PDPW Podcasts

"Respect is a two-way street. If you want to get it, you have to give it." R.J. Risch It has been said that no matter how smart and skilled you are, it will not matter if your actions are less than desireable.  In this podcast, Hank Wagner talks about respect - a concept referring to the ability to value and honor another person. Aretha Franklin sang about it, we all want it, but more importantly,...

Difficult conversations can be scary. The stakes are usually high and there is a cost of failure; raising everyone’s defenses. In a world that isn't short on controversial issues, do we really ever get anywhere by arguing and destroying relationships?  Tom Thibodeau shares his wisdom and three practices we should use when approaching difficult conversations. Learning to communicate in a healthy wa...

When hearing the word "professional", most people would conjure up an image of someone wearing a business suit with a number of certificates hanging behind them on their wall. Hank Wagner shares his perspective on being a professional and points out that being a professional has more to do with what's on the inside. Hear Hank's five standards of professionalizm.

Who doesn't love a good story? We connect with friends and family when we share stories. We laugh and cry together. We build compassion, understanding and a widened perspective of what is possible. Tom reminds us that when we end our day, month, year, or even our career, if we don't have a story to tell - then what do we have? Hear Tom's message on why the heart of telling a story can bring us all...

Tom Thibodeau has been teaching servant leadership for more than 35 years, and during that time he has learned the importance of building a strong community, just like PDPW. Tom's message this week focuses on how it's a struggle to do it alone and how we are better individuals when we work together and support each other.

We have always heard that the trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit. Could the same hold true for people? Our lives are going so fast that we tend to do what is urgent versus what is important. So many of us focus on getting ahead that we don’t necessarily slow down to take time to reflect on what’s going on within us. We need to bring our attention to what’s happening in our lives in a...

Do you know when to stop talking and start listening? Listening has become an art, especially In today’s world with smart phones, social media, and the need for immediate responses. It seems we are fast-forwarding through some important moments when we don’t take the time to listen. When you listen, your family, friends, employees and customers feel understood, accepted and heard. Every effective...

How often are we laughing with the people we love? Is there anything more remembered than those moments of joy? Studies have shown that when we experience joy, we feel like we can take on new challenges and are open to new experiences. More importantly the presence of joy in our lives has shown to establish greater and more personal connections with others. A new voice to PDPW Podcast Weekly, Tom...

Does your parents' relationship affect yours? Research has shown that how your parents interacted with each other can and does have an impact on your own relationship — consciously and unconsciously. Without even realizing it, their relationship became a template of what a marriage looks like. In this podcast Hank Wagner talks about how you need to evaluate your thinking about your marriage and de...

Does what you believe in yourself hold you back? Personal goals often fail because there is an underlying identity that has been formed through years of consistent habits. Hank Wagner dives deeper into belief systems and shares how we can take control over our circumstances if we learn how to change our way of thinking.

Death is hardly the go-to topic of conversation. It is uncomfortable and difficult to talk about. However, it is something we can't avoid no matter how healthy we eat, how much we exercise or how well we avoid stress. In most cases we don't know when, so sadly we can't plan our goodbyes. In this podcast, Hank Wagner challenges us not to wait until our last day when you can add value to someone’s l...

In any given day, we could have 50,000-60,000 thoughts running through our mind.  Everything we do is connected to our thoughts, so in turn, perception drives us. What we are tempted to target in life, or the way we respond or react to situations are guided by our inherent thoughts.  The character and content of thought define the way we conduct our lives, which in turn, account for the outcomes o...

A belief system could be best described as this invisible force behind our behavior and decision making. Humans accumulate thousands of beliefs throughout our lifetime about all aspects of life. We gain them through how we were raised, things people say, things we hear or read, and many other external influences we have been exposed to. In this podcast, Hank Wagner talks about being aware of our b...

Who needs an internal memory when you have Siri? Why figure out a problem when you can Google it? Today's society uses technology to problem solve, and we are doing less actual thinking. Are we allowing technology to dumb us down by looking for ready made solutions instead of relying on our own instincts and thought processes. In this podcast, Hank Wagner returns and explains why we need to care a...

Have you ever heard someone say they ‘gave away the farm‘? Meaning, they gave away too much value in order to arrive at an agreement.  Yet it is all too common that most negotiators fail to achieve a mutually satisfying outcome - a win-win agreement. Negotiations are happening all the time both in business and in our personal lives.   In this podcast, Dr. Becky Stewart-Gross, of Building Bridges S...

Dr. Becky Stewart-Gross, founder of Building Bridges Seminars, discusses a timeless book on leadership titled, "The Leadership Challenge" written by James Kouzes and Barry Posner, which asks the question, "What do people admire and expect from their leaders?" In this podcast, she will share what the authors have found to be the five most common practices of effective leadership.

The largest diversity of generations is represented in today's workplace more than at any other time in history. There are five generations currently working side-by-side. Different backgrounds and life experiences can result in different expectations, distinct work ethics, contrasting perspectives and diverse motivators.  Dr. Becky Stewart Gross will walk you through generational characteristics...

Change is inevitable in our lives, and it is interesting how people react to change in differently.  Does change completely knock you off your feet and turn your life upside down or do you easily ride the waves of change like a pro surfer?  Dr. Becky Stewart-Gross shares the stages of adapting to change and discusses how some of us may need a little help getting over the wall of change.

I am sure you've heard the phrase "A beautiful mind is a terrible thing to waste". Hank Wagner questions whether we are using our minds to their fullest potential and taking advantage of this sophisticated "piece of technology". By consciously choosing to change our way of thinking, we can generate desired outcomes. 

When a warning light turns on in your car's dashboard, do you ignore it or do you get your car checked out? Chances are if you want your car to run it's best, you're going to figure out why the light went on and fix it. Like your car, life also gives you little warning signs, but are you making adjustments when you get them? If you want the best possible life, in this podcast, Hank Wagner advises...

From GPS to the internet and milking robots to artificial intelligence, technology is all around us to make our lives easier, faster, safer and even more entertaining. What if you could create technology that could transform our lives and even our relationships? What would you create? How much would you be willing to pay for this technology? In this podcast Hank Wagner explores the possibilities a...

Successful relationships take time and effort, but they are available to everyone who is willing to put in the work and stay on the journey. While celebrating an important milestone in their marriage, Hank Wagner's wife, Pam, reflected on three important things that improved their relationship over time. Hank shares these tips that are effective in any type of relationship and also gives a challen...

What is the value of a question? Sometimes the value has more to do wtih how the question is received than what is actually asked. Hank Wagner explores the impact of a question and shares why they can be a powerful tool in relationships. Listen as Hank shares the three things not do with questions and the four things to intentionally do with questions. 

Staying positive and having a good attitude doesn’t pay your bills or put your feed up in storage.  We get it!    While that’s true, changing your attitude may alter your perspective during tough times and lead you to a positive outcome. So, as presenter Hank Wagner encourages in this week’s PDPW Podcast Weekly episode, pause and smell the flowers.  Seriously, slow down to appreciate all the great...

Want to make a positive change in your life? If the answer is "yes", try doing something Hank Wagner's mentor taught him.  The "Rule of Five" method is all about creating small daily habits that can lead to big differences in your life.