Episode 51 | Optimizing Your Time Management Style with Julie Kick

Julie Kick  00:00

Well, I think you know, when it comes to time management and especially creating a schedule or a way of working, it’s not a one-size-fits-all conversation. And I think that there is a lot of guilt for us around how we spend our time.

Voiceover  00:16

Welcome to the “Lead at the Top of Your Game” podcast, where we equip you to more effectively lead your seat at any employer, business, or industry in which you choose to play. Each week, we help you sharpen your leadership acumen by cracking open the playbooks of dynamic leaders who are doing big things in their professional endeavors. And now, your host, leadership tactics, and organizational development expert, Karan Ferrell-Rhodes.

Karan Rhodes  00:52

Hey there superstars Welcome back to the Lead at the Top of Your Game Podcast. And thanks for joining another episode designed to help you better lead at the top of your game. You know what leaders frequently are the public face of a company department or Leadership Initiative. No leader is successful all by themselves. They usually have a team of supporters who contribute to their expertise in a variety of ways. But if you interview a leader and ask them, they likely will tell you that there is an individual who is their main go to person, you know, someone who is key to making sure that they and the full team is collaborating very well. And that is the leaders true right-hand person for me and that for this podcast, that individual is today’s guest, and our senior producer. Her name is Julie kick. And she’s affectionately known as the Virtual Rockstar. And she’s an accomplished coach, trainer and copywriter and author who also teaches systems for maximizing your time, while maintaining a healthy work life balance. She actually stumbled upon podcast producing out of the blue and took a chance to use her incredible skills in an industry that was very new to her. And I really admire that. She is actually a time management ninja, and believe you me, and she’s gonna share tons of great tips with you on today’s episode. But in my opinion, the big takeaway is that you’re going to be able to get a peek into what a true right-hand-person can and should be doing for you. If you currently don’t have this level of support of a person that helps you to better optimize your time management based on your personal workstyle, you know, then it might be time to request a higher level of performance, or whoever is serving you right now. Or find a candidate that has a better level of capability for that role and then leverage the person you currently have in a way that better suits their talents. Just something to think about as you listen to Julie’s episode. And always, be sure to stay tuned for just two minutes after the episode to listen to my closing segment called Karan’s take, where I share a tip on how to use insights from today’s episode to further sharpen your leadership acumen. And now enjoy the show. Hey there superstars, this is Karan and welcome to another episode of the Lead at the Top of Your Game podcast. I have a special treat for you all today. Our guest for today is our very own senior producer of this podcast, Miss Julie kick. She’s affectionately known as the Virtual Rockstar, and she’s an accomplished coach trainer, copywriter and author who has been creating her own programs and content for numerous years. But she helps direct sellers and entrepreneurs and teaches systems for time management and business operations. And she’s just an organizational superstar. And in full transparency, I asked her to come on the show. And I really didn’t ask I twisted her arm and made her come on the show because she has really revolutionized our systems here on the podcast. And it’s extremely important for leaders in every dimension to bring to the table and bring as part of their team people who have expertise and skills that they may not have because that actually helps you and the entire team be better and she was just the kick in the butt that we needed for our podcast when we started out. And we’re so pleased to have her and I wanted to feature her so that she can give you all some tips as well as share some of the offerings that her business does for entrepreneurs and other pocket as hosts. So welcome to the show. Julie.

Julie Kick  05:02

Thank you. So great to be here. I’m excited.

Karan Rhodes  05:05

Oh, we’re excited to have you. Well, before we dive deep into your area of expertise, we’d love to learn a little bit more about you on the personal side. So as much as you feel comfortable, can you share a little bit about your personal life and passions right now?

Julie Kick  05:19

Absolutely. I’m old. So this, this is hard to break down, right? Turning 60 In a couple of weeks. I was raised on the West Coast. I was born in California, and most Californians moved to Oregon in the late 60s. And my family did too. And I grew up in Oregon, and then lived in eastern Washington. And that’s where I raised my kids in Walla Walla, it is a real place. I went to high school, and college in the Pacific Northwest, and in the Portland Oregon area. And before I was married for to my second husband, which it’s a long story. But anyway, we were together for about six and a half years. And he he was a love of my life perfect. I knew I was gonna grow old with him. And then he died of metastatic melanoma. And that’s what my books about. But before we died, we talked about me moving back to the Pacific Northwest, because my family’s here. And I have friends. And this is where I kind of came up. And so I did that. And am back in, in sort of the rainy Pacific North northwest again, and I love it here. And I’ve really been an entrepreneur most of my life I had, and I worked as an employee in my early 20s, like most of us, and then started my own business and began coaching and training. And, you know, I had a corporate position from 2019 to 2021. And really, it reminded me of why don’t make a great employee. I mean, you know, I work as a consultant for you. And I love that. But I also like to have the independence and freedom of doing it all myself and you know, running the show and, and being independent. And I’m really excited to talk about this topic today. Because I think it’s you know, time management is something everybody struggles with. And it’s, I feel like I’m kind of an expert in that area, for sure. So when you asked if I would come and talk about it, but it didn’t take much arm twisting for sure. I’m really excited.

Karan Rhodes  07:00

Oh, well, I appreciate you. And I’m sure the listeners will as well. So let’s dive into that. For listeners, you may not know this about me, but I’m a bit of a free spirit. I’m good about buckling down when someone twist my arm to do that. But I go with the shiny object syndrome. And Julie’s excellent about pulling me back in and one of our other operational managers. Her name is Carol, she helps do that for me, as well as the business side. So I’m one of those people that need hand holding. But anyway, Julie, I’m just curious, in your years of experience, why do you think people struggle so much with time management, people like me,

Julie Kick  07:44

You know, when it comes to time management, and especially creating a schedule or a way of working, it’s not a one-size-fits-all conversation. And I think that there is a lot of guilt for us around how we spend our time versus how other people are spending their time. And you know, how many books have there been written about, here’s how you do this. And here’s how you create a schedule. And I was, you know, as an early coach, because I became a certified coach in the early 2000s. And I was coaching entrepreneurs and leaders. And I had a system because I am a very systematic person. And so here’s how you do it. And I started realizing that wasn’t working with all my clients, because not everybody is the same, right? The truth is, that, who you are, and how you you function really has everything to do with how you create and maintain a way of working. I think that’s why this whole conversation about me on the podcast came up because we were talking about that. And I said, Oh, honey, you’re free flowing, you know, you’re you’re never going to be able to fit into that mold. And and you said oh, well tell me more about that. Right. So for somebody who’s free flowing, you can have all the systems you want. But the truth is, if you don’t have freedom, it’s never gonna feel right for you. And so even if you do work within that structure, it’s not your best work. And I think as managers and leaders especially you have to understand on your team, there’s going to be different management styles as well.

Karan Rhodes  09:07

That’s right.

Julie Kick  09:08

So when you start to learn what your time management style is, then you start to set up systems that really support the way that you work the best, right and right, and you can let go of that guilt about what you should be doing or the way everybody else says you need to work and do it yourself. You know, figure it out for yourself.

Karan Rhodes  09:26

And I love that because all the you know, I’ve spent most of my corporate career and now in my consulting career, and people strategy and leadership, you know, for organizations. One of the things we need to do as leaders is to be more self aware and because I know that this is, I would say a weakness but an area of opportunity to always focus on. I have learned over the years that I have to put people and systems in place and make sure that I’m catering to those who need more systematic guidance, if you will. So I’m not your systematic queen, but when I’m leading a team of people, I have to have a person like you or Carol or someone, as a partner to tell accountability partner to tap on the shoulder and say, Hey, Karan, you’ll need to do this than that. I absolutely hate writing agendas when I’m doing, you know, meetings, but I do so because I recognize there’s some people that need that, to feel comfortable and prepared, when we are all collaborating together. So that while it that was like, pains me, it’s a reminder that that’s something I need to do to help make my team you know, when we’re successful. And so that’s, you know, why I appreciate accountability partners, like you and and people should know, you can learn how to put things in place to make you even more effective, even if it’s not your natural nature. Do you agree or no?

Julie Kick  10:53

100%? I do. And, and again, that’s why I had to sort of develop this understanding around different types of, of time management styles, because I’m very structured, I do the same thing, pretty much every day, I have a routine I want to list I mean, I have I have the agenda. You know, when I start a project, the first thing I do is go to a mind mapping program. And I get it all out. I mean, and that works for me, but it doesn’t work for everyone, right? And so I identified these three different types, and most people, you know, can identify with a few, but there is one that is good, you’re gonna say, Yes, that is me. So let me go through these. And then, you know, when we were talking, before we started the podcast, I said, you’re gonna have some aha moments, especially with the free flowing style, which I pegged you, within five minutes of meeting you, I’m like, definitely, this is where she is I know this. So

Karan Rhodes  11:46

Okay, let’s hear the types. Okay, so

Julie Kick  11:49

if you are free flowing, and stop me if I’m wrong, but I do think this is you, you do not, you really kind of abhore structure, you don’t that like you fight against that someone tries to say, here’s the parameters, and you just want to go, No, you live in the moment, and you would prefer not to have any structure or schedule. But also, as a leader, you understand, like you said that you have to adhere to some of that. So the key is to figure out how to do that, while still really honoring that value you have around freedom. So if you have too much freedom, then you end up as you said, multitasking, shiny object syndrome, jumping from project to project and you run the risk of really becoming unreliable for yourself and your team and your family. Because you’re working last minute, you said to me this morning, I like to work on deadlines. I mean, that kind of thing is great as long as it’s done within the context of reality. Right, right. So that way of working can really stress out a free flowing individual, especially since the demands and deadlines don’t just go away. Now, if you don’t get it done, right. I mean, they’re still there. So if this is your time management style, you have to really consider working in a way that supports both your freedom, and also the need for the stuff you got to get done in your business. Right. I mean, that’s just a reality. So there’s a couple of tips for you always have really worked well for my other, and I can’t relate to you at all. I do understand that there are people out there like you and so I have some tips that might help, right?

Karan Rhodes  13:18

Please. I’m taking notes.

Julie Kick  13:20

Okay, good. So first of all, make sure that you are working in small but intense bursts of structuring activity. Okay, so you mix those chunks in with plenty of unstructured time. And that means that maybe you plan you know, you structure an activity, like working on a specific project for a set amount of time. And then you open up time on your schedule that you can use any way you want, once that’s over, so it’s a bit of a carrot for you, right. And it doesn’t mean that you’re not going to work during that unstructured time, you will probably but the freedom that you feel, knowing that you’ve got that free time coming up, once you finish this project, it makes you more productive during the structure time. And you can do this in chunks of 30 minutes at a time or all day, you know, a day at a time like a structured day and a free day, it just kind of depends on what’s happening, obviously, in your business and what you need. That’s tip number one is make sure that you’re building in unstructured time when you’re working on structured projects. Okay. Secondly, you can build a daily schedule, that is really open to flux, okay, so that means that you might start out with a plan for the day or even the week, but then you’re open to changing that plan if something comes up that you would rather do or that lights your fire kind of right. So the key here, this is really important for all all styles is that you make sure that if you do decide to rearrange your schedule, okay, so you have something scheduled for today, but then something else comes up you’d rather do. In order to keep things on track. You have to go back to your calendar and before you move on to the next thing you really want to do and reschedule that so that you’re not putting it off. So that you know that it’s in your schedule, and it’s gonna get accomplished. And, you know, I know for me, if it’s on my schedule, I might not necessarily do it at that time. But it’s it’s top of mind, I know that it’s there. And I know that that, you know, if I don’t do it tomorrow, then I better find a time when I’m going to do it and make sure that it’s put in there, right, because otherwise it’s not going to get done. Right. Right. So that’s the free flowing just did I describe you?

Karan Rhodes  15:22

unfortunately, to a t, Julie. There’s nothing I can refute

Julie Kick  15:30

So did those resonate with you, do you think that’s going to help you?

Karan Rhodes  15:34

They did. And the one thing that I do do that you mentioned, and I’m so sorry, audience, you’re hearing Poppy in the background. That’s okay. We share in our lives, right. But the one thing that I do do is I do do buffer time between meetings. So being the, you know, head of a medium sized organization, it requires me a ton of meetings, but then actions in between meetings. So I always have buffer time between meetings, to make sure I have time to decompress, think and schedule, whatever it is that I need to get done. You know, I can’t go back to back, that doesn’t really work for me unless it’s an emergency. So anyhow, that’s, that’s totally fascinating. That’s a perfect another type.

Julie Kick  16:20

Okay, so the next one is mine. This is the structured time management.

Karan Rhodes  16:25

Okay.

Julie Kick  16:26

And again, you know, this is important, if you’re a leader, you need to understand all of these, right? Because if you have a free flowing person, like you, Karan and, and I’m your manager, and I say, Okay, here’s how you’re going to do this, and you’re trying to fit your square peg into this round hole, it’s not going to work for you, and you’re not going to be as happy or as productive. So you got to understand all these. The second one is structured, right, like I said, so if you have a high value around order and organization, that you’re probably going to fit into this time management style. And that means that you function best with a high degree of predictability in your schedule. And a lot of people who follow this have, and I’m one of them, like I said, I have the same schedule every day or week or both. And you know, I’ll do certain things on certain days. And it’s, especially with the podcast producing that I do for you. It’s easy, because there’s a structure to that for me, right? We drop podcasts on Tuesdays, that means I do social media on Wednesday. I mean, it’s all really structured. So I think that it’s really important to decide what that schedule is going to be. The challenge that we face as structured personality types is if something comes up that’s out of our routine, it can really sort of send us into a spiral, right? Because and the things that are supposed to have gotten done that day, don’t get done, and you can start to feel overwhelmed. Alright, so that makes a couple of tips for this style. And I know that everybody probably thinks oh, that’s, you know, how lucky are you to have that, you know, you’re so organized and did it, uh, you know, there’s downsides to it downsides too, as well. And I can be kind of a workaholic, because of this, too, I think because I can schedule every single minute, and then I have no freedom. And that’s really common. So if this is your style, then you’re going to want to make sure that you have systems in place, and I’m the systems queen. So I’m always talking about systems, but for sure, you definitely want that, that you give yourself permission to break the rules now and then, and you have to give yourself permission, because it’s not a natural thing. So the greater happiness, if you’re a structured person, is to make sure that you are honoring that need for order and still making room for flux that’s inevitable in everyday life, right, it’s one thing to have a structured, reliable schedule, it’s another thing to be so rigidly tied to that, that you cannot ever go with the flow when the need arises to do that, so get clear, this is when I’m working. And this is when I’m not working. And that’s another thing is, you know, make sure that you’re you leave your office, you know when the time comes. And and that’s not always easy for a structured person either, because we’re pretty driven. Usually,  there is structure day so that you have the peace of mind that everything you need to get done gets done. And that means knowing that what you need to do time blocking that however you set up your schedule, create systems for what you do during the week during those working hours. And that’s really easy for structured people, they love finding ways to do something efficiently in the same way every time. And then also keep your schedule where you can see it. And I this was a huge thing for me when I figured it out. Because it brought me a sense of sort of, okay, I don’t have to do that right this minute because it’s on my schedule for tomorrow or later on. So you stay on track. And that keeps you from

Karan Rhodes  18:54

Very. Yes. keep your schedule very easily visible.

Julie Kick  19:35

Yeah. Visible. So I used to have a computer so and my, you know, Apple girl, so it’s everywhere, it’s on my phone, but I can easily pull it up. And I also have a physical like calendar here that I can look at because it’s important for me to be able to remember like I said, You won’t worry about getting off track. If I see that you’re on track, you know. That’s a good point. Yeah, I can see that in the last part tip for this says, Be open to rescheduling when the need arises. And this is a really big challenge for structure types, because we want everything to go as planned, right. And, you know, sometimes that doesn’t always work. So just like with that free flowing type, if something does come up that you have to do, or you choose to do something that’s unplanned, like a unplanned meeting, or an impromptu lunch, even with a friend, or a colleague, just go to your calendar, find a chunk of time within the week, and reschedule that activity. So that you have it’s planned. And you know, and that gives you peace of mind, a lot of this is about just mindset, it is understanding your values and saying, Okay, I’m making sure that that that’s being honored.

Karan Rhodes  20:40

Yes. And so listeners, if this resonates with Jana, she has a one or two more types to talk about. But I’m just really quick for this one. When you’re leading others, like Julie and I are collaborating, she does really kind of things like a gentle reminder, because for free flowing tight, we love a warning sign or a heads up or letting us know if there really is a drop dead deadline. Because otherwise we’re gonna go to the next shiny object that we’re wanting to do. So when you’re leading others a gentle reminder saying, Hey, Karan, you know, in two days, you know, we’ll definitely need to have this done. That is a balance between giving the structure person a little confidence that we’re going to meet the deadline in the free flowing person a little confidence that they can still manage and get the work done, but still meet the expectations. So like you said, it’s a mindset of have a give and take between those that you’re working with

Julie Kick  21:41

Beautifully said. You’re right, that same reminder can mean two different things to two different management styles. Right? Absolutely. The last one is the one where everybody goes Yes.

Karan Rhodes  21:54

Which is that?

Julie Kick  21:56

the To Do List Driven. Oh, obviously we all fit into this category. At some level it’s usually a secondary for some people for my husband, it’s a he’s a he’s a main to do list be even has a little notebook that he carries around with lists all the time. And it’s like a write list and listen to it just cracks me up. I can’t believe how many lists he has. So I’ve never really ever met a person who doesn’t make lists, at least sometimes. But those who identify as a To Do List Driven time management style. Yeah, they are driven by lists. And they tend to be really productive because of that. And they often border on that workaholic piece. Because there’s one more thing always to do on that list. Right? So sometimes they work long hours, they have trouble setting limits on how and when they work and the harmony between their family life and their business can be kind of difficult to manage. And it’s interesting because I’m gonna give you some tips at the minute but my husband is a field geophysicist. That’s and he’s worked with a company that does military contracts, unexploded ordnance surveys on military bases for years, and, I mean, he’s been with him for 15 years. And he’s almost always been in the field. And so, you know, like, well, we lived in a residence hotel in Stafford, Virginia for a year when he was working at Quantico when he goes out and is actually physically working. Well, now they’ve transitioned him to a quality control person, he’s getting a little bit older, you know, they need somebody in that role. He’s really experienced, but he’s working from home most of the time now, is driving me insane. Because I’m trying to coach him

Karan Rhodes  23:30

Probably driving him insane too.

Julie Kick  23:31

Right! I’m on a podcast talking about this right? To help you. And he is just he’s so all over the place, because he’s got these lists. And you know, and he’s not really managing them well. And so I do my best to say, can I just coach you a little bit Can I just offer kind of offer you something to help because he’ll work all day and feel like he’s not getting anything done. And that is not unusual, because you just you can get overwhelmed. So the key to happiness, if you are to do lists driven, is to make sure that you have every activity and this is important, every activity that you feel like you need to accomplish for the week, out on paper in one list, a master list. I mean, I love to do that on Sunday nights, whenever just because then I know that week’s gonna go well. But if the list lives in your head, and it can, then it really can eat you alive, because you wake up in the middle of the night and you’re going, Oh, I got to do that. I need to add that to my list and, and it can be stressful. So a lot of times people in this category are so busy that they have to create their schedules weekly or even sometimes daily.  In order to have a sane way of working and that’s totally fine. There are some simple things that you can do to help stay sane and out of that state of overwhelm. So the first thing is that master list idea I highly recommend this. Just write down every single thing that you have to do for the week on Sunday night or Monday morning brain dump everything and I mean change the oil in my car, you know, feed the cat finish this major work Project, if you get it all out on paper, then it’s not living in your head anymore. And that is really helpful. So that’s the first thing, and then look at your current schedule and see what you might already have on there, that and what you can work in. And then I really like to take that master list. And I’ve actually taught this concept where you take like a three by five card every day, a clean three by five card, and you choose three or four things off that master list, you put them on that card, so you make it another list, but it’s a shorter list.

Karan Rhodes  24:36

Yeah,  Right?

Julie Kick  25:32

That’s what you’re focused on for the day. And then anything at the end of that day, that’s hasn’t been checked off. Because that’s the other thing that you list people love is to mark things off when they’re done. I mean, that is really satisfying. So you mark it off the end of the day, if there’s anything on that list that you didn’t get to, you get a fresh clean card, it goes to the top of the next day’s list, and then you take a few more things off the list. The key is to allow yourself to then let that master list be, you know, this is what I’m working on today. And the rest of this list is waiting until tomorrow. And there’s even sort of a spiritual component there, you know, where you can say, you know, maybe some of that stuff, I’ll just leave and my higher power will take care of it, you know, and that happens sometimes, believe it or not. Right. So it’s really interesting to, to manage that master list. So make a master list and then take small chunks of that and make a new list daily, and then work through that. So that’s that those are some tips for for the person who’s the To Do List Driven style.

Karan Rhodes  26:37

So the what I’m going to take away from that for me to use just personally, is I do keep a few to do lists as well. But I have so many lists and pieces of paper because I’m not able to finish it all. But I didn’t think about getting the separate card or post it note or something to pick off the top two or three that I’m gonna get done right now. But keep a running list versus

Julie Kick  27:02

kind of a game changer, I would challenge you to do that.

Karan Rhodes  27:05

Okay, maybe that will help me a bit. I mean, that sounds interesting there. Well, let me ask you this question. Out of all three, I bet that there are some people that see themselves in a bit of all three. So do you have any advice of the different styles of how to, like manage what is really you? What is your style? If you’re a bit of all three? Do you take and do a bit of all three of these or D or function yourself?

Julie Kick  27:34

I have never met anyone who can’t identify their main? I mean, the minute I talk about free flowing. You said a minute, you talked about structured I say that’s made the men and I talked about time to do lists driven, you know, I’ve physical evidence that that’s mark, right, my husband are a lot of times off. And you know, when you’re a free flowing person, I told you create structured chunks of time during that 30 minutes or an hour, you’re working in a structured way. Yeah. But if you don’t allow the freedom, then you’re in trouble for me, I don’t I don’t need that freedom during the day, I would much rather have it all scheduled for myself. And then you know, when I’m done, I’m done. But it’s a totally different value system. And I talk a lot about values as a coach. And really, truly if you i value around freedom, that structured piece is going to make you feel constricted. If you have high value around structure, then that freedom piece is going to make you feel untethered.

Karan Rhodes  28:29

You’re right. And you know, I think I got your point, I think you’re right, that people have a main style that they identify with, but I do I can, I can see situations where you would flex based on what you’re doing. So my natural style is a free flowing. But if we’re in a consulting project, and we are under deadline to get things done for that client, then I’ll switch into a to do list mode where I have accountability owners for all the tasks so that we’re meeting the client’s expectations. It’s not my natural style, but I know that’s what we need to do to make the client happy. And I’ll switch into that mode. But I’m, like high fiving, and when I can get out of it.

Julie Kick  29:17

I will say that I think to do especially for the free flowing time is a great tool, because it gives you sort of peace of mind because it’s all out on paper. I mean, that was such a big part of that. And you know, like you said, then you you kind of know it’s there and you can walk away from it when you’re ready. But I think it’s a great tool for sure to do lists is really, um, for both structured and free flowing. We use it. We use it as a tool if you’re truly to do lists driven. That’s a whole different ballgame.

Karan Rhodes  29:45

So now Julie, it totally makes sense. One and listeners, you know if you’ve listened to the podcast a bit, I always like to ask the guests which of the leadership tactics that I write about in my book really stood out for them and duly selected strategic decision making. And so now it really makes sense. But share why you selected that as one of the topics that resonated for you,

Julie Kick  30:09

I really feel strongly that not just making a great decision and you know, an informed decision, but also just being decisive as an entrepreneur for 20 plus years, it’s been the thing that has really, I think been responsible for most of my success is I make decisions quickly, I’m strong in the choices I make, you know, sometimes I’ll make a decision without even really knowing the exact road I’m going to take to get there. That’s also a law of attraction thing, I decide what I want first, and I focus really clearly on okay, this is the thing, I want to create a course and launch it, and I’m not exactly positive, how I’m gonna get there. But as a structured person, you can bet that I, like I said, a mind map it out. And I’m also really open then once the decision has been made to intuition. And if I need to take a different route, I do that. And I think any indecisive just steals it can rot your soul, right? It’s steals your joy, it steals your motivation, you know, so make it my mom used to always say do something, even if it’s wrong. That’s true. Right, make a decision, begin moving toward it and be open to the fact that that path might change, something might be different, but you work with more positive intention. If you are doing it in a decisive way, if you’ve made a decision, and you’re working toward that, does that make sense?

Karan Rhodes  31:28

It does, it makes a ton of sense. So in addition to that, because I mean, you’re an entrepreneur yourself, you work with a lot of clients. I’m just curious, what else do does it take for you to be able to lead at the top of your game?

Julie Kick  31:44

That’s really a good question. Because when you as you know, when you work, I mean, I don’t have a big team, like you, I am part of your team. Yeah. A lot of it for me, leading the top of my game is continuing, I’m always learning, I’m always learning mindset, I’m reading leadership books, I’m making sure that I’m feeding my own, you know, self confidence, and because when you’re a lone ranger out there, there’s not a ton of other people, often giving you feedback, or, you know, and the other thing is, you definitely have to be accountable to yourself. And so for me to lead at the top of my game, it’s I’m constantly looking at how I’m doing things, what I’m doing, what’s working, what isn’t working, I’m really, I think I’m really self aware, just in general, but also, you know, I do I do annual planning and quarterly planning. And I sometimes will do it with a mastermind group, if I happen to have other people that I’m, but if I don’t, I still sit down and do it. And, you know, I don’t again, I don’t always follow that plan to the letter. But at least I’ve identified, these are the areas where I’m going to be working, and I can hold myself accountable and keep myself on track. And that’s something my husband struggling with as well, you know, I have to tell him to stop working at the end of the day, because he doesn’t have that self discipline. Yet, as an as a solo worker. I mean, he works with him, but because he’s generally been in a really structured out in the field, you go to work at 7am, you get home at 5pm, it’s you know, and disciplining yourself, to actually have a some sort of structure when you’re working from home. And some people, it’s the opposite, I have a hard time actually getting in. Not most people, I find most entrepreneurs, it’s, you know, we work too much. And when your office is right next door to your bedroom, it’s really easy to just walk in there. And you know, like in the mornings, for instance, this is a great example of that self discipline, my workout room is a left hand turn out of my bedroom, and my office is a right hand turn, and I have a morning person. And I know that if I don’t get in there and do my workout, before I come in here and sit down in front of my computer, chances are good, I’ll be sitting here in my workout clothes at 11 o’clock, and it still won’t have happened,

Karan Rhodes  33:47

you haven’t done it. Oh my goodness.

Julie Kick  33:49

You’ve structured things that I used to keep on track. That was the other thing I was gonna say about time that your time management style. Yeah, everybody knows their circadian rhythm. So if you are a morning person, do your best to schedule whatever you schedule done, you know, before three o’clock in the afternoon or whatever, if you’re a night person or evening person, then it’s the opposite. But I don’t I do not recommend working against your natural sort of circadian rhythm. I mean, I wake up in the morning, I don’t drink coffee, I’m wide awake at 6am and that’s who I am. But if I’m doing a project at three, I’m not as good.

Karan Rhodes  34:23

And I’m a night person, as you know, so I get a lot done at night. But I think one of the things that works well for us is that I’m on the East Coast, you’re on the West Coast. And so by the time I’m getting my brain situated, you’re up and raring to go as well. So that’s really cool. I can’t let you get out of here, Julie without sharing. A little bit about your program is called get organized and take back your life but please share with the audience members what that’s all about and where they can find it.

34:55

So it’s really simple. It is 4 Module core. First that you can take online and I love modular courses, and they’re great self directed. The modules are your physical workspace and we talk about how to organize the space that you feel good working in energetically, which is really important. And most people haven’t even really thought about that. So we talk a lot about, you know how that works. The second is your business systems. So your follow up system, your your, you know, how you work with the physical things you have to get done every day, you know, your accounting system, anything that is a system in your business, we talk about creating a system around that, you know, so that you know that it’s getting done the same way every time. The third part is, is your coaching event system. So working with other people, and how you in your listeners cases, it would be working with your team and making sure that that you’re you have a program system around that that works for you. And then the final piece is your schedule and time management, much of which I covered today, the actually I talked to pretty much the first module was today. And then or the first part of that module was today. And then there’s two more parts that actually help you create a schedule based on your time management style. And we talked really, you know, clearly about that. There is a link to the program, I don’t actually have it on a website right now. But there’s a link to the program. And we’ll include that in the show notes. And then if anybody’s interested, they can check that out. It’s really affordable. And I think it’s a great quick course for you to take. That’ll be you know, kind of eye opening for you as far as as what what you’re doing with your organization within your business and your life too. It also sort of translates and how you can make some small tweaks that can make a big difference.

Karan Rhodes  36:36

That sounds fantastic. And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a small plug, I don’t know where she’s going to be and what her bandwidth will be, by the time this episode airs. But right now, Julie has a bit of bandwidth to help a couple of other podcast hosts. I know a few of you all out there have subscribed and have told me that you’re a podcast host, so definitely check out the show notes. Reach out to Julie and the only way I’m gonna let her be able to be a vendor for you is if she promises not to drop me by the wayside. But But

Julie Kick  37:14

I have to say this is one of my favorite, my favorite jobs I’ve ever done or favorite, whatever it is, I don’t think of it as job. But you’re the second podcast that I’ve produced. You’re my only podcast client right now. But I love this. And I would love to work with just a few more two or three more because I feel like I really have a great system for this. And I love doing it. And it’s I can’t tell you all the time I love my job and it just feels like doesn’t even feel like work when I do it. And really, how many podcasters Do you were doing so much of the minutia when I met you? What else are you doing? Let me I want to do the interviews and be brilliant, and I’ll do the rest. That’s my goal.

Karan Rhodes  37:54

Well, well, definitely if you’re open to some assistance, reach out to Julie and she’ll kind of let you know that time would have been with this, but I definitely can vouch for her 150%. So thank you so much, Julie for being on the podcast. This was tremendous. We took a ton of notes. And I got so much insights just in these 30 minutes. This is an amazing

Julie Kick  38:21

It was my pleasuere! I’m really glad. Thanks so much for having me.

Karan Rhodes  38:22

Absolutely. And audience thank you too, for tuning in to another episode of the podcast. As you know, I only have to ask for you at the end of every show. One is to like and subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast platform of choice. And the second is to share the podcast with just one friend. Because anyone that we can do to help them to lead at the top of the game their game and serve the world in the way that they want to serve. It will be truly amazing. Thanks so much and see you next week. Well, I hope you enjoyed our conversation today with Julie kick, founder and CEO of the virtual Rockstar and the Senior Producer of the latest the top of your game podcast, links to her bio her entry into our leadership playbook. And additional resources can be found in the show notes both on your favorite podcast platform of choice and on the web at lead your game podcast.com. And now for Karan’s take on today’s topic of having a strong right-hand to help you better manage your time. So today, I’m going to do something a little bit different. I’m going to share a little secret with you. You already know that I’ve been both a corporate and business executive myself, as well as that I’ve been developing and supporting leaders throughout my entire career. And while I mentor individuals to help them lead at the top of their game and coach them through any obstacles that they face in doing so, you know at times I used to suffer from a bit of imposter syndrome myself. Now I questioned, who am I to tell the CEO or VP that they may be unknowingly sabotaging the success of their company or staff. Now, don’t get me wrong, I can go toe to toe with anybody, no matter their status of power. And in my field of work, I constantly do. But at times, I look at folks with huge followings on social media, or those that are featured experts on TV and wonder, hey, why not me? Am I not worth being interviewed on 60 minutes? And for as many jobs as I’ve saved and leaders who have me on speed dial telling me how valuable I am. How come I’m not also recognize as a CNN hero. I’m just kidding. That I don’t believe I’m at that level yet. But, you know, watching someone in the limelight and be recognized for their gifts is very inspiring. And while admittedly, I have had my fair share of features in top media outlets, you know, I’ve come to realize and be thankful for the difference that I can make in the world by being the influencer in concealing galeri behind the individual. No, this type of role may not get you interviewed by Oprah. But it can be a critical linchpin to a successful leadership effort or initiative. The leader behind the leader is an invaluable role. They are charged with giving sound counsel, being a thought leader, assisting with the execution, and at times talking the leader off the ledge. Think about it. What would any great TV personality be without their executive producer, or any great athlete to be without their chief trainer? Or what chef would be at their best without their sous chef? Or the president of the US? What would he or she be without their chief of staff. And this is why I wanted to feature Julie, who is a magical leader behind this podcast, and who keeps everything organized and humming. She keeps me and the team in lockstep and ensures that we all deliver on our accountabilities, both on time, and with extremely high quality, all for your enjoyment as our listeners. She is also a treasured confidant and thought partner for me, which if I’m being serious, it can be a 24/7 job within itself. So my main advice for you today is to find your own Julie. And no you can not have mine. So don’t be looking her up and stealing her away. Find someone who is uniquely qualified, and loves being the leader behind the individual who is passionate around helping you to be at your best so that you too can truly lead at the top of your game. So thanks for hanging in there and listening to Karan’s take. And if I haven’t mentioned it lately, I do appreciate you being a member of our podcast family. Have a fantastic rest of your week, and see you next week. Take care. And that’s our show for today. Thank you for listening to the lead at the top of your game podcast, where we help you lead your seat at any employer, business, or industry in which you choose to play. You can check out the show notes, additional episodes, and bonus resources, and also submit guest recommendations on our website at leadyourgamepodcast.com. You can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn by searching for the name Karan Rhodes with Karan being spelled K a r a n. And if you like the show, the greatest gift you can give would be to subscribe and leave a rating on your podcast platform of choice. This podcast has been a production of Shockingly Different Leadership, a global consultancy which helps organizations execute their people, talent development, and organizational effectiveness initiatives on an on-demand, project, or contract basis. Huge thanks to our production and editing team for a job well done. Goodbye for now.