Author: Andrew Embry

If you mixed diet mountain dew, funk music, dragons, hip hop, superheroes, and lightning in a blender you’d end up with Andrew Embry. He is part wordsmith and part alchemist, able to use his Batman utility belt to turn anything and everything into a story worth telling that is equal parts insightful, memorable, inspiring, humorous, and entertaining. Andrew is comfortably creative in almost any setting, but especially when he is performing spoken word poetry. His enthusiasm for words comes from the way he loves people and the little nuances of life that make it worth living.

Learning to Listen to What You Need (7-10-24)

I hope you all enjoyed the 4th of July holiday!  The last entry was about expanding your comfort zone.  This entry is about listening to what you need.

Cam came home after a particularly long rehearsal and was irritable.  It had been a long week of rehearsals and other commitments.  He was exhausted and grouchy.  He comes home and says, “I’m grumpy.  I just need to go flump.”  In our house, flumping is like collapsing onto a softer cushiony service like a bed or a chair.  Sometimes the flump also includes snuggling, reading, or just listening to music.  In this instance, Cam flumped on his bed in his room and read his favorite book for 10-15 minutes.  He then emerged from his room feeling so much better and was ready to face the world again.  (Pic from Pawz Pet Café where you can go to snuggle some cats. #advancedflumping)

What does this have to do with anything?  I love and am so impressed with how well Cameron can listen to what he needs in a moment and then act on that.  He knew he was irritable and grumpy, and he knew that all he needed was 10-15 minutes to read to recharge his batteries.  That’s wisdom and awareness that I don’t always have.

Meanwhile, here is how things play out for me.  I don’t fully understand how upset I am at the moment and continue to keep pushing forward while a lot of time goes by.  Eventually, I accidentally stumble into doing something along the way that is what I need whether that’s going on a walk, writing, reading a book, or something else.  All of a sudden I feel a bit better, and then I say to myself, “Dang, I didn’t realize how much negative energy I was carrying.  I wish I would have paused and did this thing sooner to deal with it.”  Anyone else like that, or is it just me?  I’m getting a bit better at listening to myself, but I’m not where I want to be yet.

The challenge: How can we do a better job of listening to ourselves and taking action?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Expanding Your Comfort Zone (6-26-24)

A person holding a staff Description automatically generatedLast week was about parenting and tailoring support.  This week is about expanding your comfort zone.

About a year ago, Cameron watched his sister in The Wizard of Oz on the big stage in the spring play.  This sparked Cam’s interest in doing something similar.  The only problem was that he was nervous and scared to do something like that.  This was outside of his comfort zone.  Instead of giving up, Cam thought about things he could do to expand his current comfort zone, so being on the big stage wouldn’t be such a big leap.  He started by signing up for a puppet camp last summer.  Then he signed up and participated in a fall show with younger kids.  He found he enjoyed those two things, and this gave him the confidence to be in a bigger show.  A few weeks ago, he was on the big stage in Beauty and the Beast.  He was in the ensemble, so mainly in the background as a villager and a dancing spoon.  However, he ended up getting one line.  He’s proud of being the angry mob member who yelled, “Kill him!” which started everyone to go after the Beast.  Now that he’s had one line, he’s starting to think about auditioning for a bigger part next year.  The audition is a little daunting, so he’s already thinking of smaller things he can do to stretch his comfort zone for that.

What does this have to do with anything?  Cam saw how far out of his comfort zone being on stage was, and instead of giving up he became INTENTIONAL about taking small steps to expand his comfort zone.  The first couple of shows gave him confidence.  Then practicing for the big show set up him for success.  By the time he was on the show, he was 100% feeling himself, and I loved his swagger 😉 Now think about your own life.  Are there things you’d like to do outside of your comfort zone?  Those things might seem too big and too scary now, but are there small steps you can take to move toward them?

The challenge: How will you expand your comfort zone?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Parenting, Obstacle Course Races, and Tailoring Support (6-19-24)

Last week was about Alice’s wisdom, “Have a day you can be proud of.”  This week is a story about parenting, obstacle course racing, and tailoring support.  Shout out to Mud Run – Hollis Adams for putting on such a fabulous family friendly event.

On Saturday, Alice joined me for her first ever obstacle course race.  To say that she was nervous would be a major understatement.  I told her it was okay to be nervous, and that I’d be there beside her.  I explained that I wasn’t going to swoop in and do the obstacles for her, but I would be there to help her if she needed it.  Sometimes, helping her looked like me giving her advice on how to attempt an obstacle.  Sometimes, support looked like me giving her a boost, so she could get her footing while climbing a muddy creek bank.  Sometimes, support looked like me saying, “I know you’re scared because you’re on top of this tall wall.  You can still do this.  I’m here.  Just swing your leg over.”  Sometimes, support looked like me just cheering her on and high fiving her for conquering an obstacle.  By the end of the race, we had achieved our goals, and Alice was so excited and proud of herself.  I was super pumped too!  (The picture on the right is out before picture. The after picture is at the bottom).

What does this have to do with anything?  There were several times where Alice was nervous or flat out scared.  It would have been EASY for me to do all the work for her, but that would have robbed her of a chance to grow and see what she was capable of.  Instead of doing it for her, I helped and offered support.  That support took different forms based on HER needs in that specific moment.  Now think about work for a minute.  The best leaders I ever had weren’t the ones who swooped in and saved me from a challenge.  The best leaders I ever had were the ones who knew how to tailor their support to the situation.  Sometimes, I needed explicit direction, because I was lost.  Sometimes, I needed a thought partner to challenge my assumptions.  Sometimes, I just needed someone to say, “I trust you.  Go get’em!”

The challenge: How will you tailor the coaching and support you give to people?

Bonus lesson- I mentioned that Alice was nervous about the race.  In particular, she was worried about what would happen if she wasn’t strong enough to handle an obstacle.  She’s a planner and needed to know how things would work out.  I needed her to trust that I was strong and able to help her in any situation.  Here’s what I did.  I came home after my 20 miles of racing, and said, “I did 20 miles of racing yesterday.  I’m at my weakest and most tired point.  I need you to know that even now, I’m strong enough to support you.  I want you to know that I’ve helped boost and lift people who are my size, so you’ll be easy.  We are going to practice, so you know how this will work.”  From there, we practiced me giving her boosts and lifting her up.  I even had her sit on my shoulders while I squatted her for reps.  I walked around the house with her on my shoulders, so she knew I could carry her.  I know this all sounds ridiculous, but those actions showed her that she could trust my strength.  She realized that if I was able to do that when I was tired and weak, I’d be even better when I was rested up for our race.  As a leader, I’m not asking you to pick up people and squat them for reps (I’m pretty sure HR would frown on that 😉).  I am asking you to consider what you could do to inspire trust in the people you lead.

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Parenting Lessons- “Have a day you can be proud of.” (6-12-24)

This week we will kick off a series about lessons I’ve learned being a parent.  This entry contains some deep wisdom from Alice (12) about having a day you can be proud of.

A couple of months ago I was getting ready to leave for the office and I told the kids, “Have a good day!”  Alice responded with, “Have a day you can be proud of.”  I paused for a minute and said, “That’s different. Never heard that one before.”  Alice then started dropping knowledge.  She explained that a lot of things could happen that might make the day good or bad, but I could choose how to handle those things and how I handled them could make me proud of myself.  Since then, “Have a day you can be proud of,” has become Alice’s parting phrase, and it’s stuck with me ever since.

What does this have to do with anything?  At its core, Alice’s insight is that we can CHOOSE how to respond to things and that makes all the difference.  The day might end up being good or the day might end up being bad.  However, you have the POWER to ensure it’s a day you feel proud of.  It might rain all day, and you can choose to dance in that rain instead of grumbling.  You might get blindsided by challenges, and you can choose to lean into the situation instead of running away.  You might get knocked down, and you can choose to get back up instead of surrendering.  There is so much power in how you choose to respond.

The challenge: What will you do to ensure you have a day you can be proud of?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Patios and Unplugging from Work (6-5-24)

This is the last in our series about patio furniture.  This week will be about patios and unplugging from work.

Now that we have some comfy patio furniture and have created a better space, I’ve more or less made it a habit to spend a decent amount on my back patio every night.  Sometimes, I sit back there and hang out with my family.  We talk and catch up on the day together.  Sometimes,  I sit out there and read a book.  Sometimes, I sit out there and just zone out, checking out the flowers, birds, and bunnies hopping along throughout the neighborhood.  After a long day of handling work and family commitments, it’s nice to take a few moments to unplug and recenter.

What does this have to do with anything?  Often when we talk about unplugging from work, we talk about unplugging over the weekend or during a long vacation.  This implies that throughout the week we remain plugged into work.  I know I’ve fallen into this cycle of feeling tethered to work all throughout the week and the pressure of always feeling on.  Have you?  I know that when I go through periods where I stay plugged into work around the clock I begin to burnout, which has a negative impact on all aspects of my life.

While it might not be as long as a weekend or as big of an adventure as vacation, I’ve found that my daily time hanging out on my patio has been incredibly valuable.  Not only is it nice to unplug in the moment to enjoy time with family or appreciate the beauty around me, but it also has positive effects that last beyond that time on the patio.  When I disconnect on a regular basis, even if it’s just for a few minutes, I feel more centered and capable of taking on what life throws my way.  These little moments of unplugging are incredibly powerful, and I think we can all find moments like these in our daily life whether it’s chilling on a patio or engaging in another activity that makes you feel whole.

The challenge: How can you unplug and recenter on a more regular basis?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Patio Furniture and Clarifying Roles in Decision Making (5-29-24)

Last week was about not overcomplicating solutions.  This week we will explore patio furniture and clarifying roles in decision making.

I mentioned in our last entry that we had a family conversation about the patio furniture.  During this conversation, my wife and I asked our kids what they wanted.  They were excited to have input.  At the

same time, we were very clear with them about their role in this decision.  We explained that we would listen to everything they said, and at the end of the day, my wife and I were the final decision makers.  I further stated that my wife’s preferences outweigh everyone else on this.  My kids understood and appreciated the transparency.  They still felt involved in the decision even if they didn’t have the final say so.

What does this have to do with anything?  Is it just me, or does it feel too often that we try to make decisions by committee?  While I understand the desire to include individuals, doing things by consensus and committee is incredibly slow and ineffective in a world that moves faster and faster.  Additionally, making decisions in this way is incredibly confusing for everyone involved.  If everyone believes that they have an equal say and equal decision-making power, then it’s easy for everyone to believe that all of their suggestions/feedback must be acted on.

While I don’t believe we should make decisions by committee, I do believe there is a sweet spot.  That sweet spot requires you to identify who ultimately will be held accountable for the decision and who has the decision-making authority.  It also includes being transparent with everyone that while you will hear all of their opinions it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be able to act on all of them.  If you combine this with being clear about the decision making criteria (lesson from a couple of weeks ago 😉) then you have a decision making process that is inclusive AND fast. 

The challenge- Are you clarifying who has decision making rights and how the decision will be made?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Patio Furniture and NOT Overly Complicating Solutions (5-22-24)

Last week was about patio furniture and establishing decision criteria.  This week is about patio furniture and not overly complicating solutions.

Especially in the spring and summer, my back patio becomes one of my favorite workspaces.  As a result, when my wife and I first started talking about buying patio furniture she was concerned with us being able to buy something in the perfect set up to make it a great workspace.  For example, it would need to be large enough to fit my laptop, keyboard, and mouse.  Things would also need to be at the right height, so I wasn’t always staring down at a low screen.  This was on top of the criteria that we had already decided was critical.  I told my wife to ignore those things, and to stick to our key criteria because I would find a way to make it work.  Check out the picture for my solution.  #ergofriendly 

You might wonder where this is going.  I could have spent a lot of time, effort, and energy trying to find the perfect and elegant solution to set up my patio workspace.  However, I embraced that I didn’t need perfection.  I just needed something that worked.  I found a cardboard box, flipped it on its side, and then added my laptop stand I have.  My keyboard rests on my lap, and my mouse sits on the folio beside me on the couch.  The box does the job, is easy to transport, and takes 1 second to set up.  I use this cardboard box ALL THE TIME.  It’s not pretty, but it solves my problem. 

Now think about work for a minute.  Have you ever overengineered a customer solution or a project deliverable?  I know that I have.  I’ve built things packed to the brim with features and benefits, when really the team just needed a “simple cardboard box”.  Then, I would realize how much time and effort I wasted.  Has that ever happened to you?  As I’m further along in my career, I try to do a better job of understanding what the true need is and how to meet that need in the simplest way possible.  By getting comfortable with the fact that most of the time I just need to deliver a “simple cardboard box” I can create the headspace and the time for when I need to deliver something with more features and benefits.

The challenge: How will you ensure you are not overly complicating the solutions you build and the outputs you deliver? 

You get 278 bonus points if you read the message in the photo 😉

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Patio Furniture, Making Decisions, and Establishing Requirements (5-15-24)

Last week was about patio furniture and designing spaces to drive behaviors.  This week is about patio furniture, making decisions, and establishing requirements. 

Before purchasing the new patio furniture, my wife, kids, and I had a few conversations about what we wanted out of the furniture.  We had talked about A LOT of different things.  It began to feel a little overwhelming.  Then, I sat down with my wife and we whiteboarded requirements.  I’m dead serious.  Few things are better than whiteboarding with a loved one 😉  We listed what were requirements vs nice to haves.  The initial list of requirements was too long, so we ended up narrowing it down to 3-4 things that we absolutely needed to have.  This level of clarity made the buying decision less overwhelming and so much easier.  Now, we could look at all the options and say, “Out of all of them only X number meet our 3-4 requirements.  If those meet our requirements there is no longer a wrong choice.  Let’s just pick one and go.”

What does this have to do with anything?  It’s easy for major projects or big decisions to feel daunting.  It’s easy to become paralyzed by all the pressure that comes with these.  I believe that most of the time when big projects or decisions are daunting, it’s because we are not clear enough on what success looks like.  If we can clearly articulate the 3-4 things that would make us choose one option over another or if we can outline the 3-4 things that will make a project successful, then it’s so much easier to deliver.

The challenge- Have you identified the success requirements?

Bonus real world application– The other day I was talking to someone about skill development.  They listed off about 10-15 topics that they could focus on.  It was A LOT.  They asked me which ones I thought we should invest in.  Instead, I asked, “What is are the 2-3 things that these people need to be able to do.”  They responded, “They need to be able to do X, Y, and Z.”  My next question was, “Can they already do X, Y, and Z?”  The person replied, “They can already more or less do Y and Z.  X is the biggest gap.”  This gave us clarity on our requirements.  We didn’t need to tackle everything.  We needed to create interventions that would drive the knowledge and enhance the skills, so people could do X.  All of a sudden an overwhelming list of 10-15 things, turned into a much more manageable 3-4 things to do.

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Patio Furniture and Designing Spaces (5-8-24)

This week we are going to start a series inspired by patio furniture.  We will begin by thinking about patio furniture and designing spaces.

Back in March, my wife and I started talking about getting some different patio furniture.  At the time we had this large and super heavy hexagon shaped table made of wood with built in benches.  It had managed to make it through quite a few years, but now the wood was warping, and the table was starting to fall apart.  While the table was super durable, it wasn’t exactly comfortable and inviting.  My wife and I wanted a space where we would all hang out and enjoy reading books, playing games, or just chilling.  We kept this in mind as we went furniture shopping and focused on things that felt cozy and comfy.  We set up the new furniture in early April, and we’ve already spent more time outside on that furniture than we did all last year on the old wooden table.  (Side note-I know what you’re thinking.  “Dang! I wish I could look as cool as Andrew.”  Be patient folks.  It took me years to get here.)

What does this have to do with anything?  In the above story, my wife and I wanted to drive a specific behavior (having the family hang out together outside).  We knew that we wouldn’t do this just by saying we needed to spend more time outside.  Instead, we had to alter the environment to make it easier to spend time together outside.

Think about your environment.  Does your environment make it easier or harder to achieve your desired behaviors?  Maybe you have a personal goal to be more active, how are you designing your environment to make that easier?  For me, I’ve found that if I set out my running gear the night before, then it’s so much easier to go for a run in the morning.  As you think about work, how does your environment enable the right behaviors?  Maybe, there are changes in the physical environment you could make.  Maybe, it’s about setting up the right culture, so the desired behaviors become easier and are rewarded, while the negative behaviors are discouraged.  Maybe it’s about having better meeting hygiene, where clear objectives make it easier to accomplish things.

The challenge- How will you design your environment to help you be successful?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Brand Extensions and Personal Branding (5-2-24)

Happy Thursday!

I thought I was done with the series on personal branding, but then the universe tapped me to write this one about brand extensions and personal branding.

What if I told you that Tide was going to open a laundromat?  Would that make sense to you?  I’m assuming you could see how that would fit with the Tide brand.  The Tide brand stands for cleanliness and dealing with tough stains.  Tide deals with tough stains as a liquid detergent, pods, and a to go pen.  Having a Tide laundromat, isn’t too much of a stretch because of what the Tide brand stands for.  If I told you that McDonald’s was going to open a laundromat, that would probably be a harder one to figure out 😉

What does this have to do with personal branding?  If Tide only looked at itself as a laundry detergent, then it would have just stayed in that narrow space.  Instead, Tide saw itself as a stain fighter, and realized that it had the opportunity to compete in any spaces that fight stains.  On the personal branding side, I’ve had people in the past tell me that they wanted to expand and evolve their brand to help them switch career paths or do something different.  They wanted to figure out how to do this in a way that made sense to other people, so those people would be willing to hire them and give them a shot.  I think this comes down to two things.  How narrowly do you define your brand?  How well can you connect your brand essence to where you want to evolve? 

I spoke to someone once who had a background as a scientist and was trying to establish themselves more as a marketer or market researcher.  They were having trouble connecting their brand as a scientist to marketing.  I explained that if they just saw themselves as a scientist, then there wasn’t much of a connection, because when people hear scientist they think of lab coats and experiments.  If their brand is about being curious and about being intentional about testing hypotheses and leveraging data to make sound decisions (aka the scientific method) they start to sound like someone who works in market research or in marketing strategy.  They had to step away from their initial narrow depiction of themselves, and then connect their essence to the problem needing to be solved.

The challenge- If you’re looking to evolve your brand, how do you define your brand?  How do you connect your brand essence to where you’re going?

Bonus thought- During my Lilly career I’ve worked in sales, training, communications, market research, marketing, and my current market research innovation and capabilities role.  On the surface, those things are very different from each other.  On the surface, those brand extensions don’t make any sense.  However, I don’t define my personal brand by a specific role.  I’m a spark igniting storyteller.  I tell stories that MOVE people.  That’s what I do and enjoy doing and am good at doing.  Using my energy and storytelling to move people is the golden thread that connects everything I do.  When I’m on stage performing poetry, I move people to feel something.  When I write blogs I move people to think differently.  In sales I moved customers to try products.  In training I moved learners to develop skills.  In communications I moved people to think/feel/do certain things to accomplish organizational objectives.  As a brand market researcher I moved people to make good business decisions, and there is something magic about this that brings me a lot of joy.  In marketing I used tactics and channels to tell stories to move customers to do something.  In my current role I try to lead people to take action to build a new future we are only beginning to imagine.

Bonus poem– I stumbled across a poem I performed about being in market research.  It has some great tie ins to the essence of your brand and how it connects to opportunities.  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-embry-979831b7_marketresearch-research-analytics-activity-7191644032991662080-QvGT?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop