erin speaks to the importance she places on vision

32:53 – How Erin defines and measures success

36:29 – Erin talks about the vision for the Popular Music program at Arizona State University

42:14 – Erin provides the audience with three pieces of advice

44:54 – How Erin’s passions outside of work impact the way she shows up at work

47:02 – The business phrases that drive Erin absolutely crazy

48:53 – Erin shares some food for your body and your soul

51:14 – Dino leaves the audience with a song written by today’s guest, Erin Barra

Tweetable Quotes:

“There was a day – a very hard day for me – when I realized that people were way more interested in how I was making music than listening to my music. And that was a tough pill to swallow, but once I swallowed it that’s when all the good stuff in my life started happening.” (07:05)

“Once I had been at Berkley for a few years, I realized that my real power is in helping people. And that by being that person who facilitates another person to succeed, that is actually one of the most powerful positions you could be in.” (14:08)

“I think that creating culture is a really important thing, in a classroom and a workplace, because you want to facilitate people to be their best selves.” (18:03)

“For me, success means that when I hear about somebody else winning, especially if I identify as somebody similar to them, that the only emotion I feel is pride and being happy for another individual. Shedding that sense of competition that the music industry embedded in me, that’s success.” (35:58)

“It’s important to create a culture in your workplace where people feel safe. And that just helps you because then they’ll feel safe to tell you when something’s wrong.” (43:48)

Links Mentioned:

Dino’s Email

Dino’s Instagram

Dino’s Twitter

Authentic Leadership for Everyday People Website

Authentic Leadership for Everyday People Facebook

Erin’s LinkedIn

Erin’s Website

Beats by Girlz Website

This is a special episode for the 4th of July holiday. It brings together all the answers from the previous episodes to the question: which business expression or cliche or jargon drives you crazy? In addition to the answer from previous episodes, this also includes a preview of episode 12, as well as my own personal answer to the question!