Genius Leadership: Overcoming Everything Podcast

Leading Through Creating Followership - with Alex Gordon

Alex Gordon is the founder and CEO of sign Salad, which uses semiotics (study of signs and symbols) to help brands and companies understand how culture affects the way people respond to their brand and products. 
Sign Salad was founded in 2007 and became an award-winning company by helping brands all around the world build their presence and adjust to the cultures, so that they can actually succeed in what they're doing. 
 
Alex knows how to connect work and fun, so in the description of him as a CEO he writes: “In his past life Alex played in the Miles Davis quintet, scored a century against Australia at Lords, and solved crimes alongside Phillip Marlow. In his future life, he scores the goal that wins the world cup for Scotland. And his present life, however, his wife and three kids just roll their eyes at him and join him on the trampoline.”
 
With such a fun attitude, this conversation covers the topics of:  
- Constructing a narrative as a leader
- The vision or visionary leadership
- How you as a leader need to bring other people on board and make sure that they stay on board with you
- Narrative as a bottom-up approach to communication
- Being a leader others want to follow
- Importance of creating followership - the ownership of every person, both in the successes and the challenges that the company is going through
 
Enjoy and stay Genius,
Anna
 
Join me for free weekly calls for Genius Leaders: https://mailchi.mp/52efc81189bd/weeklygeniusleadercall
Schedule your complimentary strategy call here: https://annaliebel.as.me/strategycallYou can get in touch with Alex here.
You can check out Sign Salad here.
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
(С)&(P) 2020 MASTERSKAYA

Reclaiming Your Zone of Genius - with Daniel Karlsson

Daniel Karlsson is a very special guest for me, since he is one of my current clients. It’s special to have a client on the show because most of my clients have very personal things about their path to leadership that we work on, thus, it's not everyone who is ready to be put in the spotlight and discuss very openly like Daniel. Currently, Daniel co-owns a project management consulting firm in Sweden called UNIK Partner. UNIK Partner’s main goal is to add value to companies that need engaged and knowledgeable resources by providing business development services with deep technical knowledge. So he is a leader, both in his own company and at his clients during the assignments. He holds a PhD degree in chemistry and has project management experience from several industries, including IT and life science.
 
This is a very raw conversation, since it involves both my and Danie’s personal stories, reveals my methods of coaching and Daniel’s path of growth, and includes a lot of life experience from both of our sides. We discuss the challenges that he has as a leader and the journey of not being perfect and knowing your flaws where you need to develop and sharing how you do it.
 
This interview will cover:
How difficult it can be to be vulnerable and true to yourself while still being professional
Why leadership coaching is still not normalized and what value does it bring to others
How different leaders can have the same issue, but different perspectives on it
Finding a balance in caring for the receiver's feelings during giving feedback, yet not taking too much responsibility for it
Finding the ways to fill your gaps
Importance of working on self-esteem in order to identify yourself
Tips about carving out time for yourself and your development
Importance of finding your way of doing things so that you can be truly happy
Enjoy and stay Genius,
Anna
 
Join me for free weekly calls for Genius Leaders: https://mailchi.mp/52efc81189bd/weeklygeniusleadercall
Schedule your complimentary strategy call here: https://annaliebel.as.me/strategycallYou can get in touch with Daniel here.
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
(С)&(P) 2020 MASTERSKAYA

Handling Toxic Work Environment - with Jennifer Takagi

Jennifer Takagi is an executive leadership and communication coach who works with leaders teaching them how to play well at work. As a result,they can get better performance from people they lead, increase profitability and create a purposeful workplace where people want to come and play productively.
During Jennifer’s training trips around the US for the past 30 years, she's seen a lot of frustrated people. There seemed to be some disconnect between the leaders and the people whom they were leading, and she set herself on a mission of changing that and turning cubicle cells into a playground where everyone can have fun, feel fulfilled and bring value in a playful way. 
Since Jennifer works in the same field as I do, it was great to exchange ideas and experiences, seeing that different backgrounds and focus areas can expand our perspectives. This interview will cover:
Jennifer’s experience of a toxic environment where a leader put their fear on the students they had, and how it affected self-esteem of the others.
How to seek help if you feel anxious and stressed.
Changing attitude and reaction towards the situation in a quick yet powerful way.
How to realize that short-term solutions are not always mutually exclusive with the long-term ones.
Importance of tapping into your “why?”
Enjoy and stay Genius,
Anna
Join me for free weekly calls for Genius Leaders: https://mailchi.mp/52efc81189bd/weeklygeniusleadercall
Schedule your complimentary strategy call here: https://annaliebel.as.me/strategycall
Useful links mentioned in the conversation:You can get in touch with Jennifer here.
Takagi Consulting: https://takagiconsulting.com/
"Address the Stress" book: https://www.amazon.com/Address-Stress-Relevant-Guide-Systemic/dp/1457507145
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
(С)&(P) 2020 MASTERSKAYA

Be Audaciously Aspirational - with Brian Williamsson

Brian Williamson is an incredible man whose life is so full of events and achievements that it’s hard to find a place to begin telling about him. Brian has been running companies at Board level for the last 39 years. You would imagine there would be wisdom and knowledge to challenge the best business brain, but besides it there’s something else. As a professional businessman and award-winning entrepreneur Brian is always on a learning journey, learning about himself and learning from others. His philosophy is grounded on stakeholder engagement. Making any company with which he is involved part of that stakeholder's dream.
Brian’s life as an entrepreneur has been a rollercoaster of fantastic highs and unbelievable lows. In 1996 he almost lost everything including his own house and that of his parents. He believes he is audaciously aspirational and encourages all he works with to be the same and be bold.
"There is only one destination in life and we all get there sooner than we would want. There is only one thing... the journey. Don't hang your happiness on an event that may never happen and focus on how you can enjoy that journey, every day'.
In 2016 Brian was awarded a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to entrepreneurship.
In 2017 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by Glasgow Caledonian University.
In 2019 he was recognised as one of 30 Mavericks in Scotland by Business Insider.
This conversation was as exciting and full of insights as Brian’s life, with a lot of useful tips, stories and sincerity. You will find:
 
How lowering the work time affected Brian’s productivity in a good way
How to build “safety ropes” in business in case you will need them
Practical tips on how to ask yourself what the problem that I’m a solution to is
How to be kinder and create a social contract of mutual respect with everyone you're involved with
How to make being under stress inspirational
Enjoy and stay Genius,
Anna
 
Join me for free weekly calls for Genius Leaders: https://mailchi.mp/52efc81189bd/weeklygeniusleadercall
Schedule your complimentary strategy call here: https://annaliebel.as.me/strategycallYou can get in touch with Brian here.
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
(С)&(P) 2020 MASTERSKAYA

You as an Ecosystem - with Emma Goldie

Emma Goldie is a fellow coach from the business accelerator program that I’m involved in called Unstoppable Entrepreneur. She is a mindset mentor who developed a unique methodology called polarity navigatio,n to overcome belief and behavioral patterns and our own limitations. She uses a powerful, systematic and specific tool, customized for leaders to navigate the balance between professional and personal lives, leaning into self-care and passion to bring about change and peace.
 
Emma and I have many passions in common, for instance focus on self-care and balance between you as a professional, as a leader, and as a human being. These topics became the inspiration for our conversation.In this interview you will hear about:
The importance of slowing down to speed up: losing the momentum to gain one
Benefits of small and big timeouts, and how they can look like
Why leaders are afraid to take breaks
Practical tips on how to keep the momentum for a long time
The power of breath
Tools to stay productive, effective, and aligned with your vision
Curiosity as a guide to success
Finding balance through thinking about yourself as an ecosystem
 
Links to the people and resources mentioned in our conversation: 
Emma Goldie: https://www.facebook.com/emma.goldie.77
"The Five Love Languages" book: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Languages-Secret-that-Lasts/dp/080241270X
Join the free 5-day workshop of our business mentor Kelly Roach to learn the Live Launch Method: https://www.livelaunchrevolution.com?fpr=anna21 [affiliate link]"
Enjoy and stay Genius,
Anna
 
Join me for free weekly calls for Genius Leaders: https://mailchi.mp/52efc81189bd/weeklygeniusleadercall
Schedule your complimentary strategy call here: https://annaliebel.as.me/strategycall
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
(С)&(P) 2020 MASTERSKAYA
 

Letting Yourself Play- with Hedinn Sveinbjörnsson

Hedinn Sveinbjörnsson is Iceland's chief happiness officer. He runs a company called 2happiness where he is working and dedicating all his time and energy to help other people feel happiness at work, at home and in life in general. He also has a podcast Tribute2Happiness, where he talks to other people, passionate about happiness. I invited Hedinn first of all because he's a funny guy and he can bring joy to every conversation he's having. And secondly, because especially in time of pandemic it often seems like all of the joy was sucked out by a Dementor, and it’s crucial to know how to maintain good spirits and stay on top of your life despite the difficulties waiting for you around the corner.
The slogan of Hedinn’s company is “A quest for seeking happiness@work where employees matter!”, and I hope that the topics that we covered during our talk will bring a lot of inspiration to you as well as will help you to reflect on some questions about your lifestyle. 
In this interview you will hear about:
How often leaders need support and how often they end up being alone
The ways of finding someone to support you
How to deal with dysfunctional members of the company and how much attention to pay to them
Giving and receiving compliments
Dealing with envy as a leader
How and why the question “How are you?” might obtain a new meaning because of a pandemic, and how you can make a difference by asking it
The importance of letting yourself play
Links to the people and resources mentioned in our conversation: 
Happiness Lab: https://happinesslab.com/
Hedinn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hedinn-h%C3%A9%C3%B0inn-sveinbj%C3%B6rnsson-mba-9724b18a/
2Happiness on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2happiness/
Enjoy and stay Genius,Anna
Schedule your complimentary strategy call here: https://annaliebel.as.me/strategycall
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
(С)&(P) 2020 MASTERSKAYA

Expanding Your Normal - with Sofia Appelgren

Sofia Appelgren is the founder of Mitt Liv company, which in translation from Swedish means “my life”. Since 2008, Mitt Liv has worked on the vision of creating an inclusive society and a labor market that values ​​diversity. Today, their primary two target groups are companies and organizations that through concrete solutions want to develop their diversity and inclusion work, as well as academics with a foreign background who have difficulty finding jobs corresponding to their skills in Sweden. 
 
I found out about Mitt Liv through a common friend, and I've been following their work for almost eight years, and I saw all the journey that this company had to go through, how they grew and what they continue doing, and that’s why I was very thrilled about having this interview. 
In this interview you will hear about:
Sofia’s story about why she founded Mitt Liv, what they're doing and what they have achieved
Why followership is the biggest test for leadership
The importance of cognitive diversity
Practical tips on how to expand your normal
Why Diversity and Inclusion are not an HR question, but a leadership one
The importance of discussing values from an early childhood
Links to the people and resources mentioned in our conversation: 
 
mittliv.com
 
Alena Ipanova, Global Leadership Consultant: https://synergizer.se/
 
ICQ Global, Cognitive diversity: https://icq.global/
Enjoy and stay Genius,
Anna
 
Connect with Sofia via email. You can find her contact information on Mitt Liv’s website: https://mittliv.com/en/about/our-team
Schedule your complimentary strategy call here: https://annaliebel.as.me/strategycall
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
(С)&(P) 2020 MASTERSKAYA

Exclusive Solutions to Reach True Inclusion - with Gunnar Risting

Gunnar Risting is the engagement manager at the IT consultancy in Sweden, called Netlight. I learned about him through a blog post that he has written called “26% of the company shall not do a 100% of the equality work”. And in that article, he is talking about their initiative called “Purple Pill” - men-only events about gender equality. 
 
Netlight is an IT-consulting firm, which pays attention to talented people who, in cooperation, create valuable results for their clients. Their goal is to deliver independent solutions and tangible results based on their clients’ conditions and business objectives. 
 
In this episode, you will hear about:
How to work on general equality, and why the Purple Pill initiative includes men only
What does an initiative for men-only events about gender equality actually create for the company, for the employees, for the culture within the organization
Importance of engagement of the whole team to do 100% of work
How you can engage yourself in gender equality and why would you bother
How to start conversations on such kind of topics and not feel ashamed or ignorant
How travels changed Gunnar’s worldview and how it helped him to start doing some work and engaging in the questions that felt close to his heart
 
Enjoy and stay Genius,
Anna
 
Connect with Gunnar on LinkedIn.
If you want to have invites to the coming Livenars, let me know here. 
Resources mentioned in the interview:
Google's Project Aristotle
#guytalk initiative
Tech Eq initiative
 
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
 

Human Challenges of Digital Transformations - with Sesselia Birgisdottir

Sesselia Birgisdottir is the director of innovation and marketing of Hagar, which is the leading retail company in Iceland within food specialty and fuel markets. Sesselia has started at Hagar very recently, taking on the role of executive director for service and marketing at Icelandic Post prior. Before that, she's been the director of digital media and marketing at an IT consultancy. In all these roles, she has been leading digital transformation projects. Sesselia puts much effort into the people affected by and driving the transformations, thus I invited her to talk about the human challenges of digital transformations. 
 
Hagar is a leading retailer in the Icelandic market whose core activities are in the grocery and fuel sector. Hagar's companies are all operated as individual businesses and therefore have diverse operating models and cultures. I was excited to discuss the transformational journeys Sesselia has been leading in the diverse industries, to see what are the common denominators for success of such endeavors. 
In this episode, you will hear about:
The importance of accepting the change for the success of any digital transformation
The role of leadership and communication in the transformation processes and how much communication is too much
Transformational journey of the Icelandic post on the peak of the pandemic
Staying passionate about the purpose and the vision as a leader, and tips on how to revisit the vision on a daily basis
Sesselia’s personal story about her decision to leave the Post just when the digital transformation has gained momentum, and how her stepping down from the position is a sign of a true genius leadership
Enjoy and stay Genius,
Anna
 
Connect with Sesselia on LinkedIn.
If you want to have invites to the coming Livenars, let me know here. 
 
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
(С)&(P) 2020 MASTERSKAYA

Trust Your People to Play - with Joachim Samuelsson

Joachim Samuelsson is the CEO of Сrunchfish, a Sweden-based tech company with patent-pending solutions for a digital cash that can be integrated with both the payment rail and in mobile wallets. The solutions are globally scalable and make digital payments more robust as the risks of disruptions and downtime are eliminated. Crunchfish are also playing around with many use cases for their technology to address the challenges we as a society meet these days, like eliminating food waste. 
To me, Crunchfish sounds like a playground for tech-interested people who are willing to contribute to solutions for our communities. I’ve met Joachim on LinkedIn and got intrigued by his approach towards running the company and building and sustaining a playful culture. And this interview just confirmed my guesses - his approach is unapologetic and bold, yet playful and supportive.
In this episode, you will hear about:
Highs and lows, strategic topics, and practical tips for building the culture that you want in your company. 
A fun story of a military service Joachim went through, how this experience formed his leadership style and how he’s applying this experience to his current role. 
Role of trust and responsibility in leading others
The role of a CEO is not about being the best and knowing the most, but about the importance of having our defined roles in organization and staying in your lane. 
How to build trust, create clarity, and allow people play within their Genius Zone.
How to build a culture that becomes bigger than you, and help the company be more than yourself. 
 
Enjoy and stay Genius,
Anna
 
Connect with Joachim on LinkedIn.
If you want to have invites to the coming Livenars, let me know here. 
 
Soundtrack copyright:
«Там, куди я йду» (Tam, kudy ya ydu)
Artist: Гурт [О] (Gurt [O])
Music by: Olexander Kasprov, Olga Lytvynenko
Lyrics by: Olga Lytvynenko
(С)&(P) 2020 MASTERSKAYA