Episode 54 | Killing Quiet Quitting with Marla Albertie

Marla Albertie  00:00

We do what we call the Superwoman schema. And the Superwoman schema says, hey, you know, you can do it all, why not? You can do everything. You can go raise a kid, you can be the CEO, you can do this and do that, what do you need, and we have to not only come to work and show up and show up and be this person, but on top of that, we have that stress added on. So I have to go come to work on my team. But then on top of that, I still have to I can’t make a mistake.

Voiceover  00:27

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  01:02

Hey there superstars, welcome to the elite 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, the whole quiet quitting phenomenon took over the workplace culture these past couple of years. And for those of you who may or may not be familiar with the term qiet quitting is when employees put in the minimum amount of time and effort to keep their jobs but don’t go the extra mile for their employer. They basically check out mentally and frequently demonstrate behaviors such as not speaking up in meetings or not volunteering for tasks or refusing to work overtime and things like that. However, you know, quiet quitting is usually a symptom of deeper problems, such as a toxic workplace culture, mental or physical struggles that the individual is going through, industry trends, unstable economies or even geopolitical dynamics. However, there are interventions mindsets, tools and tactics that can be used to minimize the frequency of quiet quitting in a way that ends up being a win win for both the employee and the employer. And on today’s show, we feature a leader who is an expert in coaching professionals back home to the right track that’s best for them. Marla Alertie is the owner and founder of the truth speaks group, a multimedia company that create strategies and solutions for work life integration and harmony. She has over 20 years of experience in coaching and training. And she’s actually pursuing her PhD in IO psychology, she’s going to share with us her perspective on why employee sometimes gets stuck and what they can do to change the narrative about their professional journey and career before they use the stick of quiet quitting. And what I love about her is her kind frankness, which is frequently the kick in the butt that we need when we’re stuck in our sour feeling. You’re really really good I enjoy this conversation. And as always, be sure to stay tuned for just two minutes after the episode to listen to my closing segment called Karan to 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 leader the top of your game podcast. We are so honored that you have made it back to another episode and because you have done so we have a doubly special guests with you today. We’re so pleased to have on today’s episode, Miss Marla Albertie, who’s the owner and founder of true speaks Group LLC, which is a multimedia company that creates strategies and solutions for work life integration and harmony and boy Don’t we all need that as leaders, right? She has over 20 years of experience and a ton of specialties but in particular coaching and training, and she’s currently pursuing her PhD in industrial organizational psychology. So welcome to the podcast. Marla, how are you?

Marla Albertie  04:22

Karan, thank you so much. I am doing well and glad to be here.

Karan Rhodes  04:28

We’re so happy to have you and we can’t wait to hear some of the fabulous things you’re doing and, and your insights on some of the important aspects of leadership as well. But before we jump into all that goodness, we’d love to hear just a little bit about yourself. So as much as you feel comfortable. Can you give us a sneak peek into your personal life and passions

Marla Albertie  04:52

 Ah! Thank you so much so you may have to stop me because I can go on and on about this stuff. Because I’m so passionate but yes I am a true Duvall in Duval County, Jacksonville, Florida born and raised. We are very passionate about our county. So we say “Dooooovaal.” You know you know,

Karan Rhodes  05:11

My sister lives there so I know.

Marla Albertie  05:13

Oh, so you already know. Oh, passion about the Jaguars is ready for the season come up. Yeah, um, like I said, born and raised right here have went to school here are all my degrees. I’m currently I’m also a veteran of the United States Navy. During that time is when I started my journey in leadership. So we’re in the in the military. I was 19 years old, onboard the USS Dwight Eisenhower. And they decided to put me in a leadership role to be a ship store supervisor, when I’m a supervisor of a whole entire store on a ship where I’m supposed to do so I figured it out. Right? Right. I figured it out. Later, but I’m grateful for that leadership that I got because I just carried me throughout my career, but I currently have my associate’s degree, bachelor’s, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree. And currently, like you said, in school, my PhD in IO psychology, which is the study of human behavior in the workplace. And I’ve also developed my nonprofit from that IO for teens. And we’ll talk about that fun stuff. I have one son, but I always say I have three kids. So I have my one son, daughter in law, that’s the second row. And the third was my dad. This year, you’ll be a five years. Yeah. He’s a trooper. He’s a trooper. And I just found out I’m gonna get glamox Congratulations. I’m also super excited. I do for fun. I’m very close. We are a very close knit family. I have a slew of cousins. I don’t know how many because a lot of us but we have portions of us and sections of us that we go on trips we hang out. So if it’s not a group of us, I’m always with one of them. At least all the time. I’m going out with one of them tonight to a comedy show. I’m going out with another one tomorrow night to a concert and and for that aspect of the fun is I’m a comedy show junkie and a concert junkie. Go into those I love entertainment. I love creating experiences. Yeah, I will be remissed I cannot leave and I cannot sit on this podcast and not saying what I truly love, which is cruising. I Wow. So that’s that could be separate podcast or podcast. I’m a cruise. I’ve been on 18 and 19 through 25 are booked.

Karan Rhodes  07:29

All right. I love that. Okay, so I’ve got to ask, what was your favorite cruise thus far?

Marla Albertie  07:37

Oh, gosh, I get asked that a lot. And so so I’ve only cruise two lines Carnival and Royal Caribbean produced carnival more and I do like Royal Caribbean. They obviously have different ports and one of my favorite ports that I went to was with war Caribbean, we went to Loma de Haiti and even though we’re Caribbean has tied to that, that that part of Haiti and they own that park. However it’s the natives they’re the people they’re accustomed to culture I love learning about cultures and and the people they’re just phenomenal and I truly enjoy that I love whenever I go on these cruises i i tried to take a tour I like to learn about the culture walk around. But as far as customer service wise, I think Carnival has has top notch customer service like they just they just they just love you. And I just said to them, I said How do y’all act like y’all love us? It’s a different. Y’all come in, we pull out and y’all like y’all have never seen people before. I mean, they love they just love what you’re doing that day.

Karan Rhodes  08:38

That is amazing! Well, they’re doing it just for you. And that’s why they have reputations that they do have

Marla Albertie  08:46

Royal Carribean is okay, but you feel the love on Carnival?

Karan Rhodes  08:49

Yeah. Yeah, good. Well, awesome. Well, you have a very dynamic live, we have so many things in common. We have to talk about that on another podcast. Yeah, but let’s dig in or audience members, since we as you know, do focus a lot on leadership and leadership tips and things and yeah, I’m one of the reasons I was so passionate about having you on the show. Because leaders at all levels really do struggle with work life balance and harmony there. I mean, we could talk about that all day. But you know, having myself be an executive coach and most of my career has been in corporate America for enterprise level firms. So the the big boy firms, I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve talked to or coached, you know, employees and executives and leaders, just feeling burnt out or feeling that their life is out of whack or not in balance, and it’s so common and people don’t talk about it a lie. That kind of suffer in silence. Yep. But it really affects people’s physical, emotional and mental well being. And so I really would love to for you to share with our audience members, first of all, how you helped with that with your company. And then also, if there are any trends that you’re seeing out there in the workplace or the, or just life right now, as it relates to work life balance, or integration, I should say.

Marla Albertie  10:16

Yes, Karan, thank you so many. This is like you said, this is a deep topic, and we can spend the next day or so talking about it. I’ll try not to do that.

Karan Rhodes  10:25

We’ll have to chop this episode up into 20 pieces, right?

Marla Albertie  10:31

Yeah, so in my business, I have, um, the truth speaks group. Like, as I mentioned earlier, we are a multimedia coaching and training organization, dealing with just that work life integration in harmony solutions. I have coined myself the work by harmonizer, because 99% of my clients that I have that I coach and consult, I’ve walked in their shoes, I’ve been there, done that, and I’m still learning I’m not I haven’t got to the point to where I figure it out. And I hope to never get there, right. I want to continue to learn and continue to grow as I move forward. And one of the biggest things I run with speaking of trends and stuff, I would say, I have I’ve coached men, I do have a blog of working woman dot code. I have coached men, but 80% of my clients are the nine to five working woman. All right, that’s the main message mainly my clients. And that is a wide range, it could be from 30 to 55, you know, maybe getting right early retirement up in those areas. And a lot of the times there, what you just said, they’re stuck, they’re lost, they’re burnt out, they are feeling a certain way. And those trends come from I want one trend that’s really popular out there. Right now. It’s quiet quitting. And I’m like, Oh, they put a name to it. I’m like, this has been around for a long time.

Karan Rhodes  11:44

A long time.

Marla Albertie  11:47

To name okay. Okay, cool. You know, so the quiet cleaning piece kind of it really intrigued me a little bit more, because number one likes that we put a name to it. Number two, it’s something that has the I’ve been dealing with in mind with my clients is that much coaching business. 10 years old, I’ve been dealing with this for the past 10 years, you know, where people aren’t showing up to work. And they’re just doing the bare minimum to get their paycheck and go home. They’re not engaged, they’re not active, they don’t care what’s going on, they don’t care about the party, what pre COVID They don’t care about the you know, bringing in the items for the potluck. You know, I’ll just show it, what you can bring, I’ll bring them for whatever we do, you know, now since we’ve gotten out of bulwark, kind of moving through the pandemic, right, right. COVID-19 is only heightened because people have now realized, oh, I can work from home. But yet now I’m working from home, sometimes it is to wear towards Sometimes I work a little longer when I’m working. Right? Or sometimes i i check out and I put I put my screen on I put my camera on. Then you have one side of the coin that says, Oh, we want your camera off. I mean, we want your camera on. The other side says, Well, you guys take a mental break, have your camera off. So it’s like you’re kind of going back and forth. And so it drives people insane

Karan Rhodes  13:01

Crazy!

Marla Albertie  13:03

It drives people insane. And so they come to me like Marla well, how do you harmonize? How do you do it? Great question. You only you can know what’s important to you. I’m as a coach, I can guide you, right? You and I both know coaches, we don’t we don’t tell you what to do. Right? We don’t we guide right. So I can guide you in those areas. I’m very confident in those areas. But you have to decide, okay, what’s priority here? What what is what is what is the battle that I want to fight here? Do I want to be a part of this battle? Right battle, that battle can be multiple things, it could be your co worker, it can be your boss, a lot of times it is the boss, and that’s I’ve run into that quite a few of my clients. But the statement is very true. People don’t leave visions, missions and dreams, they leave people, okay. It could be your family. It could be your children. Right? It could be if you have smaller kids, suppose you’re in school, suppose you’re trying to better yourself, you know, especially in the African American community amongst black women, we deal with what we call OB seven schools, I have to bring up a theory, right? When we complete route theory, right? We’ll call the Superwoman schema. And the Superwoman schema says, hey, you know, you can do it all. Why not? You can do everything. You can go raise a kid, you can be the CEO, you can do this and do that. What do you need, and we have to not only come to work and show up and show up and be this person, but on top of that, we have that stress on added on that. So I have to go to come to work on my team. But then on top of that, I still have to I can’t make a mistake. I can be superwoman. I can’t talk in slang. I can’t wear my locks. I can’t, you know, I have to be a certain way. Turn the head. This is exhausting. Very Austin. So my remedy to that is okay, let me step back. You know, what I have folks do is I have folks that I’m really big on journaling. So if you’re going to be one of my coaching clients just know ahead of time, ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to have you get a journal of where you want to get a piece of paper, whatever and I don’t mean a phone journal. I mean a journal that you’re using a painting or writing something down Write, I have people journal out, if you can remove every barrier in your life, Karan, whatever it is, whatever barrier is to you, if you can remove those barriers, what would you do? What would you do? Ben Hardy talks about living your future self now, right? What is that? What was that person? What does what does he or she or they look like? Right and then work yourself back? Well, you know, start with the end in mind, Stephen Covey. Right. So what does that person look like? And where you’re at now currently? How does that? How does that match to what you’re doing? And a lot of folks realize, I need to find a career. I will start that business. Oh, I don’t need to do anything. I need to go take a month long sabbatical. I’ve had a couple clients do that. You know. So it is it is a is a trend out there that I feel like the quiet quitting going back to that we don’t have to do you can do something about it? Why quiet? Quit, you just quit altogether?

Karan Rhodes  15:58

Right. That’s true.

Marla Albertie  16:00

And that’s a whole nother topic. Why? Because we got to talk about finances and all that. But it’s at some point, you got to ask yourself, What’s worth it here? What is my passion? My passion here? What is my purpose is to what I’m doing here.

Karan Rhodes  16:12

So what abou those individuals who need to have made the decision that they for whatever reason, they need to stay in the workplace? Yeah, it may not be their passion, but they’re good at what they do. They need to stay in the workplace, but their life is still not in sync. You know, they’re not spending time if you know their partner or kids or spouse or family or their their elderly parents or something like that. How do you help them prioritize and fit all that and live? Are you like a talk partner? Or are there tools that you give them to kind of sort through that?

Marla Albertie  16:50

Yeah, so great question. So there’s I got provide tools outside of the coaching and everything. One thing I highly, highly suggest is going back to that list, right? Well, you got to know what you want. And what I’ve learned is a lot of folks don’t know what they want, because I’ve never taken the time to write it down. Hence why I wrote my book, The Ultimate brag book, because no one takes the time write this stuff down. Like that’s like one of my top things when I do my coaching. They’re like more like, I can’t write this yes, you can’t, you’ve never done it.

Karan Rhodes  17:16

You haven’t tried,

Marla Albertie  17:17

You’ve never try it so you don’t know what you want. Right? Once you get that list of what you want, you can have you make time for whatever you want.

Karan Rhodes  17:23

That’s true. You do.

Marla Albertie  17:25

I’m a firm believer in that. I don’t care. I don’t care if you got a husband, a spouse, a wife, whatever. In six, six little ones, you may want to make time for

Karan Rhodes  17:35

You do. And you find money for what you need to work on to buy as well. You know,

Marla Albertie  17:42

I don’t so I’m one of those coaches. I don’t take this uses right I make you do the deep work. by Cal Newport says in the book I make you do the deep work because I don’t get that’s what you’re paying me for right to help you dig deep. So you got to be willing to do the deep work. And so after you make that list now, okay, fine. You can’t quit the nine to five, I get it been there done that. I understand. Okay, how are you feeding that passion that you want to do? How many entrepreneurs have you read are looked at a YouTube video, they started their job on the side that they’re there during on the side, right? So people will say, Well, I worked the nine to five and I can’t I can’t do this and I can’t do that. Well, you’re right. One of my coaches. Yes. Coaches, we have coaches, right. Yeah. One of my coaches told me a long time ago, whatever you believe you’re 100% Correct. So if you believe you can’t, then I’m not gonna I’m not well, let’s stop the session now. Because we’re not moving forward. Right? So if you believe you can’t, then you’re right. You cannot. I don’t believe that you actually, actually can because if you can envision it, you can move forward, right? We’re not talking about the poof poof, we’re talking about reality, reality of what it is you’re trying to do reality of what it is you want. So if you want to start that side hustle if you want to start that business that the sales that didn’t turn into a full blown business use as an example, but you have the babies at home? Can Can you wake up? I’m not gonna tell you an hour can you wake up 15 minutes earlier? Right? The babies get up for the family gets up a womb ever. Can you wake up knows I didn’t say our let’s start tiny. Can you wake up 15 minutes earlier? In journal, your vision journal, your entrepreneurial thoughts, watch a watch a 15 minute pot or 15 minutes of a podcast. What are you doing in the car? Jim Rohn says you can get a full blown degree in the car if you’re listening to audiobooks or to on podcasts. So are listening to courses or whatever. How are you using your time? I’m not a fan of time management. That’s another key factor I talked about. You cannot manage something that keeps moving you off a clock keeps moving right

Karan Rhodes  19:48

You can optimize your use of your time.

Marla Albertie  19:51

Self caring. And this is where I teach clients is in coach class do is you have to manage yourself. Stop making the excuses Write that you can’t get up 15 minutes earlier, you can’t do this now, am I saying do what every day, you may can only do Monday and Wednesday. Okay, Monday and Wednesday, wake up 15 minutes earlier, and write down notes about that vision that dream that you have that nonprofit, you want to open that CEO position that you want to go after? What does it take to be a CEO? Have you have you read about? Have you read books about CEOs? Have watched podcasts about CEOs? You know, so I really challenge them what they want to do, right, because different things, I really challenged them to dig deep. And look at the areas and do the research and nine out of 10 I’m gonna say 999 9% of the time, these people have not done any of this stuff that I just, yeah, you haven’t done any of it.

Karan Rhodes  20:43

And you kind of hinted at it. But I want to go back to your book about The Ultimate Brag Book, 100 Questions About How Awesome You Are. I found that find that many leaders are just always go go go and are in, I guess, leadership mind or leadership mode. Again, they haven’t taken the time to sit back and reflect on the impact that they’re truly making in a way that, you know, makes them even feel good about themselves. And they can appreciate how they’re serving the world. Want to share a little bit more about your, your book and how important those messages are.

Marla Albertie  21:22

Yes, thanks, Karan. So that book was give a little bit of context of that, that book came from me coaching my clients, right. And I was just what I would notice was with the clients is they would be so hard on themselves, Well, I don’t have this, I don’t have that skill. You know, and women, it’s been studies, it’s been studies done. So I’m not gonna, you know, go down a rabbit hole with this. But we all know that women, we have to have 80% of the qualifications on a resume may apply. And then we’ll apply and get the job, right. So that shows up in our that comes out of our pores, right? It kind of shows them in our actions. It shows that when we’re speaking, it’s just it’s not so so I said, You know what something? I said, I need you to say, what do you like about yourself? I’ve had clients on calls, they can’t tell me 10 things I like about themselves. I just broke my heart. I said, okay, something’s gotta be done. So why law, the book, The Ultimate brag book, you aren’t going to make you brag on yourself. Bragging has a negative connotation sometimes. For you, too. Let’s let’s move on negative, by the way, right? I’m not saying for you to say you’re better than somebody else. I’m not saying to say for you to bully someone to put someone down. I’m not saying for you to say, Oh, she’s all that. No, no, no, no, no, no, that’s not we’re talking. That’s not bragging. Bragging is the internal feeling you feel about yourself, that you’re letting other people know that. That’s okay, that you’re better than them. Right? You’re saying that this is what I do best. I’m good at this is what I like, these are the things that I love to do. Now, some people will take it a different way, obviously, because that’s the that’s, that’s a whole nother session too when we talk about therapy and stuff, right? Because we project onto others, right? But that bragging on yourself, you need to hear yourself saying you know what? I am good at cooking. And it’s okay, you’re saying I’m a good cook, tell people I’m a good cook. I’m not saying that I am I’m just using that as an example…

Karan Rhodes  23:23

I do get what you’re saying. Because the importance of that is they, you anyone needs to be able to articulate the value and what they’re gifted in because that helps guide others to determine how to best include them how to best leverage their strengths and superpowers, right so taking that moment to reflect upon that and then speaking it out to the point that you’re comfortable and that you can articulate it will actually maybe even open up doors and opportunities for you right?

Marla Albertie  23:55

I’m telling you up parent I have had people come back to me and say they haven’t gotten book ideas from answering these questions. Their marriage has gotten better. The one young lady she did it with her daughter and her her daughter she uses she wrote back to me email and said, Oh my gosh, Mom was just so much fun. Like I never thought about asking these questions to myself and alone my daughter. I mean, I’ve gotten so many positive compliments back about how the book is helping them change their mindsets about themselves because I’m asking you questions about what 10 companies would you be the CEO of? You know, what, what part of your body do you love? What What are your favorite restaurants? Simple stuff you never had never even thought about it. Someone said to me like Mom, I never thought about my favorite restaurants. Well, you’re gonna write it down in this book.

Karan Rhodes  24:45

That’s right. I love that. I love that I’m gonna have to definitely get a copy and read that and and include it because I bet there’s some some fantastic exercises. You know, to do To use, you know, even in our own business as well.

Marla Albertie  25:02

100 questions, it’s a journal, you’re, you’re simply bragging on yourself. That’s what it is. And what people normally do is they’ll they’ll coach, I don’t recommend sitting and doing the book in one setting. I don’t think client of mine has done that. But yeah, so sit down and do a couple of pages I well, I like to do because I used the book myself well, I just like to open it up. And wherever page I land on, I answer the question.

Karan Rhodes  25:24

Oh, that’s cool.

Marla Albertie  25:25

And then go to the next, the next day, or whenever I do it again, open up again, and just, you know, until I have the book for me, you know, so um, so yeah, so definitely, definitely people need to know their value, still issue amongst women, we’re getting there. But we still

Karan Rhodes  25:39

We’re getting there step by step getting there. So what I also love is that you have an area of focus on our youth as well, starting in early, planting those seeds early. Can you share a little bit about your nonprofit organization?

Marla Albertie  25:54

Yes, yes, it’s so so let me give a little context of that as well. So I’m currently in school with my PhD in IO psychology, which is industrial organizational psychology, which is the study of human behavior in the workplace. So I’m driving down the street one day, I said, How will teenagers learn about these concepts? So there’s 20, someone may argue with you 25 to 26, different specialization areas in IO psychology. And I said, Well, how the hell are teenagers know about it? And then voila, the idea popped up. This is literally last year, this goes to show how fast the universe moves. Last year, this nonprofit didn’t exist. This year, we are, we’re moving.

Karan Rhodes  26:27

Wow.

Marla Albertie  26:28

We have four objectives behind what we do. We taken that those 25 specialization areas and put them into what we call our curriculum called the dream catcher is five classifications for the dream catcher, please go to www.io for teens.org Check it out. So we have developed a curriculum for eighth through 12th grade. Currently, we have 11th and 12th. Grade done. And we are teaching that we are partnering with a nonprofit here at local nonprofit here in Jacksonville tea leaves of America go teen news. And we’re teaching 1112 graders the concepts within IO psychology and what they’re the beautiful part about it. Karan is it’s a science, they’re learning a science, right? We’re not teaching them to be IO psychologist, right? We’re not saying that they have to go to school, go to college, but we’re teaching you life skills that you’re going to need regardless, whatever wherever you are, if you want to be a social media influencer, you need to know how to work with people. I have psychology methodologies can can teach you that. Our second objective is to create a teaching certification which that’s in the works. Course Objectives are a community fund as well as a scholarship fund obviously the scholarship fund is self explanatory and the community fund is to help those those teams will learn to that social media influencer prime example we did last year, we adopted a teen last year and she wants to be a graphic artist. And so we were able to raise enough money to get her iPad so she can you know, because iPad has those special tools inside of it that they can use to do design. Blown away, just blown away. Stuff just keeps you up on it. So I just warmed up just warmed up. And so we’re hoping to continue to grow the funds so we can give our first scholarship next year next in the by next in the next school year 2023 24 school year and grow, grow the community funds we can do that same thing again, we hope to adopt more than one team this year for Christmas. So please, please go out to IO for teens.org Support us were small crew right now. Me Of course I have a be hag big, hairy, audacious goal for teens is more like an elective slash after school type program. We’ll be in all schools will be in all the high schools across the country.

Karan Rhodes  28:33

But that’s amazing. That is so needed for our youth because I even remember when my daughter got out of high school she said she felt lost. She said she didn’t feel ready for life. And I’m like, and I was one of those helicopter parents I’m like, How can you not feel ready. And she said just don’t and it wasn’t just her it was her friends. You know, we were the house that everybody came to hang out at and, and it was amazing how insecure they were even with the supportive, you know, community and family needed. So that is so needed. So kudos to you and your team, we’ll definitely have links to your organization in the shownotes. So audience, please definitely check that out. Thank you so much. Sam is Marla. Um, one of the other fun things we’d love to ask on the show. As we love to ask, Which of the leadership tactics that I write about in my book really resonated with you and you are so kind enough to share that leading with intrapreneurship really rang home. And for my audience members, if you don’t remember leading with intrapreneurship is all about building an organization by improving its processes or products or services, and you can leave with no intrapreneurship even if you’re in corporate America or if you own your own business, whatever your entity is that you’re in, it’s always about looking to better it through Innovation, whatever you’re offering, some is mortal. Why did that one really stand out for you? I’m curious minds want to know.

Marla Albertie  30:07

Yeah. So oh my gosh, I had been studying that word for a long time. intrapreneurship I call myself a lifetime students, I’m always in somebody’s school actually had to write a paper on intrapreneurship I think my bachelor’s degree in second a bachelor’s degree in supervision and management. So we had to write about that. Well, that’s a topic I chose to write about. And it’s important because my myself being an entrepreneur, okay, I want to take those skill sets, why can’t we use those same skill sets inside the workplace? By the four walls? Right? All right, we’re outside, right? But I got those skill sets, I because we know entrepreneurs, we think differently. We move differently, but they need those same skills, that same mindset inside. So that’s what the intrapreneurship comes from, I’m building something that you’re gonna let me think outside the box here. I’m building that inside of the organization. And that’s key, because that’s why we have the iPhone, right? That’s right. That’s why we have certain new technologies and chat GPT and all that yeah, stuff, you know, right. So someone had to you got to have that entrepreneurial mind and bring it inside, right and have that ship tactics. So you can be able to do what we said earlier, be innovative, and move forward. And innovation is more than just creating where innovation is evolving. Innovation is, is taking something that wasn’t there and making it right. Bring it into fruition? Well, I always tell the teams is everything you see, what you look at. Everything you see was in somebody’s imagination. Yeah, it was at some point in time. It sure was, it was in somebody’s imagination. This pin didn’t just pop out. It’s got no one had to say, you know, I want to have a blue pin that has silver on it that says Gateway Arch National Park. I’m not sure why that is. But someone’s someone said that. And they put the idea into motion and bam, here it is.

Karan Rhodes  32:01

There it is, you know, and you know that I always say that innovation and entrepreneurship runs the world. So it definitely does they do well miss Marla. I know we’re close on time. But before we let you get out of here, we always love to also give some time to give kudos to others. And so I want you to think about a brand or an individual or an entity or company. It doesn’t matter what someone or something that, in your opinion is leading at the top of their game. And I’m curious if something comes to mind or someone comes to mind? And if so tell us why. Because we’re always curious what it takes to really differentiate yourself amongst your peers.

Marla Albertie  32:49

Yes, Karan. So this is a this was a deep question. But so I used to work for JPMorgan Chase. I was there for about 13 years. And while I was there to Shunda Duckett Brown was the CEO of , matter of fact, she wasn’t not the CEO. She was, I think, Senior Vice President of something and then she got promoted to CEO of auto finance,

Karan Rhodes  33:08

oh nice.

Marla Albertie  33:09

Then not too long after that. A few you know, I left the bank and whatnot. She’s moved forward. And now she is the CEO. Past two, two years, two and a half years. She’s the CEO of TIAA bank. And I just watched her watch how she is on on LinkedIn. I have not personally worked with her and I don’t personally know her. Sure watching how she was at Chase, and how she talked to the audience how she spoke about her team. I can only imagine that still carrying forward she talks about her family, her kids, her husband, she’s just doesn’t, listen to me leaders out there. This is what people want. They want authentic servant leadership. You who you are not,

Karan Rhodes  33:48

You’re so right.

Marla Albertie  33:52

Anyway, that bothers me. But no, like us. I don’t know her personally, but I can just see that she cares about her community. She’s constantly putting videos out there about African Americans, especially understanding the value of wealth having a wealth mindset, getting out of this poverty mindset. She’s constantly she has her hair and her braids. She’s constantly has she has a cute glasses on she she dresses. She has her own style. She’s not trying to fit the corporate, you know

Karan Rhodes  34:19

Mold. Yea.

Marla Albertie  34:20

1945 ish Look, she’s has her own style. And that is what is impressive. Yeah, that is what comes across as you know, that’s a leader that I want to follow that I want to look after and say okay, she talks about her family talks about her husband talking about her, her arm her parents, they have a foundation. You know, I want to hear about the whole person, not the one. That’s integration, don’t care about only work. I want to hear about you as a human being because I coach a human being I don’t coach the work person I call the human being so so that’s why she is so that’s why I just admire her as much.

Karan Rhodes  34:57

All right audience that is just pure gold right there. We talk about this a lot on the show, but showing up as your authentic self is one of the keys to build your followership and being that leader that others want to follow. And, and it’s, it’s not rocket science, it is that a lot of people just do not dedicate the time and effort or A or B are willing to be that vulnerable, to share a bit, you know, with others. But that’s how you build trust and build connection. Within you’re those that you work with, and then your community, and people want to follow that, or be friends with or self support. Those who are leading from the front.

Marla Albertie  35:41

Exactly, you know, stop policies and stuff. Be here. Be a human are they is your employee breaking the law, but they’re calling this particular policy? I mean, did they did they mean to break the policy? Do they do it on purpose? Oh my gosh. It’s just some of the things that these leaders are doing is just I’m just appalled, you know, this is a human being right this is not right. You know, so but it’s yeah, it’s just be you just be your authentic self. Just just talk about Bobby’s baseball game.

Karan Rhodes  36:15

Well, Miss Marla, um, we’re gonna have information in the show notes, but I want you to put a voice behind it. How can people find you if they’re looking to learn more connect with you?

Marla Albertie  36:25

Yes, please email me at contact@truthspeakscoaching.com The website is www dot truth speaks coaching.com Even though yes, the title The name is true speaks group as kept the coaching pieces. It’s easy to go talk to the website for the for the nonprofit IOforteens.org. This I O fo r t e e ns.org. We’re on YouTube. We’re on LinkedIn, follow me on LinkedIn. Marla J Albertie. Reach out to me, I tell people all the time only

Karan Rhodes  36:53

live on LinkedIn connections.

Marla Albertie  36:56

So the final is Marla J. Albertie. I’m the only one out there. So find me out there on LinkedIn. But yeah, definitely go to the website. If you subscribe to my website, you’ll get a free work life harmony workbook. And it’s actually it’s not a sheet of paper. It’s a workbook is free. So sign up and donate comm a monthly donor we need your support we can get? Absolutely.

Karan Rhodes  37:15

Well, thank you so much for the gift of your time and knowledge. Marla, this has been a tremendous episode. And we we don’t take it lightly with our guests. So I was sitting here and writing in a ton of notes. And my audience members knows I do that, because I’ve even learned so much. So thank you so much for coming on the show.

Marla Albertie  37:37

Thank you so much, Karan, this has been a pleasure.

Karan Rhodes  37:41

Awesome. And thank you to listeners for joining and we can’t wait to have you join in next week, as you know only asked for one favor that is to subscribe and like the show, as well as to share with just one friend. Because when you do that expands our reach. And we’re able to help others to also lead at the top of their game. Yes, thank you so much. And see you next week. Well, I hope you enjoyed our conversation today with Marla Alberty. owner and founder of true speaks group 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 or choice and on the web at lead your game podcast.com. And now for Karan’s take on today’s topic of quiet quitting. Well, I’m gonna take a little turn with you and instead of talking about quite quitting, talk about one of its sister actions. Since quiet quitting is so popular in the news I decided to focus today’s Karan’s take on a more rarely known sister process to quiet quitting called Quiet hard. Quiet firing is the management practice in which a manager or supervisor very suddenly encourages an employee to quit their job. This can be done by assigning them undesirable work or maybe reducing their working hours or depriving them of opportunities to advance. This isn’t a practice to be proud of just to be clear, and it really shouldn’t be happening in healthy work environments. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that. I haven’t seen it before. It’s sadly quite common when employers don’t want to fire an employee directly and be forced to provide a severence package for example, that they do the practice acquired. For example, you know, in a worst case scenario, quiet fine also happens when managers allow employees to have truly toxic or miserable experiences at work as a way to squeeze them out and off the team is kind of a form of gaslighting. Quiet firing, an employee may seem like a convenient way to avoid a hard conversation. But ultimately, it affects team morale and the employees reputation. Ultimately, managers must do what’s best for the team. And I get that, you know, holding on to low performing employees for any reason, besides coaching and developing them up to the needed level performance is a disservice to all involved. But I do want to give a warning for leaders and executives and organizations. When your managers quiet quit, they also are quiet finally, quietly firing their teams. They’re creating conditions that may force many of your great employees at the company. Many of them might be your key or star performers. So I encourage you to be proactive and have open and honest conversations about quiet quitting with both your employees and your people managers. And if you need help with this, feel free to reach out to me via LinkedIn or via our contact page on our website. And we’ll set up some time to kind of talk through review alternatives and strategies to make improvements in your work culture. Well, thanks again for joining this episode. And please remember to subscribe to the podcast and share it just one friend. Because performing this one selfless act will empower you to also help others to lead at the top of their game. Thanks a ton for listening and see you next week. 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.