cavnessHR Culture Podcast Show Notes

Daniella Hi, this is the cavnessHR Culture podcast. I'm your host, Daniella Young. Our guest today is my friend, Dr. Krystal White. Dr. White, are you ready to be great today?

Dr. White Always.

Daniella Dr. Krystal White is a leadership psychologist that improves the performance of organizations, teams and individuals. She facilitates programs that raise the efficiency of leaders assesses and enhances team dynamics, and is a motivational speaker, coach and consultant for forward leaning transformational corporations. Dr. White, tell us something that you're working on right now that is super exciting.

Dr. White I love that you asked if I was ready because I have a program called ready. It really is to help leaders be more self aware of their biggest blind spots and some of their biggest assets and then manage their behavior for an outward game. So that's one cool thing that I'm working on is like this leadership development program. The second is I've designed a 40 hour frontline supervisor, manager, leader program. That is because what we know about engagement in a culture is mitigated by leader efficiency and technical skills. Most leaders actually are really good, and managers are awesome at their technical aspects of their job. So engagement frequently isn't about raising their technical skills. But that's where we put the most time. Which is how well are they? How capable are they at inspiring other people to influence one another? How good are they at the people dynamics? I have a 40 hour 10 session developmental program to raise the manager level leadership skills in an organization. I'm really excited because I'm working on that. Instilling that and going around to find an organization that wants to invest in their frontline supervisors.

Daniella Nice and I love how on your ready program, you talked about essentially meeting leaders where they're at. I forget your exact wording. But leading and meeting leaders where they're at and learning their assets, and also their areas that are problematic. Versus sometimes I think we see, this is the way to be a leader looks. This is how you should act, everything else is wrong. You're very much different from that.

Dr. White I never learned based on a formula, like no formula, from cooking, to learning how to play the guitar to raising the frontline supervisor program up in the last organization that I served in. It's never formulaic. That's good for me because I'm a fast paced hyperactive on the go type of individually. Everything that I know about how people develop is that we need to inspire them to be alive to their personal experience and meet them there. Versus telling them where they should be. Because if we're not present with ourselves or other people. Then we're really missing an opportunity to leverage their talents.

Daniella Can you tell us a bit about your work with the military, some kind of special operations? What can you tell us about that?

Dr. White Well, that everybody's special. and everybody's not special all the same time. So fascinating how we're all different and yet, when you peel back the onion, and you go deeper and deeper, deeper. We all need the essential, same things. This program really is about tapping into your own passion, discovering your purpose, and understanding how other people aren't thinking your thoughts. Like you're the only one right now. I'm the only one now think, thank God, I'm the only one thinking my thoughts. But we just do a really bad job at peeling away those layers and going down to the core and then leading from there. Versus this facade that we become used to or were trained to present. So, the frontline leadership development program is getting people to be more understanding of who they are their core. Then how do you build the skills to truly understand other people at their core, and not the fake stuff on the surface. But listening deeply to you and others code jointly. That typically inspires connectivity in a way that is genuine and productive and healing, to be honest. When you meet somebody that you truly connected with? It's healing.

Daniella Conversations and connection and I think that's one of the things that human beings just need at every level, no matter what organization you go into, you find that.

Dr. White Sure and as a conversation that gets to the real deal, and not the superficial fluff that we always are talking about. Your conversation is the relationship. Truly, like, if you look at how people talk and what they talk about, and what they don't talk about. Like what's not okay for us to talk about. It really can uncover some of their dynamics that are keeping them stuck. So, the frontline program really is developmental. It's not 40 hours in one week, it is 40 hours spread over 10 weeks. Then we do a reassessment after three months to see if the skills that they were learning in the program actually translate into behavioral results in the teams that they lead. Then do a return of investment on that, like do their subordinates and do their managers, and do they feel like the program was foundational in and helping them learn and then also apply these skills. So that's kind of what frontline does, it brings that program into the organization. So, it makes it accessible and salient and then applicable to real life, managerial, behavioral people, interactions.

Daniella The data and the follow up, I think is so important. Actually, our last interview was with a guy, whose company does data metrics for culture. Our listeners will have heard about us discussing this. I think you're talking and an interesting counterpoint to that as well, which is, you have to have the follow up. You have to be able to actually go back in and show not only to the to the managers of the people paying the bills. But show to the leaders themselves, that they have changed and that this program has had an effect on how they're managing others

Dr. White You know, in the military, they do something called the climate command survey, and very few times is that survey actually discussed at a wide, like brief or with a wide group of people. Corporations often do that as the same, they do something, and then they don't tell the people, not just why they're doing it. But like the results of what we did besides man hours. Like saying that you put 15 hours into a training does not say anything about its return on investment or its efficiency. It just said that you spent 15 hours. So we have to be thinking about how do I measure success? Since I'm the facilitator of this program, I have my own definition of life successes. Then if somebody hires me, that leader will be very pushed to say, how do you define a second success? We need to measure if that indicators is there three months after? I have a few teams that I'm doing this out now. That then helps me perform better and it's a constant process improvement. You're infusing that value also in the teams that you have take this program. So it's a comprehensive Organizational Development Program, right? It doesn't just develop the individuals, it develops the organization.

Daniella That communication piece is so important, right? Why you're doing this, what you're learning from it, continuing to discuss it. I will never forget, I learned this lesson when I was in the military. My first deployment, I was a junior officer and we chartered a plane for the whole unit to go overseas. I was in the back with the normal people and all the high ranking officers are up front in first class. Everyone in the back is disgruntled, right? It's not fair, it sucks. The second time went back to Afghanistan, I was up in the front with the senior officers, except this time. I realized, once we got on the ground all the soldiers went to go set up their rooms and sleep for 24 hours. I went to work for 72 hours and it just clicked in my brain. I was like, if that was just explained if the high ranking commander went to the back and explained that to everyone in the back that like these people are up here sleeping so they can go to work. As soon as we land, I think it would have made such a difference. For me, that really changed kind of the way that I was leading during that deployment at war. It's not about justification, it's not about you giving everyone a vote in that situation. Of course, it wasn't, but it was just about, here's why we're doing this, now you understand it. Everyone seems to just get on board so much more

Dr. White We forget to communicate the things that come natural for us. Because we think that everybody else is thinking our thoughts. Like, of course, this is, of course, we don't have to explain it. The other thing I find to and this translates into managers, leaders, parents, myself as an entrepreneur. Is that you have to communicate that more than once. Because if this leader came back and said, Hey, this is why we're doing what we're doing it and half the people are watching the movie, chit chatting on their phones, they're not going to hear that message. You can't expect that just because you deliver a message means it's received. I just sent out like this party invitation for something that's a big celebration. I'm going to pay for a cater and dancing and I sent it out. Then I had coffee with one of my really good friends this weekend. She's like, what do you mean, you're having a party. The point is, is that in a culture, if you have something that you're trying to accomplish, and you have a change project, any change that you're trying to bring about, or a misunderstanding that you're trying to repair clean up. You have to over communicate the five W's over and over and over again. Probably more than you think is necessary, because not everybody's at the same place that you are. I am frequently failing in that message. On a personal level, I mess up at that at a professional level. I need to explain something over and over again. But it's absolutely critical to the success of your relationships.

Daniella The one point that you made, I just want to re emphasize this. I'm finding the same thing as I'm mentoring young leaders. That is you don't realize how you come off to people. Things that seems so obvious to you, nobody else is thinking. I love how you said it, nobody else is thinking your thoughts. It's that's one of those, levels of maturity and leaders and emotional intelligence is just getting to the point where you realize. That you have to over communicate and re communicate and ask your people for feedback on how they are receiving it. I've talked to so many leaders that are like, No, I'm an open book, my people can come up to me anytime. I'm like, you think you're communicating that to them? But do they know that they're allowed to dissent in a meeting? Or they're allowed to express a different opinion? Because if they're not doing it, they probably don't know that? Because there's no way everyone has the same opinion in here.

Dr. White Great point. You know, there are some leaders out there listening who don't actually need to over communicate, those are the ones that probably need to shut up. I just want to say sometimes like this is not a formula. This is why it's nice to have a coach or somebody else from the outside that's not of the rating chain and don't have skin in the game in terms of the results to really come back and say. This message that I just said, this over communication thing that's not for you, extroverted driven, pacesetter model leader. You need to listen more and listen not to get something, just listen to understand. Under communicate, that person needs a message. That's why you think everybody around you is so lazy and not doing anything and not communicating back with you. So, understanding that leadership isn't, formula leadership is a moment by moment integrity, issue of your character, and how competent are you at understanding your own, tendencies just like that, in flaws and strengths, and really understanding others. That takes a lot of effort, intentional effort.

Daniella It's work that is for sure. I think leaders want to judge themselves or others based on amount of experience. But someone can be a junior leader and have put more intentional thought behind, why they lead and how they lead and how they deal with their people. That person is a far better leader than someone else who's been doing it for 20 years, but without that sort of intentional practice behind it.

Dr. White That's why we need mentoring relationships and diversification. That doesn't mean that unexperienced is the one receiving mentorship. I know a lot of seasoned executives, older leaders that actually need to be coached by younger people.

Daniella We so often find that mentorship goes both ways. Just because it's a, I think a relationship where there's a coach. Someone is designated as the coach and someone else is designated as the person being coached. You can still learn from each other.

Dr. White Absolutely. I didn't decide to do this field, because like, I'm an expert in it. I did it because I had continuously wanted a platform for my own growth and conscious awakening and service. I find myself equally served in my relationships with other people. When I don't feel that way, when I feel like I'm under giving or overcoming. It requires other people to help me move to a space of balance with it. But most people, including leaders, they receive a lot from their relationships. If you're not, if you're out there, and you're listening to the podcast like that's just not me, I'm burnt out. I have lost my passion or fire. Like it's it really is time to speak up about that. Because there are quick and easy ways to find your energy leaks.

Daniella Speaking about how you got into all of this, let's, let's talk about that. So you're a clinical psychologist, I believe you worked with children and parents. You wrote a book about love. And now you are the executive Shabak. Tell us about that.

Dr. White Yes, very big, wide journey. You know, in my kind of early 20s. I went to Harvard, and I got a degree in education and how the mind develops and neuro psychology and brain development and how that really translates into learning. After I went to seminary and got a degree in Christian Leadership, and I worked really in community development at that time. How do you inspire people to join together in a collaborative way, in a seminary setting. It's very similar to an organizational setting. There's wide diversification of views and what's right and what's not right and I love that. I was in charge of like parenting seminars and how to parent. I then got my degree in clinical psychology and some how I ended up at Madigan Army Medical Center. Where I did my fellowship in developmental, pediatrics and psychology. My training has always been an assessment and evaluation, and then aspiring parents to parent in a way that is developmentally thriving and sound.

Dr. White When I went overseas to work on this, I started my radio show and teaching and training and facilitating. I was identified and developed myself from some awesome commanders who professionally sought talent and asked me to step into the organizational development role. Where I've been, and now that I've left government service, I started my own business. To round out my resume, I thought I should throw in love on. I studied this and roped my friends into it. The point is that we all want to love, love is about how we work, and that work doesn't finish. We need to be leaders in our home life in our personal lives. The book really speaks about how to love from your core and understand the core of other people and connect in a way that is synergistic. It's not that big of a departure from creating communities or design organizing the development of culture.

Daniella You know, I heard a quote, once. I don't remember where it's from, but it's that leadership is love. It's one of those quotes, the first time you hear it, you're like, wait, what. But the more you think about it, the more it's true. That's really what I get from your book. Hearing you talk about, so the letter code, if I understand it correctly, it's based on a couple of letters and the way that the shapes are made, describe sort of your personality type. Which translates to your leadership type, and what you need and how you communicate. Then how you in turn, deal with what other people need. It's leadership, your love.

Dr. White if you don't love what you do, and you're just there, hanging out which we've got a population of people in our workforce, which that's okay. Then it's not going to translate into your work life. But if you're the type of person that works, and you love what you do, or you want to learn what you do. It's helpful for you to kind of figure out who you are your core in that in that area. Also, something that I really struggled with. I really struggled with feeling competent, and confident and clear. How I articulate what I need to another human being. I was really fortunate just to observe and have lots of opportunities to edit this and to express it and the way I did so it's kind of, it's really vulnerable. To be vulnerable to talk about the book, which is not really what I want to do for a living. I don't do couples, stuff or anything. But I do want to give people tools that help them live a more vibrant and efficient and meaningful existence here on this planet.

Daniella Well, and speaking of culture at a larger level, my generation of millennials, like speaking about loving what you do. We're sort of redefining this. I left a job making good money to pursue my own path and do something that I love. I know plenty of other people that are doing the same thing. They will work for half, or even a third of what they could be making out on the job market. Because it's a culture that they love, or it's in a field that they love. We have a whole slew of people sort of reinventing themselves at age 30, or 35. Because they want to do something that they love. So I think your book and your teaching is just so timely right now for the shift that is going on.

Dr. White I love what millennials bring. Because it's not like generation Xers, or the baby boomers don't feel this. It's just they weren't talking about it. If you think about again, communication is the relationship. You're actually inspiring baby boomers to be like, what is my passion? I'm having this leader conference, the Olympic Peninsula this summer. It's just two days to really figure out like, what is my passion, and purpose? How am I like misfiring in a way that pushes people away? How can I align it more in a way that draws more followership and inspires other people back when I go to work. Or when I transition to the next thing, and most people don't get the opportunity to talk about it so much. But millennials have raised our standards. If you are leading anybody that's under the age of 30, you better believe that they want some fire in the culture. They want some reason that they're devoting themselves to you. They will, they will devote but you better bring ii.

Daniella One last plug I can get for millennials is that yes, they want you to develop them as leaders. But they also are willing to go develop themselves as leaders. I'm seeing a lot of that too, a lot of people saying what can we do on our own to develop. Which is again, just an amazing time right now. But on that note, this is such a great conversation, and we're just about out of time. Dr. White, what is the best way for our listeners to connect with you on social media?

Dr. White You know, first, I love Instagram, I didn't think I would love it. But now I just love it. It's a daily habit. For me, I have a couple disciplines and one is like meditation in the morning and coffee and movement. The other is like looking on Instagram for things that are inspiring. So you can find me at Dr. Krystal White, just my name. I would love people to check out the executive Sharman.com. There's a podcast, it's available on iTunes and Spotify, the executive shaman podcast. If you want more interaction with me, Instagram and downloading and subscribing to the newsletter at executiveshaman.com you should be good.

Daniella That is Krystal with a K and all of her links will be available on the show notes. I really encourage you guys to check her out, check out her website. She's got a book she does all of these super interesting things. I don't have to tell you listeners, she's incredibly impressive because you just heard her speak. But she does a lot of fun things. I heard her talk about wanting to do a seminar of blending wine and talking about cultural diversity, which is amazing. So super fun, super awesome. She's one to watch. So get online follow her. That being said, Dr. White, what is one last piece of advice or knowledge you can give for our listeners

Dr. White Connect. I really am thankful for our connection. You know when you meet somebody you don't know really where it's going to go. But when you find somebody it just clicks with and makes you feel both okay with being crummy and also awesome with being awesome. Just connect more and and take this step out it that that connection requires.

Daniella Just connect. You heard it here. Well, thank you so much. And remember to be great every day.

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cavnessHR Culture Podcast Show Notes

a talk with Dr. Krystal White Leadership Psychologist & Corporate Consultant at Dr. Krystal White, The Executive Shaman

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