Wise Up with OpenWater

Tapping into the Sage to Combat Ageism with Karl Stewart

How can mid- and late- career professionals break the mold that ageism and other cultural forces try to force us into? Could the OpenWater community play the modern role of a fractional Oracle of Delphi? In a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation, Karl Stewart shares wisdom acquired through a varied career spanning mathematics, dance, acting, HR management and leadership coaching.  We explore the concepts of the Sage and Ancestral Intelligence (the other, older AI) as the most powerful of human resources. From Greek mythology to more modern approaches, Karl shows us how to using learned and inherited wisdom to turn ourselves into “magnets” rather than fit existing modes of thinking.
We cover topics including:
Tapping into the five principles of the Sage to quiet our “fight or flight” instincts
Recognizing wisdom as an ancient and powerful currency
Defining, recognizing and overcoming internal ageism
Please listen in for these and other fascinating pearls of wisdom from Karl.
The Wise Up! Podcast is your regular dose of business wisdom, brought to you by the members of OpenWater.

Facing Uncertainty and Embracing Change with Insight and Humor with Rachel Burr

Every caterpillar goes through an incredibly messy transformation inside its chrysalis –  reduced to goo before eventually emerging as a beautiful butterfly. But this only happens once in their lifetime.  What about adults in mid-life or mid-career? How many periods of messy change might we encounter and endure during our lifetimes, and how can we emerge as transformed and beautiful as a butterfly? I spoke with executive coach, leadership consultant, people expert and author Rachel Burr about her book, Butterfly Goo, and the opportunities she sees for us to embrace change and develop leadership from our authentic core. Among the subjects we discussed:
What it takes to lean in, find your voice and do something scary like writing your first book
The benefits of recognizing the tools you’ve been given to navigate times of change
The role of humor in navigating leadership, uncertainty and life in general
I truly enjoyed this rich and personal conversation with Rachel and I know you will too.
The Wise Up! Podcast is your regular dose of business wisdom, brought to you by the members of OpenWater.

Exploring a World of Interoperability with Julian Durand

Just a few weeks ago, the entire energy grid in Spain and Portugal went dark. This wasn’t the result of malicious activity, it was the consequence of one malfunction in a hugely complex and interoperable system built over several decades. Our world is full of interoperable systems for communications, energy and other elements of critical infrastructure. So how do we monitor these systems, manage their vulnerabilities and minimize events such as the one in Iberia?  What can we as individuals do to ensure our world operates as we expect? I spoke with infrastructure and information security expert Julian Durand about these and other topics related to technology, interoperability and our modern world, including:
The complexities of modern infrastructure and the vulnerabilities present in everyday services
The principles of Zero Trust Architecture as a means of managing and securing complex systems
The role you and I have in keeping our critical infrastructure secure and operating
Enjoy learning about the macros and micros of interoperability and how you can play your part in keeping critical infrastructure secure.
The Wise Up! Podcast is your regular dose of business wisdom, brought to you by the members of OpenWater.

When Does Brand Building Really Count? with Rose Sommerich

We’re all familiar with stories of brand successes and failures, but what should you do when that brand is your own? In a fun and informative discussion with brand and marketing leader Karen Rose Sommerich, we discussed the moments in your organization’s growth when brand thinking can matter most. Some of the topics covered in this podcast include:
• How shift from a mindset of Product Market Fit (PMF) to Brand Market Fit (BMF)
• The importance of building internal consensus and discipline behind your brand story
• The power of narrative and storytelling to help an organization stay true to its promise as it scales
• The growth moments and milestones where a focus on brand can drive better outcomes
Listen in for some great tips and stories of using brand thinking to navigate growth and build momentum.
The Wise Up! Podcast is your regular dose of business wisdom, brought to you by the members of OpenWater. Hosted by Ken Pasternak.

How TruHealer's Extended Reality Trains Doctors to Be Empathetic, with David Lin

There are a lot of technologies out there to improve the skills of doctors. But TruHealer, which is coming out of stealth, aims to use mixed reality headsets to help doctors improve their bedside manner.
Founder Dave Lin talks about how TruHealer's approach creates lifelike patient scenarios, but sets them in your real environments (not virtual ones) and allows you to interact with other medical professionals in the same room. These patient avatars are powered by AI to create real world style conversations and improve empathy.
To learn more about TruHealer, visit: https://www.truhealer.ai/
David is a member of OpenWater, a new community and platform for midcareer professionals to expand their networks, elevate their profiles and connect with new opportunities. Find out more, attend one of our info sessions.

Conflict Resolution Coaching, with Angela Nelson, DrPH

Conflict, especially in the workplace, is something many of us like to avoid. But avoidance does not lead to resolution. Today's guest is Dr. Angela Nelson, an attorney and certified coach who helps individuals and teams work through their conflict issues. 
Nelson uses an assessment tool called the Conflict Dynamics Profile, which helps people identify how they respond to conflict in various situations. It looks at two main areas: constructive behaviors and destructive behaviors. Constructive behaviors are ways we can approach conflict positively, like finding solutions, perspective-taking, or collaborating. On the other hand, destructive behaviors include things like avoidance, anger, or blame, which tend to escalate conflict or leave it unresolved.
Which conflict profile do you fit into?
Check out the full interview to learn more about conflict and conflict resolution.
The Wise Up! podcast is your weekly dose of business wisdom brought to you by the members of OpenWater. If you are interested in learning more about Openwater's platform for mid-career professionals, visit OpenWater.group to learn more. 

How Empathy Can Boost Your Bottom Line, with Patricia Bravo

It’s probably safe to say that most of us want to be empathetic. And it’s also probably safe to say that most of us want empathetic leaders in the workplace. It’s not just about being nice. Fostering empathy in the workplace can boost productivity and positively impact the bottom line.
This week’s guest is Patricia Bravo, Founder of The Empathetic Leader. In this chat, Patricia breaks down what empathy is and how it activates understanding. We also talk about:
Traits of empathetic leaders
How empathy can lead to better decisions
Predictive insights that can be gained from empathy
The Wise Up! podcast is your weekly dose of business wisdom as brought to you by the members of OpenWater. To learn more about the platform and community OpenWater is building for seasoned professionals, visit OpenWater.group.

Applying Design Thinking to Get Better Sleep, with Megan Mazzocco

Sleep. Everybody needs it. 1 in 3 adults don't get enough of it. Megan Mazzocco has written a book on it called Sleep System: 28 Days to Better Sleep. In it, she uses design thinking when thinking about sleep.
In this interview, we cover:
Examining all our sensory inputs before we go to bed
What the glymphatic system is, and why it's so important
Things you can do right now to help improve your sleep
The Wise Up! Podcast is your weekly dose of business wisdom as brought to you by the members of OpenWater. To find out more about OpenWater, and how we support midcareer professionals, join one of our free online information sessions.
Note: This podcast should not be considered medical advice.

How to Own (a Fraction of) a Home in France, with Don Spradlin

If you've ever dreamed of having a home in the south of France, then fractional ownership might be for you. Dewey "Don" Spradlin has been a real estate broker for forty years and recently launched Joie de Vivre Homes, a new service that helps people buy partial ownership of French homes.
This isn't a time share, you are a part owner of the property. It can get pretty complex pretty quick, especially with French real estate laws. But Don's company is here to help. In this talk, Don walks you through what fractional ownership means, the legal mechanisms and entities required, and how much it costs.
It's time to say bon chance, and dive into the world of partial home ownership!
Don is a member of Openwater, a new community and platform built to support midlife professionals by expanding their networks, boosting their profile, and connecting them with new opportunities. If you are interested in becoming a member, sign up for a free online information session.
 
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Don transitioned from Investment Banking to psychotherapist to non-profit fund Development and now has a new (ad)venture named Joie de Vivre Homes. His goal is to make co-owning a holiday home in France easy and joyful.

Q&A with Never Search Alone Author, Phyl Terry

This is a special edition of the Wise Up! Podcast. We had such a great chat with Phyl Terry about job searching that we wanted to include it in our regular podcast feed. Take a listen, you won't regret it. 
Looking for a job sucks. That’s why Phyl Terry says you should never search for one alone.
Phyl is the author of Never Search Alone: The Job Seeker’s Playbook, and founder of the Job Search Council movement. The idea is pretty straightforward — instead of “spraying and praying” with your resume, you take a step back, work with others and together figure out and plan for the job you that you really want.
Phyl is delightful, and inspiring, and over at Phyl.org, they have a ton of free resources job seekers can take advantage of.
It’s easy to get down about yourself when looking for a job. This conversation will lift you up.
This webinar was presented for the members of OpenWater, who were able to interact with Phyl and ask questions. It’s one of the many perks of being part of our community. If you’re interested in learning more and joining OpenWater, apply for membership.