Pause On The Play Erica Courdae

Goal-setting can bring out the perfectionist in many of us. 
When our goals don’t account for our imperfect humanity, it leads to burnout and feeling like a failure. Getting stuck in the mentality that there is one course of action or one right way to do things doesn’t honor what we learn and experience along the way, even when things don’t go to plan.
Betsaida Lebron joins Erica to discuss setting J.A.N.K.Y goals that allow for imperfection, changing course, and getting outside of your comfort zone to make real change.
In this discussion:

How improv and play can help you manage fear and get outside your comfort zone


Setting goals that account for your humanity and capacity


How perfectionism in goal-setting holds us back


Why changing course doesn’t mean starting over


How making sure your goals are aligned with your values helps you shape real change
CONNECT WITH BETSAIDA LEBRON:


ImprovEQ

Instagram: @playfulleader

Connect with Betsaida on LinkedIn
READY TO DIVE DEEPER?
We’ve been conditioned to show up to work as our “professional” self and leave our personal beliefs behind. But the truth is, values inform every area of our life, so why try to compartmentalize?
Each month in The Pause on the Play® Community we explore one specific way to make your values more explicit. Our curated connections and learning experiences will help you challenge harmful norms, show up as an imperfect ally®, and live in alignment.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community

Your values are the foundation for every single thing that you do. Yet sometimes, we think we have to leave those values at the door when we go to work, whether in our own businesses or as team members for others. But your values come with you wherever you go. Erica and India discuss rethinking how your values show up in your business, getting explicit about them, and why being clear on your values helps you build lasting relationships with your team, your clients, and your audience. In this discussion: Why it’s important to understand how your personal values show up in other areas of your life Building the foundations of company values and brand values How using psychographics allows your audience to evolve with you and build real relationships with your business and your brand Ready to dive deeper? Take a pause with your team to consider how your values can be infused into your work and company culture with the Implicit to Explicit Masterclass. Get clarity on what your values are, why they matter, and how you can move forward integrating them into your work.  Learn more about the Masterclass and how to sign up at pauseontheplay.com/explicit

Doing the work of shifting systems toward equity and equality can take a massive toll physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough when you’re working against systems that existed long before you. But it’s important to remember that it’s not your debt to pay. Erica shares a reminder about the debts that we owe, and the importance of doing the work in community. In this discussion: Why you can’t internalize the debts created by preexisting systems Honoring both your capacity and responsibility as you do DEI work Why community and interdependence are vital to paying the systems’ debts Resources: Tabitha Brown’s Instagram post   Ready to dive deeper? None of us are meant to do this work alone. And not only should we not do it alone, we need to do it in community. Inside of The Pause on the Play® Community is a space for interdependence and support as you navigate your Imperfect Ally® journey. The Community offers member discussion, workshops, resources, Q&As, and more to help you along the way, and so that you can witness others’ journeys as well. Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community

When you’re working toward creating more equity in your business, it can be tempting to use demographic labels to diversify your client list and work with underrepresented communities. But assessing a potential client for fit is about more than labels.  Guest host Cher Hale discusses why she chose to shift her business to working exclusively with underrepresented voices, how she sets and keeps her boundaries around client fit, and how she supports clients on their DEI journeys. In this discussion: Cher’s process for evolving her ideal client and how she vets for values alignment Why demographic labels and DEI awareness aren’t enough to make someone a client candidate The combination of criteria and direct questions that Cher uses to assess for fit Why Cher says it’s important to acknowledge the limits of your ability to support your clients Connect with Cher Hale: Gingko PR Ready to dive deeper? We’ve been conditioned to show up to work as our “professional” self and leave our personal beliefs behind. But the truth is, values inform every area of our life, so why try to compartmentalize?   Each month in The Pause on the Play® Community, we explore one specific way to make your values more explicit. Our curated connections and learning experiences will help you challenge harmful norms, show up as an Imperfect Ally®, and live in alignment. Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community

Getting involved in the speaking industry is one way to build your thought leadership and support yourself or your business.  But that journey isn’t the same for everyone. There is more work that needs to be done to make the speaking industry more equitable. Danielle Tucker joins Erica for a conversation about the speaking industry, building thought leadership, and how people of color can be more visible and get paid well for what they do.   In this discussion: Where more accountability and responsibility are needed to bring equity to the speaking industry Why making change in the industry requires collaboration between speakers of color and allies in positions of influence How to build your visibility in ways that feel good and support your goals What it means to be a thought leader in a beneficial and impactful way Connect with Danielle Tucker: Professional Speaker Websites Expansive Thought Leadership Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn Resources: Danielle’s 25 Speaking Essentials Checklist   Ready to dive deeper? If you want support in broadcasting your brilliance join Danielle and the other amazing members of The Pause on the Play® Community. Get the knowledge and support you need to bring your voice to the world in a community that is working together and invested in each other’s success and wellbeing.  Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community

We tend to think of being a leader as something someone is or isn’t. But a concept of leadership that focuses only on the individual misses the inherently social nature of being a leader. Erica discusses what it means to be in leadership, why leadership is social, and why leaders must consider the collective whole. In this discussion: How the common conception of leadership reinforces white supremacy culture Why leadership is inherently social Why leadership requires acknowledging and working toward the collective good We tend to think of being a leader as something someone is or isn’t.   But a concept of leadership that focuses only on the individual misses the inherently social nature of being a leader.   Erica discusses what it means to be in leadership, why leadership is social, and why leaders must consider the collective whole. In this discussion: How the common conception of leadership reinforces white supremacy culture Why leadership is inherently social Why leadership requires acknowledging and working toward the collective good Resources: What Is Leadership? Kevin Kruse Understanding Leadership, W.C.H. Prentice Ready to dive deeper? The Pause on the Play® Community is a space where we come together and share with one another what we are experiencing, what we’re feeling, and what we’re doing to be different and do better. Sharing these stories and experiences gives us an opportunity to connect on a deep human level and be reminded of the hope and the possibilities in humanity.  Learn more about our community at pauseontheplay.com/community What Is Leadership? Kevin Kruse Understanding Leadership, W.C.H. Prentice Ready to dive deeper? The Pause on the Play® Community is a space where we come together and share with one another what we are experiencing, what we’re feeling, and what we’re doing to be different and do better. Sharing these stories and experiences gives us an opportunity to connect on a deep human level and be reminded of the hope and the possibilities in humanity.  Learn more about our community at pauseontheplay.com/community