****Please forgive any and all transcription errors as this was transcribed by Otter.ai.****

Cassandra Worthy 0:00

What up? I'm Cassandra Worthy and you're listening to A Shark's Perspective!

[intro music]

Kenneth Kinney 0:20

Welcome back and thank you for joining A Shark's Perspective.

Kenneth Kinney 0:24

I am Kenneth Kinney, but friends call me Shark. I'm a keynote speaker, strategist, a shark diver, host of this show and your Chief Shark Officer.

Kenneth Kinney 0:32

So how do you handle change? It's tough for a lot of people in the corporate world, you could be killing it. But next thing you know, organizational shifts happen that might take you in another direction, and sometimes even out the door. The mechanisms you use to cope with change, especially those powered by your emotions can be difficult, if not even dangerous, but better understanding those emotions can help you lead to recognize new options and opportunities and to becoming a change enthusiast.

Kenneth Kinney 0:59

Cassandra Worthy is the Founder and CEO of Change Enthusiasm. She's a former chemical engineer turned global keynote speaker and the author of change enthusiasm, how to harness the power of emotion for leadership and success.

Kenneth Kinney 1:13

And on this episode, we'll discuss dealing with change both personally and professionally, the emotions that occurred and how to grow through it, the dangers of some coping mechanisms, the three steps of change enthusiasm, the value of trust, shampoo, formulation, and battery innovation, Mark B, chemical engineering and centrifuges, famous shot putters, embracing change for your last meal on Earth. And a lot, lot more.

Kenneth Kinney 1:35

So let's tune in to a change enthusiast with you guessed it, a shark enthusiast, on this episode of A Shark's Perspective.

Kenneth Kinney 1:46

Cassandra, welcome to A Shark's Perspective. Would you please give us a brief overview of your background and your career today?

Cassandra Worthy 1:52

Sure. And thank you so much for having me, ah, gosh, background and career today. So I'm a chemical engineer by trade. I went to Georgia Tech, got my engineering degree. And then I went on to work in corporate and more traditional roles for about 15 years. And it was all in CPG, consumer packaged goods. And majority in research and development, although I did some work that was a little bit more downstream. So in products, supply, and manufacturing, but I did a lot of cool stuff, doing you know, shampoo formulation, I worked in a blazing razors business, got to do some cool injection molding. And it was a really awesome, awesome career just because, you know, I love engineering, because it's all about solving problems. And I love I love solving really big complex problems. But it was a career that I went through a lot of shift and a lot of change. And a lot of that was in acquisitions, multibillion dollar acquisitions, and I've been through a couple of them. And through that I kind of I felt the pain, the emotions, the the frustration, the anger, the grief that happens when we're going through that type of change, it feels like it's happening to us. And I, you know, personally developed a mindset that helped me grow through those change events, as well as inspire those around me to find learning and growth and evolution through big changes as well. And, and I just started hearing, you know, folks around me saying, you know, how are you doing this? How are you staying? So energetic, invigorated, how are you leading other people through this, as well as my own intuition, just telling me that there was something bigger and better that I could be doing to make the world a better place? And so I started following curiosity, on understanding what that could be like, what could it look like if I wasn't working, and more traditional roles of corporate America, and I found myself on a stage one day, talking about something that I was very passionate about this mindset that I'm now calling change enthusiasm. And I've just been off to the races, you know, since then, so I own a training and leadership development firm called change, enthusiasm, global. And I'm so grateful to travel the world sharing the message of change, enthusiasm, and training and developing leaders as it relates to being highly invigorated and inspirational leaders when when going through change.

Kenneth Kinney 3:57

Well, let's talk about this great book, change enthusiasm, which I got to read beforehand. It's fantastic how to harness the power of emotion for leadership and success. You know, you had all this stuff that you went through in your career, but what drove you to write the book? Why did you take this angst that came from what you went through in your career and put it pen to paper?

Cassandra Worthy 4:14

Yeah, so I'll be I'll be honest with you, when I first started following that path of curiosity, when I was still working in corporate, I thought that I would just be an author that I would just write self help books. And that's how I would get this you know, energy in this message out into the world. But you know, before then I found speaking, and I found the stage. And so I started speaking before working on the book and it was through the speaking engagements through teaching change enthusiasm, that I started to get a poll of people wanting more, and honestly I wrote the book because I wanted to pull change enthusiasm from the conceptual and into the practical and really armed people with a means of actually practicing this mindset. Right? This is about it. embracing emotion. This is about acknowledging emotion. This is about harnessing the power of that energy to fuel growth, transforming emotion into fuel for growth. And so I wanted to make it very practical and create some exercises and some worksheets really, for people to put it into practice. So so that's really what inspired me to write the book, I wanted people to become practicing change enthusiasts. And so I had to write the guidebook, I had to write the playbook for for people to be able to do that. Well,

Kenneth Kinney 5:25

your speaker demo reel is great. Your book check is great all your, your graphics great, you got such a wonderful personality magnet, a beautiful smile. But I thought it was really interesting when I looked at the powerful opening to your story in the book and where you talk about your struggles with alcohol, alcoholism, it's part of how you were trying to cope with other changes in your business and personal life. And I know a lot of CEOs that talk about issues like this, this is what's keeping you up at night, not market positioning, but the stuff that you know, the real world stuff that everybody goes through with dealing and coping with, with specially with change, but you write about it book. And it's a struggle that a lot of people are afraid to say out loud, if you don't mind, talk about what alcohol was to you, and how that became a coping mechanism.

Cassandra Worthy 6:08

Oh, yeah, for sure. So I always tell people that I am the greatest student of what I teach. And change enthusiasm is about recognizing and acknowledging really difficult emotion, emotion, like anger, like frustration, like fear, like anxiety, it's about understanding how that flows through you, allowing it to exist, and then understanding how you were then in a moment of opportunity to learn to grow and evolve, but it's about being in tune with your emotions, and emotional self awareness. And I will tell you, that alcohol meant to me that I did not have to deal with those emotions. But I could keep chasing what I you know realized was fleeting joy, you know, fleeting happiness, that happiness, it just slips through your fingers, once you wake up or come to the next day, having, you know, been been chasing it with with shots or whatever, all through the night. So for me, it was it was a a numbing, and it was a means for me to get away from difficulty motion and not have to, to face them. And so truly, it was through sobriety that I was able to understand the power of these emotions and that they're not negative, right? They might feel bad, they might weigh you down, they don't feel great. But it's actually can invite you into the greatest changes and transformations that perhaps you've ever experienced in your life. And for me, that was that was stepping into my sobriety that was saying yes to my alcoholism, knowing that that is a part of me, and that it's okay. And now I'm just I'm so grateful to recognize that and that that's just, you know, a part of who I am and that it's healthier for me and everyone else involved. If I don't pick up a drink, and it's through that clarity that sobriety has afforded me that I begin really stepping that path of curiosity that I have gotten into the work that I do today, that I that I'm so grateful to know is my purpose. I am living on purpose every day sharing this message with the world as to as many people as I can. And honestly, it's it's teaching a lesson that I strive to learn each and every day, each and every day. Yeah,

Kenneth Kinney 8:19

yeah, well, like I said, it was just funny, because I didn't mean it is is an incorrect comment. But your smile is so great. And then you hit people, as soon as they jump in, you hit them hard with that story. And there's a great story in there about the letter you wrote, To the person you met the day before. It was very cathartic letter and encourage anybody to go read it. It's a really good story about how you were starting to deal with it. But you know, when you talk about emotion that plays such a powerful part of change. A lot of this story of how to deal with it comes with your study of emotions, you speak about embracing those negative emotions, and exploring opportunities presented in those conscious choices at a high level. How should we go about developing to deal with change that resilience muscle?

Cassandra Worthy 9:01

Yes, so for me, and again, this is the core of the work and this is what I've seen work time after time and my own personal experience. And now the data just keeps getting replicated with individuals and organizations all over the world and so many different industries, but it truly is about emotional self awareness. And it's about trust. Right. And I think another word for trust is about belief, right? Trust is a belief that you've instilled in something or someone and change enthusiasm is really rooted in a trust or a belief that as you're going through change, as you're going through something that is so difficult, that is so challenging, where you feel like you can't even get up out of bed where you feel like you can't even open up the laptop to stop working because there's so many difficult emotions. You have to trust that those emotions are existing to serve you that they're existing for reason. And it's to welcome you and to an opportunity. There's something there for you to learn somehow for you to grow. Whether that be learning about yourself learning about you know, your peers, your colleagues, your business, your industry, somehow you are being welcomed into that opportunity. And the third step of change, enthusiasm puts you right in that seat of power of choice. It's up to you, you know, we can choose how we experience change, we can't always choose what kind of change comes on our path, right? I never chose to be a part of a business that got acquired, I certainly did not choose that. But I did choose how I showed up, I did choose how I experienced that change how I led through that change, how I took responsibility for the energy that I was bringing into the rooms, how I chose to embrace and acknowledge my own signal emotions, you know, that frustration, that fear, how I chose confident vulnerability to my, to my employees to my workforce, and leading, you know, with empathy, and again, with with my authenticity when going through change. And so for me, it really is about welcoming those emotions, not trying to have all the right, you know, answers knowing that we no one can have all the right answers, and just trusting that those difficult emotions just to service, I think that they're there tap into something divine that we all have a tap to. And it's up to us to listen.

Kenneth Kinney 11:11

So who did you necessarily target this book, who was the audience that you were targeting? And I asked this because I know that the way it made me feel, it felt like I was able to first read it as the worker before I became the person running the floor. And I thought that I thought that was well done. Because a lot of books are often to the future CEO only. So I'm kind of curious, were you targeting the worker in general? Or the manager up on high? If that makes sense?

Cassandra Worthy 11:39

Yes. And yes. So I'm targeting individuals who are experiencing leading through or going through change, any individual who is experiencing that change, and, you know, has heart and mind. So again, anyone who is, you know, either anticipating a change that's coming, want to be prepared for when a change happens, and want to have that resilience muscle on ready, or for that C suite executive who's who's leading through change. And, you know, I always say we do a lot of workshops, you know, capability building with leaders, and the work really is individual focused. So, so many times when you're going through, you know, change management, training, leadership training, it's all about okay, what can I do for the organization? What can I do for the team? What are some tools and models, what can you know, and that is a part of it. But there's also a part that is, what can I do for me, so that I can show up my best, brightest self, so that I can show up invigorated and ready to inspire, and taking responsibility for my own energetic signature. So it's individually focused, to inspire that invigorated leader. And then also there's some some other tools in the in the advanced application. So the last third of the book that's really focused on those leading others to change. And it's about self development, it's about thinking about how you can nurture yourself. And then so some of those things, those soft skills that are critical when you want to inspire those around you.

Kenneth Kinney 13:14

So I'm gonna dive into one of the stories that I really thought was great. I love the story about Mark B. Ah, so you're managing a team kicking button results, you have a good relationship with your manager, your outshining your evil arch nemesis, Mark, be your manager. And once in oddly time discussion, and you don't know what the issue might be, but then you find out your boss gets promoted, and you in the organization now has to report to mark B, boom. Yeah, exactly. All of us, all of us have had something similar happen to us, walk us through how someone should process this in a better way, rather than just punching a wall, or mark B if we saw

Cassandra Worthy 13:54

being or your manager for getting promoted? Exactly. Um, so the first thing that I will say, first off, let me just name what the three steps to change enthusiasm are, we kind of danced around it, but let me be a little bit more explicit. So it's a three step mindset, what I call a growth mindset. And the first step is called the signal. And it's about recognizing and acknowledging the difficulty motions of change. And in my work, I've distilled that down to five which are frustration, fear, anger, grief, and anxiety. So that's that first step, and it's and it's when you can trust that those emotions are existing to serve you, that you then move into the second step, which is the opportunity. And it's here really where all the work happens. You're recognizing, okay, I'm in an opportunity. I know that I'm going to grow, I know that I'm going to become better How can I go about doing that? What are my options? What can I do for me, right? How can I learn more about maybe Mark B's tenure? Maybe what Mark these passions are? Maybe other people who now report to him, you know, how would they manage what have they learned about him? What are some tips and tricks that I could that I can employ? And then all So thinking about, you know, where do I want to grow in my career? What are some things that I can do? Maybe this next part is a stepping stone? Where do I want to go? And how can I leverage morphia? To get me there? And then that third and final step is the choice, right? So once you've weighed out these options, and explored what's possible for you, in that moment, you're choosing something that will ultimately inspire a better result. But really a better feeling, write a better feeling. And it's, and it's not about leaping all the way from anxiety to anticipation because you know, I can't even do that. It's, it's not like, you know, emotional manipulation. It's about making those little choices that's going to inspire that next best feeling that next best feeling not not necessarily the absolute best feeling of bliss or joy or, or anticipation. So yeah, I would say in that, in that particular instance, when you've been, you know, announcement comes, you've got news that just knocks you on your feet, practice that first step, which is allow the emotions to exist. If you're feeling anger, feel the anger. If you're feeling frustration, feel the frustration, acknowledge it, don't suppress it. Don't ignore it. Don't act like it's not there. Don't try to gloss over it, allow it to exist. And take a moment to do that. And then allow that trust to bubble up and say, you know, what, if I'm feeling this way, and means that I'm in a moment of opportunity, something good is about to happen for me. And it's up to me to figure out what that good is I'm about to learn from work be in ways that I never thought that I could. And you'll you'll explore and and see what that journey is all about. But yeah, practice that first step and then make your way to the second or the third.

Kenneth Kinney 16:33

Well, Cassandra, you know, if you ever went back into corporate America, and you were being hired by Mr. biomark be, you have totally blown his chances of ever managing, managing. He's like women named Karen, who walk up, walk through the park with their dog, it's a tough go for those people's

Cassandra Worthy 16:52

Well, I get I trust, I can learn from our beat mark, teach me, even if it is what I don't want to be like, in a leader, I tell you some of the worst leaders managers that I've had, I'm so grateful for, because they taught me behaviors and ways of being that I know, I don't want to be a part of style. And that's something that's really right there.

Kenneth Kinney 17:13

Absolutely. We'll speak it further. If trust we have a mutual friend of David or Sagar, who talks about trust regularly. And he this rings familiar with him. In the book, you talked about the value of trust, and how that takes part in dealing with change. Elaborate, if you will, on the importance of its value.

Cassandra Worthy 17:29

Yeah, for sure. And again, trust for me, if we define it is about it's about belief. And then if you drill down belief even further, it's it's thoughts that we keep thinking, right thoughts that we keep thinking, for example, the person in my life that probably carries one of the highest levels of trust is my brother, my brother, Richard. And I have built that trust through thinking the same thought over and over. And the data has supported that thought, you know, I call him in the middle of night, because I need something he picks up and he's there, I need a late ride to the airport, I pick up the phone, he's there. So all these data points have continued to instill this thought, if I call on my brother, he's going to be there. If I need him, he's going to be there. And I trust that, because I've been thinking that same thought for years, it's been, and it's been replicated and nurtured through through that data. And so it's so important when, especially when we're leading through change that we can evoke, that we can nurture that level of trust in our employees and in our workforce, because the moment that trust is out the window, then you lose hearts and minds. And though you might see change, adoption happen, it will not be sustainable. I firmly believe that you can't have sustained change unless you have the belief that drives that change that makes that change reality sustained. And and you've got to have that trust in your organization that you that you have the right vision that you have the right mission, what you're calling them to do, is going to be right for the organization and for the business.

Kenneth Kinney 19:04

So let's talk a little youth versus wisdom if you were giving advice to your younger self, and of course, you're only 25 Now,

Cassandra Worthy 19:10

yeah, no, I'm 40.

Kenneth Kinney 19:13

Where do you where do you take emotion as part of your own story and, and how you deal with it and make it part of a youth versus wisdom in dealing with those emotions as you mature even right on the jacket of the book where you talk about writing this to your 27 year old self and then also to your 34 year old self. When the markets hot for jobs, you know, you think about it, everybody's like, Screw it. I don't need to deal with this move on and not and not make change. But a lot of people look at the great resignation, right? A lot of people change jobs, but when it's not, they're forced to deal with change when there aren't a lot of options. And so, I wonder how much of that now, and I see that especially with people that are younger, who are able to change jobs, good for them. But is that going to change the culture in a way where we're not forced to deal with the change that we need to do to deal with because if they're ignoring some of the great teachings you've got in here, it can hurt them a lot later on down the line.

Cassandra Worthy 20:06

Yeah, for sure. So let me answer what I thought was the was going to be your question. In the first part, talking about what what I what advice,

Kenneth Kinney 20:15

would you tell your younger, self, younger self?

Cassandra Worthy 20:17

So I love this question. And I've gotten it a few times. And I always like to turn it on its head. Because it's honest, for me, you know, when I think about little Cassandra, I always would rather want to hear her perspective. And I would rather want to understand if I was living up to what she had dreamed for me. And I would want to hear her thoughts on, you know, is it Have I become something that she would have envisioned, or something that would would knock her socks off, so I'd be much more interested and hearing from her than trying to give her any level of advice. I'm one who doesn't, I don't really believe and, and regret, I think that every experience, including my DUI, including, you know, alcoholism, has been a part of my journey, and it wouldn't have brought me here talking to you. And this meeting, amazing audience, if it wasn't for the culmination of all my experiences, I'm grateful for all of them, no matter how difficult no matter how dark, no matter how challenging. So that's the response to that. The other one, about how do I think about, you know, this, this evolution of how we think about change, and this the great resignation? That's happening? And and my perspective is, you know, I think that through the pandemic, I think we, as humanity, have woken up to understand what is it that we're willing to deal with? And what is it that we're not? So I think there have been a lot of changes and a lot of shifts in the workplace. That's a fact. But I think there are things that have been unchanged. And that is what people desire, and a job and work that they're pouring so many hours of their life into, and what are they what do they aspire, what do they need from people around them, from their, from their peers, from their management, as well as the type of work that they do, that it's something that resonates with their core values, something that they can be proud to say that they're doing their work towards. So I think that idea hasn't changed. If anything that's become more and more to the forefront, as people have had time to pause, to reflect, to think about my god, I have given so many years of my life to this job, that I'm not really that jazzed about. And then it really has just drained me. And so now it's like, you know, I'm at a point where I want to start pursuing that thing that really aligns with my values, and that lights me up. And so I don't think change is going to go anywhere. I think if anything, the level of change and the pace of change, to remain innovative, to to be competitive, has done nothing but accelerate. So the need to be agile and flexible and change ready is still there. But I think what it's become incumbent upon employers is to ensure that they have the culture, that they have the values, the purpose, the why the mission, that's true and honest to their business. And as long as that's the case, hopefully, you will attract the workforce, where that resonates. And they'll be wanting to stay even though you know, things are changing very quickly. You know, you got to be fast paced, got to be innovative, things are going to be difficult, going to be challenging, but you know what, I believe in the mission, I believe in the value and I love the people that I work with. And so I have difficult days, this is work that I enjoy doing. So yeah, I don't think change is going anywhere. And it changes go anywhere. The emotions have changed certainly aren't going anywhere.

Kenneth Kinney 23:49

What's your advice on how we embrace change enthusiasm for lifelong growth so that it goes beyond this? One moment we're having to deal with every day versus one that we're able to deal with all the time?

Cassandra Worthy 24:01

Yeah, two things. Number one, the idea of leaving emotion at the door of business is an antiquated one. I always say that when we leave emotion at the door of business, we are leaving humanity at the door of business. We are naturally emotional beings. As Rene Brown says, We are not cognitive beings. We are emotional beings that think from time to time. And so the fact that we have workforces that are that are humanity, we employ humanity, we have to be open and acknowledge that emotional energy and the embrace of change, enthusiasm rests in the promise of it, right? When you can acknowledge those emotions, when you can recognize the opportunity that change presents, sitting in your seat of power in your seat of choice. That's when you can start transforming all that emotional energy into that fuel. That's when you'll see more workforce is being excited getting that level of anticipation. And although there are days when there's frustration when there's anger up if I'm feeling that I'm in a moment of opportunity, I'm about to learn something about the girls somehow And it's up to me to choose how I do this, how I navigate this. And so for me, when you practice change enthusiasm, it really is about nurturing that resilience, muscle giving you the good so that you can continue to flex it and strengthen it. And truly becoming change ready, such that when change hits, and it's inevitable that it will, and those emotions start being inspired, you won't run away from them, you won't ignore them, you want to assume that you know what, I'm feeling frustrated. So it means any quit. But rather, you'll explore them understand their meaning, understand what that opportunity is for you, whether that be leaving your current employment, or staying there and finding other ways for you to grow and inspire those around you.

Kenneth Kinney 25:37

As we get towards the close. I know you've been killing it as a speaker, but I'm curious as a speaker, where and when did you know that this was really resonating for you and a very rewarding speaking career?

Cassandra Worthy 25:48

Oh, my gosh, the first time I was on stage, the first time I got on a stage and then got off the stage. And that's really where I've recognized my purpose. You know, for so many years, when I was leading organizations in r&d, leading innovation, you know, meeting with different teams going traveling different countries all over the world, I could see that there was a vibrance that happened in people. When I was leading meetings when I was a part of teams, you know, I could feel that around me. And I heard that, you know, people tell me that Cassandra, you can light up a room, the way that you lead organizations, the way you can inspire people, I had heard that. But I hadn't really embraced it as a gift as a gift and a part of my purpose. But when I got off that stage for the first time, and I felt this same energy that I feel animating me that I feel flowing through me when I felt that same energy bounce out of somebody's face, through their eyes through their smile, and it was like it was, you know, coming outside of me coming outside of them. And it was breeding itself. It was like this magical moment. And it's a moment that I get to enjoy, you know, so many times a year and my speaking engagements, and the more in depth training work that I do. And it just assures me every time that holy cow, I'm living on purpose. This is my purpose. I'm supposed to share this gift in this way.

Kenneth Kinney 27:08

Well, Cassandra is this of all my guests, and there are sharks in Atlanta. Yeah. I've been to the Georgia Aquarium many times. But I have to ask, what is your favorite kind of shark and why?

Cassandra Worthy 27:21

Oh, man, you know, I don't have much shark knowledge. So

Kenneth Kinney 27:26

So the whale shark, the whale shark at Georgia Aquarium. I'll spot you that one.

Cassandra Worthy 27:31

Ah, so I know two types of sharks. I know the hammerhead. And I think that one just looks cool. And I always think about how does that dude survive when he's got those eyes? Completely? 180? Like, what's that all about? He's got all kinds of other senses that help him navigate. And then the other that I know is the bull shark, which I think is one of the most aggressive and the one that you really have to be careful with, because I think it's one of the only ones that will actually try to take take a bite at you. So yeah, I guess I'm gonna go ahead and say the bull shark, because I want to make sure I don't get bit so I need to learn about it. I need to respect it. Recognize when it might be around so that I'm not also in those waters.

Kenneth Kinney 28:15

It's very, very true. I have a tattoo of both of them. So...Oh, yeah, yeah, this is, um, all shark tattoo. tatted up. I love it. I love it. Well, Cassandra is a special time in the show. Are you ready for the five most interesting and important questions that you're going to be asked today? Talk to me. Alright, number one. Friends are in town visiting Atlanta and you want to take them somewhere that is authentically Atlanta. You're taking them out to eat either at shops in Buckhead for one of Atlanta's finest steaks or lobsters or you're taking them to the iconic varsity. Home of slaw dogs and chili cheeseburgers. Atlanta's original American eateries family owned and operated since 1928.

Cassandra Worthy 29:00

Can I take on a both? I would take on the jobs on Friday. Varsity on Saturday and varsity midday so that we can go and walk walk off all that chili. Oh, that grease? Because the Barsi is known for that. But no those are those are two just fun. I

Kenneth Kinney 29:21

thought I was giving you a softball thought for certain you were gonna choose chops and nobody would pick varsity. I actually kind of like varsity from spending way too much time downtown

Cassandra Worthy 29:30

varsity. It's about the experience. It's about the experience and supporting that incredible business. Yeah,

Kenneth Kinney 29:34

exactly. All right. Number two. This is innovation as far as your time at p&g goes working with the innovation in batteries, or the innovation and shampoo.

Cassandra Worthy 29:47

Oh, I'd have to say batteries. Because batteries you get to not only work with complex fluids processing, which is exactly what shampoo is, and a lot of cool surfactant in polymer chemistry and shampoo, but you also get to do metal processing, you get to do component, mechanical strain testing. There's a lot that goes into the manufacture and design of electrochemical cell. And I had no idea until I actually went to my first manufacturing facility and I got to work with molten zinc and spinning in this huge centrifugal reactor. It's the coolest stuff.

Kenneth Kinney 30:22

I'm surprised that there's actually any innovation in shampoo again, I thought I was giving you about the just like it most put avocados or something in it on the label. You know,

Cassandra Worthy 30:32

there's innovation, there's some things that happen. You'd be you'd be blown but surfactant and polymer chemistry do some weird stuff, man. Weird stuff happens.

Kenneth Kinney 30:40

All right, number three, some change enthusiasm, music, and I hope you know both of these. Sam Cooke in a change is going to come ah, which is one of my favorites, or Jennifer Hudson, and I'm changing from Dream Girls.

Cassandra Worthy 30:55

I have to say Sam Cooke. Thank you. It was the first song that I actually sang on a stage in my adult life. And I sang it for my first TEDx. Is there a video of that? There is okay. My first TED talk.

Kenneth Kinney 31:08

You were born by the river in a little town?

Cassandra Worthy 31:11

Yes. Yes. So now during q&a I have audience who asked me to sing, because they've they've they've heard that tech talk, but I gotta say I love that song.

Kenneth Kinney 31:20

I love that song. I'm in blues country. So I hear that kind of music all the time. I love it. All right, number four. Dame Valerie Castaneda Adams, New Zealand's four time world champion and two time Olympic champion or Natalia Vinitaly. I'm not even gonna try Alyssa the Kaya, a Russian turned French Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in shotput. Your sport?

Cassandra Worthy 31:48

Listen, I cannot answer this.

Kenneth Kinney 31:51

I thought this was always no other shot putters, a figure? Who is your favorite shot putter other than you at Georgia Tech.

Cassandra Worthy 32:01

This is a poor assumption. Listen, I'm gonna tell you why I did shotput in college at Georgia Tech, then I quit doing shotput. And then I quit following shotput. So I don't know any other careers. So I'm gonna say both of

Kenneth Kinney 32:18

them because Okay, yeah. I'd never heard of either of them and didn't know either. So. Alright, number five. question we all know. Yeah. Number five. And the most important question that you're going to be asked today is biscuits or cornbread.

Cassandra Worthy 32:32

Oh, my goodness. Ah, what am I eating with? You choose? No extra setup? It all depends. Breakfast is always

Kenneth Kinney 32:43

true. It's your last meal on Earth. This meal? Yeah, well, that's the only way.

Cassandra Worthy 32:50

I know. It's Andhra, you are about to pass away. And you can either eat.

Kenneth Kinney 33:01

You got to embrace change. Yeah. That's a big change.

Cassandra Worthy 33:07

That's the biggest transition you can ever dream of. I will go with cornbread. Because of I mean, corporate it means that I'm eating something that's dinner. And I would prefer to be eating at dinner, something for my last meal before I transition. Breakfast

Kenneth Kinney 33:29

embrace change, when the end of the world is coming. So you'll get through that and cope with biscuits or cornbread. So speaking of change, to die from softball the table with a curveball. Alright, so Cassandra, where can people find out more about you get a copy of this book, keep up with what you're doing on stage. And often more.

Cassandra Worthy 33:54

Sure, visit Cassandraworthy.com That's where you'll where you'll get a lot of information, especially in the booking inquiries. If you're interested in the book, go to changeenthusiasmbook.com. You'll actually be able to download a free copy of the first chapter of the book and kind of have a read, see if it's something that you'd be interested in. There's also all the outlets of where you can buy it. And it's, and it's located at most most bookstores, online, Amazon, all that kind of stuff. And then also, I'm very active in social, probably the best one is LinkedIn. So if you want to give me a follow, hopefully you'll enjoy the content. I share it daily.

Kenneth Kinney 34:28

Cassandra, thank you so much for being with us today on A Shark's Perspective.

Cassandra Worthy 34:31

It's my pleasure. Thank you for allowing me to think about my transition. You give so much to your listeners appreciate it.

Kenneth Kinney 34:43

So there was my conversation with Cassandra Worthy, the founder and CEO of Change Enthusiasm, a former chemical engineer turned global keynote speaker, and the author of "Change Enthusiasm: How to Harness the Power of Emotion for Leadership and Success". Let's take a look at three key takeaways from conversation with her.

Kenneth Kinney 35:01

First, we choose how we experience change, not this change itself, but how to deal with it welcomed the emotions to help you power through it. If you'd spent any time with Cassandra, then you'll notice something about her that helps deal with change. That big positive attitude and a big, big smile. positive attitudes can be contagious and can help you and others deal with change. I wish I had read this book when I was going through a lot of changes in the corporate world. Remember this show more smiles.

Kenneth Kinney 35:28

Second, for any manager who wants more from their people, their employees. Don't just invest in perks like snacks and unlimited days off and nap pods and things like that those are great and keep them but if you really want more from people then invest in trust and show the people you lead that they can trust you long term it will get you much much more than sparkling water drinks and granola bars.

Kenneth Kinney 35:51

Third, coping mechanisms can come in all shapes and flavors and sizes when dealing with change. Some people get angry, some people eat comfort food. Cassandra, for example, was very open about her issues with alcohol. I've had plenty of friends and family who've dealt with alcoholism as well. And I encourage every one of them to seek professional help. Nothing wrong with that. Whatever it is, please make sure that these negative emotions don't help you hurt yourself or others, that Cassandra brings up her three parts of change enthusiasm, things you can look for to help improve your life. One is the signal recognizing the emotions through change, begin to trust those to look at the options through this opportunity. And three, make a choice that will lead to a better feeling not necessarily the best feeling but that next best feeling through those little choices.

Kenneth Kinney 36:38

Got a question? Send me an email to Kenneth at a shark's perspective.com.

Kenneth Kinney 36:43

Thank you again for the privilege of your time and I'm so thankful to everyone who listens.

Kenneth Kinney 36:47

Please consider writing a review and letting me know your thoughts on the show.

Kenneth Kinney 36:50

Listen, a change is going to come and that means will soon change guess. But we'll always have another great show. I'm enthusiastic about that.

Kenneth Kinney 36:57

Join us on the next episode of A Shark's Perspective.

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