Sharpen 2.0: The Podcast for Professionals

I got this concept from a book titled, "Outlive." The book mainly focuses on health but this phrase really hit home. Sometimes, just like in our college days, we Major in things and we Minor in things. But the key is to not lose focus on the Major in spite of the Minor.

I have to remind myself sometimes that the little flub I made in a meeting, or how I misspoke in an email is not what lingers in everyone else's minds. What seems huge in my mind has already been forgotten by everyone else. This can be very freeing, especially in the workplace to help everyone shift gears and move on with the day.

If I've learned anything as a mom it's been to always explain why we're doing something before the what. The kids will always ask why and, honestly, we're not much different as adults. When we know the "why" behind a career task, oftentimes we're more motivated to complete it.

Clarity is kindness and it can really turn into a superpower for you in the workplace. If you can find time to Take 5, Recap what's happened, and Remind everyone what's coming up, you'll help avoid workplace confusion.

I learned this acronym as a state officer in FFA and it not only relates to life in agriculture but in the professional world as well. The acronym is WIFM - What's In It For Me? Keeping this top of mind in your career can help add value to what you do and navigate where you're going.

Raising children has made me cognizant of the value in the world around us. Everything from a simple compliment to helping around the house. There's value in everything. Where do you find value in your life? In your career?

The final part of our series on "What we say vs. what we do" we're talking about habits. Life's definitely a marathon and not a sprint. What habits are you forming that allow you to become a true "marathoner?"

In this second part of our three-part series we're talking about lifelong learning. When we say we're lifelong learners, do we actually mean it? How are we intentionally learning as we grow in our careers?

We begin this three-part series by focusing on mentoring relationships. Are we valuing the next generation in the workplace in what we say and what we do? Or do we leave them sitting at the kids table?

Lately I have been focusing on being in a state of greatfulness. Whether that is in work, life, relationships, whatever it may be. I am trying to see opportunities for gratitude. What is a life-nourishing moment you've had because of someone's gratitude?

Sometimes it's helpful for me to empose a deadline on myself. It creates really good traction and productivity in my projects. When I know have to be finished with a project by a certain day/time, it gives me a margin for the most important tasks at hand.

There are at least two sayings that can define a person's productivity: "How you do anything, is how you do everything," and "Done is better than perfect." Which camp do you fall into? Or are you somewhere in the middle? We should always seek more excellence and this episode will explain how.

With the hectic pace of life and work, I sometimes find it hard to rest and settle in. Over time I think we lose sight of the gift of patience and letting things breathe. When was the last time you were patient in your career?

You can get a lot accomplished in only 10 minutes. The key is to prepare, plan, and schedule. Take a listen to learn more about how 10 minutes each night can change your life!

Former president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, had a rule when it came to speaking. Ultimately it comes down to being respectful of people's time. Take a listen to learn more about his rules!

Do people enjoy working with you? I don't mean you should cater to everyone's needs, but are you pleasant to work with? As my daughter's say, you gotta have that "rizz" in the workplace.

How much time do you devote to hard work in a day? Work that is really focused and intentional. We could learn something from Pasta Matt and his craftsmanship!

Most professionals in the middle of their careers have a tendency to leave the AI and ChatGPT's of the world to the younger professionals. But it's such a powerful tool! If you can learn to embrace it for the mundane and the fun tasks it certainly pays off.

In your early stages of your career you may have tried to be over-productive. In this episode we'll challenge you to be more consistent instead of more productive.

At Sharpen 2.0 we're all about helping you develop skills for the workplace and beyond. What skills are you actively trying to develop that will help in your professional and personal lives?

The New Year is fast upon us! It's never too late to plan your goals, no matter the time of year. How are you working to overcome Parkinson's Law and be more productive in your career?

I recently had a career change and was immediately reminded of the fear that comes with it. Learning new processes and procedures, meeting new people, it can be daunting. It's always going to happen but you can't let the fear of change stop you from progress.

As I ventured back into the realm of podcasting I had to remind myself that things can be a little rough around the edges at first. Sometimes we forget about our "first times" but it's important to remind ourselves that it's normal to have clunky starts to new things.

After reading an amazing book I decided to do more hard "stuff." This led me to training for and competing in a marathon. It was not easy! Check out this episode to learn how you can get into the groove of doing hard things.

In an effort to prove to my family that I can get up on a surfboard, I learned a valuable lesson. When we're doing all the right things in life, business, relationships, do we really know where we're going with them? Check out this life lesson I learned the hard way.