Thinkydoers®

Sara Lobkovich

1 Creator

Thinkydoers®, hosted by Strategy Rebel and OKR Coach Sara Lobkovich, is a community for unconventional leaders, status-quo challengers, and workplace “square pegs.” Thinkydoers are individuals who navigate the journey from insight to idea, through the messy middle, seeking courage and confidence to bring their visions to life. Thinkydoers are a diverse group. We're disproportionately (but not exclusively) introverted and/or neurodivergent, and regardless of personality or cognitive wiring, Thinkydoers are strategic thinkers often underserved and misunderstood in traditional business cultures. Whether you’re a leader, an aspiring leader, or a behind-the-scenes “clutch player,” Thinkydoers aims to help you find more satisfaction, less frustration, and greater flow in your work. Learn to unlock your inner strategist with No-BS OKRs. Then, explore topics way beyond goal-setting, including strategy, behavior change, cognitive health, and motivation. Our guest episodes feature a wide range of perspectives to support you in building the work/life you want most. Increase your impact, reduce overwhelm, avoid burnout, and make the unique impacts only you can bring to the world. Here, you’ll discover how to build and maintain a fulfilling career and lead transformative efforts with significant outcomes, all while putting human outcomes first.

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Top 10 Thinkydoers® Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Thinkydoers® episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Thinkydoers® for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Thinkydoers® episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Creating Leading Indicators in High-Stakes Settings with Elena Chopyak

Thinkydoers®

05/21/24 • 31 min

One of the most challenging things for people to wrap their heads around when learning to create No-BS OKRs is the power of progress key results, otherwise known as leading indicators. But leading indicators serve as critical data that may give you objective data on which to assess your progress, and, to inform decisionmaking. Today’s guest is Elena Chopyak, a self-professed "data nerd," who I met through our mutual friend Rachel. When Rachel introduced Elena to me as an expert in leading indicators, I couldn't schedule a coffee talk fast enough. That coffee talk turned into an invitation back for this podcast episode.

Aside from Elena's wiring for data and analysis, her career history also follows the Thinkydoer pattern: a winding, multidisciplinary path included interest in working outside the U.S., and curiosity in the emergency humanitarian space, which ultimately lead her to working with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Iraq for two years. She was brought on in a monitoring and evaluation role in child protection and education, where she became responsible for instrumenting, monitoring, and reporting on important indicators to assess impact; and then moved into a role in IRC's emergency response team that was focused both on monitoring and informing decisions about natural disaster and armed conflict responses (as well as deploying, herself).

In this episode, you’ll hear about Elena's experiences and learnings working with leading indicators in high-stakes settings, tips for creating leading indicators that are useful and actionable, and, more about her self-described "squiggly" career.

Also: the No-BS OKRs Workbook is live; we're getting ready to launch our No-BS OKRs Self-Assessment Tool; and the best way to keep track of what's happening with Thinkydoers and No-BS OKRs is to join our mailing list!

Key Points From This Episode:

How Elena ended up in the nonprofit space working on leading indicators.
What drew her to the data and analytics side of nonprofit work.
The purpose that leading indicators serve in resource-constrained companies.
Challenges of creating leading indicators that provide actionable data.
Two ways to determine whether or not an indicator is useful.
Why there is no such thing as a perfect decision, even in high-stakes settings.
Working back from your ‘why’ and other pro tips for creating leading indicators.
Reasons that intentionality and testing are so important.
Setbacks that ended up propelling Elena’s career forward.
The value of having thought partners and focusing on tangible change.
How continuous learning and mentorship can benefit your career.

Quotes:

“It’s important not to wait until something is a full-blown emergency and has made it to the news – One of our responsibilities is to be prepared – That’s why [leading indicators are] so important.” — Elena Chopyak [11:25]

“We don’t create leading indicators so that we have pretty numbers on a dashboard in any setting. We create leading indicators because we’re going to use them to inform a decision.” — @saralobkovich [15:50]

“It comes back to thinking about the why. Why are you going to collect this [data]? Who is going to look at it? Who is using it? – Who is actually going to make any actionable change based on the data you’re collecting?” — Elena Chopyak [20:33]

“If you have a squiggly career, just know there are people who appreciate that. There are people who themselves have linear careers and don’t understand you. That’s fine, but there are those people out there who will appreciate your varied background.” — Elena Chopyak [27:22]

Mentioned in this episode:

Join the Strategic Clarity Workshop Waitlist for Early Bird Access

Are you ready to not just set goals, but actually change behavior to achieve them without overwhelm, shame, blame, or overthinking. Join me for the Strategic Clarity Workshop. A No-BS hands-on experience, where you'll turn your vision into a reality proof plan for real measurable results in a calm, supportive space. We're opening up the June dates very soon, and the early bird sale will be limited, so learn more and join the wait list at findrc.co/scwtd or look for the link for the Strategic Clarity Workshop on findrc.co or saralobkovich.com.

OKR Expert Interview: Sten Pittet Turns the Tables on Sara To Talk No-BS OKRs

Thinkydoers®

09/03/24 • 33 min

This is a bit unconventional ... but today, the host of Thinkydoers is the guest!

Please welcome Sten Pittet, Co-Founder and CEO of Tability, a collaboration platform for outcome-driven teams, as this week’s Guest Host of Thinkydoers ... with OKR Coach and creator of No-BS OKRs (and Thinkydoer’s host) Sara Lobkovich in the hot seat!

If you're a regular listener you might be thinking:

"WTF? A platform guest?!"

But hear me out. Sten is with a platform... and he's also a Thinkydoer. We've been in touch here and there for almost a year now, and when he asked during our last chat if he could interview me for a podcast episode ... I just couldn't pass up the chance to answer questions from another pro in my network.

Today's episode is part one of a two-part series. Here, Sten asks me the questions he's been waiting to ask me while a recording is rolling ever since our first chat.

We touch on my own journey with OKRs, including how they've shaped my career and practice, some of the challenges organizations encounter when trying to implement them, and my unique No-BS OKRs approach, which focuses in efficiency and simplicity.

Sten also makes a great plug (unsolicited!) for my No-BS OKRs Workbook, which is currently available as a PDF download from https://findrc.co/pdfworkbook (USD) or https://findrc.co/pdfwkbkAUD (AUD) and will be available in print later this fall, along with my first full-length release: You Are A Strategist: Using No-BS Objectives and Key Results To Get Big Things Done.

Come back next week for part two of the series, when I get to turn the tables and ask Sten about his Thinkydoer career, which took him from development into product management, and now into the CEO and founder role; and, about why and how Tability came to be.

Episode Highlights

Sara’s Journey with OKRs: From an individual contributor struggling with unclear expectations to an executive leader and consultant, Sara shares how setting measurable goals transformed her work satisfaction and effectiveness.
Challenges with OKRs: Discussion of why OKRs can be challenging to implement, particularly when leaders do not model the practice.
No-BS OKRs Approach: Sara explains her “No-BS OKRs” approach, focusing on simplicity and practicality, and the development of her No-BS OKRs Workbook.
Upcoming Book: “You Are A Strategist” Sara talks about her upcoming book, which aims to help individuals discover their inner strategist and use OKRs as a tool for career success.

Common Questions

What are OKRs? OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a goal-setting framework that helps organizations align their efforts and measure progress.
Why are OKRs challenging to implement? OKRs can be challenging because there is no single "standard" or set of "rules" for implementing them; and also, when leaders do not model the practice or invest time in learning the framework.
What is the No-BS OKRs approach? A pragmatic approach to OKRs that focuses on simplicity, efficiency, and usefulness to facilitate learning and improvement toward higher performance.
How can OKRs benefit my career? OKRs help fill information gaps so you can spend less time mind-reading and more time focused on what's most important. They also help teams align work to important goals, and provide a shared definition of success for teams to aim for.

Notable Quotes:

“My whole life as an individual contributor was trying to learn how to read minds because I just, I don’t know if some people can figure out what’s expected or if some people are less sensitive to that. And so they just kind of work to their inner compass, but I really struggled to understand what was expected.” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs
“I fundamentally believe that every person listening to this podcast is a potential future CEO. That’s just how I approach everyone I work with.” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs
“OKRs sometimes get brought in by the people just like Agile, you know, just like Scrum. And so sometimes the methodology comes in within the organization, but a lot of times OKRs come in through the C-suite or come in through the executives with a model of ‘I want more performance from our team.’” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs
“When we have leaders that model those behaviors, that’s when implementations tend to be really successful, because then that’s when people in the organization see this is beneficial for me because it fills in my information gaps. It mak...

Mindfulness for Overthinkers and Perfectionists with Dr. Alice Rizzi

Thinkydoers®

10/15/24 • 37 min

Are you an overthinker who can't seem to quiet your mind? A perfectionist struggling to find peace in a chaotic world? This episode is your lifeline. Dr. Alice Rizzi, a licensed psychologist and mindfulness coach, breaks down the myths about mindfulness and offers practical, accessible techniques that even the busiest minds can embrace. Discover how just 30 seconds a day can transform your mental landscape and why traditional meditation isn't the only path to mindfulness. Whether you've tried mindfulness before and given up, or you're completely new to the concept, this episode promises to revolutionize your approach to mental well-being.

Episode Highlights:

Dr. Rizzi's refreshing definition of mindfulness that goes beyond sitting still
The surprising difference between mindfulness and meditation
Game-changing mindfulness techniques tailored for overthinkers and perfectionists
How to start a mindfulness practice when you think you have no time
Simple grounding exercises that can calm your nervous system in seconds
The overlooked importance of self-compassion in mindfulness practice

Common Questions Addressed:

What is mindfulness, really, and how is it different from meditation?
Can overthinkers and perfectionists actually benefit from mindfulness?
What are some quick, no-nonsense ways to incorporate mindfulness into a hectic life?
How can mindfulness help manage the overwhelming stress and anxiety of modern life?

Notable Quotes:

"Mindfulness is the quality of being present in this moment with awareness, acceptance, kindness, compassion, curiosity, and non-judgment." - Dr. Alice Rizzi"It's better to do 30 seconds every day than even sit for 10 minutes once a week." - Dr. Alice Rizzi"Right now, in this moment, chances are you're actually okay." - Dr. Alice Rizzi

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Thinkydoers Podcast

01:27 Goal Fridays: A Series for Changemakers

02:45 Meet Dr. Alice Rizzi: Mindfulness Expert

04:35 Understanding Mindfulness and Meditation

06:44 Mindfulness for High Achievers and Overthinkers

09:48 Grounding Techniques for Overthinkers

16:28 The Power of Self-Compassion and Non-Judgment

21:52 Practical Tips for Mindfulness Practice

32:11 Conclusion and Resources

Key Takeaways:

Forget long meditation sessions; brief daily practices can be more effective for busy minds.
Learn the "five, four, three, two, one" grounding technique to instantly reconnect with the present moment.
Discover why self-compassion might be the missing piece in your mindfulness journey.
Explore how a simple self-hug can regulate your nervous system faster than you think.

Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Alice Rizzi's Instagram: @DrAliceRizzi
Website: togethermindful.com (free mindfulness toolkit available
Therapy services (NY and FL): dralicerizzi.com

Sara's Links and Resources:

Join this Fall's Goal Fridays free live series: https://findrc.co/goalfridays
The No-BS OKRs Workbook, currently available as a PDF download from https://findrc.co/pdfworkbook (USD) or https://findrc.co/pdfwkbkAUD (AUD)
Join the Launch Squad for Sara's Upcoming Books: You Are A Strategist and the No-BS OKRs Workbook
Join Sara's Email Newsletter
Email Sara at [email protected]
Thinkydoers (not-just-an OKR podcast) Home Page

Whether you're a seasoned mindfulness practitioner or a skeptical beginner, this episode offers fresh insights and practical tools to help you navigate life's challenges with greater ease and presence.

Mentioned in this episode:

Join the Strategic Clarity Workshop Waitlist for Early Bird Access

News Recap: "You Are A Strategist" Book Cover Reveal, Free OKR Coaching, and No-BS OKR Coach Training!

Thinkydoers®

07/31/24 • 14 min

In this Thinkydoers short, I'm sharing a few exciting updates from Red Currant Collective. For one, we just revealed the covers for my two upcoming books: the "No-BS OKRs Workbook" and "You Are A Strategist: Use No-BS Objectives and Key Results to Get Big Things Done." The Workbook, set to print in Q3, provides essential tools for creating effective OKRs quickly, while "You Are A Strategist" is a playbook for change-makers to connect strategy with goal-exceeding implementation and will fast-follow the Workbook's release -- all in time to help with your year-end reset!

Highlights:

Book Reveals: Sara announces the cover reveal of her two books, emphasizing the practicality of the "No-BS OKRs Workbook" and the strategic depth of "You Are A Strategist"
Not Sure You're a Strategist? Think Again!: A few quick thoughts on the importance of strategic thinking in today's fast-paced business environment, and an invitation to reflect on your own strategic capabilities
Live OKR Coaching: Sara shares her experience hosting a LinkedIn Live session, offering free OKR coaching, and invites listeners to participate in future sessions
Coaching Course: Details are provided about the upcoming "Coaching No-BS OKRs" course, designed for those looking to enhance their OKR coaching skills
Gratitude and Acknowledgements: Sara expresses gratitude for the support received during her book-writing process and teases future interview episodes for the podcast.

Call to Action:

Book Pre-Launch: Join the pre-launch crew for Sara's books at findrc.co/yaas
LinkedIn Live: Follow Sara on LinkedIn for updates on live OKR coaching sessions at linkedin.com/in/SaraLobkovich
Coaching Course Registration: Apply for the upcoming "Coaching No-BS OKRs" course at findrc.co/okrcoachtraining
Podcast Participation: If you're interested in being a guest on Thinkydoers, use the link in the show notes to express your interest: Thinkydoers Podcast Guest Application

Closing Thoughts: Sara encourages listeners to focus on their important goals and looks forward to sharing more insights in the next episode.

For more information, or to pitch a guest appearance on this podcast, please visit: https://saralobkovich.com/thinkydoers-pod

Mentioned in this episode:

Join the Strategic Clarity Workshop Waitlist for Early Bird Access

Introducing Evolutionary OKRs

Thinkydoers®

03/08/23 • 23 min

Today, we take a step back and answer the obvious question: what are Evolutionary Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and why are they important?

OKRs are a method for setting collaborative, objectively measurable goals made popular by the book Measure What Matters, which creates enormous excitement about the potential of OKRs, but leaves many teams and leaders frustrating trying to figure out how to implement them.

This episode introduces the Red Currant Collective brand of OKRs: Evolutionary OKRs. Evolutionary OKRs are designed to create meaningful change and help organizations transform and actually do better. Tuning in, you’ll hear about how OKRs started and how they became widely used before we break down the differences between Evolutionary OKRs and other forms of planning. You’ll learn more about the characteristics of great OKRs and how they can benefit both corporate performance and individuals. We further discuss the differences between Objectives and Key Results, the qualities of strong Objectives, what we consider "Textbook Key Results," and examples of both. If you would like an introduction to OKRs to share with your colleagues, your leaders, and other stakeholders, or even just a reminder of the basics for yourself, this episode is for you!

Key Points From This Episode:

An introduction to what OKRs are and how they became widely used.
The benefits of OKRs for individuals.
Differences between OKRs and other forms of planning.
Characteristics of great OKRs, starting with why they should fit on a page.
Why objectives are directional and key results are measurable.
An example OKR cadence for an organization.
Defining objectives, the qualities of strong objectives, and some examples.
What “watermelon metrics” are and how measurable key results can help us avoid them.
A definition of key results.
What “textbook key results” are, why we aim for them, and a few examples.
How you can find out more about Evolutionary OKRs.

Tweetables:

“In addition to being a collaborative goal-setting methodology, we think of OKRs as a thinking, deciding, and learning practice that helps us achieve greater growth, transformation and innovation by aligning on our most important measures of progress and success.” — @saralobkovich [0:05:36]

“Evolutionary OKRs mean thinking deeply about what's important and what might be possible. Identifying which measures of progress and success help us make better decisions in our work and organizations.” — @saralobkovich [0:05:54]

“OKRs let us define our own success and progress measures even when external expectations aren’t clear. They help us focus on what's most important, not only what's urgent.” — @saralobkovich [0:06:27]

“Think of objectives like strategic or visionary pillars. Added together, they describe what's most important for us to make progress on so that we are moving toward achieving our strategic priorities.” — @saralobkovich [0:12:48]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

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Mentioned in this episode:

Join the Strategic Clarity Workshop Waitlist for Early Bird Access

Self-Leadership for Individual Contributors, with Sally Ivester

Thinkydoers®

08/28/24 • 31 min

Are you an early- or mid-career individual contributor, curious about how to showcase your contributions and gain the recognition your work deserves? This week's guest, Sally Ivester, brings us a fresh perspective on architecting your own career successfulness -- without trying to be someone you're not.

Sally is a chief of staff in big tech who had a career-transforming experience when she downshifted her approach to career before the birth of her daughter. She joins us this week to share her perspectives on making the shift to playing your career on "easy mode" for those of us more used to playing our careers on "hard mode."

We talk about the subject I personally love to hate: managing up. We also discuss the importance of proactively setting and communicating boundaries, and Sally's approaches to navigating feedback and what she calls "working loudly," (including a very introvert-friendly way to do so in writing). This short episode packs a punch of career development, for listeners who are looking to upskill at playing the corporate game (without masking or playing politics in ways that don't suit you).

Sally was also very generous in sharing resources with us -- check out the links below!

Do you have a question or topic you'd like to see me tackle either as a solo episode or with a guest? I'm all ears. Visit the Thinkydoers home page and contact me there, or, point your guest suggestions my way!

Episode Highlights

Introduction to Sally Ivester: Sally’s background and her focus on supporting early-career professionals.
Managing Up: Redefining the concept of managing up without masking or changing who you are.
Communicating Boundaries: The importance of setting and communicating personal boundaries at work.
Working Loudly: How to effectively showcase your work and contributions.
Feedback and Growth: Embracing feedback and the concept of “B+ is the new A+.”
Personal Operating Model: How to create and share your personal operating model to set clear expectations.

Common Questions

What is managing up?: Managing up involves thinking ahead and aligning with your manager’s expectations without compromising your authenticity.
How can I communicate my boundaries at work?: Proactively share your personal operating model, including your preferred communication methods and working hours.
What does working loudly mean?: Working loudly means actively communicating your contributions and achievements to ensure they are recognized.
How should I handle feedback?: Embrace feedback as an opportunity for growth and aim for continuous improvement rather than perfection.

Notable Quotes from Guest Sally Ivester

“Managing up isn’t about being pleasing; it’s about thinking ahead and aligning with your leader.”
“B+ is the new A+. Embrace feedback and aim for continuous improvement.”
“Working loudly means ensuring your contributions are recognized and valued.”

Sally's Links and Resources

A free copy of Sally's usually paid-only product, her Project Tracker
The Career Starter Pack Checklist
The Ambitious Employee's Playbook to Corporate Success, Sally's Maven Course
Sally Ivester's Website for Your First Corporate Job
YourFirstCorporateJob on TikTok
Sally Ivester on LinkedIn

Sara's Links and Resources

Strategic Achievement Score Quiz: findrc.co/stratscore
Email Sara at [email protected]
Join the Launch Squad for Sara's Upcoming Books: You Are A Strategist and the No-BS OKRs Workbook
Download: No-BS OKRs In A Box one sheet

Q2 2025 OKR Forecast: Generative AI, Localization, and Retrospectives with a Panel of OKR Experts

Thinkydoers®

06/04/25 • 31 min

Ever wonder what's really happening in the OKR world beyond the hype?

Join Sara Lobkovich, Maria Rowcliffe, and Natalie Webb for a candid, no-BS look at where OKRs are heading in 2025. This isn't your typical "here's how to write an objective" conversation. Instead, you'll get insider insights from three veteran practitioners who've been in the trenches, helping organizations navigate the messy reality of goal-setting and alignment at scale.

In this first part of our quarterly update, we dive deep into the generative AI revolution (spoiler: it's not as revolutionary as everyone claims), the evolving art of OKR localization across complex organizations, and why your retrospectives might be the most important OKR practice you might be doing wrong. Whether you're an OKR skeptic, a seasoned practitioner, or somewhere in between, this conversation will give you practical insights you can't get anywhere else.

Episode Highlights:

Generative AI in OKRs: why draft quality is improving, but real strategic impact is still lagging behind
TRV (Technology Realized Value): the Big Five’s new metric for linking OKRs to actual tech investment outcomes
The “Two Lists” Problem: how teams are secretly working off dual strategies—and why it’s undermining OKR focus
Cascading and Localization: evolving models for aligning across global teams, even amid geopolitical complexity
Culture-First OKRs: tailoring implementation to readiness, from transformation-driven overhauls to scrappy gradual rollouts
Retrospectives that matter: how deeper reflection—not just review—builds quarter-over-quarter OKR maturity

Key Concepts Explored:

Generative AI in OKRs: Where it's accelerating strategy work, where it's falling short, and the risk of generic, uncontextualized models
Technology Realized Value (TRV): A new metric used alongside OKRs to measure the tangible impact of tech investments
The “Two Lists” Problem: How parallel strategic workstreams outside the OKR framework dilute focus and undermine accountability
Localization & Alignment: Why clear, bottom-up contribution is critical in global, matrixed organizations—especially in high-stakes geopolitical climates
Culture-Responsive Implementation: Tailoring OKR rollouts based on organizational readiness, risk appetite, and transformation goals
Iterative Learning over Perfection: Why OKR maturity builds quarter over quarter—and how learning from retrospectives is more valuable than writing the “perfect” OKR
Leading vs. Lagging Indicators: The power of AI to help surface potential leading indicators clients may struggle to define on their own
Transformation & Change Management: How OKRs, when paired with transformation strategy, become powerful drivers of organizational evolution

Notable Quotes:

"Is this really driving the value you wanted to achieve? How do you know who cares? So what happens if this is done or not done? These things that don't get asked are so critically important to make sure that people are focused on the right work." — Natalie Webb [00:12:00]

"If I could only tell clients one thing about OKRs, it would be we spend all of our time focused on writing them and then way too little time focused on learning from them." — Sara Lobkovich [00:23:00]

"I think the best way to use OKRs initially is always the way that the company is willing and able to adopt it. Me talking about the gold star way of doing OKRs isn't gonna help clients that are at the crawling level and not a hundred percent convinced yet." — Maria Rowcliffe [00:21:00]

"OKRs are really hard. We're talking about change - really hard for people to stick with when it gets challenging." — Sara Lobkovich [00:28:00]

Chapters:

[00:00:00] Introduction: Welcome to the OKR Dream Team Q2 Update

[00:03:00] Book Launch Celebration and Team Introductions

[00:05:00] Generative AI in OKR Practice: Separating Hype from Reality

[00:06:00] TRV (Technology Realized Value): The New Complementary Metric

[00:08:00] Practical AI Applications: Interview Analysis and Leading Indicators

[00:12:00] The Risks of Anonymous OKR Generators and Untrained Models

[00:14:00] OKR Localization: Navigating Global Complexity and Geopolitical Challenges

[00:16:00] Alignment Strategies: KRs vs. Full OKRs at Lower Levels

[00:18:00] Culture and OKR Implementation: One Size Doesn't Fit All

[00:21:00] Meeting Organizations Where They Are: The Quarterly Improvement Approach

[00:23:00] Retrospectives Revolution: Beyond Basic Questions

[00:26:00] The "Two Lists" Problem: When OKRs Fail to Drive Focus

[00:27:00] Transformation Expertise: The Secret Weapon in OKR Practice

[00:29:00] Wrap-up and Part...

Architecting Change: Rethinking the role of goals in achieving necessary change

Thinkydoers®

12/09/22 • 29 min

We talk a lot around here about Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), and in this episode, we dive into an adjacent topic: the role that goal setting can play in making a case for and achieving important change in our organizations. The audio for this episode is from a LinkedIn Live that I hosted recently (if you'd like to hear about our every-other Wednesday Live gatherings, join our email list). Those Live sessions are geared toward changemaker leaders and strategic implementors within organizations who are hungry for ways to increase change effectiveness, increase employee engagement, and spend more time focused on achievement of their most important priorities.

In this episode, we look at:

A few of the factors that make change hard for people and teams;
Separating myth from fact about goal setting for change;
The importance of shifting how we think about goals from a win-lose mindset to a win-learn mindset;
I share some important tips for changemakers to increase their effectiveness at making the case for and achieving change in their work;
And share a set of key questions you can use to unblock change.

I also share some updates about opportunities to work with me this month to help set your 2023 up for success:

Join us for the week-long No BS OKRs series focused on achieving change, which kicks off next week (asynchronously on Dec 12, first workshop on Dec 13);
We have two very rare individual coaching slots available in our monthly membership 1:1 coaching schedule; and
I'm in the early stages of planning a cohort of our deep-dive Leading the Connected Strategic Organization learning series specifically for people who are neurodivergent.

This course is for people leaders (and aspiring people leaders) who want to improve their skills with communicating expectations clearly; leading through conflict; and leading their teams for growth and high performance. This class and what we practice in it are helpful for all leaders, but we're hearing especially positive feedback from autistic participants, leaders with ADHD, and people who have cognitive impacts from trauma. The approaches we learn and practice give leaders a toolkit they can adapt to their work (and fills in a lot of blanks for many of us who have struggled to develop effective leadership and management mechanics) to reduce the cognitive overhead of leading people and help us refocus on goal achievement and leading our teams for growth.

For more information on any of the above, find me at http://redcurrantco.com or email [email protected].

Show notes and transcript are slightly delayed, but will follow tomorrow (Friday) at http://thinkydoers.com .

Mentioned in this episode:

Join the Strategic Clarity Workshop Waitlist for Early Bird Access

Feeling Stuck: Signs and Symptoms Not to Ignore (Part 1 with Dr. Sherlonda Adkins)

Thinkydoers®

10/22/24 • 22 min

Ever felt "off" but couldn't quite name it? Did it feel like you were "stuck?"

What if that feeling of being "stuck" is actually trying to tell you something important?

In this illuminating conversation with Dr. Sherlonda Adkins, a Physician Assistant and "Unstuck Strategist," we explore how feeling stuck can masquerade as depression, anxiety, or burnout - and why recognizing the difference matters. Whether you're questioning your career path or feeling stagnant in life, this episode offers vital insights into identifying and understanding stuckness before it impacts your wellbeing.

Then join us for part two with Dr. Adkins where we'll explore practical strategies for getting unstuck and creating positive change in your life.

Episode Highlights:

The difference between clinical depression and feeling stuck
Physical, emotional, and mental signs of stuckness
How "sticky thinking" patterns keep us trapped
Why career transitions and family dynamics are common stuck points
The relationship between substance use and feeling stuck
Why being stuck isn't always negative - it can signal important life changes

Common Questions:

What are the signs of being stuck vs. depression?
How does stuckness show up physically in our bodies?
When should you seek professional help for feeling stuck?
How can you tell if you're experiencing sticky thinking?

Notable Quotes:

"Sometimes people end up sitting on my couch saying 'I'm depressed,' thinking it's neurobiological changes, when in fact it's more secondary to their feeling stuck." - Dr. Adkins"Suffering is different from going through tough times - suffering means you're not accessing available relief while going through difficulties." - Dr. Adkins"Sometimes being stuck is jolting because you recognize there's a misalignment between your compass and your soul." - Dr. Adkins

About Today's Guest:

Dr. Sherlonda Adkins is a physician assistant and unstuck strategist based in Charleston, South Carolina. Through her telemedicine practice and coaching work, she helps people around the world create lives they don't need to escape from.

Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Sherlonda Adkins Website: drsherlondaadkins.com
Dr. Sherlonda Adkins on LinkedIn

Sara's Links and Resources

Join this Fall's Goal Fridays free live series: https://findrc.co/goalfridays
Join Sara's Email Newsletter: https://findrc.co/newsletter
Email Sara at [email protected]
Other Free No-BS OKRs Resources: Access all free resources
Thinkydoers (not-just-an OKR podcast) Home Page: https://saralobkovich.com/thinkydoers-pod

Find full show notes and the episode transcript via https://findrc.co/thinkydoers !

Mentioned in this episode:

Join the Strategic Clarity Workshop Waitlist for Early Bird Access

The Evolutionary OKRs Playbook Chapter One: How did we get here?

Thinkydoers®

08/15/23 • 17 min

After years of writing alone and then sharing my work on the Evolutionary OKRs Playbook with (wonderful, patient) beta readers, with this rewrite I’m doing something different.

It’s time to write (and read) in public.

Certain chapters of the book are being shared via our email newsletter first; then after a week or two, some will be shared via the Red Currant Collective Blog, via Medium, and here, as Thinkydoers podcast episodes.

As terrifying as this is for me personally, it’s time. The final rewrite is buzzing along, I’ve got a target date for the v1 eBook release if I keep up at this writing and editing pace, and it’s necessary to get this thing out so it can help the people who need it.

So here in this episode, I’m sharing the first full chapter, Chapter One: Objectives and Key Results: How did we get here?

And if you don't want to wait for the public release of each chapter, you can get the early peek by joining our newsletter at http://findrc.co/newsletter.

Show notes are available at thinkydoers.com and you can read the first chapter via the Evolutionary OKRs Blog on redcurrantco.com.

Key Points From This Episode:

• My excitement to bring you chapter one of Sara’s Evolutionary OKRs Playbook.

• The resources that we’re planning on offering for the rest of the year and in 2024.

• How many of us stumble into OKRs

• Why I'm an emphatic OKR activist.

• A sneak peek for next week: why should you adopt a glossary of OKR terms at the very beginning of implementation.

Quotes:

“Incoherence is my kryptonite.” — @saralobkovich [08:22]

“The transparency with which I'll share my approaches, tools, and tactics, as well as the why behind them in this book may just put my consulting business out of business.” — @saralobkovich [10:16]

“I hope that at some point you take a step back from the day-to-day labor of your work and think a bit about what changed world you'd like to see someday. What difference would you like to make? How would you like to leave your community, career, or self better than you find it now?” — @saralobkovich [10:37]

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