The guest of this episode of Pity Party Over is Simona Curci, an organizational development practitioner who has honed a practical approach to managing change from many years of helping people, teams, and organizations. Simona believes that change is a dynamic process that resembles a dance requiring forward and backward movements. Sometimes, the best option is to stay still and let things be as they are so people can adjust. Simona points out that you can’t force everyone to move in the same direction with the same tempo. If you push too hard, you may end up creating more resistance.  Listen to this episode of Pity Party Over to learn how to find the perfect rhythm to navigate change successfully. Spotify - https://tinyurl.com/2r8avvav Google Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/yt6wc2z7 Apple Podcast - https://tinyurl.com/53zhyz6u Amazon Music - https://tinyurl.com/3fszm8ue Podbean - https://tinyurl.com/yadn9mbz Subscribe to Pity Party Over - https://www.alygn.company/pitypartyover Sign up for a complimentary Live Session: https://www.alygn.company/livesession Managerial & Leadership Development - https://www.alygn.company/ Contact Stephen - stephen.matini@alygn.company Connect with Stephen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmatini/ #change #changemanagement #simonacurci #opossumstrategy #danceofchange #podcast #pitypartyover #stephenmatini #alygn #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #managementdevelopment

Resilience takes many forms. Dr. Abbey shares his passion for ophthalmology, challenges, and the profound impact on patients through relentless optimism and resilience in a context with limited resources. Join us in this episode of Pity Party Over to learn how accountability and acceptance pave the way to incredible transformations.

Are you curious about how organizational culture can foster kindness and transform challenging interactions? Today's guest on the podcast Pity Party Over is Michael G. Neece, a renowned author, speaker, and business strategist. In the episode, Michael takes us on a journey through his own experiences, where he discovers the value of kindness. He unveils how this remarkable virtue has shaped his understanding of human motivation and workplace dynamics. We explore the impact of kind awareness and the realization that we seldom know the true motives behind someone's behaviors. We also delve into the power of intentional choices and their ability to bring about positive change in any situation. Join us on this episode of Pity Party Over to learn how being intentionally kind to ourselves is the first step toward establishing meaningful relationships. Apple Podcast - https://lnkd.in/eSZZMb34 Podbean - https://pitypartyover.podbean.com/ Spotify - https://lnkd.in/d7bqfSnM Stitcher - https://lnkd.in/d6qzxMZp Podchaser - https://lnkd.in/dUsxUQPQ Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/eMMkfa4Z Subscribe to Pity Party Over - https://lnkd.in/dMDJRsa8 Sign up for a complimentary Live Session: https://lnkd.in/eKsYi_6P Managerial & Leadership Development - https://www.alygn.company/ Contact Stephen - stephen.matini@alygn.company Connect with Stephen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmatini/ #kindness #workplacekindness #transformativeconversations #michaelneece #michaeleneece #inkind #thepowerofkindness #conflict #assertiveness #boundaries #podcast #pitypartyover #stephenmatini #alygn #leadershipdevelopment #managementdevelopment TRANSCRIPT Stephen Matini: Michael, when did you realize for the first time that you want to focus on kindness? Michael Neece: Kindness has always been very important to me. I think I mean, an awful lot of us are raised believing that we should do unto others as they do unto us, right? I mean, it's the, it's the golden rule. We, we all hear about it when we were young. And I think, you know, you, you go through life and then at some point you meet that first person that is not so nice to you, and then you, you wonder what do you do, right? I mean, how, how do you handle that situation? And, you know, do you abandon that idea ...n ideology? Do you abandon that belief system or do you double down on that and somehow find a way to navigate? Stephen Matini: Did you get interested in kindness also when you were younger? Or is it something that evolved as a professional? Michael Neece: It's something that I had to really reevaluate as a professional, because you get into the working world and you find that there are people who misinterpret your actions. There are people whose actions are mystifying. And so it was, it was really after, oh, I don't know, two or three really embarrassing shame filled hard moments in the working world that I, I really had to look at kindness again and say, what am I doing wrong? Well, you know, what's, what, what's, what's the problem with how I'm doing it? Or am I, have I abandoned it? And yeah, that was, that was a big problem as well. Stephen Matini: I believe in the power of choice, and so every single time that we face a difficulty or someone being unkind, we do have a choice in terms of which route to take. What makes people take the kind or the unkind route in your experience? Michael Neece: I think it's like money. If everybody believes that these pieces of paper convey some sort of value, then, then they do. And as soon as people start having no confidence in it, then you have a run on the bank. And so the whole idea of, you know, you're, you're there and you're trying to be kind to somebody and they're being cruel back, and you can't just tell, you can't tell if they're having just a bad day or if this is a much deeper, you know, longer lasting issue.  So you, you kind of look around and you see what other people do in response to the conversation that you're having with this

Despite our differences, what brings all of us together, is our shared desire to be heard, supported, and loved.  The guest of this episode of the podcast Pity Party Over is Stuart Ross Carlson, a violinist, violist, and music composer with autism who displayed his enormous talent from a young age.  Stuart shares his unique experience with synesthesia, a condition where he sees colors when he hears music, and his mission to support neurodiversity and inclusion in education, the arts, and the world. Listen to this episode of Pity Party Over to learn how to inspire others and create a more inclusive world where everyone feels valued. Apple Podcast - https://lnkd.in/eSZZMb34 Podbean - https://pitypartyover.podbean.com/ Spotify - https://lnkd.in/d7bqfSnM Stitcher - https://lnkd.in/d6qzxMZp Podchaser - https://lnkd.in/dUsxUQPQ Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/eMMkfa4Z Subscribe to Pity Party Over - https://lnkd.in/dMDJRsa8 Sign up for a complimentary Live Session: https://lnkd.in/eKsYi_6P Managerial & Leadership Development - https://www.alygn.company/ Contact Stephen - stephen.matini@alygn.company Connect with Stephen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmatini/ You can access music from Stuart Ross Carlson on all major streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube Music, and many others. You can learn about Stuart Ross Carlson on Stuart’s website, Facebook and Instagram: www.stuartcarlson.com  https://www.facebook.com/stuartrosscarlson https://www.instagram.com/stuart.ross.carlson/ #stuartrosscarlson #stuartcarlson #violinist #violist #violin #viola #music #purpose #mission #annarborsymphonyorchestra #mottchildrenhospital #autism #neurodiversity #yoyoma #billieeilish# katyperri #arianagrande #cristinaaguilera #beethoven #mozart #tchaikovsky #podcast #pitypartyover #stephenmatini #alygn

Are you tired of feeling burdened by responsibilities that aren’t yours?  The guest on the podcast Pity Party Over is Molly McGuigan, a Positive Change Practitioner and Appreciative Inquiry Expert. Molly discusses the project she co-founded called “Ditch the Ditty,” which aims to help women overcome unnecessary responsibilities and obligations.  Ditch the Ditty explores ways to raise awareness of when women can say yes or no to things and the importance of valuing oneself.   Join us on Pity Party Over and discover how to release yourself from the weight of responsibilities that don't serve you. Apple Podcast - https://lnkd.in/eSZZMb34 Podbean - https://pitypartyover.podbean.com/ Spotify - https://lnkd.in/d7bqfSnM Stitcher - https://lnkd.in/d6qzxMZp Podchaser - https://lnkd.in/dUsxUQPQ Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/eMMkfa4Z Subscribe to Pity Party Over - https://lnkd.in/dMDJRsa8 Sign up for a complimentary Live Session: https://lnkd.in/eKsYi_6P Managerial & Leadership Development - https://www.alygn.company/ Contact Stephen - stephen.matini@alygn.company Connect with Stephen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmatini/ #conflict #assertiveness #boundaries #mollymcguigan #ditchtheditty #positivepsychology #appreciativeinquiry #podcast #pitypartyover #stephenmatini #alygn TRANSCRIPT Stephen Matini: When did you find out about human development that was gonna be your focus of interest? Molly McGuigan: I, you know, I don't know that there was a moment. I feel like it's been a journey and that journey began really when I graduated from college. I went to school in Cleveland as well. I went to John Carroll University, and then after college, I, I worked for a company that did experiential training and development, and I sort of fell into that.  I was working at a summer camp for kids with diabetes and I got interested in doing work on the Ropes Challenge course. So sort of the out, you know, the out Outward Bound type work that where you have kids that are going up and, you know, learning about climbing and, you know, high, high-end trees and, and teaching them about leadership, about overcoming challenges and things like that. And so I got really interested in that, probably more so from even the outdoor education and working, you know, working with kids aspect of it. Molly McGuigan: I didn't really think a whole lot about how that impacted human development or organization development at that time. A company that I started working for right after that, that put the, the challenge courses in and did all the training for the challenge courses for the camp, I started working for them right outta college and wow, it just opened my eyes to this whole world of human development organization development teams.  And I quickly got very interested in, in just how all of that worked, gave me the chance to to start to travel. And we started working in bigger organizations like Ernst & Young and, and things like that. And that took us all over the place. And so it was really interesting to meet people from not all, all over the country, but all over the world. And so I became, you know, became intrigued with that and that's where the journey began, and it continued for, for decades after that. Stephen Matini: And then the whole positive psychology approach, how that one came about in your life? Molly McGuigan: So I was working for that company Executive Edge, and we, because we were based in Cleveland, we, we had a connection to Case Western Reserve University, and we decided to take a program on appreciative inquiry.  And so it really just, we, we knew actually about appreciative inquiry and about the work of David Cooperrider because we had been doing work with his sister Don Dole in the experiential world. She was actually one of the facilitators for some of the work that we were doing with Executive Edge and decided to, to take a, take a workshop. So three of us went from that organization and took a foundation's workshop wit

Today's guest is Puneet Sachdev, a global people and culture leader passionate about leveraging data, technology, and humanity to create inclusive and innovative workplaces.  In a world of incremental technological changes, Puneet believes staying close to people is the key to success.   In this episode, Puneet will share his views on the existing shortfalls in how organizations are developing senior female leaders. Puneet talks about Shakti, which is the principle of divine feminine, and how it can help bring balance to leadership in a world that is still predominantly masculine. Listen to this episode of Pity Party Over to learn how to close the gender leadership gap in organizations. Apple Podcast - https://lnkd.in/eSZZMb34 Podbean - https://pitypartyover.podbean.com/ Spotify - https://lnkd.in/d7bqfSnM Stitcher - https://lnkd.in/d6qzxMZp Podchaser - https://lnkd.in/dUsxUQPQ Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/eMMkfa4Z Subscribe to Pity Party Over - https://lnkd.in/dMDJRsa8   Sign up for a complimentary Live Session: https://lnkd.in/eKsYi_6P Managerial & Leadership Development - https://www.alygn.company/ Contact Stephen - stephen.matini@alygn.company Connect with Stephen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmatini/ #leadership #change #femaleleadership #shakti #divine feminine #puneetshadchev #podcast #pitypartyover #stephenmatini #alygn TRANSCRIPT Stephen Matini: You lived in so many different places, so many different countries. What have you learned from all these traveling and all these experiences? Puneet Sachdev: When I look back on this and who I am as a result of it, of course one of the things which comes from doing that and having, like you said, lived in four or five different continents, worked in all over US, UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, a bit in Africa as well, actually Botswana off for very short period of time.  I think you have to have a lot of tenacity or you will develop that. Because remember each time you go in a new context, some situations I've had to go and create my life there. And then you have to start networking and you're dealing with a lot of stereotypes, a lot of mental unseen barriers. That's one thing which I have learned that just constantly have to be upping your game, build your networks, try to find people who understand who you are, what's your value proposition. That's one.  It makes you very adaptable. It just makes you extremely adaptable. You can be, you can hit the ground running in utterly, I can talk myself that hitting the ground, running in no time is absolutely becomes a part of, you know, who you are in.  In a way it's adaptation for survival as well to an extent. The challenging side of that is that networks, friends, because when you go to these places, they are people who you would like to hang out with, but they have their local schoolmates college friends. You gotta be there for a long period of time. And then also it depends on the culture. So I think it's you know, it's been a number of these different things. So it's, it's got it ups and it's got it's it's downs as well. Stephen Matini: Have you always known that you wanna be in change management, leadership development, or is it something that unfolded over the years? Puneet Sachdev: Not really. Stephen, no. My dad's from the Indian Navy, the area in which I grew up, whatever, where, you know, when finishing off college school in, in the nineties, the middle of the nineties and all of that, there were very few options available.  There was in India, the engineering, doctor, lawyer, armed forces, rights? So mainly these were where you would get the jobs. I have a very, I had a very impressive uncle, my mother's brother, Tenesh Tata. I mean, until today, I don't think I met anybody else who was as impressive.  Very charismatic, very handsome guy, dresses up extremely well. Very intelligent international chap, one of the pioneers in the hospitality business in India. One of the first few people to go overseas to

It's fair to say that most people do not enjoy experiencing conflict. Conflict is uncomfortable, and it's challenging to handle it properly when we are a piece of the equation. Today's guest is Dr. Liane Davey, bestselling author, keynote speaker, and facilitator on conflict. Liane is a spoonful of sugar in the world of conflict, combining a solid academic background with a wonderful sense of humor.   In this episode of Pity Party Over, we will discuss many practical tools to handle conflict, like the importance of understanding the truth of others before sharing our own and how to balance vulnerability and accountability to strengthen our connection with people.  Apple Podcast - https://lnkd.in/eSZZMb34 Podbean - https://pitypartyover.podbean.com/ Spotify - https://lnkd.in/d7bqfSnM Stitcher - https://lnkd.in/d6qzxMZp Podchaser - https://lnkd.in/dUsxUQPQ Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/eMMkfa4Z Subscribe to Pity Party Over - https://lnkd.in/dMDJRsa8 Sign up for a complimentary Live Session: https://lnkd.in/eKsYi_6P Managerial & Leadership Development - https://www.alygn.company/ Contact Stephen - stephen.matini@alygn.company Connect with Stephen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmatini/ #conflict #lianedavey #thegoodfight #podcast #pitypartyover #stephenmatini #alygn Stephen Matini: I'm here with “Lady No,, I'm here with “Lady No.” My first question for you is, when did you become aware that “no” was gonna be center stage in your life, in your professional career? Liane Davey: , when I started doing a lot of work on conflict and the importance of healthy conflict it, it started to dawn on me that no is a really central and important word in being able to have boundaries, have healthy conflict.  I think it, it was, I don't even remember how long ago it was, maybe 2013, I'm not even sure, and I was writing for Psychology Today, and I wrote a post playing off of the name of the month, November to call it “No-vember.” That's when I started this, you know, identifying my brand with saying no.  And so in this subsequent Novembers, I've been doing this sort of 30 days of things to say no to, to be happier, healthy, and more productive. So it was that first realization, and the first year it was just one article, about 10 things to say no to. But over time, it's become something very important to me. And not only, I think it, it started as a conflict thing, now it's about focus, and it's about boundaries. And so now it's using no for all sorts of good. Stephen Matini: One of the comments that I receive from people most of the time is, it's easy for you to talk because you are an independent professional. So you are in a position you can say no, but me in this place, in this organization is much harder. People are often caught in this dichotomy: if I say no, how I'm going to be perceived? And if I don't say no, I'm gonna end up being a pressure cooker. When that happens to you, what is the first step that you take with the client? Liane Davey: So what I'm trying to do anytime that I'm gonna have conflict in a healthy way with somebody, is the first thing I'm trying to do is understand what is their truth.  So what we want to do when someone says something we disagree with or we want to say no to, we tend to assert our truth. Let me tell you, , why that's so wrong and what I really need, instead of just spending a moment pausing to try and understand where that suggestion came from. So first of all, I would just reiterate what they said.  Okay, so I understand you want to host a big in-person client event, just reiterating and even that quick pause that says to the person I'm listening to you, even that is gonna help you be on a better path.  Then I'm gonna ask a question to understand where are they coming from? So I might say, tell me about your thought process. What got you to recommending a client event? Those sorts of questions. Big open questions that allow them to paint the canvas with their truth. You know, probabl

As human beings, we all face difficulties and struggles in life. However, during these moments of darkness, we can often learn valuable lessons that benefit us and those around us. Our guest for this episode of the podcast Pity Party Over is Andy Frick, Owner and Founder of A Place 2B Recovery Housing. Andy has a background in positive psychology and has provided a place where people recovering from substance abuse feel they belong. For Andy, adding value to the lives of others provides meaning, a sense of belonging, and mattering. When we help others feel valued, we also validate our worth. Listen to this episode of Pity Party Over to learn how to create a purposeful life by supporting yourself and others effectively. Apple Podcast - https://lnkd.in/eSZZMb34 Podbean - https://pitypartyover.podbean.com/ Spotify - https://lnkd.in/d7bqfSnM Stitcher - https://lnkd.in/d6qzxMZp Podchaser - https://lnkd.in/dUsxUQPQ Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/eMMkfa4Z Subscribe to Pity Party Over - https://lnkd.in/dMDJRsa8 Sign up for a complimentary Live Session: https://lnkd.in/eKsYi_6P Managerial & Leadership Development - https://www.alygn.company/ Contact Stephen - stephen.matini@alygn.company Connect with Stephen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmatini/ #belonging #purpose #mission #mattering #recovery #substanceabuse #leadership #andyfrick #aplace2brecoveryhousing #lindseygodwin #davidcooperrider #isaacprilleltensky #martinseligman #positivepsychology #appreciativeinquiry #podcast #pitypartyover #stephenmatini #alygn TRANSCRIPT Stephen Matini: When you don't work, what do you do to relax, to center yourself? Andy Frick: Well, one, I play a lot of soccer. Not the most common American response, but I, I play quite a bit of soccer, always did growing up and still a, a great way to connect with others and get some physical activity in which I'm sure I know I could certainly use more of.  And then I, I really enjoy fishing, so I, I found out over the past, I don't know, maybe five, 10 years that I really enjoy fishing, especially just being in nature in general, you know, walking, outdoors, all that jazz. But fishing has become a passion of mine. So ... Stephen Matini: Where did you grow up? Andy Frick: I grew up in Akron, Ohio, where unfortunately there's not a whole lot of fishing opportunities, . So there's more here to offer than I had originally thought. But mostly Akron is pretty much known for... well, if you're a little bit later in life, you might know it from being the, the rubber capital of the world at, at some point. If you're a bit younger, you probably know it from LeBron James. And that's about the extent of , Akron's notoriety. Stephen Matini: Have you ever thought about moving elsewhere? Andy Frick: Oh, certainly. Yeah. I have, since I started going to Florida for vacation as a child, I had always dreamt of not having to deal with the cold winters of Ohio. Fortunately, life is taking me that way, and I am moving to Miami here in about a month's time, so ... Stephen Matini: For real? Oh, wow. Andy Frick: Yes, yes. So it'll be quite a change. Stephen Matini: How did you get to where you are professionally? Andy Frick: So really, my, my life experience guided me to this passion of wanting to help others in some way, shape or form, right? I've been driven by service for the, the past 10 years or so, and it was, it wasn't always the case. So I look back to my experiences growing up. I struggled to find meaning, purpose, a sense of belonging and mattering, connection to others, some of the things that are fulfilling in life.  Those struggles kind of led me to some dark places. I think it was in the process of change that I experienced for myself, that transition from some of those darker places to experiencing some of those things I just described, where, where I had a sense of belonging and mattering purpose and meaning mostly through service to others, that really sparked my interest in helping others to experience

In this episode, we'll discuss how leaders can communicate effectively by listening and paying attention to people. We have an extraordinary guest, Diane Lennard. Diane is a performance coach and faculty member at NYU Stern School of Business.  With her background in theater and coaching, Diane has honed her exceptional communication skills and has a unique perspective on effective leadership communication. Diane believes that everybody wants to be seen and heard, and by establishing empathetic relationships based on respect and dignity, leaders can create more meaningful connections with any stakeholder. Apple Podcast - https://lnkd.in/eSZZMb34 Podbean - https://pitypartyover.podbean.com/ Spotify - https://lnkd.in/d7bqfSnM Stitcher - https://lnkd.in/d6qzxMZp Podchaser - https://lnkd.in/dUsxUQPQ Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/eMMkfa4Z Subscribe to Pity Party Over - https://lnkd.in/dMDJRsa8 Sign up for a complimentary Live Session: https://lnkd.in/eKsYi_6P Managerial & Leadership Development - https://www.alygn.company/ Contact Stephen - stephen.matini@alygn.company Connect with Stephen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmatini/ #conversations #people #human-centered #leadership #dianelennard #coaching #podcast #pitypartyover #stephenmatini #alygn TRANSCRIPT Stephen Matini: Where did you grow up? Diane Lennard: I grew up in the middle of Manhattan. Stephen Matini: A New Yorker! Diane Lennard: I am, born and raised! Stephen Matini: How was to grow up in New York? Diane Lennard: Well, I grew up in a an apartment complex that had, that was very large and had lots of playgrounds, lots of families, lots of children, and it was wonderful. And there was a really good public school with a lot of parent involvement. So it was a very, very nice place to grow up. Stephen Matini: Do you think it's true when people say that anyone who moves to New York after six months becomes a New Yorker or to be a real ... ? Diane Lennard: No. That’s a definitive no. , you can tell by the way people cross the street if they jaywalk, they're likely a native New Yorker when, you know they stand at the street corner for a really long time, that's not a typical New York activity . Stephen Matini: What would it be other typical things that New Yorkers do that no one else would do? Diane Lennard: I would say that we tend to be really good at shielding ourselves from difficult situations. It's a street savvy in a way, you know, how to manage just situations that you don't wanna get involved in. You know, whether it's on the subway or on the street, not making eye contact if it's gonna protect you, things like that. Just common sense safety. Stephen Matini: Were there any people or events that somehow have impacted more than others the way that you are today? Diane Lennard: Oh, many. I would say that two most prominent are my exposure to cultural events and my exposure to multicultural food. In growing up, every Sunday my family went to a different nationality restaurant. So from a very early age I was exposed to different cultures, not just the food, but the culture.  We would talk to the waiters and I grew an interest in international cultures that definitely impacted my career. And I also was ex, went to lots of theater and museums, was very involved in the theater. So I know from my friends who were not native New Yorkers, when they came to visit me, they got exposed to things that they wouldn't have unless they had come to New York. Stephen Matini: Theater plays a huge role in your life. When did you decide to actually get into theater? Diane Lennard: I started taking ballet lessons when I was six years old. Actually five years old. I was actually part of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company and performed on the old Metropolitan opera stage. I got paid a dollar a minute for running across the stage, barefoot in an opera. But I had the experience of a huge audience and the backstage and it was very intriguing to me.  I also took piano lessons

This episode explores the vitality and richness of a diverse and inclusive leadership approach to help the success of organizations. Featuring Wagner Denuzzo