“We are the stories we tell ourselves.” - Shekhar Kapur

Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in generous leadership, behavioral change, executive presence, effective communication, collaborative teamwork, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, mentoring programs, leadership retreats, executive workshops, mediation services) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) all custom designed. This is her podcast, R.O.G. Return on Generosity focusing on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude.

Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding Bridge Between, Inc. she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success. She equips her clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and to lead with vision, purpose, and generosity.

Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015-2023). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work.

R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:

• Identify the facts: What actually happened?
• What is your “lead story” about those events?
• What does that “lead story” inform you about yourself?
• What else could the facts mean?
• How can you tell more empowering stories?

Resources:

• Sharon Melnick
• YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ShannonCassidybb
• Bridge Between, Inc. https://bridgebetween.com
• The Five Degree Principle by Shannon Cassidy
• V.I.B.E. by Shannon Cassidy
• R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r-o-g-return-on-generosity/id1508207492
• R.O.G. on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1L9UnWdoiAX8MtRKXjdPY3
• Video of this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/PNfiBD-2PLI
• Free N.D.I. Network Diversity Index https://bridgebetween.com/network-diversity-index/
• Free Generosity Quiz https://bridgebetween.com/generosity-quiz/

Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 183, with special guest Amy Volas.

Credits: Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

“...anytime one of those honorees, awardees stands up to accept an award, the first things they do is to thank their mentors…what that means is better entertainment for all of us, better product for all of us, better customer service and customer care…There is no better return on the generosity of mentoring than the success that people ultimately have in the business world.”

Rob Stoddard is a former corporate communications executive who served in the industry for more than 35 years with an impressive array of professional societies, associations, and organizations. He worked in senior positions in corporate communications, public relations, and public affairs serving the cable telecommunications industry.

Stoddard's professional career commenced as a news assistant at the Washington, DC, bureau of ABC Radio, followed by stints as a news director and correspondent for radio stations in Keene, NH and Springfield, MA. He went on to work as a desk editor and regional executive for United Press International in Boston, before joining the staff of U.S. Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-KS) as Press Secretary in Washington, DC.

Stoddard represented NCTA as a member of the industry Customer Care Committee (C5) for nearly 20 years, from its inception at NCTA through the stewardship of the Cable Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) and finally its permanent home at The Cable Center. He is a member of the Cable Television Pioneers as well as the Virginia Cable Hall of Fame. Stoddard has been recognized with major diversity awards from the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) and the Washington, DC / Baltimore Chapter of The WICT Network.

Stoddard's career was capped by a 20-year run with the then-National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) as Senior Vice President for Communications & Public Affairs. After the association changed its name to NCTA - The Internet & Television Association, Stoddard became Senior Vice President for Industry & Association Affairs. He retired from NCTA in January 2022.

R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:

• Play to your strengths.
• Be generous with information.
• Respect and appreciate our history. (i.e., analog to digital)
• Seek mentoring.
• Mentor someone. It matters.
• Acknowledge and appreciate the ways you witness generosity at work.
• Behave with civility.

Resources:

• NCTA - The Internet & Television Association
• Cable Center Customer Centric Consortium (C5)
• National Press Club Journalism Institute
• Civility at Work by Christine Porath

Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:

R.O.G on YouTube

R.O.G on Apple Podcasts

R.O.G on Spotify

How diverse is your network? N.D.I. Network Diversity Index

What is your Generosity Style? Generosity Quiz

Credits:

Rob Stoddard, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 182, with Shannon Cassidy for a Generous Leadership Coaching Tip.

“The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” - Marcus Aurelius Antonius

Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in generous leadership, behavioral change, executive presence, effective communication, collaborative teamwork, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, mentoring programs, leadership retreats, executive workshops, mediation services) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) all custom designed. This is her podcast, R.O.G. Return on Generosity focusing on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude.

Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding Bridge Between, Inc. she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success. She equips her clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and to lead with vision, purpose, and generosity.

Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015-2023). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work.

R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:

• Notice what you select from the "stuff".
• Acknowledge that your selection begins to formulate a truth for you.
• The "truth" manifests into a story or perception of the situation.
• The story becomes a belief about how things are.
• Have the courage to go "back down the ladder" when needed.

Resources:

• YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ShannonCassidybb
• Bridge Between, Inc. https://bridgebetween.com
• The Five Degree Principle by Shannon Cassidy
• V.I.B.E. by Shannon Cassidy
• R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r-o-g-return-on-generosity/id1508207492
• R.O.G. on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1L9UnWdoiAX8MtRKXjdPY3
• Video of this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/PNfiBD-2PLI
• Free N.D.I. Network Diversity Index https://bridgebetween.com/network-diversity-index/
• Free Generosity Quiz https://bridgebetween.com/generosity-quiz/

Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 181, with special guest Rob Stoddard

Credits: Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.