Last week, the week I had been waiting for finally arrived… I got to see Zach Bryan perform at Gillette Stadium!
I discovered his music around this time last year as I was beginning my transition out of my 13+ year partnership as Adam’s Chief of Staff. Zach’s music carried me through the fall and winter when I didn’t really know what I was going to do next.
Now, on the other side of my career break, I listen to Zach as I write, create content and coaching programs, build my business, and plan the future.
Zach has been the soundtrack to my career transition, and it felt incredibly celebratory to be seeing him live one year after I gave my notice, “lost” my professional (and much of my personal) identity, and ventured into the unknown.
Music is so powerful. Because it makes you feel. It brings back memories. It is the catalyst for creating new ones. It connects you to yourself and to others.
Just read some of these lyrics:
- “Find someone who grows flowers in the darkest parts of you.”
- “Your funeral was beautiful, I bet God heard you comin’.”
- “I’m a self-destructive landslide if you want to be the hill.”
- “Take care of the blood that your love runs through.”
- “She hates bullshit and loves the noise of a coastal town, the early parts of fall.”
- “You bled your whole soul into things you can’t control in a world you’ll never satisfy.”
- “Grab me by the hands, just as calloused as I am, say you’re proud.”
- “The thing about high hopes is you can’t hold on too tight.”
- “The only bad you’ve ever done was to see the good in me.”
I’ll stop before I end up quoting all of Zach Bryan’s albums. 🙂
What music brings back certain moments in your life?
– Hallie
On the Blog
11 Common Mistakes Chiefs of Staff Make with Executive Assistants
Sometimes learning from someone’s mistakes is more impactful than learning about everything that went right. Here are common mistakes that Chiefs of Staff make when working with an Executive Assistant. By sharing these potential pitfalls, I hope to bring some awareness to the Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant partnership and what to keep an eye out for so that you can do better by learning what can go wrong.
Weekly Top 5
- Ever wondered what exactly a Chief of Staff does and how it could potentially revolutionize your organization? Or are you a Chief of Staff seeking to expand your leadership toolbox? In this episode of Leveraging Leadership, Emily Sander, a former Chief of Staff turned executive leadership coach, introduces the Chief of Staff role. She starts by providing a high-level definition of the position and offers some useful analogies to help you understand it better. To dive even deeper, pick up a copy of Emily’s book, An Insider’s Perspective on the Chief of Staff.
- This episode of the My First Million podcast just seemed to cut through the bullshit and fired me up this morning. If you’re feeling stuck – stop searching for answers (or so says host Shaan Puri)! Instead, Shaan says, “Up your level of intensity.” The podcast is packed with great real-world examples from successful entrepreneurs and business leaders and actionable advice. What is your level 12?
- We already know how much of a positive impact a great Executive Assistant has on the CEO and c-suite. It’s nice to see that Forbes agrees. Author Dr. Vince Molinaro writes, “… in all my years as a strategic leadership advisor, I have found another leader at the top of the hierarchy, one who yields a different kind of power and has their finger on the pulse of everything that matters in a company. Who is this unsung leader? The CEO’s executive assistant (EA).” Read on for Molinaro’s take on the seven leadership attributes of a great EA.
- Liz Wiseman is one of my favorite authors, researchers, and executive advisors on leadership. In this episode of Leadership Matters, Liz talks all about micromanaging, including how it impacts performance, how it affects employee retention and company culture, why leaders micromanage, how to handle being micromanaged, how to avoid micromanaging others, and much more. To move from being a diminisher leader (accidental or not) to a multiplier leader, it’s important to understand the micromanaging challenges at all levels.
- Speaking of leadership, what’s your leadership style? Understanding which leadership style you lead with can help your communication, how you implement decisions, how you give feedback to others, and how you lead up. Each leadership style can work in business, and, notably, each has its potential challenges. Take a look and see which leadership style sounds like you (and your leader)! The better you understand yourself and those you work with, the more successful partnership, career, and company you can create.
ICYMI—The Jasmine Star Show
Last year, Adam and I had the opportunity to chat with Jasmine Star, CEO, speaker, and entrepreneur, about all things Founder & Force Multiplier.
At the time, Jasmine was thinking about hiring a Force Multiplier of her own, so we dove in to talk about our strategic business partnership, the three most important things a leader must do, how to know if you need a Force Multiplier, and the steps to hiring one.
Take a listen and share with a leader or entrepreneur who needs a Force Multiplier!
