R.O.G. Return on Generosity Shannon Cassidy

“Don’t be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” - Steve Jobs
"Surround yourself with people who can make you even better."
In this episode, Shannon Cassidy discusses the importance of choosing connections carefully as a generous leader. She emphasizes the impact of the people we surround ourselves with and provides insights on managing toxic relationships, setting boundaries, and expanding our network thoughtfully. 
Chapters:
00:00 The Impact of Choosing Connections Carefully
03:00 Managing Toxic Relationships and Setting Boundaries
04:00 Expanding Your Network Thoughtfully
Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in generous leadership, behavioral change, executive presence, effective  communication, collaborative teamwork, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, mentoring programs, leadership retreats, executive workshops, mediation services) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) all custom designed. This is her podcast, R.O.G. Return on Generosity focusing on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude. 
Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding Bridge Between, Inc. she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success. She equips her clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and to lead with vision, purpose, and generosity. 
Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015-2023). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
The people we surround ourselves with significantly influence our leadership and personal growth.
Managing toxic relationships and setting boundaries is essential for maintaining positive and energizing connections.
Expanding our network thoughtfully and seeking diversity in our connections is important for personal and professional growth.
Resources:
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ShannonCassidybb 
Bridge Between, Inc. https://bridgebetween.com
The Five Degree Principle by Shannon Cassidy
V.I.B.E. by Shannon Cassidy 
R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r-o-g-return-on-generosity/id1508207492 
R.O.G. on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1L9UnWdoiAX8MtRKXjdPY3 
Video of this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/PNfiBD-2PLI 
Free N.D.I. Network Diversity Index https://bridgebetween.com/network-diversity-index/ 
Free Generosity Quiz https://bridgebetween.com/generosity-quiz/ 
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 185, with special guest Frank Gregory.
Credits: Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

“The most unexpected place that I see it, (generosity) and it delights me every single time, is when we chuck our assumptions and we keep an open mind and we're generous about considering a different point of view.”
Amy Volas is a sales fanatic turned entrepreneur, bitten by the startup bug many moons ago. She founded Avenue Talent Partners (ATP) after $100MM in revenue sold and two successful exits to help early-stage startups make confident hiring decisions by improving the art and science of executive sales and customer success hiring.
She is an LP at Stage 2 Capital, advises a handful of founders, and she’s writing a book about the most common pitfalls for early-stage startups. Moreover, she focuses on Executive search for startups, helping early-stage SaaS founders hire Sales and CS leaders (VP+), coaching founders through her proven framework to help them create their hiring system and strategic advisory. Off-duty, she combines her love of nature with a quirky fascination for Windex.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Seek alignment and clarity
Clarify your purpose and...
Make confident hiring decisions (score card, journaling, must-haves) 
Slow is smooth and smooth is far
Instead of only adding, use “or” statements
Check assumptions
Pay attention to how we feel things and where we feel them.
Talk WITH people, not TO people. 
Stop. Breathe. Ask a question. 
Be self-compassionate.
Resources:
Avenue Talent Partners 
Avenue Talent Partners | Executive Search Process
About Avenue Talent Partners 
Hiring Your First Sales Leader
How to Be a Better Salesperson Through Relationship Selling
Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:
R.O.G on YouTube
R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G on Spotify
How diverse is your network? N.D.I. Network Diversity Index
What is your Generosity Style?  Generosity Quiz
Credits:
Rob Stoddard, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 184, with Shannon Cassidy for a Generous Leadership Coaching Tip.

“We are the stories we tell ourselves.” - Shekhar Kapur
Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in generous leadership, behavioral change, executive presence, effective  communication, collaborative teamwork, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, mentoring programs, leadership retreats, executive workshops, mediation services) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) all custom designed. This is her podcast, R.O.G. Return on Generosity focusing on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude. 
Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding Bridge Between, Inc. she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success. She equips her clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and to lead with vision, purpose, and generosity. 
Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015-2023). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Identify the facts: What actually happened? 
What is your “lead story” about those events? 
What does that “lead story” inform you about yourself? 
What else could the facts mean? 
How can you tell more empowering stories?
Resources:
Sharon Melnick
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ShannonCassidybb 
Bridge Between, Inc. https://bridgebetween.com
The Five Degree Principle by Shannon Cassidy
V.I.B.E. by Shannon Cassidy 
R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r-o-g-return-on-generosity/id1508207492 
R.O.G. on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1L9UnWdoiAX8MtRKXjdPY3 
Video of this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/PNfiBD-2PLI 
Free N.D.I. Network Diversity Index https://bridgebetween.com/network-diversity-index/ 
Free Generosity Quiz https://bridgebetween.com/generosity-quiz/ 
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 183, with special guest Amy Volas.
Credits: Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

“...anytime one of those honorees, awardees stands up to accept an award, the first things they do is to thank their mentors…what that means is better entertainment for all of us, better product for all of us, better customer service and customer care…There is no better return on the generosity of mentoring than the success that people ultimately have in the business world.”
Rob Stoddard is a former corporate communications executive who served in the industry for more than 35 years with an impressive array of professional societies, associations, and organizations. He worked in senior positions in corporate communications, public relations, and public affairs serving the cable telecommunications industry.
Stoddard's professional career commenced as a news assistant at the Washington, DC, bureau of ABC Radio, followed by stints as a news director and correspondent for radio stations in Keene, NH and Springfield, MA. He went on to work as a desk editor and regional executive for United Press International in Boston, before joining the staff of U.S. Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-KS) as Press Secretary in Washington, DC.
Stoddard represented NCTA as a member of the industry Customer Care Committee (C5) for nearly 20 years, from its inception at NCTA through the stewardship of the Cable Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) and finally its permanent home at The Cable Center. He is a member of the Cable Television Pioneers as well as the Virginia Cable Hall of Fame. Stoddard has been recognized with major diversity awards from the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) and the Washington, DC / Baltimore Chapter of The WICT Network.
Stoddard's career was capped by a 20-year run with the then-National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) as Senior Vice President for Communications & Public Affairs. After the association changed its name to NCTA - The Internet & Television Association, Stoddard became Senior Vice President for Industry & Association Affairs. He retired from NCTA in January 2022.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Play to your strengths.
Be generous with information.
Respect and appreciate our history. (i.e., analog to digital) 
Seek mentoring.
Mentor someone. It matters.
Acknowledge and appreciate the ways you witness generosity at work.
Behave with civility.
Resources:
NCTA - The Internet & Television Association 
Cable Center Customer Centric Consortium (C5) 
National Press Club Journalism Institute 
Civility at Work by Christine Porath 
Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:
R.O.G on YouTube
R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G on Spotify
How diverse is your network? N.D.I. Network Diversity Index
What is your Generosity Style?  Generosity Quiz
Credits:
Rob Stoddard, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 182, with Shannon Cassidy for a Generous Leadership Coaching Tip.

“The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” - Marcus Aurelius Antonius
Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in generous leadership, behavioral change, executive presence, effective  communication, collaborative teamwork, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, mentoring programs, leadership retreats, executive workshops, mediation services) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) all custom designed. This is her podcast, R.O.G. Return on Generosity focusing on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude. 
Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding Bridge Between, Inc. she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success. She equips her clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and to lead with vision, purpose, and generosity. 
Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015-2023). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Notice what you select from the "stuff".
Acknowledge that your selection begins to formulate a truth for you.
The "truth" manifests into a story or perception of the situation.
The story becomes a belief about how things are. 
Have the courage to go "back down the ladder" when needed. 
Resources:
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ShannonCassidybb 
Bridge Between, Inc. https://bridgebetween.com
The Five Degree Principle by Shannon Cassidy
V.I.B.E. by Shannon Cassidy 
R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r-o-g-return-on-generosity/id1508207492 
R.O.G. on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1L9UnWdoiAX8MtRKXjdPY3 
Video of this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/PNfiBD-2PLI 
Free N.D.I. Network Diversity Index https://bridgebetween.com/network-diversity-index/ 
Free Generosity Quiz https://bridgebetween.com/generosity-quiz/ 
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 181, with special guest Rob Stoddard
Credits: Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

“Creativity is our ability to toggle between wonder & rigor to solve problems, produce novel value & generate meaning.”
Natalie Nixon is a Creativity Strategist and President of Figure 8 Thinking, LLC. She helps organizations accelerate innovation and growth by developing meaningful strategy through design thinking and ethnographic research. Dr. Nixon is a Fellow at the Paris d.School, a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania in social innovation and design for social impact, and a Senior Advisor at Econsult Solutions. She is the Founding Director of the Strategic Design MBA program at Philadelphia University, where she was a professor in design strategy and management. She is a published author and a global speaker.
She is a highly sought after keynote speaker, valued for her accessible expertise on creativity, the future of work and innovation. Natalie advises leaders on transformation- by applying wonder and rigor to amplify growth and business value. She brings an innovative and unique perspective to every keynote, strategic advisory engagement, and leadership coaching session. Her experience living in 5 countries combined with her background in anthropology, fashion, academia, and dance distinguish her as a one-of-a-kind creativity expert.
Natalie has been named among the top women keynote speakers by Real Leaders and BigSpeak; and has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company and INC. She’s the author of the award-winning The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation and Intuition at Work and her firm Figure 8 Thinking, was named among the top women-led innovation firms by Core 77. Marketing guru Seth Godin has said that Natalie “helps you get unstuck and unlock the work you were born to do!”; and Jessi Hempel, host of LinkedIn’s “Hello Monday” podcast called Natalie “a personal trainer for your creativity muscle”.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Start with gratitude. 
Stay humble. 
Model empathy.
Be curious.
Take action. 
Know and practice asking divergent and convergent questions.
Seek to strike a balance of wonder and rigor.
Be a clumsy student.
Always seek creative ways to learn and grow.
Resources:
Figure 8 Thinking with Natalie Nixon
About Natalie Nixon | Figure 8 Thinking
Cultivating Curiosity with Natalie Nixon
7 rules for improvising at work | Natalie Nixon | TEDxPhiladelphia
Natalie Nixon Speaker Reel
Warren Berger’s Books 
Natalie Nixon | Penn GSE
Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:
R.O.G on YouTube
R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
R.O.G on Spotify
How diverse is your network? N.D.I. Network Diversity Index
What is your Generosity Style?  Generosity Quiz
Credits:
Natalie Nixon, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.
Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 180, with Shannon Cassidy for a Generous Leadership Coaching Tip.