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Speech Transcript (very little editing so not exact)

Unknown Speaker  0:00  

Hey this is Lynn Thomas with Thomas consulting and if you really really want to learn how to level up your life, your business your future your potential you should be listening to the time to shine today podcast with my good friend Scott Ferguson will show you how to live big be all of who you are, and hear Scott

Unknown Speaker  0:23  

time to shine today podcast versus squad This is Scott Ferguson and I have my awesome sauce friend here. LYNN THOMAS it she is a tax attorney so people like myself and other people out there taxes can be a scary world a scary word and in Lynne has through her years and her dynamic energy helps people navigate those waters. She’s a consultant now more and she is someone that finds innovative and novel ways to create fiercely loyal clients and employees as employees uncover their untapped potential potential become deeply engaged in excel at delighting customers. Consequently, these businesses achieve higher levels of profits here that high profits growth and retention and I love love love. Elon carved out the time to come on. And Lynn please introduce yourself the time to shine today podcast first you scribe but first, what’s your favorite color? And why?

Unknown Speaker  1:19  

Blue because it’s calm. It’s always around in the sky. So it’s always available. And it’s close to purple, which is regal. And that’s my second favorite color.

Unknown Speaker  1:29  

Thank you for saying that. Because I you know, being a tax attorney in your past life or even you probably still are tested a little bit. Like you got to have that red side to to be able to get aggressive when need aggressive. So you are regal you are royalty, I think purple ficha. But blue is good, too. So anyways, I’m glad you said purple. That’s fantastic, because that’s where I was gonna kind of go You’re a blend of the bolt. So let’s hear a little bit about your story LAN. Again, welcome to the show. But I’m so stoked to hear the story being a tax attorney moving into the consultancy side to help businesses and people really level up.

Unknown Speaker  2:03  

Right. So I want to say I’m a former tax attorney with Arthur Andersen, how are you good God. Then I left there, I went to Bank of Boston as a private banker, and then a change agent and left there because of how they treated clients. So an example there well, clients and employees, but particularly in this in this situation employees, there was a reorganization going on to two employees out of 1800 had heart attacks because the stress, so one died. One is out in disability. So I think this is like, okay, it’s stressful. Let’s figure out how people manage stress. And I went and found a company that would come in for $500 and train 100 people around stress. And I went to the head of the project. And he said no. And I said, No, no, it was 500 for everybody. And he said, No. And I said, I’ll pay for it. He said no. And I turned around Scott, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. It’s like I’m out of here. So I today notice the next day, and it’s like, I want to find a way. And what I’m really passionate about, in many ways is find the win win win. People talk about where shareholders are winning now with companies and real wages have not really increased. The only way to really run a business successfully from where I sit, is that you have to care deeply about employees deeply about clients deeply about stakeholders, which sometimes our communities, and obviously about your shareholders. But if you just go into really use employees as a cog in a machine to make money on the other end, you’re gonna burn people out, they’re not gonna refer people to you. The new generations are all over social media. And, you know, Tom Peters said, Well, when he said extreme humanism is where you have to really deeply care about people and be authentic about it.

Unknown Speaker  3:48  

Thank you for saying that we have GTI in our office here at time to shine today, we only have 26 employees. But we live in a GTA greater than yourself, period. You know, you have to care for your employees, your clients, your shareholders, everybody matters. And they need to be taught that I love that we’re doing this week they laugh at me, we’re doing love letters, you know, so what it is we have to send a letter of appreciation. It’s like a Secret Santa, we do in the office. But we do kind of love letters, and they’re not intimate or anything like that. They’re just you know what I love about Lin and this is what I saw you do this week. And I keep that in here. Thank you for saying that. Because that means so much to organizations, especially in this day and age. Like you said, social media, everything get lost in customer service, I swear land has went through the pooper. It just has, if you go there even restaurants these days, you know, it’s like, you know, I just love to be greeted with the server’s name. You know, I’m Kara or I’m Michelle. I love that. So thank you for saying that. So you lack of a better term you up and left, right. Oh, okay. Let’s take it from there.

Unknown Speaker  4:58  

Well, I don’t Have I didn’t have a plan? So I love it. I am a planner. But I knew I could not

Unknown Speaker  5:07  

say that. But I’ll let you say it. Awesome. I

Unknown Speaker  5:11  

could not stomach putting my efforts, because I really did care about the project and the IT people and the employees and I cannot put my efforts into an organization that didn’t care at all. I mean, it was like, they didn’t even fake it. I’m fake it, Scott. But there wasn’t even like, Well, yeah, we’ll think about it get back to you in a month. I mean, I’m glad not because I was able to leave. But looking back on it, like, this gentleman did not care that I knew that he nor anyone else really cared. And if you don’t care, then then what is you just replace people? I mean, it’s like there are objects. So you know, it’s and I wouldn’t want to you’re talking about customer service. What’s happened with the with COVID? Is is accelerated the need for digital technology. Sure, anywhere like four to six to 10 years. So many companies are trying to have have accelerated their production, their digital technology. It’s not real good. The bots out there. Not really good, right? frustrating for all of us. Yeah, not personal at all, not personal. And it’s very hard in this day and age to get really You said good service, like at a restaurant. There there are people are stressed out, we’re all stressed out. We’ve all done some incredibly uncomfortable, difficult things to the pandemic. And you know what, I read that one out of four, my managers has fired someone over during COVID. Because something they did on zoom that they didn’t like, wow, if they didn’t have the camera on, if they got up and left. If they were paying attention. I mean, some and I’m thinking like you’re firing people and why I’m saying okay, what’s going on? Is your family. Okay? Right. It’s like, Baby, you know, someone just fell. It’s like, so there’s not that understanding of how difficult was so 31 31% of people left without another job. Wow. So that’s how difficult it was. And, you know, I know I have some my, to my clients where they lost some key people, and, you know, kept saying, to have to have the difficult conversations like, well, we don’t have to have it here. We shouldn’t have to have it there. You need to ask people genuinely, how are they doing? How’s your family doing? What’s going on with them? And to have one to 115 to 30 minute conversation with your direct reports every week, right? People are feeling disconnected. We’re all disconnected, we’re more disconnected than ever. And if you’re not connecting with your in from managers point of view with your IT, people report to you and you don’t know what’s going on with them as human beings as human beings, right, you know, how are they being in this?

Unknown Speaker  7:45  

Yeah, we’re human beings, not human doings, right? Know what I’m saying. So let’s, let’s get into this. What kind of companies right now are you working with?

Unknown Speaker  7:56  

I’m working with some high tech companies, because they tend to have a high IQ is not as high emotional intelligence. Sure. And clean the situation’s really, firms, the companies that value their employees are key talent or their or their long term relationship with their clients. So investment managers, banks, property and casualty insurance agencies and companies. So really professional services, basically. But in this day and age, I’m helping a lot of clients, get their employees quote, back to work, whatever that looks like and your process, right? And make it make it a win for everybody. Like you’d have to give him a reason to come back. But when he took over the first floor, and we sat and we said can we bring people back? So he brought in sofas, and he brought in, you know, great, catered food every day. Sure, all day long. He brought in like ping pong tables, pull tabs, all the fun stuff. And people got more work done sitting there catching up with their employees. Yes, gave them a reason to come back to work. Thank you come back. Oh, good reason, right? Operation brainstorming. You want them to come stellar in what they do. I want the masters who wants to be like, average mediocre.

Unknown Speaker  9:12  

Forget, right. Yeah, it’s true that you know that people need to see that you love what you do in the service of people that love what you do. You know what I’m saying? So it’s all about providing services to the people. But if you provide the atmosphere for people to come and really level up, it’s going to help out a lot. So let me ask you this. When you’re working with say that you’re let’s say you’re in discovery period, and you’re starting to have the questions that you’re asking and whatnot, and we go through is there any good question that you wish they would ask you, but never do?

Unknown Speaker  9:49  

It? Have they been the clients?

Unknown Speaker  9:51  

Yes. Asking you as the coach consultant will call you a coach something. So asking you what do you wish that they would ask you in this DNA

Unknown Speaker  10:01  

to say, with all the years that I’ve been working, what are the two or three most important blind spots that

Unknown Speaker  10:09  

you nailed it? That is a blind spot? It was I’m sorry, I cut you off. I literally wrote down blind spot on this piece of paper. I love it. Go ahead. Sorry. So

Unknown Speaker  10:18  

blind spots that I’ve seen repeatedly that senior executives and whatever size company just don’t see. And they really don’t see it, Scott, I mean, I’m thinking, Oh, come on, you have it? Yeah. To clued into like you sort of saw that a little bit. No, blind is blind, like they don’t see it.

Unknown Speaker  10:36  

Right. There’s no half blind, that I love that you love, love. Love that you said that. So what do you believe that yourself your strengths are?

Unknown Speaker  10:46  

I care deeply about people. I will only take on and work with companies where I know I can make a difference. And I asked really good questions that comes to my legal background. I have lots of energy. I’m very passionate, I never give up on clients. One of my last clients said to me, there was this one person who’s challenging and they really weren’t willing to make a hard decision. And I said, Listen, you guys have to make some decision, because I have never not achieved my goals. And I’m going to achieve it here. I will work with you until it works and how it works. I love that. And then the President said at the end, not the CEO, cuz he was a little bit of a problem. And the President said the new chief more in one year than I did in 10. That’s football, rocking and rolling. Yeah, man, I’m a lot of energy. And you know, we’ll have 2% really talented to 2% of our brain on an average day, Scott, we’re not even most of

Unknown Speaker  11:43  

us not even close may be able to move mountains with our brains literally. And I love it.

Unknown Speaker  11:48  

And we have so many untapped potentials and skills and ideas. And that’s another gift I have is I can see people’s potential, I could see where someone could become it. People at our third edition shared with me, as a tax attorney will lead you a little more gregarious and a little warmer and friendlier. And they weren’t saying like you’re weird was saying they were just noticing things. And that helped me to see me in a different light. So I do that with people too. And that helps them to maybe see their blind spots. And you know, I adopted the motto from Pixar. And if you don’t know about it, but it says they believe there’s a slice of genius and every employee.

Unknown Speaker  12:23  

Absolutely. I look for it. I hire for it. And I feel like right now I am at a Steve Farber. I don’t know if you ever heard of Steve, but uh, Steve Farber event, which Steve is a great guy. I’ve read and devoured everything. I’m going to send you a book. It’s called Radical leap. It’s a business peril. But that’s only kind of stuff I like to read really. But it’s he believes in leap, which is love energy, Audacity and proof. Oh, and like you are that’s Lea P in the You are the epitome of that. It’s almost like you wrote the book for that. So let me ask you this. Lynn, how much do you appreciate your limitations? I noticed I didn’t ask you what they are? No, I don’t want to know. No, I appreciate it.

Unknown Speaker  13:07  

I appreciate them. I appreciate knowing them. Because then I can I have a team of people that I can call in to. Because that is awesome. I’m not trying to be excellent at everything.

Unknown Speaker  13:20  

Oh, the smartest person the most successful person is people that hire someone smarter than they are

Unknown Speaker  13:26  

in areas I don’t know things about and even thinks about. I want I want younger people working with me because Gen Z’s see the world really, Johnny.

Unknown Speaker  13:36  

He’s 28 he’s like he’s over here applauding again. You’re not allowed to talk. But But no, I love that. I love it. So, Lynn Have you seen the movie Back to the Future? Yes. Okay. Remember, there’s a DeLorean and Marty McFly. He goes back in time, I want you to go back to your 22 year old self Lin. What kind of knowledge nuggets so we call your time to shine today? What kind of knowledge nuggets? Are you dropping on the 22 year old Lynn to help her maybe level up blast through or shorten that learning her just a little bit not change anything but helping her blast through.

Unknown Speaker  14:19  

I would say more about believing my gut. Get advisors around me and asking for help.

Unknown Speaker  14:30  

That’s two questions in a row that I’ve asked you that you are not too cool to ask for help you love and delegates that means you’re getting you’re asking you’re there to write you’re asking for help. And then you believe in your gut surround yourself and ask for help. I love love love that you’re humble enough to say that. So how does Lynne and astute enough to but how does Lynne want her dash? Remember that little line in between your incarnation date your expiration date your life date your death? Hopefully it’s way down the line. But how do you want Lynn’s dashing number.

Unknown Speaker  15:07  

The big one is she made a difference in the world. And the people I want to be a hero to are people who are disliked or bored in their jobs and they work 40 hours a week, that’s a mismatch. No one should have to do that. And I would love in some way to be able to help get people to really love their jobs, enjoy it be jazzed about it. Yeah, pumped when you wake up in the morning, I can’t wait to get out there. And I was I was privileged. My father loved his work. So I was very naive. And until 13 years old, I did not know most people didn’t love their work. And so my sisters too. You know, the reason I changed jobs, they were challenging. They weren’t fun. Now, I wasn’t being challenged. And yes, what I’m doing now I’m constantly being challenged as I evolve the skills and the knowledge and everything that I need in my team needs to be to bring forward for our clients. And, you know, we offer guarantee 100 to 300% return on your investment within one year, well, we’ll refund your money. And we’ve been doing that 18 years and never had to do it. And people say, Well, how can you do that? It’s like, I’m a tax attorney.

Unknown Speaker  16:14  

We can make it happen.

Unknown Speaker  16:15  

I love it. I know when improvements and changes hit the bottom line or not hit the bottom line. So it’s I will you tell me the metrics you want to measure by I don’t care what they are. I will make it happen for you.

Unknown Speaker  16:27  

I love that. I love it. So what do people misunderstand the most about? Lynn?

Unknown Speaker  16:34  

About me personally or me? bismol. When

Unknown Speaker  16:37  

the time decided it’s not all business and numbers. Yeah, we get to know the person what do people misunderstand the most about Lynn?

Unknown Speaker  16:48  

Miss understand? That’s a great question. I’ve been asked that one. That I am very kind. Someone so I can say anything to anybody make it sound nice. Rose, I

Unknown Speaker  17:05  

love it. Yes. If you don’t hit him on the head with a two by four, it’s not a good strategy. But underneath it, I’ve got a quarter steel. Yeah. And that is that is funneled and fueled, as somebody said, it’s written in my bio is that my younger sister was murdered 30 years ago by her husband and has not been held accountable. Right. And I learned through that which she was the most important person in the world, that if someone said to me that you could live a good life, after that, I would have said You’re out of your mind. And I’ve had to dig real deep inside me. And I found that core, I found that part of me, which is about I live I live joyfully, I choose life every day. And that is the only way for me day after day to be able to get up and go forward. Because of my sister’s case, you know, different different challenges at all. And so I think people misunderstand sometimes they’ll say, I do a lot of personal growth workshops. So because she’s a granola head, and some said, No, she’s really just brilliant. Do sadly, I love it. I, I I’m not I’m an out of box phrase. It’s been overused, but I’m an out of box thinker. And I challenge my clients to come up with 20 solutions to problems, not one or two. But 20. As a friend of mine who invented voicemail, Scott Jones said, that’s what he does every day, and he has a patent every two years. So I forced clients to do that. And then they become really creative, then they start tapping to that untapped potential. Because, you know, I, I, when I do that,

Unknown Speaker  18:44  

it takes creativity to get through problems. That’s the bottom line, you have to I searched them out myself, being an executive coach, the kind of people that I coach, I have a different problem every day, and it’s fantastic. So what keeps you up at night?

Unknown Speaker  19:01  

The problems we have in the world and the problems we have in business. Okay, and is it all sustainable? is are we going in the right direction? Are we creating more value for the world? are recruiting more? No,

Unknown Speaker  19:13  

you are? Well, hey, I

Unknown Speaker  19:15  

can’t do it alone. I mean, you know, it’s like, but so that keeps me up on with clients, I would say, their willingness to be gutsy, you know, you got to be gutsy in this world. You got to persevere. You’ve got to have courage and be brave and just, you know, whatever your fear is lean into it. I’m going to tell you something, lean into that edge. That’s your growth edge. You know, the new mindset is needed is people need to be able to have a growth mindset constantly be developing themselves. They need to be agile, they need to be resilient. They need to be able to pivot in the midst of disruption, and they need to be highly innovative. You know, we need constant innovation for our future on seeing for what unknown futures Got it? Yeah, that’s, that’s what I bring out on people a lot is their, their talents, their innovation, their I didn’t see it that way. It’s like, no you didn’t but it’s another perspective. And there’s no I learned I learned a law school that you can have 10 people on a case where there were 10 people that witnessed a car accident very simple 10 different versions, no one was telling was lying, they have a different version. And that, you know, there’s no one truth but the more people that I can get around the table and that can talk about a situation, the better the solution the more accurate we can describe the problem. And you know, in the frontline people are the people who have most of the answers, by the way, so getting them a place to the table and really getting diversity. I mean, it sounds trite, but the more diverse organizations are by far the more successful and to get

Unknown Speaker  20:54  

long as that talent pools strong no matter what the diversity is, they have to be strong. I love it. So what are this take out of this equation? Anything electronic let’s take out a cell phone not notebook, iPad, computer they don’t count what are three things that Lynn can’t live without quickly.

Unknown Speaker  21:16  

My daughter, okay, well, family friends, family friends. I’m God to a person miracles my spiritual orientation development and my deep connections with my community. And because for me, life is about connections.

Unknown Speaker  21:37  

Love it, love it love it connection and community are key and I hear that in almost every answer that you get which is fantastic. Time to shine today podcast first you squat we’re back and I got my friend Lynne Thomas here and Lynne you and I could easily talk 2030 minutes on each one of these questions, but you have five seconds with no explanations. Okay, right Iraq, I’m ready and they all can be done that way. Here we go. What’s the best leveling up advice Lindsey ever received?

Unknown Speaker  22:06  

Getting Pfizer’s love it.

Unknown Speaker  22:07  

Share one of your personal habits that contribute to your success. I never give up. I’m persistent. Yes, you are. Outside of your website, which is Thomas consulting wins.com. And also time to shine today.com my shameless plug what website does Lynn like to go to the level

Unknown Speaker  22:30  

she’s Strategic Coach. Okay. And so I love it.

Unknown Speaker  22:33  

Love it. This you see me walking down the street or coming in the office or wherever like Fergie looks like he’s in his doldrums. What book might you hand me?

Unknown Speaker  22:43  

Probably emotional intelligence. 2.0.

Unknown Speaker  22:46  

Love it. Love it. What’s your most commonly used emoji when you text? warmth? Okay, warm authenticity hugs. Love it. Yeah. Any nicknames growing up?

Unknown Speaker  23:02  

I’m actually a little bit of a painful and ugly, a jolly green giant because I was much I was taller guys, five to 12 years old. So.

Unknown Speaker  23:15  

Gotcha. Gotcha. chess or checkers. Both. Ah, there you go. favorite charity in our organization like to give your time or money to

Unknown Speaker  23:27  

homicide survivors. Thank

Unknown Speaker  23:29  

you for that. Thank you for that. And also, thank you for donating to my little brother’s cause to the Suicide Lifeline. Thank you so much for doing that. And what is the best decade of music 60s 70s 80s or

Unknown Speaker  23:40  

90s 70s? And I would go shamelessly and totally with a beat with the Beatles.

Unknown Speaker  23:47  

There you go. Love the Beatles, The Beatles. That new that new documentary that just came out. That’s that’s pretty cool. The recordings are then shown and how George Harrison actually quit the pen in the middle of them and came back and they had like three weeks to record. Like Let go Let let what is it? What song was it anyways? You just find it you’ll be able to find it. It’s fantastic if you’re really in the middle, so well, how can we find you

Unknown Speaker  24:16  

on LinkedIn. So LYNN THOMAS li nn Thomas. And then on my website, which you just mentioned, which is Thomas consulting and at the end wins which clients that I was win with you. So wins came from.com

Unknown Speaker  24:29  

Love it, love it in when and squat that’ll all be in our show notes there and make sure you visit them and we’ll be sending out emails, find emails to really check out. Lynn’s a consulting website in Linn do one last favor and leave us with one last Knowledge Nugget we can take with us internalize and take action.

Unknown Speaker  24:51  

When you have a pressing problem, come up with 20 Solutions. Love it and just enforce yourself around 10 You’re gonna be annoyed with me right I’m 15 years I think it’s impossible. But you’re 1617 1819 and 20, you’re going to combine them. And you’re going to think, oh my gosh, I am really creative. I really innovative. And that’s what I wish for all of you love it.

Unknown Speaker  25:11  

And I’m using the word love so much in this because when actually loves what she does, and she loves her clients, and she loves you, I mean, she’s all about the Win win wins. She wants people to really care your business to care for their employees care for their clients care for their shareholders, no matter where they at in the rung, everybody gets the love, you know? She cares again, again, care and love cared about deeply, and it makes a difference to help them level up, you know, she wants you to really see your potential. And if you’re stuck somewhere, get your asking gear like my good friend Leah Woodford said, if you’re in a position where you’re not sure, and you can delegate it, then delegate it, she wants you to believe in your gut, your intuition is rarely wrong. Surround yourself with solid people to help yourself and clients level up. You know, she definitely does not want you to be bored with your job. You know, she wants you to love what you’re doing. And sometimes it just takes love to get you to where you want to be because you’re so passionate. You wouldn’t be in a business owning it. If the love wasn’t there in the first place. Lin can help you find that love and help you level up and do it in the correct way. You know, she chooses to choose life, enjoy every day. If you have a problem come up with 20 solutions to the problem. I’ve been told to do this before. And like Lynn said, I was not I was pissed. Bottom line. I was like, Man, I have the solution. No, keep digging because that digging will help stretch your solution skills even wider for your next problem because you’re going to have problems and if you have fear, lean into them. That’s where the growth happens. And I have grown so much in this 32 minutes with my good friend Lynne Thomas. And she’s earned her varsity squad letters, she’s levels up her house, she levels up her wealth. She’s full of love, love, love and gratitude. And that’s what I have for you. So thank you so much, Lynn. I love your guts for coming on.

Unknown Speaker  27:12  

It’s been it’s been great. Scott, thank you so much for having me on.

Unknown Speaker  27:15  

You’re very welcome. Talk soon. Bye now. Got

Unknown Speaker  27:17  

it. Hey, thanks

Unknown Speaker  27:18  

so much for listening to this episode of time to shine today podcast. proudly brought to you by Sutter in New Jersey real estate real estate excellence who can be reached at 561-249-7266 and online at www dot Sutter in nugent.com. If you’re a business owner or professional who would like to be interviewed on time to shine today, please visit time to shine today.com Flash guest if you’d like this up, so please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, I Heart Radio or wherever you get your podcast. There’s a link in the show notes to our website. Also there you will see a recommended resources. We hope that you will support our show by supporting them. If you like what you’ve been listening to, it’d be great if you could just give us a five star rating and tell your friends to subscribe while you’re at it. I’m your host Scott Ferguson. And until next time, let’s level up it’s our time to shine

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