Highlights of This Episode:
- What it means to be a Creative Giant
- What “escape from cubicle nation” really means
- Why it’s important to identify work that is meaningful to you before you decide what work mode is right for you
- The difference between freedom and engagement in your work
- The definition of “body of work”
- The challenges Pam faced in getting Body of Work finished
- Why it’s okay to allow your work to evolve without knowing exactly where you’re going to go
- What Pam’s favorite part of her new book is
- The two different types of work
The challenge in leadership is that you’re always standing in the present and standing in the future and bridging that gap between the two. —Charlie Gilkey
A Note from Charlie:
After saying we were going to release a podcast soon, we finally got it shipped. Today is a special episode, not just because it’s the first published episode of The Creative Giant Show, but also because in this episode I interview my very dear sister-teacher-friend-coach Pam Slim about her new book, Body of Work.
It’s perfect to talk about Body of Work in the first episode not just because it’s relevant, but also because that’s what The Creative Giant Show is really about – creating, building, and mastering your own body of work as a Creative Giant. But more than that, what makes The Creative Giant Show and any body of work different is the person or people behind it.
I’m not interested in publishing another podcast that pushes, promotes, and preaches. I’m here to learn more about the people and processes behind the successful products and services we see in the world. I’m more interested in what goes on behind the scenes in a Creative Giant’s life because that is what entrepreneurs live with on a daily basis and those are the conversations that don’t often get shared.
For example, in today’s episode, Pam shares her own challenges with writing her most recent book. Very rarely do authors tell you about all the days they didn’t want to sit down and write. Yet it happens to the best of us.
This episode is symbolic in more ways than one, though. As some of you may know, Pam and I used to co-lead Lift Off retreats, and the success of our own businesses is due in part to our successful partnership running those retreats for several years. Today Pam is journeying out on a new path, just as we at Productive Flourishing are experimenting in new territory as podcasters.
As Pam says in the episode: “It is so powerful when you take action on moving your work life more toward the work you want to do.”
We hope the stories Pam shares today about her own Creative Giant journey will inspire you to start finishing the stuff that actually matters.
About Pam Slim:
Pamela Slim is an award-winning author, speaker and business consultant who has been an entrepreneur for 18 years. Her passion for career and organizational development spans many different work modes and client engagements.
A former Director of Training and Development at Barclays Global Investors in San Francisco, she spent the first 10 years of her business as a consultant to large companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Charles Schwab and Cisco Systems, where she worked with thousands of executives, managers and employees.
In the last eight years, she has helped hundreds of people to start successful businesses. She built a powerful online presence at Escape from Cubicle Nation, a site designed for corporate employees who want to make the shift to entrepreneur. At Escape, Pam developed and taught business building courses for thousands of entrepreneurs. She has worked with companies serving the small business market such as Infusionsoft, Office Depot and Citrix.
Pam is a passionate martial artist who practiced the Afro-Brazilian Capoeira for 11 years in San Francisco, where she was Executive Director of Omulu Capoeira Group, a non-profit martial arts organization. She studied Mixed Martial Arts with Edward Kelly Fiori in Arizona, receiving her black belt in July, 2013.
She is a proud mom in Mesa, AZ. Her family is her anchor, her joy, and her fuel for doing important work in the world.
Pam’s latest book, Body of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together, provides a fresh perspective on the skills required to thrive in the new world of work. Her first book, Escape from Cubicle Nation, won Best Small Business/Entrepreneur Book of 2009 from 800-CEO-Read.
Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- EscapeFromCubicleNation.com
- PamelaSlim.com
- Twitter: @PamSlim
- Body of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together
- Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prison to Thriving Entrepreneur
- Tribes: Why We Need You To Lead Us by Seth Godin
- Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live by Martha Beck
Thanks for Listening!
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