Don't leave your career to chance. Skill up with inspiring tips, tactics, and affirmations and become the creative, wise CEO of your life. One mail a week. Always free.
Do You Know People or Cultivate Relationships? 🫶
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Hey Reader - You may know Danny Trejo as a sinister villain in movies like Machete, but he's a big softie off camera. It wasn't always like that. After a rough start in life including stints in prison and solitary confinement, Trejo joined a 12-step program and embraced sobriety. Recovery wound up being the steppingstone to his acting career. After helping someone on the set of "Runaway Train," Danny was offered the chance to be on camera. Reflecting back, Danny says, "Everything good that has happened to me has happened as the direct result of helping someone else. And that's the way I live." One Encounter Can Change EverythingHelping others succeed was the idea behind the MLK Day collaboration between 1 Brotherhood Empowered, Men's Warehouse, and Deloitte. The corporations liked the Brotherhood's mission so much that they organized a "suiting day" for 20 of its members. The suits were crucial for special occasions or job interviews, but the "empowered" part was just as important. One participant commented, "Now we're gonna be able to fit into places where you wouldn't normally think that a black kid can fit into. But we can." You may be a "productivity first" person, thinking, My inbox is jammed, and I don't have time to meet new people. But is busyness holding back progress? The harsh reality is that there will always be more to do in life, especially with the pace introduced by AI. The Brotherhood case study shows a surprising truth that lasting bonds don't have to take years—one generous encounter can change everything. So, try these ideas to start small: People you can truly trust will remain vivid long after you've forgotten the meetings, emails, or chats that seem so critical today. So, use people skills like compassion and communication to start making new connections or refreshing current ones. You never know when goodness from doing the right thing at the right time might come back to you. 4 Key Questions for Better RelationshipsIn the February series, Relationship Threshold Questions, we’ve discussed how to use soft skills to reshape and improve relationships. A common mistake is treating people skills as a "nice to have." But the truth is that strong partnerships aren't extra—they're essential for lasting success. So, apply competencies such as communication, empathy, and being a creative, respectful collaborator. Here's a recap of what we've learned along with AI prompts for you to customize: 1. Question #1: "Does this connection align with my standards?" Knowing your values will help you easily spot green flag relationships. 2. Question #2: "Should I add this person to my Truth Council?" Do you know supportive, wise people with ninja-level people skills? Sign 'em up! 3. Question #3: "How do I manage stunts?" Even life-changing opportunities can have knuckleheads riding shotgun. So, don’t let them gas you up and ruin a good thing. 4. Question #4: "Do I sow into other people on the daily?" Don't postpone partnering. If you want to accomplish a lot in style, start connecting and help others succeed. Even the most competent, independent, self-made person needs support and a sounding board. So, act like the creative, wise CEO of your life—a Soul Boss—and tend to your relationships. All the best, Michelle Mains Keep the Soul Boss inspiration going!
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Soul Boss Soft Skills
Don't leave your career to chance. Skill up with inspiring tips, tactics, and affirmations and become the creative, wise CEO of your life. One mail a week. Always free.
Hey Reader - Once I was asked to lead a cross-group project to fix a broken process. By the time the team formed, the workflow was so busted that everyone was happy about a refresh. I thought my Lead would be thrilled to hear how quickly we pinpointed the gaps and adjusted. That's why her opening gotcha question of, "Who's the bad guy here?" threw me off balance. I'm not normally at a loss for words, but I was stunned. Suddenly, her problem-solving narrative became clear: "Find the bad guy....
Hey Reader - After decades of marriage, Broadway star Mandy Patinkin and his wife Kathryn Grody know a little something about conflict. On their podcast Don't Listen to Us, Grody complained how splashy celebrity weddings give people the impression that marriage is a series of Instagram moments. More often, the daily grind is filled with differences of opinion, hard conversations, and working to find the middle ground. And here's one more tip no one tells you: There's usually more to the...
Hey Reader - In an office reshuffle, I wound up sitting next to a colleague who gave me a masterclass in Zen. I'm a "fired up, ready to go" person, but her conduct showed me that every conversation isn't worth that level of heat. The interesting part is that her clients weren't the best of the best—they were real characters. They kept running game, however, she stayed frosty and took things in stride. In the February series, Relationship Threshold Questions, we’re discussing how to use soft...