The Importance of Aligning Your Thoughts, Language and Actions with Barb Evoy

Author, radio and television host, speaker and teacher Barb Evoy joins me on the podcast today to discuss the necessity of alignment with your Thoughts, Language and Actions as a leader. 

Here’s a glance at what you’ll learn from our discussion in this episode:

• Setting clear goals is crucial, and there is a method
• If you can’t express where you want to go, they can’t follow
• What happens when there isn’t alignment  

For more information and to learn more about Barb you can find her on Instagram or twitter at With_Barbara or email her at fergus.ed@hotmail.com

IIf you’re ready to transform your entrepreneurial frustrations into freedoms by cutting through the chaos and using frameworks that help you run an even better business and enjoy an even better life, simply go to:   www.Mohr.Coach

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Transcript

Barb Evoy  00:00

When my employees meet me when my clients meet me when my friends meet me, there's very little question about who I am. And what I stand for. All you got to do is a five-second dive on me on my social, which we know is a great indication of who we are both as professionals and community leaders, you can tell very clearly who I am and what I stand for. So that when I meet you, in the first five seconds, I have already indicated who I am and what I stand for how it's the words again, so I know what I'm thinking. Now, how am I going to speak to you, I would never hire somebody and call them names and itself the way they look when they walk into the office because that would be in direct opposition to the way that I think so you can tell the way I think, by the way, that I speak, but what did our parents always tell us? actions speak louder than words?

Pete Mohr  00:57

Hey, it's Pete, and welcome to another edition of the simplifying entrepreneurship podcast. It's this series designed to help provide the tips and tools that will help you cut through the chaos and overwhelm in order to create the clarity that will transform your business and life as a leader. And today, I had the opportunity to speak with a good friend of mine, Barb Eva, she's involved in teaching, she's a podcaster. She's on the radio, she has a TV show and an author. She's a speaker as well. Today, we're going to talk all around the idea that our thoughts, language and actions must connect in order to create clarity. And as everybody knows, here, clarity is a big piece of the puzzle. It's simplifying entrepreneurship. And that's why I really like this conversation here today, how we talk about how those three things must be in full alignment, whether you're talking about your mission, a marketing program, or anything within your business, for your team, for your clients, and for your life as a leader. It's all about the alignment, essentially, of our thoughts, our language and our actions. So we'll dig into it here with Barbie boy.

02:08

Hey, Barb, it's

Pete Mohr  02:09

great to see you. Welcome to the simplifying entrepreneurship podcast here today. Hi, Peter. So good to be here really excited today about this topic around the idea that our thoughts and language and actions all connect, and they're all super important as we lead our businesses?

Barb Evoy  02:27

Yeah, definitely. I feel like everything that we do, has to have a trajectory, we need to know where we're going and what's coming next. And I've heard a lot of your guests, and I think we've all said the same thing about recognizing the value of having very clear goals. In fact, in our pre-interview, we talked about maybe speaking about actionable goals, and you reminded me that you've had many guests who have spoken to that. So that is a piece of this, though, because what I'm talking about is the first three steps of a long journey. So the first step is always how we think dictates how we speak, which will then dictate how we act, then back again, to how we think. I don't know that a lot of people understand the value of this. I've got a staff of about 16 people. And everything that I always do is want to understand how they're thinking, are they thinking, in my mindset, so to some degree, I need my team to be on the same page, I need my team to know the way I'm thinking that doesn't suggest that they can't have their own mind and know IE their own person in that role. But I definitely need to be sure that we're all on the same page moving forward. Oh, yeah. The second thing is, is how we talk. So you know, I have been in a lot of times a lot of places where people's actions and words aren't really aligning with how I know the way they're thinking. And it's very confusing to be on the receiving end of that. So for example, you know, I work with a lot of families, a mother or father of a caregiver, teaching their child, that manners really, really matter. And then driving through McDonald's and flipping someone the bird because they have to wait too long. So the contradiction between their words and their actions can be very confusing, not just for a child, but for our teams. So we need to make sure that we first of all are very clear. We know what we're thinking, when we're clear on how we want to think we need then to be intentional about the words we use, that's expressed that goal. If I want to walk down the street, to myself, I'm saying I need to go for a walk down the street, and then I get my shoes on and go, it's the same kind of thing. What am I going to do? How am I going to talk about what am I going to do? And then how am I going to do it and then finding that you go back to square one to make sure that you're checking in and that you're staying on the right track?

Pete Mohr  04:54

It goes in so many different ways when you think about that, like setting up procedures in your business. Yeah, you know, explaining the vision of your business, even to your team, right? Like when you talk all about the vision, it's like, okay, what's the thought you can expect people to know what you think? Why do we have a vision and a mission? Yeah, you're aligning that stuff, you're bringing it out in the language that matters, and sharing it with all in the whole organization, so that they can then act upon it. As a leader, of course, you have to be, you have to be saying and acting in that manner, just like you said, whether you're parenting or whether you're running a business, or whether you're managing, it's it's all of this stuff about making sure that everything is in complete alignment.

Barb Evoy  05:35

You know, we didn't talk about this, but it just struck me this, I am living through the ADA lens, every single thing I'm doing is through the EDR lens, to the point that I know I'm annoying to some of my colleagues, and I'm okay with it. Because we need to truly understand what that means. And living through the Egi lens is exactly what I'm talking about. It's about being very clear,

Pete Mohr  05:57

give us what Ada blends is,

Barb Evoy  05:59

I apologize for equity, diversity and inclusion. Okay, I'll give you a quick example. I had a group of people here for an outdoor meeting the other day, and we were talking about Ei and this person is in the LGBTQ group. And they stood up and they were complaining, first, they were saying their personal needs, which we were all listening to and learning from. And then they went from that platform to tearing down someone else. And I went, wait a minute, Ed AI means everything we do. So we don't get to say, Well, I need this from you. And I expect that from you. And this is my platform on that. But then I'm not prepared to give you the same. So I just want to take a step back when we're talking to our teams. It can't be just words, it has to be action. Sure it has to be what kind of signs Do you have around your office space? What kinds of messages? How do you sign your emails like that communication has to reflect the way you think and feel. And that then will determine their direction moving forward, every piece connects to every piece, literally the foundation of who I am and

Pete Mohr  07:04

how I live, it all sort of starts with clarity. And nobody can have any confidence or built any momentum behind that. If that clarity isn't there. And that's why I like these three things, the thoughts, the language, the actions that kind of goes in there because you're setting up that clarity, so that there are no questions. There are no so you know, people just know, a lot of people just don't want to have to think about that stuff. It's just like, how are we doing it? Well, this is just the way it this is the way when you have that everything is easier for the whole organization and everybody within it.

Barb Evoy  07:36

You know, we know we put on our shirts with the buttons in front? Sure. There's never a question. When we look to buy that shirt. When we look what is that shirt going to match with? What's your Am I gonna wear today? There's no question. We know we're putting the buttons in front. I know that's ridiculously simplified. But that's exactly what you're saying. And I totally agree. There can be questions around the implementation or the limbs that might grow off that particular roots. There can be all kinds of growth that comes from that. And we should expect the growth that comes from that. But the essence of who we are as a business and who we want our people in our teams to be, there can be no question.

Pete Mohr  08:16

When we started talking a little bit before we got on the air here today, we were talking a little bit about this idea that once you kind of have this, you kind of have it laid out, you know what your thoughts are, you know what your language is, you know what your action is. And then you're ready to release this message to everyone, then it's about sort of the understanding and flipping of that, lay it out in that language and do the actions and things like that in the way that the person you're trying to relay the message to understands, and I use the sort of the three things of it being visual. So for those people that are visual learners, you need to have the language, let's call it language, but essentially the language for those that understand visually, or those that understand through hearing it, or those that feel it, the kinesthetic side of things. And you know, those three things, we need to structure these different the thoughts, language and actions in these three different ways so that anybody you're sort of laying that out, can then actually absorb what you're trying to layout. And I'd like sort of your feeling on that.

Barb Evoy  09:15

When my employees meet me when my clients meet me when my friends meet me. There's very little question about who I am. And what I stand for. All you got to do is a five-second dive on me on my social, which we know is a great indication of who we are both as professionals and community leaders, you can tell very clearly who I am and what I stand for. So that when I meet you, in the first five seconds, I have already indicated who I am and what I stand for how therein lies the trick. It's the words again, so I know what I'm thinking. Now, how am I going to speak to you, I would never hire somebody and call them names and insult the way they look when they walk into the office because that would be indirect opposition to the way that I think so you can tell the way I think, by the way that I speak. But what did our parents always tell us? actions speak louder than words for sure. So as long as we have, I'm literally closing my eyes as I'm trying to get this message across, if we have the clarity of self, of what our message is supposed to be, what our vision and mission are, are going to come right after. And I just want to say to your point, all leaders should continually refresh and revisit those vision and mission statements, not because I'm suggesting you change them, keep your core but one of the tasks I do with my team, is to make sure what would you add to this, now that you've been here for a month, then check-in at six months, then check-in at a year. So when you're going to do your check-ins with your HR, whatever you're doing with your team, check-in? What would you add to our mission or our vision? Because that allows us as leaders to hear what they're thinking. And then what do we know, that's how they're speaking to our clients. So we need to know who we have. And that's a great way to check-in,

Pete Mohr  11:07

from my side of things with Business Made Simple coaching, that's a big part of what we do the vision, the mission, and all that sort of stuff. And even within my businesses, it's something that we review every quarter, and that is a really key piece is that it's not static, a lot of people, you know, write them down, hang them on the wall, put them in the corporate book, and don't even dust them off every now and then. But nor can anybody even remember what the heck they were.

Barb Evoy  11:30

So yes, they're not living them. Because I remember, I was doing consulting for a company that did consulting for other businesses. And I went into this one, it's a farm material store. But there's three or four of them. And I had the employees and in the first thing I said was, what's your vision? Or what's your mission? I forget which one I asked Yeah, not one person, not one person said the closest I got was, it's written down, it's on our till they literally physically see it every day. And I don't know them. Because it means nothing. Your core vision and mission as a business owner will never change. It'll develop and it will evolve. But the foundation, I'm never going to run a business where my vision and mission have anything to do with cruelty, or not being willing to look through the lens. I'll evolve it, I'll grow it'll unlearn some things and learn some others. But I love that we need to make that our next goal to make sure every business owner checks in with their team, because the team changes to

Pete Mohr  12:29

even the person that wrote it half the time doesn't know what it is.

Barb Evoy  12:33

or is gone. Are you ever look at hockey teams or professional sports teams, they often in fact, there was a lot of discussions and not going into it. But there's a lot of discussion around this one coach used to have his newbie players talk about what didn't work on the team. Okay, this has a lot of discussion around it. But let's look at the meat or the substance of this. Love it because it's through new eyes that you can see what you know that commercial nose blind, you become business blind you don't know what's really being thought. So check in with your people and they might very much surprise you

Pete Mohr  13:08

love that and I think that's a great spot to call this particular conversation today and looking forward to having you back for another one in the near future Barb, for now, why don't you let everybody know how they can get ahold of you where they can find you all that good stuff so that if anybody wants to you know drill down a little deeper with you they can

Barb Evoy  13:26

reach out to me anytime. I can be found on Facebook under BB Eva and Fergus educational services. I website have to tell you it needs a little work and I haven't been loving websites lately. I don't know if it's just me and I'm sorry for any business that's in website. But I haven't been able to figure out the right way to do it. However, you will see me all over social Instagram is with underscore Barbara same with Twitter and LinkedIn. I believe it's the same thing a Barbie for one of those two. You can also email me at Fergus.ed@hotmail.com

Pete Mohr  13:58

Thanks for your time today. some really great stuff here. appreciate you spending time with us here today. Look, we have matching bookcases behind Whoo, life is good. Hey, talk soon. Thanks for spending some time with me here today and with BB and think about how you can apply today's simplifying entrepreneurship topic around the idea that our thoughts language and actions must be in complete alignment. What can you do to put it into actions? Where are the areas that you're missing out on there? Where might there be some deviations within those three, for either yourself or for the people that work with you in order to reconnect that and make sure that everything is in complete alignment so that you have an even better business and entrepreneurial life. A couple of the things we talked about today, whether it's setting clear goals or whether it's vision and mission, all of those things need to be in complete alignment. Being on the same page is crucial. Are your words and actions aligning, clarity is built through thoughts, language and actions. And that's what gives confidence once there's confidence with your team with your clients and all that everything starts to open up, momentum starts to happen. And when momentum happens, your business grows and life gets better as a leader. So think about some of those things and if you like the podcast, please share it with your friends, invite them to listen, and most of all, subscribe to it so you can hear future episodes. For more information on my coaching leadership programs visit www.Mohr.Coach or you can email me directly at Pete@Mohr.Coach. You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. And until next time, make it a great day.

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