The amazing Pat Kahle is our guest on this week’s episode. Pat has 25 years of experience in the financial services industry and 10 more years of experience as an entrepreneur. She serves as President of the Union County Chamber and has overseen its recent growth and expanded mission, including: workforce development, manufacturing, small business support, and specific programming for women and young professionals. Her incredible efforts led to her being recognized as the Union County Woman of the Year for 2011 and we are so excited to welcome her here to talk to all of us.
Pat has assembled her amazing Chamber team by maintaining a large network and prioritizing attitude, not skills, in her hiring. She talks about the importance of integrity and transparency within leadership and how to approach negative situations. Pat’s deep understanding of team building and leadership has allowed her to work with hundreds of businesses and she shares so many of her impactful insights on this show, including:
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5 things to model as a leader
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The importance of integrity
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How to find the best people for your team
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And much much more
We also find out her top pick for the best leadership book, the lasting advice her mentor gave her, and her word of the year for 2021. Don’t miss a moment of this awesome conversation. Listen now!
Mentioned in this episode:
Transcript
Pat Kahle: Do honor or credit to someone by one’s presence. To grace someone with your presence. And so I really took that to mean be present in the moment.
Voiceover: You’re listening to the Vibrant Leadership Podcast with leadership speaker and consultant Nicole Greer.
Nicole Greer: Hey everybody this is Nicole Greer the Vibrant Coach and welcome to another episode of the Vibrant Leadership Podcast. Today I have none other than the lovely the talented and very cool glasses Pat Kahle with me today. And you got to know that she is an amazing businesswoman and in fact she she’s not technically a coach but I know that she coaches and consults and works with businesses every day. And it’s helping people do amazing things with their business.
Let me tell you a little bit about her. Pat has served as the president of the Union County Chamber since September of 2013 and in her tenure the membership of her chamber has grown by 30%. And the chamber’s work plan has expanded to include a more robust programming and workforce development, manufacturing small business support, diversity, inclusion in specific programming for women and young professionals. So when I say she knows business people and leadership I mean she knows it. So Pat has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry so she knows how to read a P&L, she knows how to make money. And over 10 years experience as an entrepreneur herself.
Pat’s dedication to community service and volunteer leadership was recognized when she was named Union County woman of the year in 2011 and one of Mecklenburg okay so for those of you not North Carolina, Mecklenburg is the county that Charlotte is in. Charlotte, North Carolina’s and she was the Mecklenburg Times 50 Most Influential Women in 2015 because she is kicking it in Union County and Pat is a graduate of the US Chamber of Foundations Institute of Organization Management and the North Carolina Chamber’s first cohort of the US Chambers Talent Pipeline Management Program. Which means she’s a high potential and that she’s in line to take over the United States of America tabor. So please welcome to the Vibrant Leadership Podcast. Pat, I’m so happy you’re here. How are you?
Pat: Oh I’m great and listen I’m so excited to be with you any day that I can be with you and have a conversation is great. And then to be on your podcast like I’m honored this is great.
Nicole: Well I gotta tell you you know what you got here is because you know don’t miss this people this this is a testimony to your leadership when one of your employees calls up and says oh you should have your book my boss on your podcast. And I was like I can do that. I was just so impressed with Miss Jessica right. She’s like I’m just telling you Pat can tell people all about leadership because she’s amazing.
Pat: She’s so good. Yes she confessed when I said Nicole invited me to be on her podcast. And she had the look. Wait a minute I think you I think a little bird has something to do with that. Then thank you for having me she’s so kind, she’s just a wonderful team member and I’m very blessed to have her on our team.
Nicole: Yeah well my guess is is that you also know about talent management. You saw her in an interview you said I’m going to scoop her up.
Pat: Absolutely
Nicole: Well yeah well I love to start out the podcast with just kind of getting all of my leadership guru’s opinions on like what, how do you describe leadership? What’s your definition? If you had to put it in the dictionary, what would you say?
Pat: Let’s see. This is always a great question. To me leadership is how you influence a team to achieve a common goal. And I know I don’t have to tell you this and I know that those who listen to you know this because they they are part of the SHINE network, but it does it’s not about title, it’s not about position. It truly is about the influence you have with others to get them to maximize their efforts to hit the goal right. And I think that’s the best definition I know. Because that’s truly what it is, isn’t it? It’s using your influence in a positive way to get a team to move toward a goal.
Nicole: That’s right, that’s right. Yeah and so as we said in Pat’s bio, you know she’s been moving her chamber forward for a long long time. So so just kind of going down that bunny trail for a second, you know the chamber is a place where businesses come to plug in, get to know other businesses network and that kind of thing. So so to me what are the leadership skills you’ve put to work to get that kind of growth in your chamber which is really amazing growth for a chamber.
Pat: Oh, that’s an excellent question. So as you read in my bio I’ve led teams in the past and I’ll be honest with you they’ve all been in the for-profit world. And so the first day that I came to the chamber, I can remember after the goes through the whole process, and I’m sitting at the desk, what do I know about running a chamber? Nothing. But then you back off of that. And you just you go back to the basics, right? So the skills like building trust, I mean, really, the team I had here, it’s a little different these days, we’ve had retirements and people have moved to take on their own chambers and so forth. But it’s about building that trust, right? Is it the team building part is around identifying the skills you need, making sure the right people are in the right seats on the bus, right, John Gordon.
It’s about listening. It’s about setting a very clear vision and communicating it again, and again. And again, with clarity, setting those measurable goals. I know you’re all about smarts, my friend. It’s making sure those are there. It is encouraging leadership in others. Because I again, I don’t believe leadership’s about position. They’re situational leadership opportunities for everyone on this team, and encouraging that in in their skill set. And then it’s personal accountability. For me, it’s making sure that I live in integrity, and that I do what I say I’m going to do. And sometimes it’s getting out of their way. They can get stuff done. I feel sometimes like I’m the block and tackler. My goal is as a leader is oftentimes to remove the obstacles that are in their pathway so they can achieve what they can do. Right. And I’ve got a great team.
Nicole: Yeah, you did you have a fantastic team. And I think that’s part of it. So there was a lot that she just said in that very short amount of time. So I don’t want you all to miss it. So Pat, I like to like make sure that my people are taking notes. Okay, so one thing that I think is important that Pat said is that you’ve got to have a vision. And what I kind of read between the lines is, you know, what, you have to know what you’re going to say about where we’re going, you know, like actually have like, their I say a speech prepared. And then Pat said you have to tell it, and you have to tell it. And you have to tell it. Right? So I adore that.
Pat: And you do because we all you know how it is we only what is it, we only retain 10% of what we hear. And so we have to see it, we have to see it in action, I believe very strongly in modeling the behavior that you want in others. And so again, it goes back to living in integrity, being sure that you’re the kind of leader and a quick story about one of my team members around this. When she came to work here, we actually before we had a conversation, she said, You know, I never really wanted to to lead others, I really didn’t want that responsibility.
And I think to myself, what kind of leaders have you had in your world that have set such a bad example for you that you feel you, you don’t want to be that person. And and I’m very blessed to say that over time. She not only me, not just modeling my behavior, but also another team member. And she said, I’ve really come to believe I think I can do this. And I know she can do it. Because she’s just she’s a very talented individual. But you think about the impact you have on others. And in Wouldn’t that be just the saddest statement of your leadership to think that you have negatively impacted someone else in that way that they don’t want to be a leader?
Nicole: Yeah, yeah. And it all goes back to your definition of influence, right? You know, so my my whole thing is, you know, you come in the door, and you’re either going to bring light, or you’re going to bring darkness and that’s why we must shine, right. And so and, and you’re right it to think that you had such an influence over somebody that you you really damaged that like maybe the trajectory of their entire career, which impacts their earning, which impacts their family. I mean, leadership is such a high, high, high responsibility. And two times now, don’t miss this everybody two times.
Now, Pat has said the integrity is important. And I couldn’t agree more. One of the things that I do a lot of times when I work with groups is I talk about the quality of your character. And that you know that quality of your character is the thing that will carry your leadership. So talk a little bit about integrity. How does a leader actually demonstrate integrity? We’re kind of going off the questions we talked about beforehand, but you’re already got me going down some great bunny trails here, which I love.
Pat: Yeah. And I think the most important one is you have to have that integrity in order to build the trust, right? Trust comes when you know that I’m going to live up to what I said I’m going to do, and I know you are the same way. So I think the first part of integrity is being transparent. You know, in the experience that we’ve had over the past 12 months, there have been a lot of companies who’ve had to deliver bad news. And all along this pathway that we’ve been on, I make sure whether it’s good news or bad news that I’m as transparent as I can be. I don’t ever want anyone to be surprised when it comes to review time.
I don’t want them to be surprised if we’re going through a tough time as an organization or team. So I believe very strongly in transparency. I believe very strongly in personal accountability. I’m as accountable to my team as they are to me as their leader, and so I believe that if I say I’m going to do something I’m going to do it or I’m going to circle back around and let you know. I thought I could deliver. I can’t but here’s here’s the next step does that work for you? And I also believe in in having having each other’s backs, and I don’t mean that in a cover your self kind of way, I just mean
Nicole: Cover your fanny kind of thing.
Pat: Yeah thank you for that. I’m trying to keep it real PC here. But I think it’s when when you have as a team member, when you have a struggle or you you’re not sure how to deal with something, that I’m the first person you want to come see as your leader. Not because because you trust me that what I’m going to do is partner with you to solve the problem. To help you through it. Or at least if nothing else, to listen and maybe offer you some thoughts about that might get your juices flowing that you can fix it. That’s what I mean by covering your back. About getting your back is that you trust me enough to bring any situation to me, because I don’t like surprises, no leader does.
We want to know what’s going on good, bad or ugly. And on the other side of that to build that trust you have to be comfortable that you can bring anything to me. We can have that conversation with honesty and integrity, learn from it if it’s one of those moments. And then on the other side of that, celebrate when we go through it together right. And so I think that’s very important. Transparency, going back again and and making sure that we trust each other to do the right things and then I’m going to deliver when I when I promised you I would.
Nicole: Yeah I think doing what you say you’re going to do is absolutely essential to the process. And you know I’m kind of you know all the times I will ask people when I have seminars and stuff I’ll be like okay so first thing I want you to do is I want you to I want you to tell your neighbor the person next to you the story of the best boss you ever had. And it still surprises me but I don’t think it’s the answer people would think would come but they say well they were really strict. They were really hard on me. They love me.
But like this is the best boss they ever had. And usually it’s like well I had this easygoing laid back boss. We don’t want that. We want somebody who’s gonna hold us in integrity and hold us to a high level. And I love what you said about modeling. So so tell me it sounds like you’ve developed some people because they’ve gone on to do their own chamber. They know they got hired away from you. So so how does a leader what are the things we need to model. What are the things that are essential that we model?
Pat: Oh that’s great. I think it goes back to listening and I know how I know how you feel about listening you those areas of listening that you talk about often. But I think it’s about that active listening about truly being in the moment being present. Whether that’s with another team member or whether that’s with in our case a member or customer client. It’s making sure that that we are present and and and that I think encourages them. I also think that your comment about best boss not always being the one who’s the the kind, you know who’s always about oh we’re best buds and all of that. I don’t really think team members expect that.
I don’t think they do. Friendly yes have fun definitely. But we do have a job to do, we are moving toward a common goal, but I think it’s also about how you handle the bad the negative things that come up. And they come up every single day right. We overcome challenges every day. That’s part of business. That’s part of the world we live in. How we handle that. Again I go back to if a team member comes to me I say to them all the time if you’re if you’ve hit a brick wall or you have a member who has a problem, I’m the first person you want to come see because we’ll talk it out. And then I have to be receptive to that don’t I. Ican’t say that to you and then you come to me and then I lose my mind and pull out my hair and rant and rave. I have to be calm about it and listen in, so I tried to do the things that I would like to see them do with each other.
And with our members and those of course are our customers. And I also again I go back to I want them to act with integrity integrity not just with me but with each other in our members. And so again I try to be sure that that I don’t say one thing and do another which I think is a breach of integrity as well. I also think how we treat other people members. Are we responsive or do we respond in a timely manner? Do we treat them with integrity? Are we honest in our dealings? Are we putting our believer strongly as servant leadership? And so are we putting the needs of the team above our personal needs? I am quite confident no member of my team would ever say oh well you know Pat did anything whether it was the financial gain or a personal gain. I have no doubt they would say that because they know that is not who I am. I put the needs of our team first and I anticipate they will as well.
Nicole: Yeah I love that. I love that and and for those of you who are big readers and if you’re not a big reader, Nicole Greer’s is gonna say it again. You have to read books about business and about leadership. That’s the that’s the only way you’re going to get the and it’s surprising to me how many people don’t read. When I interview people Pat I say what book are you reading right now? And the ones that can just fly with it i’m like okay there’s a good one there’s somebody who’s doing some learning right.
But iIm hearing you I’m hearing you talk about servant leadership which you know I’m pretty sure you’ve probably heard a talk but also have read up on it. And then also I heard you mentioned situational leadership. So I’m hearing you you kind of mash two leadership styles. If you are going to describe you know that your leadership style because you have done exceptionally well in your career being an entrepreneur, financial services ,now being in the chamber and getting you know you’re going to take over the world. So tell us like what is unique about your style and what have you borrowed from other other people who speak about leadership. How would you say your leadership style is?
Pat: Oh that’s great I think that um I love to have fun you know that. When you come in or part of anything we do together. I’d love to laugh and have fun and I’m not one who walks around the office all serious you know. I think I trust thatIi’ve hired the right people and if I haven’t then that’s another conversation. But I trust her heart the right people who have the right attitude who want to be successful right. And so I think my style is one where 90% of the time I think, I think I’d like to think they would think so. I’m one to, to that this morning I’ll give you an example. We had a few people in
Nicole: I’d love an example.
Pat: Yep we have few people in the office last week and haven’t used the meeting room since and again we’re still in the throes of COVID. And fortunately things are getting better. But I’m still very cognizant of things being clean and so forth. So we had a group and so I came in this morning we have a staff meeting every monday morning. I came in this morning and rearranged the tables and chairs that we use for the other meeting and wipe them down myself because I wanted to be sure they were comfortable when they came in this morning. That they were coming to a work area that was comfortable for our staff meeting. And so I am the first one that if we have ice or snow I pick up the shovel.
And I believe very strongly that we all have a role to play. And I say often we need to stay in our lanes, we all have a lane that we’re moving in. And that each of our jobs is very important. There is no team member here that if she’s slacking off that we don’t feel it because we’re very small staff of five. And two of those folks are part time. And we’re serving over 700 members. And so I have to I have to do my part they have to do their part. But my part doesn’t mean I just get to come in and sit behind the desk and do nothing. Things have to happen in an organization. So I sweep, I vacuum, I move things out of the way. I schlepped tables when we have an event. I tried to do my part and so that they understand I value them and I’m not going to ask them to do anything i’m not prepared to do right.
Nicole: Absolutely. Yeah you have to be a table schleper right.
Pat: Absolutely.
Nicole: I love that. Yeah I wish I had $1 for every chair I moved into a certain order. Oh my gosh I’d be so rich. It’d be crazy. Okay that’s awesome. Well you know I do want to go down this bunny trail since you know you did hire this great gal Jessica who you know got you on the podcast and who I actually find to be super delightful. We’re getting ready to do an event coming up and it’s gonna be so fun for the women in the chamber so I can’t I can’t wait for that to happen. Well you know how do you find good people? A lot of leaders are like, how do you do that? And I want you to know kind of like the Pat Kahle you know inside scoop on that? What do you, how do you do that?
Pat: I’ll give you two quick examples. I hope they’re quick. You know I can talk. The first one is Jessica. Okay the Jessica story. So we have another team member who took an offer from one of our members, and so she come in, gave us her resignation. And we had known Jessica because she was a member, she worked for a member and that member sold his business. So she her job was affected. So she was doing some some different things. She was doing some consulting and different things. But always, you know, when I, when I say attitude, and I, I get that that person’s a good fit. I always just file them away, stay in touch, not in a kind of a view, oh, I’d love for you to come work for me.
But just keeping up with people, right? Keeping that network, which is what I do that network. And so when that person gave her resignation, I literally walked down so she could share that with her team members. And I walked back to my office, I closed the door, and I made the phone call to Jessica. Are you interested in maybe talking to me about a job. And so Yes! What I did not know fully was what we would be going through, of course with with COVID over the past year, and just all these great skills that were there. And I kind of knew but man, the communication. And the way we reacted was in a large part because of her great skills. Another one is Kim, who was our Director of Operations and Member Services. Kim and I work together in banking.
She didn’t work directly for me, she worked for one of my team members. But when we had a role that I had created, I did some realignment, I knew that was perfect for her. Here’s funny stories. So I call her not to poach, but just to say, do you know anyone? Here’s the job. And she said, no, I really can’t think of anyone. Okay, Plan B. Next day, I got a phone call where you offering me a job. So she came in. So what I do is I is part I mean, I guess that’s why I’m at the chamber is when I say someone, even though we do not have a role for that person at that time, if their attitude and who they are speaks to me. Then when we have an opening that fits their skill set, then I just again, it’s their part, they become part of my network. I don’t let them go.
And and it’s you know, I’ve had people say no, not everyone says yes, but I also have a team member who’s a part time retired banker, again, my brother was in banking. She and I worked together years ago, and she retired from her employer. And I knew she’d be perfect for the role we needed. And she has been awesome. So what I say is when you find the talent, and even if the moments not right, just again, maintaining the network, and then going back when the time’s right, and I don’t typically hire skills are usually something we can teach for the most part, a higher more about attitude, and integrity, and the kind of character that to your point that they have, if they have that we can work just about with anything else.
Nicole: Yeah, so don’t miss what she just said, everybody. Is that your whole entire career, if you’re going to lead and you’re going to build beautiful teams, you’ve got to have your networking gear. So if you’re sitting there thinking, I haven’t talked to anybody from my last job in years, it’s not too late, you can turn around and go back, you can touch people on LinkedIn. I’m a huge believer in LinkedIn, I know that Pat and her team are as well. And you’ve got to stay in touch with people. And you know, we all have studied personality. Pat, I bet you’ve taken everything from Myers Briggs to DISC or whatever. Is that true?
Pat: Yeah, pretty much.
Nicole: Yeah. Pat is a people person. So you know, it’s not hard for her to do people things. But she has to go to that task side. And actually keep up with them. So if you’re, if you’re like a task person, but not a people person, like you have the opposite set of skills you got to grow, right? So it’s about the actual task of keeping up and the actual skill of being able to have conversation and I love that girl said, are you offering me a job?
Pat: She’s like, really? And the other part of that, too, is it goes back to to your reputation as a leader, right? Because you can, right you can build that network and you can still work it, you can do your things. But if you go back to that person, and that person doesn’t believe you have the integrity, integrity or character that they want to work with, they’re not going to come. So again, it goes back to living in integrity and developing that reputation. And want to skip back to something you said a moment ago.
Yes. Being a lifelong learner is critical, critical, right you whether you’re listening to podcasts, which I listened to Nicole Greer in my car, or you’re reading, you know, physically sitting down and reading a book or a Kindle, whatever. Reading is so important because our world is changing so quickly. And just to develop you know, leadership is about developing those skills, right? It’s a hard, it’s a hard thing not hard as in hard, difficult, but hard isn’t, you can learn it, you can make it happen. But you’ve got to develop it, you got to invest in it. And that is about reading. There’s so many great. I mean, people are so knowledgeable, pull that stuff in and keep what’s good for you.
Nicole: Yeah, yeah. So have you had a good read lately you’d like to share with the group. I mean, I think that it’s so important to have something good. This is my new thing. I don’t think it looks very exciting. But I’m hoping I can get through it. But it’s like learning or excuse me, leading the learning function. So like how to lead the training department in your organization. This is going to be my new read. But I’m wondering what you’re reading right now. So let me repeat that, again, leading the learning function, leading the learning function. Tools and techniques to have organizational impact. So this whole thing with COVID and being remote. The other thing I read today was an article from Harvard Business Review.
Listen to this Pat, I know you already know this, like in your gut, because you have your finger on the pulse of everybody, all your 700 members. But they’re saying that people used to think working remotely was like, like, you got that job. It was a coup. He was like, look what I’ve pulled off, I get to stay home and be in my sweatpants or whatever. When now, because of the flip that people are forced home. Now they’re saying that now that the satisfaction with from working from home has dropped 45 points. Since COVID because people were they used to think it was an advantage. Now they’re seeing it as a disadvantage and they’re unmotivated. And there’s like this weird inertia. Like they’re just like getting by every day. So sideways. It’s really interesting to like, if you if you think well, my people are very motivated. You’re right. You got to get on the program here. So. So tell me a little bit about what you’re reading.
Pat: One of my favorite books is Essentialism by Greg McKeown. It’s not a new book, but have you read that?
Nicole: Yes. And I and every I have that said to me all the time. So hello, again. Hello. Hello. Is this thing on? Please. Read Essentialism. Okay, so tell us why you love it.
Pat: And you know, he wrote a new he wrote a new book coming out in April, Effortless. So what I love about it is that, you know, you’re right. I’ve done Myers Briggs. And so going back to my DISC assessment, I’m a really high D. And so one of the things that I do is I come in on Monday, because we spend a lot of time at the lake. On the weekend. I’m in the boat, husband’s fishing, I’m reading. That’s what I do. I love to do that. He tolls me around the lake, so it’s great. Anyway, so I come in on Monday morning, ah, Pat has five new ideas, right. And so what Greg’s book has helped me do and I reread it every year, the first quarter of every year, I reread the book, because, you know, you slip when you’re a person who has a squirrel every moment, right.
And you have all these great ideas, what Greg’s book is all about is it’s boiling it down to that that is a central, and it’s taking everything else out of the equation. And that’s means not only stuff that’s not good or not fun or not great ideas. It means having to eliminate some really good ideas, because they’re not essential to where you are right now. In fact, one of my team members for Christmas, gave me a mouse pad that she custom made, because she knows this is my favorite book. And it’s one of hers, too. So anyway, if you have not read that, with Nicole. Read Essentialism, it is like one the best book. It’s an easy read. If you do not see yourself in the pages. I’ll be amazed. I will be amazed. Because when I read it what he talks about, oh, that’s me. That is so me.
Nicole: That’s right. That’s right. Well, I am a high I with a D right behind it. So I understand shiny thing Essentialism. It’s a thing. It’s a thang as we say here in North Carolina. That’s right. That’s right. Well, I have just absolutely loved talking to you. And I just wondered, you know, you you see people join the chamber. You see people leave the chamber doesn’t happen very often because she keeps them there. But when things like this happen, you know, some leader struggle, some entrepreneur struggle, but what do you think the thing is that gets in our way? Why? Why are we on the struggle bus?
Pat: I think I have two things around that. The first one is okay, when when I started leading my first team I lead I was in my late 20s. And my mentor at that time, you know, I was I’ll be the first to admit not a good leader would not have wanted to work for me at that time, and so on. I was talking to my mentor and I’m just oh, you know, they won’t do they won’t do. We’re not meeting, you know, yet. And so I did a great, he did a really good thing for me. He said, I know that I know exactly what your problem is Pat. Oh my god, great, quick fix. This is gonna be awesome, right? The magic pill. And he, we were in the office, and he took me to the hallway to a mirror. And he gently turned my shoulders and said, look in there. And I looked in the mirror and it was Pat.
And that is right, that has stuck with me. And his his comment was all problems start at the top. And all solutions began there, too. And so for me, I think too often, again, going back a little bit to the essentialism piece, the external factors. You know, there’s always recessions. And I mean, first pandemic, in my career, and hopefully the last. We did, right, there’s just so many outside factors. And yes, they can impact your business, there’s no doubt. But I think if you go into any leadership role, whether you’re an entrepreneur, or you’re leading the team, for a company or nonprofit, I think the most important thing that you can do is to remember to look internally first, at almost every time when we talk with folks here, and we’re having conversations and, and restaurants and hospitality, there’s so many industries that have been harmed.
And part of what what I say first is, how are you doing? How are you doing, because that is the most important thing, if we approach it from an external forces are killing me, or they’re tearing up my business. And we don’t look internally first to know that we have the strength and we have the skills. And and we can overcome this. It doesn’t mean we don’t need help. It doesn’t mean we don’t reach out to our partners. But it’s one again, it goes back to internal first. And my second thing is I choose a word every year, as I start the year.
Nicole: I love when people choose a word. Okay, well. My word is vibrant. You got to be pulsating with energy and light, you got to bring light wherever you go, this enthusiasm thing. It’s It’s It’s, it’s a thing.
Pat: It is a thing. Oh, it is the thing, right. And normally, my words are like, focus and intentional and they’re always this. So this year, like usually around
Nicole: That’s very D, Intentional and focused. Very D words. Anyways, just saying.
Pat: So December is when I start this process, and so December, I’m getting this word and I’m fighting it. No, that is not. That’s not my word. Anyway, finally, it kept speaking to me. So I believe in the power of words, I go look up meaning. So I’m looking up the meaning of this word. And that’s my word for 2021 and it’s grace. Grace. And I’ve I’ve not used that kind of word before, for my word of the year. But when I looked at the definition, and I wrote it down, so I wouldn’t mess this up. Simple elegance or refinement of movement. And I love the thought of moving with elegance, right? Courteous goodwill, courteous goodwill, and oftentimes, I’ll offer that to others. I’m a little hesitant sometimes to offer that to myself, goes back to how we speak to ourselves. I’m probably a lot tougher on me than anyone else will ever be. And the last one I did, do honor or credit to someone by one’s presence. Wow.
Nicole: Say it again, say it again.
Pat: Do honor or credit to someone by one’s presence. To grace someone with your presence. And so I really took that to mean be present in the moment. And of course, there is the divine grace and you can go in other directions. But when I read that, I thought, you know, Pat 2021 is a year where there’s, it’s still tough, there’s still some a lot of struggles out there. And I think you need to give yourself a little grace, you offer it to so many others and it and I found myself speaking to myself, if I’m at the drive thru and things aren’t going well, or I’m at this or whatever.
I really do remind myself, I think we are all doing the best we can with what we have right now. And so I think rather than be frustrated, there’s the mass thing, the vaccine, we’ve got all sorts of stuff going on. But if we could just treat each other with the grace that I just have to come to you with an assumption, you were doing the best you can. And if you give me that same graceful assumption, then together look at what we can do. So those are kind of my my thing is, if we look internally first, and know that we do have the strength, even if we need that help from whoever. And the second is let’s just give each other a whole lot of grace this year, as we continue to come out of this.
Nicole: Oh my goodness, I think that is just like the perfect place to stop. That was beautiful. Yeah. And I totally agree. I think, you know, and gosh, I could get into a whole analysis of the DISC right there because really where you went was like, to the, to your opposite letter, which is an S, right? So let’s just, you know, steady ourselves. Let’s hold people. Let’s the one that was about the presence honor people with your presence. Say it one more time, because it was really good.
Pat: Do honor or credit to someone by one’s presence by being present with them. I love that.
Nicole: Yeah. So it’s like understanding where people are at. Because you know, Pat and I are the kind of girls that are like, look at people like pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Let’s make this happen.
Pat: Those days, come over there. Don’t tell us your sad story. Let’s move on. But right, but right. And I think we need we really do need that I think right now. And then we go get it. We go get it right.
Nicole: That’s right. Yeah, I think 2023 we’ll be back in go get it mode. But we do. We got to take people by the hand and say, you know, you fallen down, but let me help you get back up and then keep holding their hand for a little while until they get it you know, a sure footing. We get back into things. Yeah. All right. So we’re Pat gonna have to have you come back because I think we have a lot more to talk about. But I think that was an excellent, excellent. Good time on the Vibrant Leadership Podcast. I’m so grateful for you coming on here. I know you’re a busy lady with a lot of people to take care of. So thank you so much for being part of the show.
Pat: Thank you for having me. It really has been a pleasure and an honor and at anytime, anytime. Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Voiceover: Ready to up your leadership game? Bring Nicole Greer to speak to your leadership team, conference or organization to help them with her unique SHINE method to increase clarity, accountability, energy and results. Email speaking@vibrantculture.com, and be sure to check out Nicole’s TEDx talk at vibrantculture.com/TEDtalk.
