Dec 21, 2018
This episode features Michael Roderick, founder of Small Pond
Enterprises and Host of the Access to Anyone Podcast. Michel is a
coach and consultant who knows how to design conversations large
and small. We talk about closing the loop on free advice (let
people know if if it works…otherwise we’ll keep giving bad
advice!), teaching through simulations and how to see patterns and
build frameworks.
Michael sends a daily (yes, daily!) email that I actually
read!
His claim to fame is that he went from High School English
Teacher to Broadway producer in under 2 years, which is fast for
*any* career shift, let alone a jump like that.
I first learned about Michael’s work years ago through his
conference, ConnectorCon, which he designed to build a safe space
to talk and connect, and to learn what it takes to be a great
connector.
One of the reasons I was excited to bring Michael on the show is
that he sees the world through a lens of frameworks, just like me!
And we hit on several key ideas that resonate with some components
of my Conversation OS, which is always nice.
- The Power (and limits of) Narrative. We live
our lives through the stories we tell. Stories help us build
connections and relationships, but they can also limit us. A
positive self-story feels better than a negative story, but it can
also limit us and tell us what is and isn’t possible. It’s worth
asking for time to time “what stories are serving me? What
narrative can help me build a new future and a new identity? What
do I believe is possible? What do I *not* try, because I believe
it’s impossible?”
- The Cadence of Connection. We talk about how
Community is a resource you *can* draw from if you’ve built it up
over time…and how you need to build it before you need it. Like
sleep, it’s something you have to do regularly.
- What’s On TV (or…the importance of
perspective) Michael has many, many great aphorisms, but this one
is amazing. The idea is that you will always be too close to your
own issues to solve them… unless you take time to pull back and see
the big picture. This is also why we’re always better at solving
other people’s problems! And why having a coach is essential.
- Competition doesn’t exist… just specialization
and niches. We are in competition with ourselves, each of us trying
to find our own niche. But watch out! All specializations aren’t
compatible…what’s interesting about this to me is the idea that if
we can’t connect with someone, it’s not always because of anything
other than incompatible approaches, not something “wrong” with you
or them.
- The Power of Invitation. As Michael points
out, “People love to feel useful, but they hate to feel used.”
Pressure never works well as an engagement tactic, at least not in
the long term. Asking permission, asking nicely and giving people
the option to say no gives people choice and allows them to choose
to be highly engaged.
Small Pond Enterprises
http://www.smallpondenterprises.com/
Access to Anyone Podcast
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/access-to-anyone/id1040351484?mt=2
Morning Pages
http://juliacameronlive.com/basic-tools/morning-pages/
Liminal Thinking: an interview with Dave Gray
http://theconversationfactory.com/podcast/2017/4/18/dave-gray-on-drawing-conversations-and-liminal-thinking
The Conversation Operating System (OS) Canvas
http://theconversationfactory.com/downloads/