Weirdos In the Workplace Erin Patchell

Intro:
Max Brault has a vision: To build community by showing the world that Canadians with disabilities contribute to society―and to successful business ventures. Join us for a riveting conversation on accessibility and inclusivity in the world of business!
Stay in Touch with Max:
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/max-brault
 
Script:
 The cost of changing something is all about understanding how you're going to spend the money.
 Leading people into thinking a place is accessible when it's not, I think is the most, probably the most important thing that I'm hearing from people with disabilities.
One third of the Canadian population has some form of disability.
No one wants to go somewhere where they're uncomfortable or they're feeling disrespected.
You know, and of course the reaction is, well, we'll write off your pizza. And I'm like, no, I'm not looking for a handout. What I want you to do is stop putting the garbage can there.
For anyone listening this is a true story uh that was provided to me by one of my colleagues sarah and her partner who is paraplegic and so um this is her story. I visited a cafe with my partner who's in a motorized wheelchair. Their marketing said they were wheelchair friendly, but we didn't find that to be the case. The doorway was uncomfortably narrow. Objects like chairs and a garbage can made it hard to maneuver.
 The bathroom was uncomfortably small for his wheelchair, and there were no low tables or a reachable check-out counter. When I told the manager they gave me a free coffee card, which was a nice gesture, but free coffee doesn't solve the problem, I decided to talk to the general manager who said they'd bring forward my ideas for change, but we never heard back from them. I honestly think they just don't know how to help. And this experience showed me that most places still have a long way to go to be truly accessible. And this is Erin, like, you know, breaking the third wall here. But this is a story that has, I think this has happened on a recurring basis for her and also for a few other people that we know as well. And I'm sure Max, you as well. And every time she has an experience like this, she says it makes it harder to take the risk the next time. It's not just about getting in the door. It's about being able to feel comfortable somewhere. So enter Max. Welcome to the show, Max. Max Brault.
 Hi, Erin. How are you holding up?
Hello. I'm doing good, sir. Max Brault has a vision to build a community, build community by showing the world that Canadians with disabilities contribute to society and successful business ventures. Unafraid to challenge conventions to make positive change for the disability community, Max aims to identify accessibility issues for corporations, governments, international community, non-governmental agencies, and more to provide strategic solutions to address them. So that is a big goal, sir. It is. And it's by people like yourselves helping me achieve that goal to let everybody know that I exist and what I do in this great world of ours. Yes. And we, we appreciate you for it. Um, did you want to tell some people will be listening to this and others will be obviously watching on YouTube, um, or shorts or whatever. Uh, but did you want to tell the folks, uh, watching slash listening, why you care about this subject?
Well, you you're seeing is is that i'm an elderly gentleman with uh gray beard gray hair wearing a nice shirt rocketed out with a bow tie um what you're not seeing is this visual as i'm sitting in an electric wheelchair uh i'm an individual who's had a spinal muscular atrophy since i've been born. And so over the years, I've been, I've experienced all kinds of lives. I've had a physical life where I was able to walk and run and play rugby, to the point now where I am confined to an electric wheelchair. So I've kind of lived the two lines, but always having this parasitic SMA behind my back. And as well as I've been in and out of th

Intro:
Meet Sydney Elaine Butler, a powerhouse in HR, DEIA, and neurodiversity. Get ready to uncover invaluable insights as Sydney drops some gems on how to craft an environment where every team member's strengths shine bright to maximize full potential in your team!
Website:
https://www.accessiblecreates.ca/
 
Stay in Touch with Sydney:
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/sydney-elaine-butler
 
Script:
Communication is obviously the most important thing, you know, listening to people, actually like understanding what the real problems are, trying to get to the root of the problem.
 Everyone's mind is different at the end of the day. You know, we all have different experiences and ways we're brought up and all these different things that shape who we are. And that's part of neurodiversity.
 People learn often the most when they're outside their comfort zone. diversity. People learn often the most when they're outside their comfort zone.
 I think sitting down with them, you know, kind of having that second to actually talk to them, you know, I think a lot of times I feel like I'm at the end of my rope.
During the pandemic, like everyone, our team transitioned to remote work, and it was a revelation for many of us. We have a very neurodiverse team, and I really try to celebrate this despite some of the challenges. During the pandemic, many of us realized we have a strong preference for virtual work, and many of us built new lifestyles around the fact that we don't have to go into the office. On the other hand, for a few of the team, it made them realize that they needed and wanted the structured routine of the office and the camaraderie there. As we transitioned back into the hybrid model, these differences and desires became more vocal. Conflicts arose as we tried to establish new team norms. Those who preferred remote work felt isolated from decision-making processes, while those in the office felt burdened with more immediate responsibilities. Our attempts to find a middle ground only led to more friction impacting our productivity and team cohesion. Okay. I realize we need a more nuanced approach to accommodate our diverse needs. Any ideas? Enter Sydney Elaine Butler, whose expertise in HR, DEI, and neurodiversity seems like the perfect fit to help solve this conundrum. Welcome to the show, Sydney.
Thank you so much for having me, Erin.
So I guess the question of the day for this person here, we don't know whether they're male or female, we don't know anything about them, but they're looking to know how to create an inclusive environment that respects and optimizes the strengths of each team member, regardless of their preferred work setting. And it seems like they want to build like an inclusive and neuro affirming organization. So that's interesting.
Okay. So before we get started and dive right into this, I'd love to have you just share a little bit about who you are, what you do, why you do it, and what your big goal is.
Yeah, so again, I'm Sydney Elaine Butler, the founder of Accessible Creates. And so I actually graduated in 2020, which was only four years ago. But when I studied human resources at school and I was like HR needs to be more inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities and I was also working in a recreational environment having kids teens and adults with disabilities and seeing how my co-workers treated me and also my best friend that have disabilities and versus how they treated our participants and even how our supervisors treated us. And I was like, something really needs to be done. And so I realized I could do more as an external consultant, HR in diversity, including accessibility, focusing on neurodiversity, and really drive this momentum forward. And I think during 2020 and 2021, things were changing in this space. And so I launched Accessible Grace in 2021. And since then, you know, I've, speaking at events, speaking at companies, providing consulting for companies to r

Intro:
Ready to crack the code to business success?
Join us as Lisa Strangway, the powerhouse behind The Marketing Station, reveals the keys to unlocking your business's full potential. From deciphering consumer behavior to crafting captivating brand stories, get ready to revolutionize your approach to thrive and succeed.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your business to new heights with expert guidance from a seasoned marketing pro!
Website:
https://www.themarketingstation.ca/
Stay in Touch with Lisa:
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/lisastrangway
Script:
What kind of products are they selling? How are they telling their story? 
You know, when we're so busy doing the business, working in the business, sometimes it's easy to forget the big picture. And then, you know, sort of one thing leads to another. And eventually you're not really left with the same business that you started with or the same vitality that you started with.
And once you do that work, everything else falls out of that.
 I'm the general manager of a local retail chain known for our trendy clothing and accessories. For years, we've enjoyed success and a loyal customer base, but lately we're facing a crisis. Sales are dwindling, foot traffic is down, and it feels like we're losing our once loyal customers. It's clear that recent shifts in consumer behavior and market trends are taking a toll on our business. Our brand identity feels stuck in the past and our social media presence is stagnant and dated. We're struggling to understand our customer base, which has become increasingly vague. Despite a desire to change and a budget set aside for marketing support, we're not sure where to start. So how can we adopt our marketing strategies to resonate with today's consumers? How can we revitalize our social media to engage our audience effectively? And what steps can we take to regain the trust and loyalty of our customers? Enter Lisa Strangway, owner of the Marketing Station. Lisa is known for innovative yet practical marketing strategies and disciplined social media implementation. How can Lisa help? Welcome, welcome, Lisa.
Hi, Erin. How are you? I'm so good. I'm so happy to have you on the show. I am thrilled to finally be on this show. I love it. I'm a big fan. So now I get to be part of it.
I love that you listen to the show. So folks, Lisa and I, and Lisa is the founder of the marketing station now in its 10th year. Congratulations.
Thank you.
She is an amazing friend of mine. We've known each other literally for a decade now. I can't, it blows my mind. I can't even believe that.
Wild.
And she's definitely highly, highly experienced and seasoned as a social media expert in content marketing and strategic planning for businesses. So I think that you're just the perfect person to help with this issue.
Well, it sounds like a very familiar story. I have, I have dealt with situations like this in the past. With path clients, or, you know, just colleagues that I've talked to in this field in the retail field specifically. So yes, I can definitely help here.
Yeah. It does seem like this is something that I this is definitely something that I have personally seen as well, not with just clients, but even just friends who are owners of retail stores, having to just, you know, things, I find things, you know, when we're so busy doing the business, working in the business, sometimes it's easy to forget the big picture. And then, you know, sort of one thing leads to another.
And eventually you're not really left with the same business that you started with or the same vitality that you started with. Yeah. And also don't forget that the speed at which things change these days is astronomical compared to even 10, 20 years ago. so you could set yourself up in a business um two years ago and it's already changed in terms of um digital capabilities so it's really important that you stay on top of uh trends and uh data right yeah um okay so for the

Intro:
What does it take to redefine your business and reach your full potential? In this episode, we sit down with Peter Georgariou, the CEO and Founder of karmadharma, a full-service marketing agency dedicated to helping organizations achieve their goals. With a background spanning national sales, marketing, and operations at top media companies, Peter has a wealth of experience guiding SMEs and non-profits through strategic planning and brand-building. But his true passion lies in being of service to others - whether that's supporting his wife and two daughters, or amplifying the impact of the organizations he works with. Join us as Peter shares his unique perspective on how businesses can evolve their value proposition, leverage their strengths, and make a lasting difference in a fast changing and digital society!
Website: http://www.karmadharma.ca
Stay In Touch:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergeorgariou/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/karmadharma-agency/
https://www.instagram.com/karmadharma.agency/
 
Script:
I am very aware and my sense of urgency is very high on how short our walk on this planet is.
That's what culture is going to be changing every time something changes within the organization.
People are going to read this. My friends are going to read this. Maybe they don't see me in that lens, but I think that's where the magic happens, Erin, like getting them into like being out there as themselves and letting go of the good and bad opinions of others.
 Let yourself jump off a cliff once in a while and see what happens.
Here's all the benefits for you. Here's how this is going to change your world.
My favorite thing is to sell it, to change somebody's mind from like resistance to like, oh yeah, okay, I get it. I'm going to do it. Bring it on.
---
I'm Jordan, CEO of a five-year-old consulting firm. Our journey has been rewarding, but we're now facing challenges in a rapidly evolving market. The demand for digital transformation and specialized services is growing, pushing us to adopt and stay relevant. Securing long-term contracts has become tougher in an economy filled with uncertainty, impacting our revenue and growth plans. Competition is intense, with both new and established firms fighting for the same clients. I realize I need help to navigate these turbulent waters, redefine our value proposition and get us from where we are today to our big future goal of becoming the go-to consultancy for digital transformation, guiding businesses through the complexities of technology adoption to enhance their competitiveness and innovation in the digital era. And so I'm me, Erin. I'm very happy to have Peter with me today, the CEO and co-founder of Karma Dharma, a B Corporation. And Peter, I'd love for you to just tell us a little bit about you and what you do and why you do it.
Get started there. I want to change the world, Erin, while I'm here. Life is short. So yeah, CEO of Karma Dharma, we're a strategy and creative agency here in Ottawa. And we're slowly moving into a little bit of what you guys do into that people and culture as we realize people need a little escorting along their journey to help them along. So anything from strategic planning to full service, creative agency from creating brands to websites to you name it, and we take them to market. So that's us over there. And why I do it, I want to help individuals and organizations have the courage to be themselves in this life, kick some ass, you know, like it's, it's, I am very aware and my sense of urgency is very high on how short our walk on this planet is. And I'm assuming walking asleep at the wheel is not a great life. And designing a life of meaning is not easy.
So we'd like to help them in that journey. So this is a fictional client of ours, we're going to pretend that we're working with this client. But, you know, what would you say, you know, when you read this story? How did you feel?
 I feel like when I hear the word

Intro:
Feeling stressed, distracted, or disconnected at work? Are you a business leader looking to boost productivity, engagement, and retention? Or an employee struggling with burnout and work-life balance? You're not alone. Today, we're diving into the powerful connection between employee wellness and business success with Lydia Di Francesco, the Founder of Fit & Healthy 365, and Creator of the 15 Minute Workout Club!
Lydia is a Certified Personal Trainer and a business coach who helps companies and organizations succeed by prioritizing the health and wellbeing of their workforce! Get ready to learn practical techniques that can be used anywhere, anytime, to help your people and your business thrive, by strengthen your mindset, managing stress, and cultivating work-life harmony.
Website Url:
https://www.fithealthy365.com/
Stay Connected with Lydia:
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/lydiadifrancesco
Script: 
Life is short and we aren't meant to just suffer.
They're not willing to put their money on something. They're not willing to like, you know, strategically bet on something. They want to try to do everything. And I think this is a fear response.
Also allows people a proactive approach to their health.
Feels like you're banging your head against the wall and there's nothing you can do about it. You feel like there's nothing you can do about it.
And it's actually in your best interest to even just take a break. Even if you want to work a lot of hours, take some breaks.
This case is from Alex, who's the HR director at an employee experience software company. And Alex says, we've been riding the wave of rapid growth and success in the tech industry, but an increasing number of our employees are reporting feelings of burnout. Absenteeism is on the rise. Productivity is taking a hit. And there's a general sense of exhaustion in what used to be a vibrant and energetic workplace. To add to our worries, our pipeline seems to be stagnating and leaves are drying up. I know I'm not the only one who feels an overwhelming sense of impending doom, says Alex. As a company that prides itself on valuing employee experience, that makes sense as an employee experience technology company, it's incredibly frustrating to find ourselves unable to practice what we preach. The well-being of our employees and the overall health of the organization are at stake. All right, so enter Lydia, a consultant specializing in workplace wellness and employee engagement. Welcome to the show, Lydia.
Hi, Erin. I'm so happy to be here with you.
Excellent. Okay, so for the listeners, please tell them just a little bit about yourself and, you know, why you love this work.
Yeah. So I've been in the wellness space for 12 years and counting. And I started out mostly on the fitness side. And then over the years have acquired a bunch of different certifications and knowledge and experience and have been working out for the past five years with on the more corporate side, working with organizations, helping them support their staff with their well-being. And I love this work because for me, just with how I've lived my life, like we can maybe get into this later if it's relevant, but I have had a burnout before. So I know what it's like. It was surprising to me when I was going through it. And of course, as a wellness professional, I was like, this is kind of ironic, maybe. But I learned a lot. It taught me a lot. And I also learned a lot about how to live my life and how to create a lifestyle that supports my own well-being and make sure that I'm not, you know, heading into a burnout. Again, I've learned a lot about work-life harmony and how to bring that about for myself. And I also just really believe that life is short and we aren't meant to just suffer through it for the most part. Like, obviously, we're going to have challenging times, of course. But, you know, for lack of better phrase, like life shouldn't suck always. And work is such a big part of th

In today's episode, Tina Collins, is going to share her proven strategies for dealing with these workplace nightmares - the problematic high-performers who are potentially destroying morale and threatening the success of the entire organization.
Tina has spent over 15 years consulting with companies of all sizes, helping them to navigate the delicate balance of keeping their star performers while also protecting their company culture and team morale. She's seen it all - the charming, charismatic sales superstars who undermine and belittle their colleagues, the brilliant engineers who rule through fear and intimidation, the indispensable executives who treat everyone around them with disdain… 
Tina addresses and confronts businesses and individuals’s blind spots to help them achieve their ultimate potential, so if you're a leader grappling with a difficult superstar on your team, you won't want to miss this!
Tina will walk us through real-life case studies, offer tangible solutions, and give us a glimpse into the psychology of these challenging employees.
Website Url:
https://www.tinacollins.ca/
LinkedIn Profile:
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/tinalcollins
Script:
And this is really one of the biggest reasons why quiet quitting happens. Good employees observe employees with bad behavior getting away with it.
 And that's what happens when you go into the scenario with empathy instead of judgment, right? Right. Right. And curiosity. Yeah.
 Because I'm willing to bet that if max performance and bad behavior is constantly overlooked, I'm willing to bet that they've already lost, if not physically, at least mentally, some of their employees.
 I'm the executive director of a nonprofit organization that's dedicated to making a difference in our community. Our mission is clear and our team is passionate, but we've hit a roadblock that's threatening to derail our progress. It's a situation I never anticipated, and it's keeping me up at night. The heart of our problem lies with our vice president, who is also our highest performer. This person has been instrumental in securing the majority of our funding. Their charisma, networking skills, and ability to close deals have been nothing short of miraculous for our NGO. However, there's a dark side.
 Lately, the VP has been exhibiting toxic behaviors that are causing rifts within our team. Their abrasive attitude, lack of empathy, and tendency to take credit for others' work have created an environment of fear and resentment. This toxicity is spreading, and I can see the impact it's having on our team's morale and productivity. The dilemma I'm facing is complex. On one hand, this individual is critical to our funding and by extension, our ability to operate and serve our community. On the other hand, their behavior is eroding the very foundation of our organization's culture and values.
To add to this, our board absolutely loves them. Yeah, that's complicated. I'm at a crossroads trying to balance the financial stability they bring with the negative impact they have on our team situations, forcing me to question how much we're willing to compromise our principles for the sake of financial security. 
Enter Tina Collins. Welcome, Tina.
Thank you so much.
 Tina is an award-winning seasoned leadership consultant, executive coach, and very proud to call you a friend as well. Tina explores blind spots that limit her clients' potential so they can accelerate personal and professional growth. I am so happy to have you on the show with me.
 I'm so glad that you've asked me and I'm so glad that you've given me this topic. This is a juicy, juicy one.
Oh my gosh, it sure is. I was like feeling overwhelmed.
Just as I was reading it, I was like sensing those emotions because we've, I mean, any of us who've been in leadership roles, if we've observed people, we've been in an organization, I think a lot of us have seen this as an issue.
And you said that you have some persona