“I’m a work in progress,” says Mike Sweeney, Chief Strategy Officer at RallyBright, where he helps clients build inclusive, resilient and high performing teams. A dad to three teenage girls, Mike’s interpretation of intimacy has evolved to include what he calls “noticing and nudging” someone when they say they’re fine. He shares the many types of support his brother showed him throughout his divorce–including asking a very important question. He also describes a moment of grace from an unexpected source that literally brought him to his knees.
Mike’s definition of success has broadened beyond–while not excluding– the right job title and zip code, to ...
“I’m a work in progress,” says Mike Sweeney, Chief Strategy Officer at RallyBright, where he helps clients build inclusive, resilient and high performing teams. A dad to three teenage girls, Mike’s interpretation of intimacy has evolved to include what he calls “noticing and nudging” someone when they say they’re fine. He shares the many types of support his brother showed him throughout his divorce–including asking a very important question. He also describes a moment of grace from an unexpected source that literally brought him to his knees.
Mike’s definition of success has broadened beyond–while not excluding– the right job title and zip code, to what Jim calls “expansive success.” He discusses ways to introduce vulnerability to the workplace, how a leader should set the tone for the team and the importance of modeling. He describes an incident which took place at a high school reunion which is as funny as it is cringey.
There is no right way to do intimacy but he shares some of the ways he’s done it wrong, and explains why gentle men demonstrate the best leadership.
Quotes:
- “If you said to me, what is intimacy, the first thought would be the bedroom…the emotional, reciprocal sharing ones are probably the most powerful.” (6:45 | Mike)
- “I came in, my daughter’s sitting on the couch, my ex wife is there, and my whole body is shaking. I said, ‘She didn't feel comfortable, she wanted to come back’ and I couldn't use the word ‘home.’...The empathy that I was shown made me collapse.” (13:49 | Mike)
- “I grew up with “Failure’s not an option.’”...So it's probably new, this evolution to processing failure.” (22:32 | Mike)
- “My improviser wants to “Yes, and” that. You can create meaning and…have all of those ‘eulogy values’ fulfilled… messaging makes it seem like it's an either/or proposition… I just don't buy that. It's bullshit.” (25:25 | Jim)
- “Some of the best leadership experiences I've had, the leader that has inspired me the most was the quietest person in the room… to be surrounded by gentle men, it’s inspiring.” (31:08 | Mike)
- “I've been thinking about the difference between fitting in and belonging…I don't really fit in a lot of places, but I love to belong…but I'm not going to pull in the edges of the square to fit in the circle.” (41:14 | Mike)
Show Links
Connect with Mike Sweeney:
1:1 coaching: www.sabercoaching.com
resilient team development: www.rallybright.com
Pan Mass Challenge donations: https://profile.pmc.org/MS0633
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podbean | Google Podcasts | Amazon Music
Connect with Jim Young:
Website: www.thecenteredcoach.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/thecenteredcoach
The Men's Expansive Intimacy Project: www.thecenteredcoach.com/expansive-intimacy-project
Expansive Intimacy, the book: https://www.amazon.com/Expansive-Intimacy-Tough-Defeat-Burnout/dp/B0BFTSZ4ZG/
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The views expressed are that of the individual and do not represent the opinions of any companies past, present or future.
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