GRIT & GRAVITAS LIVE: UNSTOPPABLE JOURNEY
by Anne Deeter Gallaher
November 20, 2024
Our podcast journey hit another high gear when Anne Carnathan and I brought Grit & Gravitas LIVE to the 2024 Conference for Women in Camp Hill, PA on October 31, 2024. We love unconventional ideas (thanks Anne Carnathan!) and are so grateful to the conference hosts Abeer Srouji Allen and Tania Srouji for inviting us to be the keynote speakers.
In a world of mixed media, I firmly believe that in-person reigns as the most powerful tool for communication. And to see our podcast in real life with audience questions and engagement is even better!
In Unstoppable Journey, Episode 82, we shared 14 tips to inspire women and men at every season of their careers.
Currently in Season 4, we have recorded more than 80 episodes of Grit & Gravitas, and we like to say it’s like taking an Executive Education course at an elite university. Where else can you learn ground truth from some incredibly successful and resilient CEOs, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, change makers, and business leaders?
The following insights are tips that Anne and I have spent decades practicing, honing, and sharing. We’d love your thoughts on what’s worked for you, your biggest challenges, and how we can help you become unstoppable.
- Start in a good head space. I can’t emphasize this enough. How you think, especially first thing in the morning, can deeply impact the kind of day you’ll have. Surround yourself with positive, cheerful people, inspiring music, books, and upbeat podcasts.
- Network, network, network. It sounds cliché but attend events, join professional organizations, volunteer at non-profits, and serve in leadership roles. All of these will help you build long-lasting relationships. Your network is your net worth.
- Develop resilience every day. It’s not easy, but Anne Carnathan always says a bad day does not equal a bad life. I learned a powerful principle from a client years ago—In all things, assume positive intent.
- Say Yes to hard things. Get uncomfortable and grow! One of my interns moved to New York City for her career, and we met at the Waldorf Astoria for lunch one day. She told me that she tries to say Yes to one thing a day that makes her uncomfortable and feels challenging.
- Be self-aware. Surround yourself with truth-tellers and accept honest feedback about your professional life.
- Get back up every time you get knocked down. Defeat is part of success. My three sons were all wrestlers. It’s the worst sport for a mom! At every match someone is walking off the loser—defeated or pinned in a dim gymnasium often with a dome light shining on the mat for maximum suspense. Watch how wrestlers respond to defeat. They practice harder, train with more discipline, and prepare for the next match. These are the same characteristics that fuel entrepreneurs. If a region wants to know where the next generation of entrepreneurs will come from, look at the wrestling mats.
- Conquer your fears. Afraid to make the pitch? Do it scared. Afraid to speak in public? Do it scared. Don’t let your fears define your future potential.
- Take calculated risks. If you feel you’re deserving of a bigger salary or a leadership position, make the ask.
- Take responsibility for your actions. Be the first to acknowledge your mistakes and fix them. Accepting responsibility is the hallmark of great leadership.
- Be humble and confident. They are not mutually exclusive. I want to work with confident people who know their value and can deliver positive impact. And I want to work with humble people eager to share the limelight with others.
- The desire to be liked cannot overpower the desire to do good and worthy work. Sometimes we give business decisions way too much emotional presence in our minds. If you’ve done your best and people don’t like you, learn to live with it. It’s better to be disliked than to sacrifice your integrity.
- Offer grace to others…and yourself. Most people are not cheering for others to fail. Decide that people have good intentions, then operate from that mindset. Accept mistakes and apologies with grace, including your own.
- Take time to exercise. A healthy body promotes a healthy mind, and that invites fresh thinking. Sometimes taking a walk or just getting outside to sit in the sunshine is all you need for an energy boost. Amp up that Vitamin D!
- Lift others up. So many people have accepted my coffee invitations, graciously answered my emails, and said Yes to my meeting requests. When you are in leadership, it’s your turn. You have incredible opportunities to advance a young person’s career or make introductions. That’s how the next generation learns to mentor—by following your example.
Listen to Grit & Gravitas for more of these unstoppable #businessvitamins from our distinguished guests!
Anne Brand Strategy/Awareness Executive Positioning