Alison Hellman’s Post

Why Michael Guth Was The Best Boss I Ever Had When I least expected it and probably needed it most, I got the best boss I ever had over my 20+ year tenure as a corporate citizen. I have had the priveledge of working for a lot of super smart, kind hearted, and exceptionally fascinating people (for all kinds of reasons) over the years. I learned a ton from each one of them; including who I wanted to become and who I did not want to become. With all due respect to everyone I ever called "boss", Michael was the best. I have been trying to figure out what the hell to say in my first post on the other side of just completing the arduous task of firing myself responsibly. Do I reflect on my corporate career, look ahead and wax about potential? Do I give more context to why I decided it was time to set sail, or just yada yada yada? Nah, let's deflect and give some helpful tips on how to be a dope boss and do it by giving some props to the guy who played a significant role in helping me be able to say, "Hi, my name is Timm, and I'm here to help save corporate America by helping you do your best work as the best version of yourself". Without further ado, here are 10 reasons Michael was the best, IMHO. I'm not even sure these are the top ones, but then again, it's only been 72 hours since I walked out of that office for the last time, and I did write most of this in the back seat of my in-laws' Hyundai on our way to watch middle school football in small-ish town Oregon. So we can just call these "The 10 things all bosses should try to emulate, which happen to be 10 of my favorite reasons I loved working for Michael Guth." TikTok version included here for fun, and the full 10 reasons on Substack at bit.ly/3KV7u4r

“New Year, New You” “Live, Laugh, Love” I’m a sucker for a motivational quote on a post-it note. My computer screen is framed with them. I’m not on about the ones above that have become a bit twee. Instead mine act as that accountability partner or the kick up the a*** sometimes I need as someone who for the most part works by myself. Today I have: “Get on base” – a simple mantra taken from the film Moneyball. For me a serves as a reminder to post on Linkedin (and is something that Justin Welsh teaches in his Linkedin Operating System programme). Like in the film it’s a reminder of the importance of being consistent rather than thinking that everything I share has to go viral. “Don’t think about the person you want to be – be that person!” – Ok this one is a little 😬 but as someone who suffers from a huge case of imposter syndrome it’s a good reminder to me to get out of my own way. “What have you done today to put Rookie2Recruiter in front of 5 NEW people” – as I said these act as my accountability partner and this is a non-negotiable that I set for myself. Might not seem like a huge task but it’s easy to lose sight of the basics when you are growing a brand and dealing with some of the day to day operational elements of running a business. And finally … “Do it for 5pm-Kirstie” – we’ve all been there I’m sure. The end of the day, school run, cooking dinner thinking about “should’ve done this”, “should’ve done that”. This note to myself reminds me to project forward for a minute – what am I going to regret not doing come 5pm but, more importantly, what will I be proud of myself for achieving at 5pm when I close down my laptop. If there is something I am procrastinating on this is the one that gives me the kick to get it done. What note-to-yourself do you have on your desk? #recruitment #recruitmenttraining #rookie2recruiter

Guess what? I'm a proud INTROVERT! Let me tell you, being an introvert in the business world has its perks. Here's why: 🧐 First, we're like problem-solving ninjas. Give us a complex issue, and we'll dive deep, consider all angles and come up with some pretty smart solutions. It's our thing! 🤫 Next, we love our peace and quiet, right? That's perfect for zoning in on work without distractions. It's all about that productivity boost. 🤔 And when it comes to decisions, we don't just jump in. Nope, we think it through, weigh the good and bad, and then choose. That means less risk and more chances to nail it in our businesses. So, if you're running a business and you're an introvert, own it. Use those unique introvert superpowers to make your business rock. Remember, it's not about being loud or quiet, it's all about how you use what you've got. #compliancelab #share #introvert

And it's another article. I like this new schedule, hope to keep it going. I notice that when you have a non-negotiable deadline for yourself, it seems to end up motivating you to make things happen. This article had a very different form in its first draft, and then turned into something very different the day before it was due. I'm attaching it so people can actually read it. How do you use your summer? #parenting #relationships #summer

░▒▓█ ❹ 𝓢𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓰𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓷𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓰𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓻𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓹𝓸𝓵𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼 ....𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓟𝓛𝓨𝓐𝓘𝓝𝓖 𝓹𝓸𝓵𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼 ⬇️ 👀 𝟙. ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪 Be aware of the environment you're operating in, and make sure you know how to spot a political player. You can neutralize their potential impact on your team if you learn how to read the play and anticipate any covert attacks. 🔍 𝟚. ℂ𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝔻𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕌𝕟𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 If a political saboteur is spreading misinformation, don't get upset or angry: Just engage with them, one-on-one, and have the difficult conversation they need. Let them know you're awake to their shenanigans and ask them to stop. Of course, they'll deny everything, but letting them know you're onto them is often enough! 🗣 𝟛. 𝕌𝕤𝕖 "𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥" 𝔼𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 It's often useful to let the boss know, if he/she's the one the political actor is influencing. Don't get into "he said/ she said", and don't ask her to intervene. My favorite soft escalation? - "Look, I know "XX" is trying to undermine me, and no doubt you've heard plenty of rumors. I just want to let you know that I don't play games, so I'm just going to focus my energy into delivering value for the company". 🌟 𝟜. 𝔽𝕠𝕔𝕦𝕤 𝕠𝕟 ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕦𝕝𝕥𝕤 The only thing that speaks louder than political noise is results. Your job is to lead your team to deliver superior value, no matter what. If you do that, in conjunction with the other techniques, your performance will ultimately outweigh any words that your political detractors can whisper behind the closed doors. 👉 𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞. But if you can master these strategies, you'll be able to minimize the distractions, and protect your team from the worst of fallout! #officepolitics #politics #player #dontbevictim #palymindful #bethemaster #strategies

An in-house counsel's guide to success (abridged) 1. Be cool about it. Otherwise known as, we're a team here and don't tolerate bad attitude or ego. 2. Risk isn't all the bad it's cracked up to be. Embrace it, choose the smart ones, contract away/don't accept the wholesale risk transfers or silly ones. Where there's no get, thou shall provide no give, in other words. 3. Seek mentoring and provide mentorship. You're never too old or experienced to pick up a new trick or two. Plus life's about the network and like it or not, that fact ain't changing this millennia. 4. Either generate or interact with funny memes. They're the lifeblood of the industry people! 5. Pick a brand that is genuinely who you are. Spend time identifying and honing your voice. Own it.

In 2006 in my first job out of college I was terrible at email. I'd send one and then if it wasn't responded to quickly enough I'd shoot off a passive aggressive additional email and say: "per my last email..." Cringe. I didn't know then what I know now: business cliches can undermine your credibility and can even cause your listeners to zone out whether thats in an email, speech, or meeting. Also, cliches can be tired expressions and might not actually be communicating what you think. But where and why did these cliches start? And what should we say instead? This week I've been looking at the 12 worst offenders. Where these expressions came from, and what you can say instead. In the first carousel (linked to in the comments) we covered: 1. "Think outside the box." 2. "Low hanging fruit." 3. "Step up the plate." 4. "Paradigm shift." In the second carousel (linked to in the comments) we covered: 5. “In today’s world.” 6. “Bite the bullet.” 7. “It’s a win-win.” 8. “Drink the kool-aid.” In today's carousel we cover: 9. “Let’s circle back.” 10. “Move the needle.” 11. “Above my paygrade.” 12. “Per my last email.” Which of these cliches are you guilty of? What cliches did I miss? #publicspeakingtips #publicspeaking #speaker P.S. I have a weekly email - you'll get tips like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up at www.thespeakshop.com ------ Hi, I'm Eva. I help speakers develop and deliver compelling content. Need help? Send me a DM.

I'm determined to copy my 6-year-old granddaughter, cannonballing into the pool, and having the most summer fun imaginable. For an adult. Who still has responsibilities, that is. I'm head down, editing my new book, (and re-writing a lot, if I'm honest), and I’m planning an in-person teambuilding program for an organization with 850 employees. We're going to be creating an engaged team culture and improving the bottom line, all while playing games and acting silly. Whaaaa? The fact is, when people are engaged, talking, and, yes, having fun and laughing, they're building relationships, improving communication, and strengthening creativity and problem-solving skills. It's fun... with a purpose. You should try it. Come on in, the water's great! If you'd like me to create a program that gets results for your team or entire organization, let's talk! As things heat up, literally and metaphorically - especially in the U.S. - so do our choices, and I'm decidedly NOT talking politics. Read on for my featured article. As always, if you or your team would like a guide on the side to help you to live and lead with more intention and purpose, Pop me a message, and we'll cuss and discuss the best solution for your issues. Until next time, take a break, have a snowball, (that’s what we have in my neck of the woods) channel your inner 6-year-old and do a cannonball, or play hooky and go to the movies (Get the big popcorn, too. Diet be damned!). And remember, to live and lead by choice, not by chance! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/efRa-gsH

👉🏼 A lesson I wish I had learned sooner: get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Here's why. 💡 I recently tuned into Margot Robbie's conversation on The Hollywood Reporter - Round Table Talk about producing the Barbie movie. She spoke about the importance of 'getting comfortable with being uncomfortable,' and I couldn't agree more. It got me reflecting on my time running a food business. I misunderstood discomfort as a sign of lacking skills or knowledge—when, in fact, that's never the case. Despite having no prior business experience, I expected myself to know everything. ✨ With hindsight, experience, and personal growth, there are things I wish I had done differently and recognised what I was achieving more. I use this experience to remind myself to keep going and believe in myself more. #LessonsLearned #PersonalGrowth

This past Friday I was at my stepson’s baseball game. After I parked and made my way towards the baseball field, I took note at everyone that I walked past. As a parent and a Marine vet, one should be always aware of your surroundings. I didn’t see anything/anyone that raised any concern, I did see a gentleman in office attire on his cell phone. His hands waving around and his conversation was loud enough to get the idea of his conversation.              I was able to piece together he was on a deadline at work and he was trying to get a lot of things taken care of. I heard him mention his son was pitching, but his back was to the field, he was more focused on completing this project.            I recall reading an article about United State labor productivity, how, year over year labor productivity keeps increasing. My business mind started to wander, wondering what the issues are for this father to be distracted from watching his son pitch.            My thoughts returned to my step son’s game and I didn’t think about it later. I recalled when writing “Why Courtroom Sidekicks”. Our company’s support, “allows the legal team to focus on the trial itself.” What if, we are working with a client, and our support reduces our client's preparation time, that he can step out and watch his son’s game or daughter’s concert? Isn’t that just as important?            Here at Courtroom Sidekicks, we understand the importance of our client’s time, no matter what you use it for. Let us show you how our customer-eccentric approach can help you today. #CourtroomSidekicks  #Customer-Eccentric #Focusonthetrial