Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome to the Power of One More. I'm Julie Duncan, and today we explore how small steps, bold faith, and relentless resolve shape us. You're watching now Media Television. Welcome to the Power of One More, the show where we explore how one more step, one more decision, and one more moment of courage can change everything. I'm your host, Julie Duncan. Today I'm joined by Kimberly Diamond, a trusted business Advisor with over 18 years guiding leaders and organizations through complex hiring, growth, and leadership challenges. As a founder of K Diamond Consulting, Kimberly has worked with everyone from startups to Fortune 500 companies, helping leaders build strong teams rooted in trust and purpose. In the first segment, we're talking about something many leaders quietly struggle with. Being asked to lead before they feel ready. That moment when responsibility arrives faster than confidence and the fear of letting others down feels overwhelming. Kimberly, I'm so glad you're here today. Welcome to my show. As we begin, let's step into this idea of leadership growing from not certainty, but from choosing to take responsibility one more time, even while still learning and unsure.
The problem facing many in the audience is being placed in leadership roles before they feel prepared. And it often feels like one wrong move could disappoint everyone, everyone counting on them.
This segment explores how leadership is built through willingness, humility, and consistent presence, not perfection.
Welcome to my show. Kim, I'm so excited you're here. And my goodness, when I read your bio, 18 years of business consulting. I can only imagine what you're going to have to pour into our audience today. So thank you for joining us.
[00:01:50] Speaker B: Well, thanks for having me, Julie. I appreciate it. I'm looking forward to our conversation. Thank you.
[00:01:54] Speaker A: Absolutely.
And, you know, the pinnacle of business and even in our own lives is leadership. So I'm so excited to start with that. Are you ready?
[00:02:04] Speaker B: I'm ready.
[00:02:05] Speaker A: All right. So, Kim, can you share with us, how do you help leaders who feel overwhelmed by responsibility but know they cannot step away? What's that look like for you and your consulting work?
[00:02:17] Speaker B: Well, when I've worked with managers and we've talked about primarily talent acquisition and what's going on, and if they're overwhelmed, a lot of times that's something that they will unfortunately have to kind of try to put to the side. Like, I can feel their stress level. Like, Kim, I just can't do this right now. I've got all these other priorities. So I encourage them to understand the priority number one of what we're working with, what we're discussing, and then if there's a delegation aspect to what they're doing, can they delegate it to someone else in the meantime, can someone take one of the steps out of that for them to streamline it, help identify exactly what they're anticipating their activities are going to be and to help them really explore what can I do differently to feel less overwhelmed and stressed by this particular process. And in my world, again, it's recruiting primarily, so I try to help them walk through, through that and like I said, see if there's other, other individuals on their team that can start the process to help streamline the next step.
Okay. And then sometimes it's just, you need to breathe, you need to, you need to take some self care, right? Take a minute, step aside, jot down your concerns, get them off of your brain because they're often juggling, you know, so many multiple different tasks and, and, and they're trying to discern what is a priority. And I think if they actually sat down and journaled and talked to themselves about it on paper, they would, would release some of the energy and they also will, will understand potentially where they need to focus at that time versus trying to balance everything and you know, just again, empowering others, you know, other people on your team, what, what can they do to help you? You're not the end all, be all as much as they do try to take that on.
And it's just, you know, but it really is, it's just distracting and potentially, you know, you know, detrimental to what they're actually trying to accomplish.
[00:04:22] Speaker A: I love how you flesh it out and delegation is really key. So many times as leaders we want to take it all on, but the fact is we need to delegate and that makes us what, a stronger leader. So when we can do that, and I heard you say empower others, when we can delegate, then what are we doing? We're creating other leaders and we're starting to empower other people in our team. So.
Solid advice.
[00:04:45] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you.
[00:04:47] Speaker A: So along those lines, Kim, what mind shift allows someone to lead well, even when they don't feel fully ready.
What kind of mind shift do they need to make?
[00:05:00] Speaker B: I think they need to understand, they need to embrace that they're not ready. Okay. They, they need to understand that they're vulnerable like other people. So instead of trying to power through that and shift potentially unnecessarily, they need to, to realize, you know what, I'm not certain about this. I need to sit back, I need to, I just digest this, view the challenges and, and see what's going on there to see if there's opportunity for them to learn more about, you know, what their situation is. And I think that those perspectives allow leaders to be more authentic if they actually understand what their uncertainty is coming from, where their vulnerability is coming from. Then again, maybe there's also kind of goes back to that, okay, I have some uncertainty here. So do I see, speak to my peers, Do I talk to the team and share those uncertainties? They're human beings just like everyone else. And again, sometimes they hold onto all of that and they try to work through that uncertainty. And I think that that creates more stress for them as well.
And I think that if they just open up, that their team will feel more trusting, they'll be more collaborative, they'll see them again as a human or a person who isn't 100% sure about everything all the time.
[00:06:24] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes, yes. Leaders need to model that, and it's done through vulnerability. I love that you use that word. And then getting clarity about what the next steps are and what they need, and that can be vulnerable. But isn't that so important as leaders?
[00:06:39] Speaker B: Yes, yes, yes.
Human beings, they have these challenges just like others, you know, So I think it's. It's good to identify, open up about it.
[00:06:49] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. I'm reminded of Brene's Brown's work. Brene Brown's work as you're speaking, because she.
What was the saying? The caves I fear to enter. Like, she did a lot of work and a lot of research on leadership, and I'm thinking about that vulnerability piece that she emphasizes so much. And I love that her work is done based on research. She studied real leadership and she talks about the need to be vulnerable and then gain clarity from that vulnerability. So beautiful. Okay, so, Kim, can you share a story of a leader who grew into confidence by choosing to show up one more time?
Confidence and showing up one more time. I love that those two go hand in hand, don't they?
[00:07:35] Speaker B: They do. They do. I do. I recall an individual that I was hearing her leader, so. And I promoted this individual into a role, and she wasn't sure about her ability. I was.
I knew that she could do the job. I think she was intimidated. And it made. It was going to put her into a position where she was going to be speaking to her counterparts and, and opening up to them about what she was going. The role she was going to take on. And so we talked about it and I said, what, you know, what's holding you back here? And she said, I just, you know, I haven't done this and, and she just didn't. I said, well, you just need to start, you know, what we'll do is let's, we'll. We'll get into a meeting and we'll talk about your new role and then we'll. You will lead the meeting. You know, we will, you know, if we need to create something together, we can create something together to get you started, but you need to start that process. And so allowing her to speak in front of the team and give direction it, you know, once she did that, then the team realized that this was okay and that I can do this. And we did this time and time again. We had a couple of projects. I let her lead the projects and then the team, you know, then there was just that it wasn't this, I can't do it, or how uncomfortable I am now leading these individuals that I feel are similar, you know, similar skill set as myself.
And she gained a lot of confidence from it and she eventually, you know, the team was listening to her direction and it was very crucial to the projects that we were working on that I had a second person that could take on some of that responsibility. And she transitioned and took on that manager role and helped us be very successful with a service level agreement that we had with a very large customer of ours.
[00:09:27] Speaker A: Wonderful. So it sounds like the confidence was built by her actually taking action. A lot of times we think, I can't do it. I don't have the confidence to do it. But we have to do it to build the confidence.
[00:09:37] Speaker B: Exactly. And so that's why I started small steps like, okay, we're going to do our team meeting and you're going to talk at the team meeting. Love it.
[00:09:46] Speaker A: Yeah, Yeah. I love the analogy of one degree at a time. Let's move the meter. One degree, One degree. And that builds courage and it builds confidence.
All right, awesome. Great example.
So what's one small leadership action someone can take this week to build trust within their team? I love this question because trust is paramount with your team.
[00:10:09] Speaker B: It is. And it is something that's near and dear to my heart.
I think that check ins, I think that regular, weekly, daily, whatever you can manage that are regular check ins, not quarterly. Not when things are in chaotic situations. Just making the time to check in with them, see how things are going. Sometimes it's a few minutes, sometimes it's 30 minutes. It, you know, it doesn't hurt. But I think if you, it's a misstep for a leader to just wait until there's some Fire or, you know, you know, or to the end of something. You know, I think that all the in between and the conversations and letting them talk about how it's going for them, the concerns they might be having, that builds trust. It makes them feel like they can talk to someone versus I better not say anything until they say something or until there's a result, a deliverable. Right.
I think that reinforces trust. And I think that teams. And I did that. I had. My team was probably driven crazy. I said, I want five minutes every morning. I want to get the temperature of the day. Just give you a quick this is what we're doing. And. And, you know, I think they. They at times were like, do we have to? But they did it and it helped. And I then they had opportunities to talk about their day and then I could tell how what we might be facing as a challenge.
[00:11:35] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes. And also. Also reminds me of building in that psychological safety where everybody feels safe and that it's okay to talk about whatever's happening. And that can be all the good, the bad, and the ugly because sometimes those things be aired as well rather than let them build up.
Coming up next, we'll talk about how leaders stay grounded when everything around them feels uncertain and why choosing steadiness over speed can change outcomes. We'll be right back with more stories, strategies, and inspiration to help you press beyond what seems possible.
This is a power of One More on NOW Media Television.
And we're back. I'm Julie Duncan, and you're watching the Power of One more on NOW Media Television.
Let's dig deeper into the journey of becoming. Welcome back to the Power of one more. I'm Julie Duncan, and we're continuing our conversation with Kim Diamond. In this segment, we're focusing on how leaders stay grounded when change feels constant and uncertain and becomes. That becomes the norm.
The problem facing many in the audience is navigating nonstop change. And it often feels like the ground keeps shifting beneath their feet. This segment highlights the power of grounding habits and steady leadership during times of transition. We're gonna move into a segment about emotional stress and sort of that emotionality of leading a team. So I'm so excited for you to pour into us.
So can you tell us why does change create so much emotional stress for leaders and teams? Sort of like that. Who moved my cheese?
We don't want our cheese moved.
[00:13:18] Speaker B: Right, Right.
Well, because it creates stress because it disrupts routine.
And then sometimes it's just challenging the status quo.
And leaders oftentimes have Situations that come up and changes is imperative. It has to happen whether it's a system change or an organizational structure change. But the uncertainty and the challenge of that and fear and anxiety that bleeds into that is what's, I think, disruptive. And I think that it gives people like, wait a minute, everything was going just fine. Now why are we shifting? Right.
Some people pivot well, other people don't. And so when they don't, you know, that destabilizes sometimes the cohesiveness of the team, the department, the entire organization, depending on the effect overall.
[00:14:13] Speaker A: So how important do you think it is to know your team's ability or their willingness to adapt to that change? Like having kind of some inside insight? Well, I know that certain group of people are not going to adapt well with this, but I have a group over here that will. How important is that insight when you bring on a big change?
[00:14:33] Speaker B: From a leader's perspective, that's very important. If you don't know that you can have someone that gets, you know, can be disruptive, it can be toxic if you don't really understand or prepared potentially for the reaction of the change.
And I think the key to that is open communication with everyone that's going to be affected by the change so that they have the ability to have a conversation, whether it's in, you know, a group environment or in a personal environment, to get to ask questions about the things that they're feeling about the change.
You know, how it's going to affect their work, how it's going to affect their team environment, their culture within their team. You know, there's culture and there's culture within culture, and. And these things affect people differently. So I think it's super important that you know your team well enough to identify there might be some people that will be challenged and. Or open the door for the communication so that they can come to you and say, if you have questions, yes, come to me and let's talk about it.
[00:15:42] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And that's going to change.
[00:15:45] Speaker B: This is going to change, and this is how it's going to be and then walk away because, trust me, it's not going to go with everybody.
[00:15:51] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well said. And it's that vulnerability piece where you allow your staff, your team to be vulnerable, but you're, as a leader, opening, open, excuse me, to hearing it, because there is some emotions depending on how they're interpreting the change, the size of the change, how it's going to impact them. All of those factors play a role, and there's certainly some emotionality in that whole process.
[00:16:15] Speaker B: Absolutely. And there's things that, that they can maybe suggest for their team to write down their questions or to do different things. Like, you know, it just depends on the team's dynamic and the individuals independently on how they handle stress. You know, you can make recommendations for reducing stress, whether it's, you know, at work or personally through meditations or through, you know, employee relations types groups, you know, those types of things.
You know, know, I think that they just, they just need to have them have a safe place that. To express those concerns. And sometimes those concerns are, are. Are really not, you know, catastrophic. They're minor in nature.
But in other times, for the person, it can be something that can change their whole, you know, their whole exist, you know, their whole personal world. You know, if it's a structural change and things are happening. We all know mergers and acquisitions are a very frequent activity these days. And that's definitely one that is a disruptor.
[00:17:19] Speaker A: Yeah. And to the degree that it's appropriate, giving your team members some say in it, if it's appropriate. Because then there's some alignment there that I have found in my work world in the past. If I have a say in it, that could be a game changer for me.
[00:17:34] Speaker B: Absolutely. Just even expressing it so that you're heard and they acknowledge that you're heard. Like you said, sometimes it's going to be a consistent concern. Right. It's going to be, you know, everybody's going to have a similar. And then there's others that are going to have, you know, separate individual concerns. So again, knowing your team.
I know I remember with my team, you know, I knew each person pretty well and I could anticipate who was probably going to need a little bit more of a conversation than another person and so on. So I think that that works. And, and it was great. And my team was wonderful and they knew they could come to me and express that concern. And it was just between us.
[00:18:14] Speaker A: Yeah. Such an important topic in leadership.
So how do you help people slow down and find stability when everything feels uncertain?
That's a powerful question, isn't it?
[00:18:29] Speaker B: It's hard because. Especially dependent on the level of the leader and what's, you know, what's on their plate. But I think it's very important to reiterate, pause and reflect.
Write it down, get your words out on paper. I think that really helps. I mean, or talk to someone, if that helps. You know, everybody has a different method, but I think if they really sit down with it, and take time, slow down, digest, then they can actually potentially create a structure that eases some of that tension for them versus trying to keep it all up here and just keep going. You know, I think that if they do that, that they will become more resilient and resourceful and they'll be able to calm themselves as well as calm the team, because, you know, they need to. The leader needs to do that in order to be able to, you know, help hopefully reflect and support the team in the same fashion. If the leader is stressed and chaotic and panicked and doesn't know what end is up, then it's. That's just trickle down. Then it's. Then everybody gets concerned and it's just. And then it just creates more chaos even for the leader at that point. So they. I think they need to calm, reflect journalists, talk to a mentor and be able to express it, not hold it.
[00:19:55] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And I have really been blessed by understanding and did some kind of research on the brain and keep it. To keep it simple. We don't realize as leaders how the amygdala gets hijacked under stress, and then what happens is the prefrontal cortex shuts down, and we are not making rational decisions. We're making solid decisions, and we're certainly not modeling for the team.
So understanding that, you know, very simply, it doesn't have to be complex. Understanding that process for leaders. And then that goes back to what you were saying, Kimberly. Okay, I need to step away. I need to breathe. I need to breathe. I need to find a way to get a rational solution to this or whatever it is.
But they need to understand what's happening in the brain because it's very real, become very reactionary.
[00:20:40] Speaker B: They're just reacting.
[00:20:41] Speaker A: Yes, yes.
[00:20:42] Speaker B: They're not processing really, you know.
[00:20:45] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely.
So along those lines, this next question ties right in there. What is one more grounding habit leaders can practice to stay calm during transition? And I feel like we just kind of addressed that. What are some grounding practices that you teach?
[00:21:03] Speaker B: Basically, just like I said, reflection. You want to take that time, build in that time, block that time that you can sit back and look at your day, look at your week, whatever's happening. I think I can't stress that, you know, enough, because, like you said, they get going and they don't take that time. And then it becomes, like I said, reactionary. They're not digesting their emotions, how it's affecting the team. But if it's a. For me, a grounding routine is to block your own Personal time.
You know, sometimes you can do it during the day, sometimes you have to do it at 5:00' clock to 6:00'. Clock. Maybe, you know, you do it at 6:00 clock in the morning to 7:00am but that time for you to reflect on, you know, how, how things are going, how are you acting and reacting as a leader based on whatever is happening in that environment.
So I think that that's a really plus exercise and, and just being good to yourself and trying to create balance. If the team sees that, then the team will, it's a reflection. Right. So you want to be able to also create that for your team to follow and to mimic and be able to incorporate in their day as well.
[00:22:19] Speaker A: Yes. Leaders become the models of what I call our ROI on ourself. What's a return of investment on ourself and how are we pouring into ourselves and taking care of ourselves? Because if we do that, then we, we are going to be modeling for our team and we're going to get a huge return on our investment when we take care of ourself.
And the grounding techniques that you offered are perfect examples of that.
[00:22:44] Speaker B: Yes, I think that's very important. It's hard to do. I mean, sometimes it's just hard. It gets away from you. But if you consciously calendar it, I think that that will help.
[00:22:56] Speaker A: And that's where consulting coaching can come in because we get in the do, do, do, do, do. Well, okay, that's great. We all need to do and work in our business and on our business or in and on our life. But where are we in that process? How are we taking care of ourselves?
[00:23:12] Speaker B: Exactly?
[00:23:14] Speaker A: Up next, we'll talk about what happens when leaders face setbacks and how confidence can be built one honest step at a time.
We'll be right back with more stories, strategies and inspiration to help you press beyond what seems possible.
This is a Power of One more on NOW Media Television.
And we're back. I'm Julie Duncan and you're watching the Power of One More on NOW Media Television. Let's dig deeper into the journey of becoming.
Welcome back to the Power of One More. As we continue with Kimberly diamond, we're tuning into a topic many leaders experience but rarely talk about, about recovering from a leadership setback.
The problem facing many in the audience is experience failure or mistakes in leadership and it often feels like credibility is permanently damaged. This segment focus on focuses on rebuilding confidence through humility, accountability and choosing to move forward.
Kim in the next segment, we're going to talk about recovering from setbacks. When we talk about failures, perseverance, and those are all things that need to go into being a strong leader. So I'm so excited to hear your responses to this next set of questions. How do you help leaders recover emotionally after a mistake or a public setback? Ouch. Public setback.
[00:24:40] Speaker B: Ouch. I know, I know.
If you've ever been a leader.
[00:24:45] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:24:46] Speaker B: You've had one. Yes.
I think it's important that leaders as well as, you know, we were talking earlier about the team having the ability to have a support system and someone they can come and talk to. It's just as important for the leaders to have the same type of support system, to be able to process what happened, to understand and be able to digest the processes that brought them there so that they can reflect on it, not let it take overwhelm them. You know, I mean, most of the people we talk to are not brain surgeons. Thanks heavens. Right. So it's not catastrophic. They have a setback. So, you know, it's, it's understanding what that means. What happened there? What do we. We don't do again. Right. It's basically learn the lesson from what happened.
Don't, don't let it identify you as a failure. Just look at it as an instance, as a situation, and what can we do differently?
What, what's there, what opportunity is there to grow from this situation? Whether it's, whether it was a simple, you know, action by a leader or by a leader and it's. And its team. Because that can be different as well. Right. So was, you know, leader absorbing.
Absorbing the criticism of the situation because it was a, you know, the team as a whole. Right. Versus an independent person versus a solo person taking it on for something that they physically they actually did themselves. Right. There's a little bit of a difference there, especially when you're in a leadership role.
[00:26:19] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. Reminds me of failing forward.
[00:26:23] Speaker B: Yes.
Yes.
[00:26:27] Speaker A: What's the first one step someone should take to rebuild trust with themselves or other others?
[00:26:35] Speaker B: Well, it's. Especially when something like this happens. I think one of the key things for people to do is to be sure and take accountability for what happened.
[00:26:46] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:26:47] Speaker B: If you take accountability, then it shows others that they can take accountability or that they should take accountability.
So I think that not trying to shift the blame, not trying to dig, you know, overanalyze, but just take accountability.
Own what happened, be transparent. And if you do that and you as a leader, then your team will feel more comfortable when things happen on their end that may, you know, have been what they would consider a misstep or a failure. And I think that that shows that leaders are committed to restoring trust, that they're open, they're transparent. And to me, that is crucial in building trust with the team and building that groundwork.
[00:27:27] Speaker A: And at the end of the day, Kimberly, aren't we all human?
[00:27:30] Speaker B: Exactly.
Exactly.
In, you know, I, you know, and it's unfortunate because sometimes leaders get put under that pressure, you know, to, and I don't like to use the word perfect. I don't think people think they need to be perfect, but they probably. I think they think they need to be pretty close.
[00:27:46] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. And learning to say, I'm human and I made an error and I will correct it next time.
[00:27:55] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:27:55] Speaker A: That's beautiful.
I would love a leader to say that. That, you know, when something went away.
[00:28:01] Speaker B: I know, I know. I wish that, you know, I agree with you.
I've seen that before.
[00:28:09] Speaker A: Yeah. Amen. Amen. Right?
[00:28:11] Speaker B: Amen. Amen. Yes. Amen.
[00:28:13] Speaker A: Yes. How can leaders acknowledge failure without letting it define them? And you alluded to this a few minutes ago.
[00:28:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
You, you just, like I said, you want to come? I, I look at it like, try to compartmentalize it, don't absorb it.
You know, create a structure, understand exactly what the misstep was, what was the event, and, you know, create a culture where failure is viewed as an integral part of learning. That's a key there, is that if you've fail, you will learn from that. You know, if you, if you don't, or if you don't take accountability to acknowledge it, then you're not going to learn from it. And it will, it will repeat itself and, but again, you don't want to absorb it. You want to, I, like I said, compartmentalize it, look at what actually happened. Don't look at it as a, as a personality issue. You know, I mean, it can be. I mean, you know, I guess it depends on the situation that's happened, but in most cases, if it's something, you know, a deliverable that the company was expecting and you didn't meet that particular deliverable. Here's why. And let's, let's understand it and learn from it and grow from it versus just blaming, pointing fingers, ignoring that sort of thing. I think it's just everybody get together, talk about it.
[00:29:32] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure.
So I recently had the honor of seeing John Maxwell speak, and he wrote a book. I'm sure he wrote more than one book, but he spoke about one book that was all about failure. And, and he said on stage in front of hundreds of thousands of people, I have failed more than I've ever succeeded. John Maxwell, if listeners know who John Maxwell is. Right, Kimberly. He is a pinnacle of leadership. He has a leadership program he developed, Gosh, years ago. Multi, multimillion dollar, best selling author, on and on. And for him to say, I have failed more than I've ever succeeded. And he wrote a whole book on it. We know it's an integral part.
The key is learning and failing forward, just like you spoke about, and not letting it ever define you. Because if you let it define you, you're probably done.
[00:30:23] Speaker B: And it's hard. It really is hard because sometimes the situation feels very personal in nature. Right. If you had done something different, if, if, if all the ifs come into play. Right.
And, and that's where, you know, and I mean, I'm. No, I'm, you know, I've, I've been there. You know, I'm not, I'm not saying that it hasn't happened to me either, that I haven't felt that way.
[00:30:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:30:47] Speaker B: But, you know, I try to look at it from a different perspective. And sometimes, like I said, from a leadership standpoint, it's helpful to do that and to, if you have a team that you're working with, to walk through that with them.
[00:30:59] Speaker A: Yes, Amen.
Yes, yes, yes, yes. Okay, so I'm excited to hear a real story where perseverance after failure led to stronger leadership. Excuse me. And I'm sure you have a good story or many stories to share with us.
[00:31:17] Speaker B: Okay. So, yeah, there was a time like we'll go back to that team that, that I built and we had a very large project that we were tasked with was. It was a service level agreement with a major banking institution and we were tasked with an enormous amount of hiring and started out a little challenging because we had hired 400 people in 30 days.
So.
[00:31:48] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:31:49] Speaker B: Yes. Okay, so we did it. But there were moments where we felt as though we weren't going to and that there we were getting know we were getting critiqued for various aspects of what we were doing.
And that. And you. We couldn't let that defeat us and stop the process. We just need to pivot. We need to look at. Okay, we're. Okay. They're looking at this as a potential misstep or fail. I hate the word failure, but there it is. And we're saying why? And then what could we have done differently? Or what do we need to do differently to continue to propel this forward and not get held up with, oh, wait, you know, and just absorb it and then just get all lost in that. We didn't. We just had to keep going. There was no time to. To ultimately stop. We had to take time to stop and reap and readjust, like I said, to make sure that we got back on target.
But we didn't. And I think, as a team, that strengthened us, because I didn't do it alone. I didn't just say, okay, now we're going to do this. I said, what should we do differently that we didn't do to make sure that the next target, we hit it and we are not being asked by the client why type of thing. Right.
And I think that that was the best way to handle it. We didn't absorb it as a failure. We looked at it as, okay, let's pivot. We need to do something different to make sure we hit this next mark.
[00:33:21] Speaker A: It's a great illustration of the need to reframe and reassess so that you can move forward.
[00:33:27] Speaker B: Mm.
Exactly.
[00:33:29] Speaker A: Great example. Thank you for sharing that, Kim.
[00:33:31] Speaker B: Sure.
Sure.
[00:33:39] Speaker A: All right, last one.
[00:33:42] Speaker B: Thanks for letting me share that one. That was a.
That was a big one. I had.
I had to hire. We had to hire.
[00:33:51] Speaker A: How many is that a day?
[00:33:53] Speaker B: It was. It wasn't in a day. I had to. I. We had to hold. At the time, job fairs were. It was long before COVID so that wasn't a challenge.
So we held multiple job fairs, and people came in droves, thank heavens. But still, you have to get through that whole process. So we had to build a process where people were actually interviewing and getting hired at the same time. Like, it was a whole.
Yeah, I'm sure it was crazy.
And then, you know, because the clients, like, well, where are these? You know, we need this many people, you know, like, because they're training these people. Right. I'm bringing. I'm getting. I'm hiring them. I'm finding the talent they need to train. So they had a block of training that was set up so we had to. Had so many people in each of those training classes.
[00:34:39] Speaker A: Yeah, it's pretty stressful. So rapid fire.
[00:34:43] Speaker B: It was rapid fire. And it was another yellow year and a half. It was 1800 people in 18 months.
We did it, and we did it, and we successfully completed the project for the company, and it was fine.
It did it. We did it. But it was a lot.
They had a great team. Yeah.
[00:35:06] Speaker A: So I had a really good team coming up. We'll Close with a powerful conversation about authenticity, becoming the leader you're meant to be, not the one you think you should imitate.
We'll be right back with more stories, strategies and inspiration to help you press beyond what seems possible.
This is a power of One more on NOW Media Television.
We'll be right back with more stories, strategies and inspiration to help you press beyond what seems possible.
This is a power of one more on NOW Media Television Mission.
Welcome back to the Power of One More. As we close today's episode with Kimberly diamond, we're focusing on identity, authenticity and what it truly means to lead from who you are, not who you're comparing yourself to.
The problem facing many in the audience is constant comparison and it often feels like they're, they will never measure up.
This final segment reframes leadership as a personal journey shaped by intentional authentic choices over time. So I know leaders, self included, we can fall into the comparison trap. So Kim, please share with the audience. Why do so many leaders struggle with comparison and even why they're capable and respected.
I didn't say that. Right. Matt, can I redo that?
I said why instead of when. I'm sorry.
[00:36:35] Speaker B: Okay, okay.
[00:36:39] Speaker A: So Kim, I'm excited to hear your take on this next segment because so many leaders, self included, we struggle with a comparison trap. So share with the audience. Why do so many leaders struggle with comparison? Even when they're plenty capable and well respected, why do they struggle with that?
[00:37:00] Speaker B: Well, I think that some people are not, not really 100 sure that they're capable or that they're at that level. I mean, it's just a, a bit of personal self doubt. Right.
But it's sometimes it's obviously with the social situations that we have of today where everything, you can see everybody's accolades and everything that's going on and the measurables, you know, to other people are all out there, you know, it doesn't really matter what you're looking at. So you know, external achievements and things that are, people are doing and they see that and like, you know, could that be me? Should that be me? Why isn't it me?
Instead of just understanding their own personal capabilities and what they do bring to the table, you know, it, that's a, that's a, that's a difficult one because there is so much external input to what, you know, what we see, what we're doing, metrics, you know, public recognition, which is all wonderful. People should get that and absolutely think that, that, you know, that's helped with the culture immensely. But it also can make some people feel inadequate and self doubt them and, and they shouldn't compare themselves. Everyone's different. Everyone brings something different. Everyone has their own special skills and abilities that they bring to the table or they wouldn't be in the position that they're in, you wouldn't think. Right. So they need to, they need to kind of pull in some of that confidence from what they have accomplished and where they are and what they're currently doing versus what someone else is doing. They have a different life, a different situation. But it's hard. It's hard. We all do it. I'm, I'm, I'm again just like you. I, I feel, I'm sure I do it more than I should as well, you know, but.
[00:38:44] Speaker A: Yeah, but well said.
Yeah. So how do you help people uncover their own leadership stuff style rather than comparing and copying other people? Because sometimes when we're comparing, then we'll say, oh well, I really like what they're doing over there. So then we try to copy, but it may not really be uniquely us. We need to be our authentic self. So how do you help people tap into that instead of copying other people or comparing?
[00:39:12] Speaker B: I would say that they, people, this is another big thing for me is you need to know your why, you know, you need to know your personal why you need, that comes from some self reflection and that's your personal life, your professional life. How do you as a leader want to be impactful, helpful, supportive? You need, that's where you're going to create your authentic self is through your own personal reflection, not what someone else is doing, doing. They're a different person. They're going to have a different way of communicating. They're going to have a different personal scenario that's going to, you know, be part of how they act and react.
So I think if a person really sits down, understands what their passion is, what their why is, why you, why they want to be a leader. What do they like about leading?
You know, what do they think is important in being a leader?
And then, you know, look at how they compared to that, not how they compare to someone else.
[00:40:14] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. I recently met with an insurance agent in my area who's super successful, but we all know there's millions and millions of insurance agents around the world, right. And I said to him, what makes you uniquely different? And I didn't realize what impact that was going to have on him. And we belong to a networking group. And he came and he was doing his presentation the next day and he said, I Changed my whole presentation after meeting with Julie because she asked me something that changed everything for me. And I didn't even realize I was doing it, but I said, what is uniquely you that you bring to the table? And he said, well, I add a personal touch that nobody else does. And then he fleshed it out.
So understanding what we uniquely bring to the table is so paramount. You know, we're as unique in our business. We can be as unique as our fingerprint. Okay, so let's flesh that out. What does that mean to you? How do you show up your unique self? And it was really a powerful moment. So kind of ties in with what you were saying, like quit comparing yourself to anybody else because you're uniquely you. I understand it's hard, but it's super important.
[00:41:22] Speaker B: Yes, it is important.
And it is, it is. Sometimes it's hard to stay on track with it. You know, you. Things start to creep in and you start to absorb some of that external, you know, mantra and you're just, you know, so. But it's always good to kind of step back and think about, like you said, what do you bring to the table? What makes everybody is unique in their own way. So they just have to identify what it is.
[00:41:48] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, for sure.
So along those lines, please share a moment when a leader's authenticity created deeper trust and connection.
Being your authentic self.
[00:42:05] Speaker B: A leader that I know, I would say.
[00:42:10] Speaker A: Or maybe.
Go ahead, go ahead. You got it.
[00:42:15] Speaker B: Yes.
So I had, I had a. A leader that I reported to. And she was absolutely her authentic self. And, and what I enjoyed about her was, here's an example.
She.
[00:42:31] Speaker A: We.
[00:42:32] Speaker B: When we went to work, we worked into. This is going into the office. Pre Covid, everybody went to the office. We weren't required to dress professional, but we weren't, we weren't allowed to wear, you know, jeans and things of that nature. Right. It was pretty much business casual. She came to work every day dressed to the nines, and that was her. And she was professional about it. And she also was a person that believed in open communication and one on one conversations.
And she stayed true to that as a leader. And so she, we. I enjoyed working with her. I enjoyed working for her. And she really brought the team together in that regard because it was just like, you know what? She, she's not changing, she's not adapting. She's being her true authentic self. And I always felt that way with her. And I felt when I spoke to her and she communicated with me through her experiences and things of that nature that she listened and she did.
And, you know, it was, it was a wonderful experience for me and I took that very much to heart as a person and I think that, you know, and she to this day is still is as a leader in learning and development environments and talent environments. But yeah, I thought that was wonderful for her. She's just like, no, I'm coming in all the way. I'm on my jewelry. I'm, I'm done. I'm going.
This is who I am.
So, yeah.
[00:43:56] Speaker A: So was she well respected for her authenticity, do you think?
[00:44:00] Speaker B: I think so, yes. Absolutely. It was one of those, this, this is, this is who she is. Everybody, you know, embraced and it wasn't, it was, it was a wonderful thing. It was. But everybody, you know, they embraced it, they appreciated it.
They would ask her thing, you know, I know the other females would ask her things, fashion questions and, you know, things of that nature. Right. And, and her openness was very well received and respected. Yes, yes.
[00:44:27] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, we can be very open. We're being our authentic self. So that's a beautiful example. Thank you for sharing that. I'm sure your co worker, past co worker, you know, whatever role she plays now, would love that you shared that story today.
So how does choosing to lead as yourself one day at a time create lasting influence?
[00:44:51] Speaker B: I, Well, I think it's just being yourself. I mean, the lasting influence is, is you're, you're letting, you're showing others that they can be themselves.
To me, that's lasting influence. If you aren't being, you know, and there are days where you're, you don't feel like yourself. Okay. You know, you know, you're not sure who you are, where you are, what you are. Okay, so there are those days and so it's not always going to be perfect, but I think if you, if you just. I'm that type of person, it's like, this is me, this is how I, I am. You know, I, I respect others, I respect others thoughts and want them to share those, those thoughts with me, personal or otherwise, you know, whether, you know, up to their comfort level.
But if you are transparent and open and showing who you are every day, to me, it should be natural, but it isn't natural. There are people that come in and they put up a wall or a Persona or they do something, you know, and I know that they do. And I think that's more for self protection and, you know, and some people are just very private. So it's not easy for everyone to show their authentic self. I understand that. But if they can, and they can understand or they can even tell people, this is.
This is my authentic self. I'm. I'm kind of an introvert, you know, I mean, if somebody expresses that and let someone know that, then that. I think that opens the door to others to feel comfortable with saying, I don't need to be like everybody else. I need to be myself.
If that makes sense.
[00:46:22] Speaker A: Yeah, I love that example because I've been in situations where I've had very guarded leaders or maybe they were introverts, I don't really know. But it was never discussed. They just seem to be always kind of closed up. Never discuss anything personal whatsoever. It was just business, business, business.
And I've had other leaders that have been phenomenal leaders and have subscribed to a lot of things. You're talking about vulnerable, open, modeling it.
And it makes a world of difference for the team members. So if you are an introvert and you're kind of guarded, that's okay. We show up as our authentic self. But share this is. This is who I am. I working on, you know, infiltrated a little bit, if you want to or not, but this is who I am. If you want to ask me something deeper, feel free. I may or may not answer it, but here's my comfort level. Like that's important.
[00:47:13] Speaker B: Exactly. And it's going to be that way for all your team members. You don't want, you know, you're going to have people on your teams and that are introverts, that are just reserved. They just like to keep to their business themselves and they shouldn't feel pressured or out of place because they don't overshare.
[00:47:28] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And letting people be who they are and the leader being who they are, and there might need to be some vulnerability in that process.
[00:47:37] Speaker B: Uhhuh. Yep. Agreed. Agreed.
[00:47:40] Speaker A: So, Kim, please share where our audience can connect with you. I know they're going to want to learn more about your leadership, about your consulting. You shared so many wonderful nuggets today.
Please share how people can follow you and find you.
[00:47:53] Speaker B: Great. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, you can find me at www.kdiamondconsulting.com and my name is spelled D Y M O N D. And you can also check out my profile on LinkedIn. It's under Kimberly Diamondbalogue. Or you can email me directly kimdiamondconsulting.com
[00:48:12] Speaker A: and your last name has a G. Belogue, is that correct?
[00:48:15] Speaker B: G. Right. B A, L, O, G, H Balog. I know It's. It's Hungarian.
[00:48:21] Speaker A: Oh, okay. Well, thank you for sharing that.
[00:48:24] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for having me.
[00:48:26] Speaker A: Thank you, Kimberly, for sharing your wisdom, honesty, and heart with us today.
We've talked about leading before you feel ready. Staying grounded through change and rebuilding after setbacks. And mostly becoming the leader you're truly called to be. If you're watching and feeling uncertain, remember this. Growth doesn't require perfection. It requires one more step, one more honest choice, and one more moment of change. I'm Julie Duncan, and this has been the power of one more. Until next time, keep showing up. One more time.
