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Casey Cease: Hey everybody, thanks so much for coming back to another episode of the Casey Cease show. I’m here today with my friend Stacey Hanke, who I met, I was lucky to meet at Strategic Coach, and we’ve become friends, and deeply respect her, the work she does because the work she does is so vital to our human existence as an expert to communication.
So Stacey, thank you so much for joining me today on the show. And why don’t you take a moment to introduce yourself to our listeners and those who are watching the video.
Stacey Hanke: Yeah, well, I have to thank you because this wouldn’t be possible without you. So just [00:01:00] so honored and thanks for trusting me with your followers. It’s a big deal and yeah, you and I, we met in strategic coach. I found strategic coach after being in business for, this is crazy because this will age me 22 years, it was supposed to be a five year run, but it’s turned into 22 years.
Casey Cease: Started my first business when I was 13 also, so don’t worry about it. It’s fine. Yeah.
Stacey Hankel: I know,
Stacey Hanke: I know. And we really, I say we, because there’s a team that really supports me. We work with mostly sales professionals and executive levels. So director to the C suite, helping them. First, increase their awareness of how much influence they have rather than what they believe to be true.
And then we can’t just leave them hanging there. We give them practical, immediate how to’s that to make sure no matter what platform in person virtual they show up with, they truly have this ability to connect and engage so that they consistently communicate with influence Monday to Monday.
Casey Cease: So how did you find yourself getting involved in this line of work? Take me back to when you were 13. And I [00:02:00] winked at you for those of you just listening to the podcast but take me back to deciding to go into this line of work and your journey eventually to starting your own, firm.
Stacey Hanke: I think it landed because in college I wanted to be a broadcaster. I thought I was going to be on the today’s show. And obviously that didn’t happen because here I am, but I did an internship for a radio company and they had me do commercials. And I remember the first commercial, they said, Hey, we want you to record this commercial and I thought an hour, maybe that’s what it’s really I’m just going to reach for a commercial.
Well, eight hours later, in the same day, the commercial launched and it was that point, Casey, I realized there is a huge difference of how you think you come across that the power of your words, the tone of your voice, how different those two really are feeling versus reality.
So that’s what kind of really started my interest in communication had numerous stops along the way before starting my company in large corporations. And I was always in some type of training and learning and [00:03:00] development. I was training, whether it was customer service, whether it was team building, and it always came down to no matter how smart the leader was that I was teaching them how to lead their teams.
It always came down to the biggest challenge was their ability to communicate, but it was about being consistent that their body language and their messaging never was consistent and they just didn’t have that connection engagement. Fast forward, numerous years, 21 years ago, I was working for a company hiring speakers.
So I was the MC, I was kicking off the events and I really started to hang on speaker shirt tails, having them coach me. And I thought, You know, I was young. I thought, what’s the worst case scenario? If this doesn’t work, I quit corporate job and I live in Chicago. So there’s tons of Starbucks. I always thought I’ll find a job at Starbucks, right?
So fast forward 21 years ago is when I really started to launch the company. And throughout the years, Especially over the last four years, [00:04:00] communication just has changed. The competition has changed, the challenge of truly having this ability to connect with individuals has especially changed over the last four years.
And that Casey listening to our clients has really gotten us to where we’re at today.
Casey Cease: Man, that’s amazing. So when I first met you and we were chatting as strategic coach and you were telling me all that you did, I was like, I need help with that. I remember when I was a young guy working at a church at the time and my pastor was said, are you angry right now? And I was sitting there saying, no, I’m not angry, but I was scowling and I’m making a scowling face for those of you listening to the podcast, not watching it, but I was scowling and I was like, no, why?
And he said, because you look real mad. And so there was a disconnect between my nonverbal communication and what I was saying, and I’m a bigger guy, so I’m, naturally kind of a, an intrusive presence.
And so the way I compensated early on was just looking surprised. And so I looked [00:05:00] shocked at everything people were saying but it was one of those pieces where the, it’s so important, especially as you move up in leadership, the way that your authority affects those that you lead and people are taking in those verbal and none cues that you’re sending your way.
And so you’re sitting there, you know, you said you work with executives and with salespeople, what are some common mistakes that they typically make in their method of nonverbal or verbal communication that maybe the listeners and even myself, I’m getting a free counsel from you right now, but what would be some immediate things to think through or to be mindful of as your authority grows, like as you move from you know, a mid level manager to an executive level, or as your company grows from a CEO, you know, or you’re CEO of a startup only in name, but actually you start growing.
What are some key mistakes you see the salesperson or the executive made?
Stacey Hanke: Yeah. The first one is their lack of self awareness. We don’t know what we don’t know and we make the assumption that I hear executives tell me all the time, [00:06:00] but I’m good at what I do, I’m always told how great I am, which is completely false feedback to begin with. You can’t do anything with that. And it’s this disconnect of if I feel good, however you describe that.
I know what I’m talking about. I have years of experience. How you feel does not. Have anything to do with how people really perceive you. So that’s just number one. So the lack of self awareness people have, and I think communication for so long is taken for granted because it’s such common sense.
It’s something we do every day. It’s a court, everything we do, but it’s not common practice. So that’s one second. And I can only go off of truly where our clients struggle a lot. It’s this idea of how do I show up now virtually in person hybrid, but those all have to be consistent and it’s things like, where do I look? I just, I don’t know where to look.
It’s such common sense. And yet I connection, we call it eye connection versus contact. It’s a whole elevation of that concept. We don’t know where to look, yet it is the [00:07:00] only behavior that either communicates trust or it doesn’t.
The third Casey is lack of brevity. I am sure a lot of people that are watching this right now might be smiling, thinking, Oh my gosh, I’m one of those long winded, take forever to get to the point. And suddenly we’re talking heads.
We come on these zoom meetings or teams meetings, and it’s our agenda, which is number four. I’ll give you the top four.
fourth one is we don’t focus on our listeners. Now, if you don’t have brevity, you can’t adapt your message on the fly. It’s all about your agenda.
When we can really tap into why is this conversation happening now? Why should they care? Why are they even here? Why is this topic important? You don’t tap into the why. And I know you know this based on the experience and the work that you do. You never tap into your listener’s point of view, which is emotion. And we buy off of emotion, which is tied to influence.
Now there’s many layers underneath that we could go on and on, but I’m kind of giving you what is really the top ones that if we, if you [00:08:00] can get your arms around those, some of the other myths, I don’t want to call them mistakes. I think it’s more of the fact that we don’t know what we don’t know.
And it’s things that we do, things that we say in virtual and in person conversations that can really jeopardize. Not just your connection, but your ability to have influence consistently that’s the difference of what we teach. This is not, I have a big presentation to the investors or I have a big sales pitch.
If you’re turning it on at that point, or you’re just practicing for that event there’s no authenticity and you’ll never grow your influence because you’re segmenting how you show up versus looking at the big picture of your day to day interactions.
Casey Cease: That’s huge. I mean, the lack of self awareness in general, especially following the pandemic. And we’ll dive into some of your observations from your expertise in a minute on that. But the lack of self awareness has really skyrocketed. know when I go in and coach business owners or executives, and [00:09:00] I’m not usually there on a communication front but one of the things I do, and in my background, I have a lot of training in the Enneagram Personality Assessment.
I eights are attracted to me because I’m a three. So the eights are the powerful people, the steam rollers, they get stuff done. I’m a three, which is an achiever. So I have the match energy, but I have a wing two that makes me somewhat caring. And so one of the questions a lot of the executives I coach, I say, Hey, how do you think they just experienced that?
Oh, it was great. That was great. And I could see the non verbal, the people they’re talking to either, when will this be over with, or is he about to hurt me, right? Or is she about to fire me? And that disconnect that you’re talking about is cute. So, how do you and your team help people be aware that they’re not self aware?
What are some easy ways that people can start at least paying attention to some of that?
Stacey Hanke: Yeah. The first one, because if I was coaching you, Casey, I could tell you what I think to me. That’s just my opinion. The key though, is when you look through the eyes and [00:10:00] ears of your listeners. So we do tons of this. We are constantly coaching people by them recording themselves so they can look through the eyes and ears of their listeners.
Because once you see yourself on playback, and if you continuously would do video playbacks, you’ll figure it out. You’ll figure out what works for you, what you don’t like, and those two goes to another level of influence. And that is you figure out what your personal brand is. You know, maybe that’s another step, you know, for your followers, you talk so much about branding and the work that you do is I always ask my clients.
First question is how do you want to be perceived, but how do you want to be perceived Monday to Monday? And they’ll share a list of adjectives and it’s usually trustworthy, confident, knowledgeable, credible. Well, if you tell me that I have to show you, how do you do that?
Because no one’s ever going to say to you, Oh wow, I love your brevity, I love your pauses. [00:11:00] Instead, it will be feedback that sounds like you come across very confident every time you show up here. So it’s showing them really what’s behind the scenes.
And that usually is your delivery, it’s the choice of your words. But this has really been our company’s success is because when you have people pushing back and they’ll say, Oh, but I was clear, it was concise, watch it on playback.
Or if I knew what to say, I would not have used any of those run on sentences and I’ll tell them, are you sure? Because even as you’re talking to me now, you’re doing it. Are you sure? And I’m not saying I often, as I’m on my zoom meetings, I’ll just randomly take my phone. I’ll just record myself. Now, here’s the next level, remember, this is all about you constantly want to be elevating your influence. When I watch my playback, I’m always focusing on how did I feel during this conversation with you? Casey versus what reality [00:12:00] states.
And then if I want to elevate it even more, I literally just take a piece of paper. What did I like column? What don’t I like last column? What am I willing to spend the time and commit to, to see a change in the next 30 days?
Casey Cease: So, that’s very interesting. A couple thoughts from what you just gave. I remember when I was a youth minister, and working with the kids of pastors or whatever, and I would say, what’s it like growing up? Because I had a little daughter and I was like, what’s it like growing up with a pastor? And some would say, he’s completely different at church as opposed to at home.
You know, and not always in a positive way. And so one of the resolves I had was I never wanted to cause that cognitive dissonance for my daughters where when they see me out there, they’d be like, yeah, that’s my dad. Good and bad. I mean, but there’s a continuity of brand like you’re talking about.
Even my team where I want them to be like, man, he’s super nice to these people, but he’s hard with us. I mean, obviously with your team, there’s more discretion. If you’re frustrated about something, you might have more freedom to discuss it, if it’s a client [00:13:00] issue. But that continuity I think is absolutely key and being aware of that.
I remember when I was young, public speaker, they would say, go listen. We didn’t have as much video, but go listen to your talk. And the way I experienced saying something and the way that I heard it land were two completely different things. And that, was quite honestly disorienting for someone.
And even now, when I encourage people who are public speakers saying, Hey, should video your talk or at least audio record it and go back and listen, the number one thing I hear them say is, but I hate listening to myself speak. So, what’s your advice for a leader that wanted to prove, but they hear that excuse, I hate hearing myself speak?
The one thing I said to somebody was, well, imagine you’re listeners then, and just to make a point and they’re like no, no, no, that’s not what I mean. But how do you, how do you help people? That’s a common pushback I hear from people. Of, I hate to listen to myself speak.
Stacey Hanke: You know, Casey, I’ve heard it all. I lived the best, this was a number of years ago. I was coaching a, she was a VP of marketing. We watch her playback or maybe 10 seconds in the playback. And she says to me, [00:14:00] that’s not me, it’s not me. And I looked at her and I said, I think it’s you. looks like you and there’s such a disconnect.
I would lie to you if I said, Oh, it gets easy. It gets so much easier. The more you do it. I believe it gets harder because I’m so self conscious. I’ve watched myself so many times that I’m very self conscious now of things that I’m trying to work on. I’m on constantly getting coached on, but the benefit is always so much greater than that discomfort.
You and I both know you really want to elevate anything in your life. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Nothing will happen if you continue to stay the same. Now, that’s your choice, there’s nothing wrong with that, but nothing, absolutely nothing will happen. Change will only come with discomfort.
What I tell individuals that really are uneasy about it, and I’m just really honest with them, I’m like, oh no, it won’t get easier. But do you want easy? It will be easy to say no. I write, just keep doing it the way I’ve done it [00:15:00] because I don’t like watching myself on playback. But what are the cost? And whether you are leading a company, whether you’re leading individuals, you’re in that leadership position, or you don’t have a team, but you’re leading people around you, your family.
I really believe you owe it first to yourself, and then you owe it to those that are around you. Exactly what you said, Casey. What’s the cost of not knowing what you don’t know? So you’ve got, you got to, it’s like you’re sitting at the intersection of a T at the end of the road. You can either go left, which is just going to get you or go backwards.
Sorry, go backwards. It’s just always keeps you where you’re at or taking right or left. And that’s just based on your style of how you want to really elevate your influence.
Casey Cease: So several years ago, I listened to a book called Crucial Conversations about managing hard conversations
Stacey Hanke: Yes.
Casey Cease: Or conflict as it were. I’m guessing if you’re coaching with salespeople and executives, you’re having to do some training with them on conflict [00:16:00] resolution and conflict communication. Some people love conflict, and I’m a little concerned for them because they can’t wait, or I tell them to go to law school.
Or they’re, most of the ones, even strong leaders I know, are pretty conflict avoidant and maybe delay some of the issues there. What are some key concepts or ideas that you have for conflict communication?
Stacey Hanke: Yes, let’s break them down into three might be a little easier to follow. It’s everything from your messaging everywhere matters no matter what, especially in conflict. And then it is the body language. So the last thing you want to do, let’s say you’re throwing me a really tough question or you’ve got an objection.
This is sometimes what I see whether they’re in person or not. That’s a really good question. So, what I believe, and everything about my body language and my word choice communicates, I’m very uncomfortable with what you just tossed my way. Sometimes I feel these are hot seats where if you come across as you’re on, not comfortable, they’re just going to continue to throw things at you when it comes to they’re [00:17:00] asking you a question don’t lose the connection with your eyes. Avoid any fidgeting, avoid any crossing arms leaning back, anything that’s going to communicate you are uncomfortable.
Number two, there’s a process that we coach individuals on it’s called the three ace.
It’s acknowledged Answer and then attached to benefits the listeners benefits. So, for example, if a client says to me, wow
Stacey Hankel: it’s,
Stacey Hanke: a lot of money to send our leadership through your training. way too much money. Now what I’m really listening for and
Stacey Hankel: sales
Stacey Hanke: 101 here, what is the real issue behind the question?
I don’t think budget ever is. I think in this case, I have not communicated the value. So instead of saying, I totally understand budgets are tough. Really? You don’t live their budget. I’m very careful with, I understand, I hear what you’re saying. That’s not empathy that you’re not listening to what they’re really saying.
Instead, if you threw that question at me, I might respond with sending your leadership through training is an investment. You acknowledged it and then get out of [00:18:00] there. You don’t want to a spotlight on it. Then I go to the second A. I give the answer. And put, in this case, it might be what our training does.
Most importantly, tying the acknowledgement. I tie my answer to the benefits for them, sending their trainers through or sending their leaders through our program.
Number three brevity, . The more you say, the more you confuse, be careful of the words, I hope this answered your question. Be careful with the word, but where you acknowledge and then you slap them in the face with word, but, and then, yeah, so that this really is, you know, people are looking for, you tell me what exactly to say, like, no, watch the body language and then you’d be very careful of the words that you’re throwing out there, but still focusing on what you’re saying.
Your listeners. Why? Why are they asking this? Why is this a concern for them? You can see how that can be. It sounds so common sense, right, Casey? You can see how that’s tough to do because it’s the heat of the moment. And when you’re asking me a tough question, [00:19:00] what’s the natural instinct? I’m thinking about how to answer and now I’m running the risk of not hearing what is really important to you.
Not to me, it’s to who I need to just bring to an understanding of where we’re coming from.
Casey Cease: That’s extremely helpful because I think leadership is really found not in the easy conversations, but in the tough ones and leadership is really established because you do a lot of work with influence, right? Communication and the influence of a leader along the way. And I’m really excited about the books that you’ve written.
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Casey Cease: So why don’t you tell us about the two books you’ve written? And then I want to hear about the one you also are working on. That’ll be coming out in a few months. So why don’t you share a little bit about the work? Because what I love as a publisher is when experts and business owners take their expertise and they capture it.
That shows for me, it’s a generosity to people because it’s saying, I want to take my expertise and you would pay five, six, seven figures to work one on one with me, but for 25, 30 bucks, you can have this resource that gives you a lot of the things that might carry. 80% of the people as far as they need to go, but open the door for further conversation.
And you’ve been very generous with your expertise [00:21:00] already with two books and you’re working on a third. So why don’t you walk us through writing those books and I didn’t have the privilege of publishing it.
So this isn’t me propping up one of my authors, it’s truly saying as a fellow business owner and as a publisher, I truly see that investment as, a true gift because not many people I know have gotten wealthy off simply selling books.
In fact, most business owners I know utilize that as a way to expand their impact and influence and message beyond what they can physically do, right? To resource people and help them out. So why don’t you tell us a little bit about the books you’ve written and the area of focus and the journey of what you’re going to be doing for your next book?
Stacey Hanke: That was said so eloquently. I’ve never thought of it that way. Thank you for sharing your insight on it. The very first book was very early on my career. It’s, yes, you can. And it’s communication skills from A to Z. So go figure out how it’s laid out. It’s very bulleted. And it was really me experimenting with how do I want to approach this?
Well, several then [00:22:00] years later, book number two came out and that’s influence redefined. Be the leader you were meant to be Monday to Monday. And that book was the research over, gosh, I guess 12, 17 years cause it was in 2017 that was published. So it was 17 years of exactly what you’re saying, research, client experience, and it really is.
It’s redefining what influences that book is the core. There’s models in it. That’s the core to everything that we do, our mentoring, our workshops, and then the keynoting that I do. I have numerous clients that are constantly saying in these last four years, can you write the next one? So of course you go off a demand.
So book number three is influence elevated, maximizing your connections Monday to Monday. And it’s how influences change over the last four years. And then number one changes. There’s so much noise. There’s so many ways now that we can connect with people in this hybrid world. Our clients are [00:23:00] struggling.
There’s a lot of research in the book. There’s, and it’s really conversations I’ve had with clients as well as how do we help them so we can help our reader?
Casey Cease: That’s excellent. And I think that offering you’re bringing to bear on how this has changed, how communication has changed, how this consistency is so necessary. I mean, if you really just pause to think about the last four or five years and the turmoil of an inconsistency and how people have been polarized, whether it’s politics or religion or geopolitical tension or finances, whatever the issue is, there has been a continuous ripple effect in breakdown of communication where people are completely missing each other.
And we can point the finger at social media and say, well, we’re all, you know, trying to communicate. And the big thing was back when X Twitter was, you know, 240 characters, right?
And so it’s hard to connect with a person’s heart over such. But as an expert, what have been some of your findings as to the [00:24:00] issues we’re facing in communication over the last four years?
Stacey Hanke: It sounds so common sense, but Casey, you get this. If we were doing this right now without our video cameras on, and it’s crazy because so many times our clients will say, teach us how to connect and engage virtually. And the first thing I’ll ask them, I’ll walk me through what’s kind of the setup of your virtual needs.
We know no one turns their cameras on. And I wanted to say to them, I can’t help you. I look at that as I always say to
my,
team is expected. They know the cameras are on, you know, I mean, you got to be here or don’t be here. I was telling one of my mentees the other day, they’re struggling with cameras on.
I said to them, well, it’s like you tell your team, we’re going to have a meeting. We’re going to go to a movie theater. We’re going to watch a movie in the dark while I have a meeting with you. the same concept. So it’s not thinking even about number two, how we show up in this space, how you see me now.
And Casey, you know, this, you’ve met me in person. I want to make sure that. Who I work with that they’re consistent with how they’re showing up in all these [00:25:00] platforms. Your name is still on it when you’re in the virtual platform. Number two, the leaders we mentor, they struggle with both of those concepts.
And how do we lead consistently from afar? People that we see consistently in the office, those that we don’t. And I get it that’s an issue, especially if you’re in a whole different state, a whole different country, but then you’ve got to take this virtual platform and really think about, well, how would I show up in person?
This is the best way that I can actually see people. So do it appropriately. And maybe it’s just the waist up. remember one of my clients at the very beginning, She was so frustrated by how her people were showing up. And she said, I told them one day, all you need is a blowout and a blazer.
So it’s all you need to just do something. And you would be shocked, Casey, how many executives, when we start mentoring, we’re still mentoring them on how [00:26:00] to set up this space.
Casey Cease: No. And I mean, I know that like, even for my podcast, fortunately I own, a building with a partner in downtown Brenham. And so it has this natural brick wall behind me because they were like, yeah, cause like my office is blurred out at my home office and everything else. And no one really cares, but it’s really more of a thing where it’s really, people do matter.
I also consistently wear the same shirt, right? Cause I want to, I mean that, Hey, I, it’s a nicer kind and I care, but I’m also approachable and it’s casual because a lot of my clients, I know the demographic I work with and the psychographic of who I work with. And so there’s a lot of peace. Now I might be wearing sports shorts or pajama pants, but my upper half is put together.
I mean, I remember to that point, like a month into the pandemic, we took a screenshot of one of my teams and we’re like waving at the camera and everything. And I had a big beard and I looked like I’d been homeless for a minute. And I was like, okay, they know me and they love me, but like, I can’t wear my fear on my face and, you know, hide from the world. Right?
Because the way [00:27:00] I was showing up was, you know, the wisdom of not projecting all my thoughts onto people that I’m not compensating enough to carry the weight.
Stacey Hankel: That’s, That’s it. And Casey, I mean, how would you show up if you were in person? Oh, maybe that’s a whole nother issue. I don’t know, because I think when the virtual came out. It magnified our level of effectiveness or ineffective communication. Virtual has just magnified that, which also leads to another whole challenge of communication has always been the core to everything that we’ve do.
Stacey Hanke: I mean, was running a company for 19 years prior. There was always challenges with it. Now this whole idea of elevate it, it’s more complicated. It’s the risk are even greater. I was sharing with another team. I said, well, if we were meeting in person right now and I showed up or I didn’t show up, you’re all sitting in your boardroom at the office.
I call in from the hallway and say, ah, I don’t want you to see me today. I’ll run the meeting from the [00:28:00] hallway. I don’t know how suddenly we’ve made such a disconnect of this virtual platform versus being in person. Because if you think about the virtual platform to something else I’m writing about in the book, if you think about when we were back at offices, how many quick meetings with action steps do we have in a day?
You walk down the hallway, you run into someone, you’re like, ah, what about this idea? And problem solved or you’re in the lunchroom, or you’re at the water cooler. All of those meetings that took five, ten minutes they’re,
gone when we are 100% here.
Now, what took five minutes, I have to reach out to you, Casey, try to get on your calendar, typically it’s 30 minutes, and by the time we get a chance to be on each other’s calendar, the issue is long gone.
So another reason why we really need to honor and respect, not only ourselves, how we show up, but the respect of who did you fight on this call? And they’ve got better things to [00:29:00] do. So make it worth their time.
Casey Cease: That’s such a great point, Stacey. I’m a verbal processor and the problem with brevity for me is I’ve learned to be more concise in my communication. But when I’m meeting or explaining a point, sometimes what’s in my brain and the words I form together, don’t always catch up. Do you have any tips?
Do you have any tips for formulating? Cause I’m trying to active listen. And, but then also I don’t want to sound like an idiot and I feel like I need to say something. Are there any, hacks that you’ve learned on, okay, I’m talking too much, get to the point, or is that something I’ll just need to call you and hire one of your coaches
Stacey Hanke: Yeah,
Casey Cease: Yeah, it’s one of those upsell moments where I just sold myself.
I love it. Yeah.
Stacey Hankel: Sure.
Stacey Hanke: Sure. circle back to where we started the way we teach brevity or the challenge that you’re raising. It’s like an athlete. So if you were playing tennis, golf, whatever it is for 20 plus years, 10 plus years, and suddenly you go for your first golf lesson, most likely golf coach is going to say [00:30:00] swing the club.
I want to see your style. That’s how we start with individuals. Just have a conversation with me, we’ll record you in the meantime, let’s just see your style. You watch the playback, you will quickly pick up what’s not working with your swing. Where you need areas of improvement with your communication, brevity, as much as it’s uncomfortable with a lot of people, this whole idea of silence is where you will always want to go to when you forget what to say, that’s easier said than done.
Like the golf lesson, the more you swing the club per the recommendation of your coach, the more you see the swing, suddenly you start feeling that brevity. And you start feeling those words that you should not be using before you go there. It’s the practice and the repetition that gets you over the hump of the discomfort of something like silence and waiting for that person to interact with you.
Casey Cease: That’s so good. The silence, I think, is a big piece. I mean, especially when you’re speaking instead of just being quiet and finding your place and picking [00:31:00] up, that’s extremely helpful. Well, I’ve taken a lot of your time. What’s one question I should have asked you that I did not ask you?
Stacey Hanke: Let’s recap Casey, because I want to make sure that when they stop watching this playback, they feel like, okay, that was worth my time. I actually have something to do. So I’ll give them three. The first is really ask for feedback, constructive feedback from someone in your life personally and professionally that you trust is going to tell you the truth.
And if they say, no, that was good. Nice job. Ask, what did I do? What did I say where I could give you more impact? You could get more benefit and that feedback needs to be constant. Just try it on for one week, ask for feedback at least once a day, and I am guessing there is someone in your personal life that can’t wait to give you feedback. We all have that person, that’s honest.
Number two is really this. I think the most challenging things around our development will always have the greatest impact. Not that feedback is easy either. And how about just for one week? Once a day, start [00:32:00] recording, do it, do a combination of both audio and video, because that way when you watch, listen to the audio recording, you’re not distracted by the body language. You can really listen to how you sound it, the words you use versus what you believe to be true.
And number three, make a commitment for the next 30 days. Think about how every interaction. You can practice everything that we’ve talked about today. This isn’t carve out one o’clock on a Tuesday. It’s not reality, it’s never going to have, you don’t have to go to a golf course to practice this stuff, right?
It’s truly looking at how the conversations you have throughout the day. Is there one thing you can think about? You can think about your brevity, maybe put more focus in your work, your words that you’re using.
And suddenly you do that for 30 days. You got to create momentum, right? You start to see the progress, you can do six more, you can do 90 more elevating your influence and communicating with influence Monday to Monday. There’s no destination. You will never reach the end and check off the box.
Enjoy the [00:33:00] journey and know that the more you do the three items, I just action steps I just laid out for you. You’ll always recognize a lot quicker. Okay, now I need to practice this. Okay now I need this and that’s what I mean to about just elevating how you show up.
Casey Cease: Well, Stacey, this has been so helpful and I’m so encouraging. It’s always a joy to connect with you. Where can people find you online?
Stacey Hanke: Super easy. It is right on our website, which is my name, Stacey with an E Y, H A N K E I N C. We’re all over social media and we don’t sell on social media. It truly is what you were saying about the book earlier.
We just want to be a resource, even if it’s from afar to push out topics that I hear from clients to say, Hey, can you talk about this challenge or whatever it might be?
So get connected with us, would love to stay in touch with everyone.
Casey Cease: Well, Stacey, thanks so much for coming on the show. I know I’ll be having you back soon and it’s been such a joy and until next time, everybody listening, thank you for stopping by watching or listening this far. Feel free to like, or share, [00:34:00] or leave a review and we’ll see you next episode.
Stacey Hanke: Thanks, Casey.
That wraps up this episode of the Casey Cease Show. Make sure to visit our website, thecaseyceaseshow.com, where you can subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, or via RSS, so you’ll never miss a show. While you’re at it, if you found value in this show, we’d appreciate a rating on iTunes, or if you’d simply tell a friend about the show that would help us out too.
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