Across The Desk With Elizabeth Plouffe

Does your knee act like a jerk when change happens? Would someone providing a new way of thinking be helpful? If your organization is experiencing some changes that have your team flipping out and the change stalling, perhaps you need someone like Laura to come in and give you some new ways to save your knees. Your business can't afford to cling to practices that could bring it to its knees.

Sometimes you go in a meeting with an agenda. Or at least an idea for the meeting. And sometimes something better happens. Today at Ballsy, we discussed how to manage your employees and what happens when a project causes a rift in the organization. We touched on how to take a time out and whether that should include social media (gasp!). We ended on the importance of recognizing what truly rejuvenates us and what feeds our "addictions". Mine is strategy and reading books. Not great when you also have a podcast about strategy and reading books ...

Since becoming an entrepreneur, I've had a lot of learning to do. Not just about business but about myself. I've always been considered a bit of a "rebel" though not in the conventional sense. I don't have any desire to get a Mohawk and I don't have the body (any more) to rock some of the rebel fashions. Plus they look awfully uncomfortable and if it doesn't work for me, I don't wear it. That's where the rebel comes in. I speak my mind. I take chances. I do things most people in my circle wouldn't try. Like a podcast ;) 3 years ago, however, I was still transitioning from employee to entrepreneur. I was falling on my ass that's for sure. Getting tired of that pretty quickly, I turned to my trusty books. Diving in to business books, books on skills I wanted to develop and books on leaders helped me to dust my ass off and keep going. Jen Sincero's book is not only for where I was 3 years ago but where I'm heading for the next 30. If you'd like to turn your bruised ass in to a badass, take a listen.

Christa Pepper is a personal trainer, coach and empowerment #badass which is why I invited her to have a chat with on Across The Desk. As ways of an introduction I asked Christa to tell me who she works with: "I work with women who've tried it ALL to lose the weight - the pills, the shakes, the crash diets, the do or die attempts and the voodoo magic, really, desperate times call for desperate measures, right?! I work with women who are ready for a different approach, a lasting change."

Do you ever stop and wonder how much your mindset directly influences your business? Could prejudices or scarcity be holding your business back? This is something that's fascinated me for years and after quite a few experiences left me scratching my brain in perplexity, I decided to chat about it.

Sometimes networking is freaking hard. If you're an introvert (or just having a bad damn day), it doesn't matter how much your business needs it, you just don't want to. It's time for some personal growth. It's time to develop tips and tricks that turn opportunities you might not have thought of in to networking that could work for you. Today on Ballsy, we cover evaluating value of networking, where you should take some risks with developing your pitch and how building your tribe can be painless :)

When you first start anything, you can be caught in the "prove it" mindset. It has a slight whiff of desperation and earnestness that is common to all people starting something new. Let's face it, if you're cocky right off the bat, people will pummel you at some point. But when the shift comes, and it will, from proving to demonstrating, there's no feeling like it in the world.

Lalit is a Business Transformation Specialist and a Thought Leader in Digital Strategy. He has led and managed organisational transformations for customers across the Asia Pacific region. Currently he works with the top customers of SAP to drive innovation and transformation that can create new business value. A strong believer in chasing his dreams, he has varied experiences that go beyond the typical corporate realm. A Diploma in Film Making led him to script and direct numerous videos. Lalit is the author of “When Change Happens” – a story of Organisational Transformation. “Change Management is not a practice where one size fits all. It needs to be adapted, improvised and then fitted to the needs and demands of the organisation. And my book does exactly that.”

Stefano is a Microsoft MVP and Chapter Leader of CRMUG Switzerland. He is a regular speaker at international conferences including Microsoft Ignite, NDC, API World and Developer Week. Stefano is passionate about life experiences, technology and traveling. His interests span across Dynamics 365, Office 365 and AI related technologies. Stefano’s Spark the Change Topic at Pune: “Internet 4.0, the Age of the Blockchain” Spark Theme: Disruption & Change

I don't have cable anymore. This is not a groundbreaking thing for most folks. For me, I've become dependent on Netflix and discovered Jerry Seinfeld again. Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is my addiction. And the wise words from this long standing comedian? Pain is knowledge rushing in to fill a gap. Blew my mind. Listen up and find out how you can live with less pain :)

I loved what I wrote but did not love what I said. SO! This is new track. Why? 'Cuz it's my damn podcast and I can. I'm not a huge fan of "it" words. Start using things like empowerment and be your why and I start heading for the door. That's not to say there isn't value in any of those things. I just have to get over the nausea first. That's a bit of what todays' Entrepreneurial Entrails is about. Getting over your crap. The things that get in your way. The things that hold your business back. Me? It's because I have some inherent need to make everything harder for myself so it feels like it has value. Comes too easy? Psh. Worthless. Stay tuned. Some shit's about to go sideways.

Andrea Darabos joins us on the Spark Cafe to discuss her upcoming workshop and speaking gig with Spark the Change India! Build a Positive Cycle of Organisational Purpose, Strengths and Creativity Workshop: Play to your Strengths with StrongSuits: Practitioner and Facilitator

3 time zones come together for this Spark Cafe. We welcome Anant East who will be speaking at this year's Spark the Change India!

Spark Cafe welcomes Nilesh Kulkarni who is the winner of our Golden Ticket from Management 3.0 ! We were heart warmed to speak with Nilesh and discover the excitement and enthusiasm he's feeling towards coming to the first Spark the Change India! Sit down and take a few minutes to meet this lovely gentleman who is an agile coach in Pune and now a Spark advocate!

I'm joined today by the hysterical and madly skilled Karen Swyszcz from Makin' the Bacon. What do we chat about? Well, many things including why vowels are missing from her name, how she got started in the blogosphere and some crazy myths that businesses use to not blog. One of our shared passions is teaching businesses that there are better and easier ways to communicate for your business. And communicate you must. If you believe that building a website and occasionally putting up a blog post are enough to have you fending off the business offers, well, you're wrong. Very wrong. Join us for a fun filled, informative and snort inducing chat about the why's and wherefore's of makin' the bacon!

How often do you schedule time to learn in your business? Do you even see that as part of your business? Or do you think you know enough? Lots of questions I know. Today I had the chance to attend a great event at the DeGroote School of Business here in Burlington and get some answers. The event was a panel discussion on the advent of digital marketing and how organizations need to keep the conversation going. It was a great opportunity to reinforce what I already know but to also remind me how important learning is for your clients. Today? Today I learned the importance of creating thumb stopping moments. Curious? Have some questions? Well let's provide some answers shall we?

Karen’s mission statement: “To engage, educate and enable people working in projects and organisations, so that their individual efforts can make a positive impact.” Over the past decade, Karen has worked with various groups within the mining and project management sectors. Karen is a geological engineer, project manager, sustainability expert and change agent with 20 years of experience based out of Saskatoon in Canada; someone who believes that the greatest value can only be derived through common goals, healthy engagement and collaboration to reduce wasteful practices. Karen is a strategic forward thinker with strengths in binding together data, information and people, to identify risks and opportunities to solve complex challenges including leading teams through transformational change. Karen’s topic at Spark the Change: Design to engage and align for project success Spark Theme: Unleashing people

I'd like to tell you this is an interview with Jen Sincero and I'm all fancy like that. But it's not. What I can tell you is that I've just finished reading her latest book, You Are a Badass at Making Money, and it's freaking awesome. Wise Words on Across the Desk is an opportunity to give honest feedback about some of the crazy number of books I read and either recommend or advise you to steer clear. It could be said I'm the cattle prod of book reviewers ... If Jen Sincero can be the cattle prod of motivational speakers and get rich, then hey, why not me too? Take a moment to get inspired to get your financial mindset under control. One day, when I'm feeling brave, I'll read you the letters to money that I wrote and you'll see what change is possible. Universal Intelligence: show me the money!

Sunil, working as a Principal Consultant at Thoughtworks, is a Pragmatic Agile & Lean Evangelist and Systems Thinker. He has extensive international experience in consulting with organisations on the path of Lean Transformation and Change. Sunil’s topic at Spark the Change: Infuse Life, Embrace Change Spark Theme: Disruption and Change

Rich is an international Change Management Professional from Canada. He is also a founding member of the Association of Change Management Professionals. He has successfully delivered change for over 25 years globally. His legacy also includes developing the change delivery model for the UK government. Rich is an international speaker and has also been involved at Spark the Change in Toronto, his recent-most involvement being this year where I also had a chance to say hello to Rich over the Robot that I participated from at the Spark Toronto conference.