The Leadership Vision Podcast

Change and Pivots: The Risk (and Reward) of Transformation

• Nathan Freeburg • Season 8 • Episode 15

Share episode

Send us a text

In this episode, Nathan and Brian reflect on the major transition Leadership Vision is undergoing as they prepare to launch their new book, Unfolded: Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane. Brian shares the story of how the company started (accidentally!), what he's learned about leadership, and how trust, risk, and vision continue to shape their future.

Key Topics Covered:

  • The emotional tension of pivot moments
  • Brian’s story of accidental entrepreneurship
  • Lessons from 25 years of leadership
  • Letting go of control and trusting others
  • The enduring value of CliftonStrengths
  • The metaphor of transformation in Unfolded

Links:

Support the show

-
Read the full blog post here!

CONTACT US

ABOUT
The Leadership Vision Podcast is a weekly show sharing our expertise in discovering, practicing, and implementing a Strengths-based approach to people, teams, and culture. Contact us to talk to us about helping your team understand the power of Strengths.

Speaker 1:

You are listening to the Leadership Vision Podcast, our show helping you build positive team culture.

Speaker 1:

Hello everyone, my name is Nathan Friberg and in this episode, brian and I reflect on the journey of Leadership Vision over the past 25 years and talk candidly about this pivotal moment of change. As we prepare to launch Linda and Brian's new book, unfolded Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane, we'll explore the emotional and practical realities of making big shifts, why some dreams require letting go of what's comfortable, what it means to lead through uncertainty, and how to bring others along in that process. Brian shares a little bit about what he's learned from 25 years as a leader, from finances to letting go of control and a bunch more, and we also talk about the importance of asking for help, holding on to your values and dreaming bigger than you think you can Now. If you're at a crossroads or just simply wondering what it takes to pivot, well, well, this episode is for you. So listen in and maybe ask yourself what's a dream you've been afraid to chase and what would it take to actually unfold? Enjoy.

Speaker 2:

Well, looking at your outline, I thought, if we're talking about different pivot points in our company's history and that from your perspective, nathan, like you're experiencing the agitation of being at this next pivot point and the anxiety and stress or pressure and expectation and, frankly, just the dream behind it, we're at that pivot point. We know that we are at the point where there's going to be a pivot, or that there, there, there is going to be a change in direction of where we're headed. Some of the fundamentals are still there. I think that there are some of the fundamentals of our company that are long lasting, that are true, that will definitely not change how we do. The work is definitely going to change. And so now you know, as we sit here at the time of this recording, we are about to enter into two months from now with the release of the book and with all of the pre-work that we've done to set up different engagements and client work ahead of time. We know that things are about to change and enter into a zone of great challenge, discomfort, opportunity and who knows what else.

Speaker 2:

So, of all the questions that you have listed out here for today, there are a lot of them that I think are relevant, because Linda and I have had to return to many of these questions and how it is that we're navigating forward. Because, nathan, like you know, with every great comfort challenge like having to move out of your comfort zone and into a learning zone and reach that area of challenge where you have to get out of discomfort for a longer period of time to establish a new baseline we are trying to remind ourselves what are the values that we're taking forward, what are the practices that we're going to continue, what are the new practices that we're going to practice and what are some things we have to leave behind. I think a part of that leaving behind, I'm pretty sure that I have not thought of, like the emotional toll of okay, we may not do that ever again, but what if I want to? Yeah. Okay, we may not do that ever again, but what if I want to yeah.

Speaker 1:

Well, to set this episode up a little bit for our listeners, is that we had an interview scheduled with an author that we're excited to interview that got rescheduled kind of last minute and since we already had the time on the calendar, I was like let's still record something. We knew Linda wasn't going to be able to be here. Calendar. I was like let's still record something. We knew Linda wasn't going to be able to be here. And there is an author that I follow who opened a bookstore and he recently had this post. That was like what he's learned in opening this bookstore over the last however many years it's been Leadership.

Speaker 1:

Vision is, I guess, depending on exactly when you start 25 years old this year and I was like I wonder if, like, since we have this time, if I could kind of pick Brian's brain, almost like I'm an outsider coming in, like what are some of the lessons Brian has learned over 25 years about the business, about these pivots that we're talking about, about leadership, his leadership style and you know Linda's obviously a big part of that.

Speaker 1:

So not to exclude her in any way, but just since I have you here and you're the one who started it. So, brian, I'm wondering if we can just kind of go over this list of somewhat random but relevant questions that I generated as we think about this potential pivot point in the company's history, as you said, with this book release, as we maybe think back on a little bit of the company's history and look forward. The first question I want to ask you that I've heard you answer this a million times and so maybe this is boring, but I edit it out of nearly every podcast when we're talking with guests why did Leadership Vision or how did Leadership Vision start Like what was the original? I've heard you say you're an accidental business owner. You didn't come with this business plan and say this is what I'm going to do. It just kind of happened. Just maybe briefly unpack that story a little bit for those who don't know and add some extra detail for those who have heard it before.

Speaker 2:

Well, the company started by accident. I do consider myself an accidental entrepreneur. Those who know me would say that I've been an entrepreneur since I've been 12 years old. So there's controversy in my own narrative.

Speaker 1:

However, that's new okay.

Speaker 2:

I know it's new because we're that's a longer story which I'm not gonna tell you right now.

Speaker 1:

That's okay.

Speaker 2:

I'll tell you when we're done podcasting. Anyways, accidental business owner and the unique thing about the accidental business owner part was the company started with someone asking us to go and speak at a conference about strengths and it was a retreat. That was at a disney um resort or a disney retreat center in arizona former disney retreat center in arizona because, like all the little like cottage rooms, rooms had stencils of Disney characters.

Speaker 1:

Kind of weird Mice and Tinkerbells, yeah.

Speaker 2:

But the motivation was two things. Number one the opportunity to be flown to Arizona to speak at a retreat and to make $1,200.

Speaker 2:

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, $1,200 was my primary motivation for doing this Nice. The financial upside, because I thought I'd hit the jackpot. And that to me was when it started, because once I had the chance to go and talk to people about their unique individual identity, which is something that my career has been fundamentally anchored in, when I saw these people light up, that to me was that you hear people talk about once I tasted that I needed more of it, and that was kind of how this whole thing started. I did a few more of those events in the next few months, continued to make a little bit of money off of that, and then, when it came tax season, my tax guy said where are all these deposits coming from, these random like $750 and $1,200? I said, hey, you would not believe it, but man, people are paying me to go talk to them for an hour and a half.

Speaker 2:

He's like you can't just take that money.

Speaker 1:

He encouraged me to start a company, and that's how the company started. That's so funny, which is $2,300 in today's dollars. So don't, Are you sure I?

Speaker 2:

just.

Speaker 1:

Googled that, if you think back, were there any risks you took in starting this company? Not at that point. Yeah, well, that's what I'm kind of getting at is where, because we're sort of in a risk taking place today High risk, high risk.

Speaker 2:

Okay, the unique thing was at the time I was employed, I had a full-time job. It was at a university and I was making what I thought was good money at this university. I was very comfortable, Stable and so to do the consulting that was also accepted because many people at the university had some kind of side hustle, so I had like models around me and at some point I just kept putting that money aside because I wasn't in a place of taking financial risk. I started putting money in the bank and so I didn't feel that. So I didn't really feel a lot of risk around much of anything in the early days. It wasn't until my job at the university ended and I was faced with either taking some internal jobs at the university or branching out on my own and really going all in with this company. That's when the first real risk that I faced happened, Because as an accidental business owner.

Speaker 2:

Now I had to make an intentional decision on whether I wanted to go out on my own and fortunately, because I've been squirreling away this money over a couple of years, I actually had a year and a half's worth of salary in the bank when my job at the university quit, the equivalent of my salary for a year and a half. So I felt that I had a good 18 months of financial support seed money, if you will to really make a go for it, thinking that within a year I'll know, within a year I'll know, this is going to work or not.

Speaker 1:

This is so interesting and I've known this, but now that we're talking about it, so this was right around when we met.

Speaker 2:

A little bit after that, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, a little bit after that, because when I had first reached out to you and didn't hear back from you from like three months, I didn't know who you were. I know, I know. But then, when we finally connected, was right at this, I guess, risk, or this pivot moment of going out on my own you'd apparently decided to do that. When you think back on that, I'm not sure how to ask this, but I'm curious, like if you were doing that again today, what you might do differently. Or maybe another way to ask that, like what were some of your biggest learnings from that initial risk to today? Or, you know, it's always interesting when you hear or listen to podcasts like how I built this or other things, all of these business owners being like I wouldn't do anything differently or I would have started totally different.

Speaker 2:

Do you have anything?

Speaker 1:

like that. There's a question there somewhere.

Speaker 2:

Well, the unique thing is, when I was faced with that risk, there were several factors at play that are at play right now. So 20 years later, there are still critical factors in the decision making process that reflect really who I am. Number one partnership, because when the company started, I had someone that I was partnering with. When we decided to move out on our own, there were other people around me that were willing to take that risk with me. So, for me, the need to have someone that was alongside of me, someone that we're working with that I wasn't holding at all on my own that was extremely important to me. Someone that we're working with, that I wasn't holding it all on my own that was extremely important to me, and so I've always had that type of partnership or small team around to take the risk, because I think that I need that kind of help.

Speaker 2:

That was the first thing. The second thing is asking for help. I know that I have always asked for help. I was asking for help on how to break away from the university, how to make it on my own, so I had people that were mentoring or coaching me. That's very similar, um. The third thing is, uh, finances. Uh, you know, 20 years ago I really had no idea um how to run a business financially.

Speaker 2:

Um, and that's significantly changed after having you know just how things are structured now. Um, that's different, um. But the other thing that is very similar is I could see in my mind a way forward, like I could see a pathway to get there. Huh, and that was relevant 25 years ago. It was relevant 20 years ago and it's relevant now. I can see just far enough ahead to know that we can make this risk now and build out a whole new side of how it is that we're choosing to serve our clients. I can see it far enough ahead to know that we're headed in the right direction, and that's really all the confidence that I need to get me going.

Speaker 1:

What do you mean? You could see?

Speaker 2:

it Like 20 years ago. I could see how we could make it as a company. I think we had enough clients that we were engaged with so I could see where the finances were coming from. I knew what our core services were, because we were working with strengths, and there are people out there that were willing to help, like you, who are willing to help and come alongside to see what they could add. That same thing is now. We've been growing our team. We've been having people that are coming alongside with very specific capacities and capabilities that have the same kind of vision in mind. That's the same thing that we're doing right now, so there's still a high degree of similarity.

Speaker 1:

So we connected in 2007. And I don't know the exact month or what part of that year, but I remember thinking this guy has got his act together. This guy has got all of his ducks in a row, really knows what he's doing, and so you know to learn later that you were essentially starting not with no idea, but, as you said, you've learned and grown a lot over the year. It's interesting how you maybe what's going on internally sometimes doesn't match, perhaps where you think you're at.

Speaker 1:

How do you think, or maybe what are some of the ways that your own like you just talked about finances, like how much you've grown and just that part of the business. You just talked about finances, how much you've grown and just that part of the business. How do you think your own leadership style or leadership abilities or leadership somethings has grown and changed over the 25 years and what do you think is still the same you mentioned at the core of the business is still the same. What about the core of you? What's still the same and what has really grown and changed over that time? Is that too big of a question to ask in this therapy?

Speaker 2:

hour here, thank you. What has maintained the same with?

Speaker 2:

me is like it's really my need to be with a person and watch them light up as we talk about who they really are, like their unique identity. To sit with someone and to have that conversation and to ask them questions and to watch them tell their story and to learn lessons about who they are and how they form relationships and how they relied on their own skills to get them over really challenging situations or how they've suffered and learned from that. That, to me, just brings me to life. Situations or how they've suffered and learned from that. That, to me, just brings me to life and I feel that that has always been there. And I was just telling someone the other day where we were in a conversation about someone saying or someone asking us about our audiences and how the audiences have gotten bigger and how that's affected me, and I said, no matter what the size of the audience, I still want to have that conversation with somebody and so I think that part of me, you know, is staying true.

Speaker 2:

The other side of me that's really changing is, I don't know, I wouldn't say fearless. There's a lot of fear, but my willingness to make asks, my willingness to I clearly state what I see and then ask what someone else sees and find some kind of compromise or connection there. If I could go back 20 years to my younger self and talk to him about the types of people he'd be talking to 25 years from then, he wouldn't believe it. Or how I talk with people, that's really changed. I've realized that many the the ghosts and goblins I was afraid of 20 years ago really don't exist. That's funny. That's funny. Um, I also believe that I am learning how to rely on others beyond my comfort zone. We hired Deb Dixon as our senior advisor many months ago and in some of the final conversations with her before she was hired we were talking about her role and how her role was to oversee and direct all things book. And she looked at me and she said are you willing to let me lead it?

Speaker 2:

She said I've known you for eight years, you know as your client, and what I'm impressed with is your control, but I believe that that's the thing that's going to keep this from happening. Keep this.

Speaker 2:

She said that to you, wow, and Linda's my witness, cause she's on the call and I just kind of sat there and I kind of said, yeah, like I'm learning, um, because number one she meant it, and number two, I know that that's a thing of mine uh, like a, an area of vulnerability that's gotten me into trouble before. And for Deb to say that was for me the invitation to truly trust her, to truly let her execute on this in a way that I could never do it. I feel like I've struggled with that process because in letting go, there are other parts of what we've done that I've had to take more ownership of, and that's all on me so that kind of relying on team members.

Speaker 2:

that's been a challenge, Something I'm still growing in and something I'm still evolving into.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I don't see that or I like that, obviously, the interaction with you and Deb or what's happening there. But I can sort of sense that that's going on how clearly like delegated or like that's your job, deb. Do it where I feel like even I don't know three or four years ago you would have been all up in all those details unnecessarily oh yeah, that's, that's a that's a. That's cool um.

Speaker 2:

Part of it is, I'm afraid, of deb kind of I am too just a little bit um that's probably. Here's the um. There's a reality there that I want to admit out loud. There were so many things in this process. Now clearly we're not done. We have two months to go and who knows what's going to happen, but in the last six months there has been there have been so, so, so many layers of this process because of all the different companies are working with that.

Speaker 2:

I have no idea what's happening and I cannot list you how many times um deb and ann have taken care of something blocked linda and I from knowing about it until it was done or until it was time for us to get involved, and that has not only accelerated the process, but it has kept my mind on the client engagements that we have, the creativity that we have in innovating around our new products and allowing Deb and Ann to do their job.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I want to go back to something you said about no matter how big of a platform, you still love the process of one-on-one conversation and watching people light up. I think a lot of that. Well, we've used strengths as a tool forever. I'm curious to know why that is, because I don't know that we would identify ourselves as a strengths company anymore in the way that we used to, but it's still a part of what we do and I'm just curious if you could touch on why that is, why the importance and continued use of yes, this one tool in particular, but maybe more of the philosophy in general, over 25 years, it seems like there's so many new things that come and go that people try and try something else and do that. But why that?

Speaker 2:

Well, number one. I'm still a massive advocate and entrepreneur innovator with how to use strengths. The reason why I believe in it so strongly is because it is a psychometric. It is rooted in positive psychology, something that I studied in my undergraduate. Our whole approach and how we do our consulting and executive coaching and our speaking is framed by the characteristics of positive psychology. So that's what I like, because I also believe that the strengths language has always been about emphasizing and amplifying what is good and right about human beings, and fundamentally I believe in the goodness of people and if there's a tool out there that can amplify, can identify what is beautiful and brilliant about that and our work can amplify that. I'm about that every single day. And the reason why strengths is important to me is because I understand the history of where strengths came from. I knew the people that created it and I understand that part of what we're trying to do is really pull up or pull up the shades or draw back the curtain on someone's internal light and let the world be enlightened by the brightness of someone's beauty. That's why I continue to use that tool Now as I've matured or gotten not mature, but as I've gotten older I've also realized this that it's also important for me to be somewhat tool agnostic, because there are many tools out there that are doing the same thing.

Speaker 2:

There are amazing executive coaches and consultants and speakers that use tools and the implication of their tool is to do the same thing. There are amazing executive coaches and consultants and speakers that use tools and the implication of their tool is to do the same thing, is to elevate and heighten someone's awareness of their unique personality, their emotions, their unique aspirations in life. And so for me to come alongside and say, well, one tool is better than the other is to really exclude me from the conversation. I want us to be included in the conversation about health and well-being, how it can be professionally engaged and emotionally healthy. Whatever tool someone chooses, well, I don't care, but what I do care more about is the process. So, yes, we're still massive advocates and voices in the strength-based movement. Yes, in the use of tools.

Speaker 2:

And how that applies to our book is I really believe that in the last 25 years, we don't bring judgment to how someone shows up or what they believe or what their lived experience is, because the shape that someone presents to us when we meet them isn't the shape that someone has to stay. There's something within us that can evolve or can emerge if we go through a series of changes or a process of transformation to become more whole and self-accepting of who we are, more in love with ourselves. That, I believe, is fundamental to this next era is how can we really be committed to the work that we've always done? How can we take the work that we've always done and open it up to more people and to more practitioners? And what is a unique metaphor to demonstrate that? I believe that we've landed on that with the Uragami Crane. I believe that we've landed on that with the origami crane.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, sorry, I'm trying to think of my next question. The name of the company is Leadership Vision Consulting. We've kind of dropped consulting, but it's too expensive to get a different URL Leadership Vision Vision. What does that mean? The book talks a lot about this origami crane who had this vision that they wanted to be a paper plane. Yep, um, talk about that word specifically from the 1999 brian to the 2025 brian. How has that word changed and evolved? Yeah, it's somewhat open-ended.

Speaker 2:

Just talk to me about vision In the beginning there was a word, and that word was leadership, Leadership, vision. The name comes from two philosophies, and these philosophies are the same that I carry with me today. Number one I believe that everyone's a leader, and by leader I mean that all people have influence, influence on the environment around them, the people and the relationships that they're in. And when we have influence with and among others, we are, in a way, leading them by our example. So I really still I do still believe strongly that everyone's a leader, that there's something inside of each one of us that can inspire and influence others and in that way, we are, in a way, leading them.

Speaker 2:

Vision. Why vision? Because I believe that each person has a unique vision, a unique perspective. That is the way that they see the world, how they interpret color and feeling and emotions and in their environments, and that unique vision is how they process information and who they belong to, how they form their relationships. Their vision is what inspires them to dream. Their vision could be what inspires them to do something that they would never really believe they could do because they saw it. And vision to me is also a sense of do because they saw it. And vision to me is also a sense of inspiration, something that's more internal, more of your gut, that inspires us to look somewhere else. That vision, that perspective of what we bring to the world. I believe that that also needs to be amplified and heard in other people.

Speaker 2:

So for me, the name Leadership Vision is as important as it always has been.

Speaker 2:

And with the book, the origami crane has a dream to fly and she sees her vision. She sees an example of flight and it is that vision that inspires her to take the first initial steps of change. And it's that vision that also inspires her to ask for help, to go through transformation so that she can actually achieve her dream of flight. And it's through the process of transformation that she is inviting others into the process and that way she too is leading those around her. So leadership vision is as tightly woven and integrated into our daily work as it was in the beginning. I would argue even more, because it is a central part of the main thread of what makes our book come to life for me, and that is each one of us have dreams, and those dreams can inspire us to unfold our greatest potential. And it isn't until we begin to really believe that we can dream that we will be able to begin to explore Explore who we are as people, what resources we have around us and who can help us.

Speaker 1:

Brian, I love that and I'm going to butcher this, so correct this. But one of my favorite parts in the book is this idea, or I don't know if favorite's the right word, but the part that made me think a lot is there's this idea where Osi the Oregon crane has Our main character. It's scary, she's comfortable, it's like I could I don't really necessarily have to turn into a plane Like I can. I can stay this way and some of the other characters are encouraging her to do that.

Speaker 1:

But through the process of unfolding and refolding and all of that, and I wonder how many people, how many leaders you've seen over the years who have a vision to be a plane, have just and let's say, plane is a metaphor for something bigger and brighter than they are now.

Speaker 1:

But because it's too hard, because it's like, well, actually where I'm at now isn't bad, it's just maybe a little okay, they just they don't. They don't go through that process and I don't know, maybe to close things out, how would you because you've gone through that process time and time again in this 25 years, I don't know, maybe to close things out how would you, because you've gone through that process time and time again in this 25 years. I don't even know what I'm asking here, other than maybe what are some tips or advice or ways that you have forced yourself to change over the 25 years to get to this other place where you wanted to go, like, what are some of the things that have allowed you to do that and not be like you know what? It's okay, this isn't what I want exactly, but it's good enough, you know, and not subtle maybe is what I'm asking this is going to be good.

Speaker 2:

Can you, can you find a question in there. What you're referencing, nathan, is a scene and it's a main plot line in the book. What I think is interesting about dreams is no one tells you about the dreams deception, and I think the dreams deception is that we can reach our dreams from the place they originate.

Speaker 1:

We can reach our dreams through the place, from the place from dreams originate.

Speaker 2:

Okay, unpack that. I'm going to unpack that, thank you. I believe dreams are birth where we're at and dreams are achieved somewhere else, and the journey from here to there requires us to change, to ask for help, to not give up and to experience transformation, because I believe that, like in our story, there are many people that think that they can reach their dreams from where they are, with their current skill sets, and what we're inviting people to do is to imagine what skills or capacities that they have that they may not have resourced yet, that they'll need to achieve their dreams. To achieve their dreams, and are you willing to go through the process of letting some things go, turning some new things over, trying and experimenting, asking for help, overcoming fear and anxiety and stress to really be able to transform, to achieve something that you thought was impossible?

Speaker 1:

That's good, and I can't help but think in that. So you and I are running the Boston Marathon together this year. I don't know how much together there will be, if you're going to leave me at some point.

Speaker 2:

Depends on whose plan you're going to be running with.

Speaker 1:

But, as you were talking, this has been something I've been working towards for 10 years. I never thought it was possible.

Speaker 2:

I already knew it was possible for you to get to the Boston Marathon.

Speaker 1:

But all of that is true, like changing, like what got you here is not going to get you there, and being willing to change and experiment and go through pain and go through setbacks, but not giving up. And sometimes I just think, if I can apply that same idea to other areas of my life, things would be. I mean, other things are bad life things would be. I mean, other things are bad. But I'm just excited for this book to come out, to get an actual physical copy in my hands that I can reference instead of like scrolling up and down in a google doc like where's that part again?

Speaker 1:

so your whole training process.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it completely maps to the story of the book, because you know that I think you have so much talent just folded away that I just I've seen you run. I just I believe you have that and I think that each time you attempt a marathon you try something new. You've always done that. You tried new training plans and you you do really stretch yourself and you push yourself to find new limits, to find new barriers to work through stuff. You always do that and you ask for help.

Speaker 2:

You ask for help in more complex ways than I ever asked for help, that's true, and you rely on that help to get you to the markers and the goals that you have in your training program.

Speaker 2:

But then it's always going to come down to race day and you tend to do really well with someone else beside you, and that's really the pathway that we're talking about with just life, Like who is it that's going to help you along the way?

Speaker 2:

And, nathan, one of the things that I've realized with you is you have groups of people that help you get to certain things in your life that are for that distinct journey and for a different part of your life. You have different people for that journey, and what I think is unique about you is you have a much broader resource group than I ever had, or that I ever resourced, because that's just the way that you're wired just the way that you're wired. And so I think that there are a lot of lessons that people can learn from the way that you train and do life, about how to ask for help, how to experiment and practice, how to really dial in on what is going to work, and then what you'll always do better than me on race day have more fun with it than I will. That's true.

Speaker 1:

Well, and to bring this back. So when I hit record, we were talking about the book the Comfort Crisis, which is essentially about how do you push and challenge yourself out of our most of our very comfortable existence to really see what we're made of, to maybe try things and fail and experiment and to do different things.

Speaker 1:

And there's a whole section in the book where he's talking about how impermanent most things are in life, just the idea of impermanence, and so even if you're trying something and it's not going well, it'll be over soon and you can try something else. And I think that's in part what the book is about too, as this little origami crane keeps throwing herself off the slide and just keeps running to trees and whatever else. It's like the first so much like life the first two times you do that you're like this hurts, I'm done.

Speaker 2:

Um, but don't give up.

Speaker 1:

Maybe that's that's the secondary, tertiary message here. I don't know.

Speaker 2:

But anyway, how many things in life, Nathan, what we try. Life, Nathan, what we try, if we're guaranteed a 50% chance of success, if everything goes well, which is central to that book. That to me, is just how many things in life I've never done. If that was the risk, yeah.

Speaker 1:

One of the things my kids will say to me if I'm like, hey, try this new food, they're like well, what if I don't like it? I was like, but what if you do like it? What if this is your new favorite thing? And if you don't try it, you won't know. Right now you have a 50-50 shot, so let's try it and then you'll learn something about it. And I think people, kids, adults, everybody is sometimes too afraid of trying things because they're always worried about the worst case scenario versus the best case scenario.

Speaker 2:

And you know what I think? If we, as people, are willing to take the risk, we will also find that there are people in our lives that are willing to inspire us through their wisdom, through the lessons that they've learned, and they're willing to teach us how to take the next few steps. And we will also recognize that there are people in our lives who always believe that we could do it, and they were there, waiting on the other side of the obstacle, to encourage us and to welcome us into that new place that we didn't know we were going to get to. Those people are there too, and they are just as important as the ones that are there to help us dust the dirt off and try again.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Leadership Vision Podcast, our show helping you build positive team culture For more resources about developing yourself, your team or your whole organization. You can visit the link in the show notes or visit us on the web at leadershipvisionconsultingcom. Unfolded Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane comes out June 4th 2025. You can go to shoobringscom or click the link in the show notes to learn more about that. I'm Nathan Friberg and I'm Brian Shubring and, on behalf of our entire team, thanks for listening.