Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Opinions expressed in this episode are personal. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this streaming platform.
[00:00:09] Speaker B: Good day, everyone, and welcome to another edition of let's be diverse. I am your host, Andrew Stout. This episode is dedicated to all my loved ones who have supported me through this journey. Those who have left us will always be in our hearts and will never be forgotten. One of the challenges that many of us face in leading different. Leading different personalities is that we're not sure who we're dealing with or we. We struggle with it. And I noticed the leaders struggle with it quite a bit. So this is something that I wanted to talk about today and I'm so happy to have as my guest to discuss this topic is Jennifer Rickla. Welcome to the show, Jennifer. I am so thrilled, stoked, pumped. I can't even come up with enough words to say how happy I am to have you on today.
[00:00:57] Speaker A: Yeah. So. Oh, thank you, Andrew. I really appreciate being invited.
[00:01:01] Speaker B: Oh, it is such a thrill to have you on. I admire you from afar. I love the stuff you put out there. I love the content that you put out there. I love who you are, who you know, how you put yourself out there, your values, everything about you. I am like a Jennifer fan, Just sort of. Just so you know.
[00:01:22] Speaker A: Thank you.
[00:01:23] Speaker B: You're very welcome. How are things with you? What's going on with you? Give us the deets, give us the tea, give us it all. What's going on?
[00:01:31] Speaker A: Yeah, it has been a very fruitful fall. I have been traveling a lot, which has been great. My son, he's seven, he just lost his second front tooth. So the song All I want for Christmas is My two front Teeth is very relevant for him right now. My daughter's about to turn 10 and I have just been really focused on helping support people who are in the job market right now, as a lot of people are. So I've been having many conversations, supporting friends and colleagues and then also supporting a lot of teams that are just navigating through the end of the year. Strategic visioning for 20.
How do we best collaborate and be effective together?
So that. That's my world right now.
[00:02:24] Speaker B: Wow. That's an exciting world. Well, first of all, you got your hands full with the two kids. That is. That is something special for sure. I'm sure you were. I'm sure there's never a dull moment in the house. For sure. And you were absolutely right. It's an ever changing thing. People are going through work, you know, things that are happening with work and not just people that Are that, are, that have, that are out of work, but people who are in work or have the jobs, but are struggling at those jobs and just not sure how to navigate through it or what to do. So it's really something that's really on my mind because I just, I, so sad to see people struggle through those things. And, and you just never want to see anybody struggle with it. Especially, you know, in the past I've gone through stuff as well, so it's, it's, it's always difficult to, to see that. And it, my heart goes out to all of those people, for sure.
[00:03:24] Speaker A: Yeah, me too. And, you know, it's the end of the year, and I think a lot of people at the end of the year, we're in reflection mode. We're thinking about the previous 10, 11 months. What, what do we want 20, 25 to look like? Is this the right career path for me? Do I need to make, it's just, it just seems to be the time of year that people tend to do that too.
[00:03:51] Speaker B: So before we begin, I always have a fun, thought provoking question for my guests to get things going. Are you ready for your question today, Jennifer?
[00:04:01] Speaker A: I am, I am.
[00:04:03] Speaker B: So my question to you is if actions speak louder than words, speaking an action.
[00:04:12] Speaker A: Oh my gosh, that's an interesting question.
I, I, you know, I don't think so. I don't think speaking alone is an action.
I think you need to put something more tangible behind what you're saying. That the top, the thing that's coming to mind right now is just growth in general, learning in general. You hear a lot of people share out loud. Growth is important to me. Learning is important to me. It should be important to the team. We all need to grow together. I hear that a lot. And then I don't see the action behind it. So words alone, speaking alone without pairing with the doing part.
I, I just, I don't think that's.
[00:05:04] Speaker B: Action, you know, I, when I put this question together, I thought, I thought to myself, okay, I'm gonna see what kind of answer Jennifer's gonna come up with. And man, you just, bro, you just brought it. Like, what a great answer. You just, you just brought it. I'm super impressed with your answer. Thanks for having fun with me. I, of course, I too agree with you on that. I think we have to all, you know, we have to, you know, what's depending on what we're seeing or how we're speaking. I'd say it's always the, also the tone too, of how we're seeing it. So we can say it in a certain way, but not, you know, mean it. Like, for example, if you're, you know, if you're apologizing to somebody, you can say, you know, I'm, you know, I'm sorry. And then you can say, hey, listen, Jennifer, I, you know, I wanted to apologize. I, you know, I really feel bad for what happened and I really want to apologize. So we need that all, you know, you need that authentic, vulnerable aspect in an apology. So I definitely see when you're speaking it and saying it, you can, there's definitely a difference there, for sure. I, I agree with you.
[00:06:12] Speaker A: Yeah, you can say that you care about a person or that you even love a person, but there needs to be some kind of action or doing that truly demonstrates that, like, okay, I love you and I am going to clean out the garage like you've been asking me to do. That's really going to show me that you love me. Right? It, it makes the words more authentic and, and gives them a stronger foundation.
[00:06:40] Speaker B: Now you're going to make me want to go have to clean the garage now.
Listen, thanks so much for having fun with me. Why don't we get this show on the road and get things started with you telling us a little about you, your story, and I want to hear about your why.
[00:06:58] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, absolutely.
Well, I. My top two values are fun and adventure. Everything that I do is focused on those values in my personal and my professional life. And I've done a lot of purpose why work and have crafted a why statement for myself. It's evolved over time, but what really is important to me is awakening passion, joy and adventure in other people's professional and personal lives. That is my why. That's why I get up and again. For me, it transcends between my personal home life and my working professional life as well. Now, was I always grounded in all of that? No, I don't think that I always was able to articulate that. I come from a theater background and acting background that led to not working out so well for me. So then I went back, I went into corporate world, I did some operations management, didn't love that, went back to school. And I found this whole learning and development world where people within organizations, they wanted to learn. They wanted to learn leadership skills and people skills and strategic skills. And they had positions that could do the teaching, that could do the coaching and the guiding. And I found a passion for that and a love for that and stepped into that space and eventually it Got me to where I am today, which is my own practice, coaching, team development, leadership development work.
[00:08:33] Speaker B: Jennifer, I got to give you your flowers here because a lot of you, we just talked about what people say and, and what they do. So there's a lot of people that say that they care about people or they want to help them, and then there's people who actually do it. And you were a doer, and you do that. And I could just, you know, for the listeners that are listening, you can't see Jennifer's passion or smile for what she, you know, talking about. And I could just see the passion in her, in her, in her smile that she just loves what she does and she loves helping out people. And I, I do. And I admire that because, you know, it's, it's like you said, it's, it's easy to say that you want to help somebody, but when it's, you know, or, you know, you hear that saying, you know, if you need anything, you know, just give me a call. But, you know, it's that actual, like when you call that person, you know, are they, you know, are they gonna say, oh, you know, I, I can't today because I'm, I'm busy, or are they gonna say, you know what, I have stuff to do, but I'm gonna, I'm gonna come and give you a hand. I'll take care of this after. And that's, there's a difference there. So I, I, everything that you said and, and I admire everything that you, that you talked about as far as fun, adventure, purpose. I think we all have to have a little bit of purpose in life, and I feel you definitely have it.
[00:10:00] Speaker A: Yeah. Thank you. It certainly helped me focus on what matters most and what's important. It's a lot easier for me now to create some healthy boundaries for my world, knowing what's really driving me and letting go of the, the other stuff. I, I, I'm not everybody's cup of tea. And I'm okay with that.
Knowing what my purpose is, knowing what my values are. If it resonates with you, and you are my cup of tea, I will just fully embrace you and do whatever I can to support your journey.
[00:10:35] Speaker B: I'm going to be vulnerable too, here, and I'm going to say that I'm not everybody's cup of tea either. But that's okay. But that's okay because, you know, sometimes people, they look at somebody and they say, oh, well, that person's always so helpful and stuff like that. Is it, Are they Actually real, like, do they actually really like helping people or is it just like, you know, just an act? Right. So, yeah, some people just, they see, you know, the negatives in it. So I, I, I, it resonates with me that you said that because, you know, and I've learned over the years because it did bother me when in my younger years, like, oh, you know, why, you know, why is it that person, why does that person think of that, of me? And now it doesn't. Because if, you know, they're not part of my value system, if they don't resonate with the values that I, that I value or the things that I value, then, you know, we can't, you know, we, we can't be connected.
[00:11:31] Speaker A: Yeah. And that's okay, right? It's so much richer when you can connect and find your people or when they find you. But like you, it's actually helped with my confidence to let go and know that rooms I'm going to walk in, it's never going to be 100% and I'm okay with that.
I really, if I could connect with two people and what I'm saying and sharing really resonates with them on a deep level. I feel like I've accomplished my goal.
[00:11:59] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. So listen, let's get into the meat and bones of this here. Okay, so today we're talking about leading different personalities. What I want you to do is, or what I'd like for you to do is explain to us your thoughts on leading different personalities and why. Jennifer, is it so vital?
[00:12:20] Speaker A: Yeah. So one reason is we want our teams, we want the people that we work with to have very diverse perspectives, communication styles, experiences, backgrounds. There's tons of research that shows this diversity. It leads to better innovation. It leads to better outcomes.
It also can lead to more friction, which I think is the challenge that I've heard a lot of leaders say. I mean, one of the top challenges I hear people talk about is navigate navigating through these team dynamics, these different personalities and styles. It's really hard. There's so many benefits and positives with it, and it can cause some conflict and some unproductive conflict as well. So I think it's important to recognize that we need diverse perspectives for innovation and results. And then knowing that there are a variety of different personalities and preferences and finding the value and strength in them is really what we need to focus on.
[00:13:30] Speaker B: I love what you said there because, you know, knowing and finding out, in finding out things and for better outcomes, I think a better Outcome also, too, could be understanding an individual and not just the, you know, the leadership team, but also your, you know, the people on your team and understanding what, you know, why that person on your team feels a certain way about a certain. A specific thing and why you feel a certain way about a certain thing and. And understanding that. And I think once we do that, then I think it makes things a lot easier and a lot cohesive, more cohesive and more comfortable. And I like to say a safe environment. So we have, you know, a safer work environment when those things happen.
[00:14:23] Speaker A: Yeah, well, and you, you start to look at people, you look at their humanity first. Sometimes we look at people and we think of them as objects, barriers. They are some kind of obstacle in our way, and nobody wants to be treated like an object. I think we've all had experience where we felt that way. They're not valuing me, they're not seeing me. I don't feel heard.
[00:14:45] Speaker B: But.
[00:14:46] Speaker A: But when we step into the space of focusing on these different styles as strengths, that it's a positive that the areas that they bring value to the team can help complement my strengths. When we flip that around, we start to recognize the humanity in them. Right. We start to give people more of the benefit of the doubt, the space and the grace. And then when we understand their motivations, what they can bring to the team, we can better set everybody up for success.
So instead of me focusing on what your gaps are, what your areas of opportunity are, let me just tap into where you're really great.
What are the parts of the role that really energize you? And then this person over here, they have strengths that really complement those that minimize or overcome your areas of opportunity. So part of this leading and navigating through team dynamics is changing your view from a deficit focus or a gap focus to a strengths focus. And moving away from looking at people's objects or barriers and focusing on their humanity. I think that's a very important component of leading a variety of personalities.
[00:16:01] Speaker B: Yeah. And you just say, you know, what you're good at. So, I mean, if I'm in a situation and a manager or leader is taking time to talk to me, to find out, you know, the things that you know, and noticing the things that I'm good at, and, and asking me why those things, why I'm good at those things, or how can, you know, how can we help people understand or be better at those things, you're get, you know, that's super engaging for me or would be. So it would definitely Push me and engage me because I'd be like, wow, they actually, not only am I good at those things, but they actually care that I'm good at these things and they want my advice or opinions on that, on those factors of the things that I am good at. So, yeah, it's a motivator for sure.
[00:16:50] Speaker A: It is. And when you're motivated, you're more productive. And when you're more productive, you're more effective at reaching the outcomes and goals that you need to get to.
[00:17:00] Speaker B: So, Jennifer, now we know what the differences are and why they're so vital.
What are some of the best ways leaders can lead different personalities?
[00:17:13] Speaker A: Well, I think the first step is awareness. So me as a leader, building my own awareness of what my strengths are and also understanding the different strengths of the team. You could ask what types of talents people would say are strengths. I mean, I think a more effective approach is to invest in some kind of tool that can provide the language for you. CliftonStrengths, that's Gallup's tool, is great for identifying top strengths. There's another tool that I really love called Insights Discovery. It's a communication style assessment tool and it uncovers, am I more of an introverted communicator or an extroverted communicator? When I make decisions, do I tend to focus on people and emotions first or do I focus on logic? Am I more intuitive individual or am I more grounded in the present? So it reveals all of these different pieces and then once you understand your own style, once you understand the communication preferences and style of other people on the team, all of a sudden you start realizing that there's value that everybody brings, there's strengths that everyone brings. And if I just make some small adjustments, our conversations and interactions can be so much more effective. Still honoring who I am and just meeting that person a little bit more where they're at. So building that awareness is the first piece. And then identifying what are some different strategies that we could put in place individually or as a team. So we're adapting and flexing our style and then how we shift work on the team so that it matches the strengths that people are bringing. You could do that with something like an Insights tool. You could do that with CliftonStrengths. There are other tools that I think are really great out there. What's helpful about using a tool like that is it brings a common language to the team and they're all meant to be celebrations. There's no one right way for your assessment results to come Out. It's all a celebration of what you bring to the table. And it creates a common language around what we bring, the talents that we bring, so that we can best navigate how we interact as a team.
[00:19:36] Speaker B: I have one of my connections, her organization, what they focus on is play at work. So basically what they do is they will.
It's not about playing games all day at work and not getting your work done, but, you know, organizing sometimes where as a team, you're. You're playing a game. And she's what? The good thing about that is that, you know, you're playing a game and, you know, somebody makes a move, you know, if it's a card game and someone makes a play or whatever, then you're like, oh, that's interesting. Why did you do that in that particular situation? Or, you know, it kind of tells a little bit about the individual as well. So you kind of get to know people a little bit better. So it's kind of. It was kind of interesting to me when she was telling me about that.
[00:20:24] Speaker A: Yeah, you start to learn a little bit more about the way people think, and it just, it, it. It helps with empathy.
[00:20:32] Speaker B: Right.
[00:20:33] Speaker A: It helps you put yourself in their shoes. And I think that's just such a great example of. Of what I've seen with teams, teams that I've led, teams I've worked with. When you go and you do this work, you start revealing stories and examples of how this shows up, and all of a sudden people see it, they make the connection, and you can turn a relationship that has some friction into something very positive. Because all of a sudden I'm looking at this. What annoys me, maybe about you is actually something that could help me. You're very analytical. You have this strength of. Of analyzing things and breaking things apart. I am not detail oriented. I am more big picture. So now all of a sudden, I realize the conflict we have is we just. We're seeing the same thing. Very different, both valid. So how can we put this together? And it's more of a superpower. I'm helping us look at the big picture. And then you're making sure that we don't miss any of the details.
[00:21:32] Speaker B: Absolutely. So in your, like, in your work or in your conversations that you're having, do you think that organizations understand the importance of leading different personalities?
[00:21:45] Speaker A: I think that most of the organizations that I've worked with do understand the importance. Now, whether they make time and space for it is another. I think that's the bigger challenge. I don't have time I have too much on my plate. We're so, especially as leaders, we're just so focused on doing, doing, doing get this done off our list. We've got to get this project, we have this deadline. And a big part of being a leader is how you show up and that it's, it takes time, it takes work, it takes space on your calendar to think and vision and grow. And we don't tend to do that. We block our calendar with doing stuff.
So while I think that it's valued, I think time is, tends to be an excuse because this work is hard, it is not simple. You are playing the long game with learning these skills. Doing one session where you learn about each other's strengths and communication styles is a great foundation. And you have to continue to do the work beyond that, whether that's through coaching or regular practice or additional team sessions that you do. So I think that that's the hard part is that this is an investment in a long game and people want a short term solution and there just isn't.
[00:23:14] Speaker B: I see that a lot of, in many situations, you know, a manager or a leader, they, they are individual contributors. So a lot of them or they were individual contributor, individual contributors. So they were doers and they were, that's all their job was as an individual contributor was to do your job. Do, do, do, do, do. Now you're put into a position where you are, you're a doer, but in a different, in a different light, you are a doer to, to, to, to mold and to invest in the growth of your, of your individuals on your team and make sure that the team is a cohesive unit and that productivity continues. So it's a totally different thing. And you know, some people are, they, they take those positions or they're put into those positions and then they don't know how to navigate through those things.
[00:24:06] Speaker A: Yes. So that's a common challenge that I see as well. Where you were great at your technician job and all of a sudden you're promoted as a leader, but you're not given the skills that you need. I remember this workshop I took years and years ago and the woman had a chart up on the screen and it was three columns. It was all about leadership development. And she had a column for technician, a column for manager and a column for leader. So she high level talked about in our individual contributor roles, we did a lot of this technician work manager maybe we were managing a program or committee. So we did a little bit of those management type tasks which is around managing Performance, managing people's time, you know, making sure that people were getting their action items done. That's kind of the management category. And then the leadership category is growing. Coaching, guiding, visioning, supporting, all of that.
And when we shift to a leadership position, we need to lessen our technician side significantly. That might have been 70% before now. It should maybe be 10, 15%. And the leadership category should be more of that 60, 70% of our time. And the leadership space, I think it for most people just feels less tangible. It's harder to get my fingers wrapped around it because it's in this nebulous space of navigating and managing through conflict, helping to coach and guide and have conversations, building and strengthening relationships, looking ahead, having a future focus and thinking about which path should we take and what's the risk? There's a lot of thinking in that leadership space. Right. And we're not necessarily positioned, moving from technician to leader with the skills to do that.
So, I mean, I see that challenge over and over again.
And then people get caught up in, well, I don't have time to learn the leadership skills because I need to learn the job.
And then you just, it's like this snowball effect of I'm continuing to flounder and I'm just doing the best I can and I'm learning on the job, but I might not be building the flow. Solid foundation of leadership skills that I really need.
[00:26:28] Speaker B: Yeah, no, I totally get what you're saying. And, and, and maybe it's, you know, the, there's not enough, maybe there's not enough understanding as far as what the, what, what the, what the role entails or what they're, you know, what it means to be. Because you're just taking, you know, the position like, oh, yeah, you know, you go home and you tell your, your husband, your wife, hey, I just got promoted to a management or a leadership position. But, you know, and then, you know, what does it entail? Well, I don't know. I'm in charge of stuff. Right. But they don't really have, they don't really have a full grasp of what it actually entails. And that, yeah, you know, you're, you're. I mean, it entails dealing with different types of individuals who have different values and different understandings and different ways of life. And they were grown up in a different life and, you know, or they grew up in a different country and, you know, that's, you know, and now it's something different, and now they have to navigate themselves through it. And so you have to kind of learn how to, you know, okay, you know, they're, you know, this is, you know, I need to figure so and so, you know, help so and so out and help them navigate through this, you know, not maybe not necessarily through the job, but all aspects of the, of the job as well.
[00:27:45] Speaker A: Yeah, well, and we have to be self advocates for our own growth and development as well. Yes. We all want that leader that's going to be the mentor, the coach that's really going to help us. But at the end of the day, the only person that we can really control is ourselves. So I think not waiting for permission or an invitation. So if you're getting into that leadership role and you don't feel like your organization's providing you the support or you're waiting for somebody to come and teach you, stop, go out and find it yourself. So ask your leader can. Do we have funds for a coach or are there some books that you would recommend that I start diving into? Is there somebody that maybe could mentor me in addition to you to help me with my leadership skills? Find a path forward to grow your skills and be an advocate for your own growth because it's only going to help you get ahead.
[00:28:39] Speaker B: I, I love everything you just said there. You're bang on. Shoot, like I couldn't say it any better. You know, is that vulnerability factor? Right? We have to, you know, not be afraid to ask questions, not be afraid to ask for help, not, you know, be afraid to say, you know, you're put in that position, you know, don't be afraid to ask. Don't be afraid that you're like, oh, if I ask something, then they're gonna wonder, oh, you know, you know, they're asking something. Are they actually really capable of doing the, you know, doing the job? Don't be afraid of that because, you know, what's, you know, you'd rather be asked and then be a doer and, and, and, and not do it correctly.
[00:29:18] Speaker A: Right, yeah, Yeah, I agree.
[00:29:21] Speaker B: People see through that miles and miles away for sure. So, Jennifer, what moment in your career shaped you into who you are today?
[00:29:33] Speaker A: It's hard to pick one moment.
So I might pick too.
[00:29:38] Speaker B: You can pick as many as you'd like.
[00:29:39] Speaker A: Okay, so one moment. I think that shaped a path forward for me. I have an acting background. I went to school for theater. I lived in LA for a few years outside of college to try the whole acting thing and it did not work out. It was a very humbling experience. I moved back east feeling some shame Feeling a bit like a failure. I'm in my early 20s and it really gave me some perspective. One, I'm glad I tried it. I would always regret if I didn't do it. I'm glad I took the risk and it opened me up to continuing to take risks and try new and different things. And I think that that really shaped me, my resilience, stepping more and more into a growth mindset. Even though at the time it didn't feel great, I got through it and it led to a different career path. I started working in the healthcare industry and it led me back to school. So I think that that was something that really shaped me. And the first job, the first corporate job I got when I left the LA area, I worked as a temp at a hospital for this woman. Her name is Deb. And she just was such a great mentor to me. She cared about me personally, she challenged me, she advocated for me. She got me in front of exactly. Executives and she would let me flounder a little.
She would give me feedback on things, but she didn't tell me what to do. She gave me a lot of autonomy. And then slowly, over time, she just kept coaching me and I would get better and she really advocated for my growth. And so I think that's where my love of coaching and learning and growth and mentoring really came about because she did it for me. And so for. I feel like I need to give back to others for how she shaped where I am today. So I'd say those were the two big moments for me.
[00:31:41] Speaker B: Oh, she. So she believe she believed in you. Which is. Yeah, I'm just laying lighting up here on the other end here because that is, you know, there's nothing better than to have somebody that believes in you and trusts in you and lets you, you know, and you know, lets you do what you want, lets you be innovative and creative. But yet is there to, you know, to back you up? I mean, you mentioned you have two kids. So, you know, that's, you know, as a parent, that's what you do. As a parent, you are, yeah, letting your kids do their thing. You're, you're talking to them, you're molding them, you're, you're, you're advising them. But they do have to learn some things on their own. Unfortunate. Unfortunately. It's hard. However, you have to do. You have to let them and then. But you're there. You're not like, right, I told you so. Like you were, you're there to, to comfort and to mold And. And that's what they want. They don't want somebody there to say, you know, I told you so, or, why didn't you listen?
[00:32:39] Speaker A: Right.
[00:32:40] Speaker B: Somebody. They want somebody there to, you know, to say, you know, it's okay. You know, it'll be okay. And. And get them back on their feet again.
[00:32:49] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, I agree. And it is a hard balance, especially with kids.
I would say for anyone that's worked for me as a direct report when I've led teams as well, there is this balance of wanting to support the people on your team like that. I want to support my kids and also giving them space to try some things out and fail a little bit, because that's really where the real. That connection of learning and that transformational growth happens. And you're not always going to be there to catch them. They've got to build that skill themselves. But it's hard. It's hard with adults. It's hard with kids.
[00:33:30] Speaker B: Absolutely. Yeah. You. You don't want to be telling them. You don't want to be telling your kids. You don't want to be telling your. Your members on your team.
[00:33:39] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:33:39] Speaker B: That they can't do something because it just kind of puts them down. And some, you know, sometimes we have to say, you know, I always say, you know, never. I'm never afraid to say the word no or hear the word no. So sometimes that word no has to come up. But there are times where you just have to say, okay, you know what?
You know, you know, I'm not sure it's gonna go, but you'll let, you know. I'll let you try it. I'll let you see how it goes. And. And I'll be here to talk to you and. And, you know, after. And see, you know, we can talk about it.
[00:34:11] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
[00:34:14] Speaker B: This has been such a great conversation.
Any final thoughts today?
[00:34:21] Speaker A: I think that the final thought that I have is giving. Give people space and grace.
We all.
I believe that we're all doing the best that we can given our backgrounds, our experiences, the resources that we have access to.
So really just stepping into remembering that we're all human, it doesn't mean we don't disagree. It doesn't mean that you might not live up to my expectations. I still might be disappointed. I still might need to have that tough conversation. But just leading with heart and humanity first. When you do need to have those tougher conversations, it comes off more sincere and genuine. And the focus is, I want you to be successful versus I want to punish or shame You. If we could all just lean into more of that humanity.
I really do think that, I mean, the world is. That's kind of big, but I, I do think that our interactions with others would just be so much more effective and positive.
[00:35:32] Speaker B: I don't think I could have said it any better than that. I think that everything you said there is on point. And, And I do wish too, that we could be that the world. I, I'll even see the world. I'll go and I'll say the world could be a little bit more. Have a little bit more humanity and be a little bit more vulnerable, a little bit more understanding in certain situations.
And, and I'll even go as far as the assumption factor and not be assuming certain things about certain people because you just never know what somebody is, what's happening with somebody, what somebody is going through, what somebody is thinking. You know, we can just be supportive. And I always say all the time, I, you know, I will never tell somebody how they should feel because, you know, everybody feels different. And, you know, I can't say that I understand how you're feeling because I don't know how you're feeling. So I can sympathize, I can be there to listen, but I, I don't know exactly how you're feeling because I'm. I'm not you. So I can't do it. So that's, you know, that's just my thoughts on that. I want to take the time to thank you for coming on today. I, I was teasing you earlier, saying that I am a. A fan of yours, but in reality, I, I really am.
I read and see all the stuff that you put out there and you know, sometimes we just say, you know, you know, we meet people and we don't know what it is for that or whatever reason it is where we meet somebody. But I count myself super lucky to be connected with somebody as authentic and empowering as you and I. I just, I just adore and love reading all the stuff that you put out there. And yeah, I count myself as a lucky guy to say, hey, I'm connected with Jennifer. And I will even go as far to say I'm lucky to call you a friend. So thank you so much for your time today and your time is greatly appreciated.
[00:37:47] Speaker A: Well, Andrew, the words just filled my cup today and it warms my soul. So I just, I really appreciate you, your kindness, your generosity, and your genuineness as well. So thank you for inviting me to this conversation today.
[00:38:01] Speaker B: You're very welcome. On behalf of myself, and my guest, Jennifer. I'd like to thank you all for listening today and until next time, be safe. And remember everybody, that if we all work together, we can accomplish.
[00:38:17] Speaker A: You have been listening to let's Be Diverse with Andrew Stout. To stay up to date with future content, hit Subscribe.
