I am one of those crazy people who loves to host and cook for huge family gatherings, so preparing for the massive Thanksgiving meal is an olympic event that I actually look forward to every year.
(Side note – Speaking of hosting, I’m hosting something else tomorrow that I know you’ll love, so read to the end if you want to join me, and for your free gift!)
One thing I have noticed is that no matter how much some people (like me) love to experiment with different flavors and recipes in daily life, Thanksgiving is a day when everyone is a hard-core traditionalist.
Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and at least a dozen other sides, plus equally as many desserts, which are all guaranteed – nay, required – to be the same year after year, will grace the table. There is ZERO tolerance for change.
I remember one year I was dating someone who didn’t eat red meat. He wanted to spend Thanksgiving with me and my family, and while I loved the idea in theory, I told him it probably wasn’t a good idea, because I didn’t know what he’d be able to eat.
As part of a large Italian family, there was some version of pork in just about everything – from ham in the brussels sprouts to bacon in the string beans and sausage in the stuffed mushrooms.
I stopped in my tracks when he suggested, “Well, couldn’t they use turkey sausage instead?”
(I suddenly had a flashback to that fabulous scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding when Toula sheepishly tells her aunt that Ian, her new boyfriend, is a vegetarian.)
Such substitutions would be viewed as culinary sacrilege, and to suggest that my mom and aunts modify the traditional Thanksgiving menu would practically get him blacklisted and me disowned.
Where in life are you staunchly opposed to change, even when there’s plenty of advanced notice?
And how well do you handle those changes when they come unannounced?
This week on the Speaking to Influence podcast, Melissa Schoger of Avery Dennison, also shares a harrowing experience when she and her team had the rug pulled out from under them within 24-hours of a massive deadline. In that kind of situation, what options do you have, and how do you weigh the risks?
Tune in to find out:
● How Melissa made sure the integrity of a message remained intact after witnessing how different leaders had totally different interpretations of what had been decided in a meeting
● How she learned to take the time to listen to team members on the ground, rather than assume she knew best from a top-down perspective as their General Manager.
● What she learned about coming to any negotiation with a thoughtful mindset instead of a winning at all cost mindset
● Why recording yourself before doing a presentation can be the best preparation.
Listen to the full conversation here or watch it on YouTube here.
On the other hand, some changes are welcome changes, especially when they bring opportunities to grow personally and professionally in fun and exciting ways.
One of the most common requests I’m getting lately is to help people build their brand – but not just as a subject matter expert; they want to become a “go-to thought leader.”
Go-to thought leaders are people who are known for being experts AND interesting. They have a reputation for being great storytellers, and captivating audiences on podcasts, panel discussions, “fireside chats,” lunch-and-learn discussions and more.
I’ve spent years building my brand that way, and am frequently invited to be a guest on podcasts, keynote at conferences, emcee events, moderate panels and more – all of which I love doing.
Just last week I emceed a fundraiser, and afterwards the president of the organization said, “Thank you so much! The way you ran the evening added another degree of professionalism that took the event to a whole new level.”
And here’s the thing: it’s not rocket science; I’ve just figured out the formula, and I want to share it with you.
In thanksgiving for you joining me here each week, here’s a link to download my list of “8 Keys to Building Your Brand as a Go-To Thought Leader.”
It’s clear and straightforward and totally DIY.
And if you’d like me to walk you through it with a little more detail, you’ll receive an invitation to join me on a fast, free and fun 30-minute webinar tomorrow, Wednesday 11/23/23 at 2pm ET.
I’ll tell you how I implemented each of the 8 Keys, and answer any questions you have right there on the call.
Click here to get the 8 Keys to Building Your Brand as a Go-to Thought Leader.
But most importantly, a heartfelt thank-you for being part of my VIP Family!
Stay tuned for an upcoming Black Friday weekend special opportunity to continue to build your brand as a Go-To Thought Leader!
