Sammie Johannes has been weight training since she was 16 years old. Her classes ended sooner than her younger brother’s, so she would spend that time at the gym next door, working with dumbbells and doing some kickboxing. Now, she’s placing in powerlifting competitions and hitting milestone lifts in bench, squat, and very close to this in dead lift. Some of her colleagues have even come to support her at these competitions while she proudly wears her firm’s shirt.
In this episode, Sammie and I talk about how her powerlifting has given her more patience and resilience. Training doesn’t always go according to plan and constructive feedback is taken much better after being coached in the gym. The atmosphere at Accodex allows her to be able to talk about her powerlifting, even being encouraged by one of the founding partners to have a flexible schedule if training needs to happen during the day. But it’s not just sharing you’re your hobby or passion, Sammie adds, "It’s important we also share the why for our hobbies and passions."
The Green Apple Podcast does weekly "Green Apple Slices", where John Garrett and Rachel Fisch discuss a recent business article related to the Green Apple Message. These shorter segments are released each Monday, so don't miss an episode by subscribing on iTunes or an Android app.
This week, John and Rachel discuss a Search Party article, "4 Key Steps for Creating Employee Engagement" by Annette Ainsbury.
Ed Kless grew up near New York City with parents in a “mixed marriage” – one rooted for the Giants and the other rooted for the Dodgers. Luckily, both teams moved before he was born, so it was easy for him to grow up a Mets fan. He’s attended a game in 18 baseball stadiums across the country, with Citi Field being his favorite. He recalls a great story about being at the game when the Mets won the National League Championship over the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000, chanting Rick Ankiel’s name as he continued to struggle to find the strike zone. He also brings up just how much baseball lingo has made it into the regular business world, with phrases like pinch hit, home run, touch base, and to 86 something.
In this episode, Ed and I talk about authenticity consulting theory, which means saying what you see or saying what you feel. It’s the most powerful tool we have to communicate. We also discuss how it’s easier for an organization to shut down a positive culture than it is for them to foster it, because the latter requires buy-in from the individuals. Ed also says that “Human beings behave by what we believe, not because of what we know.” This is what actually drives our actions. Unfortunately, this is directly at odds with the corporate world, which is based on what you know. So getting to the beliefs of each individual takes some time but results in a strong culture.
The Green Apple Podcast does weekly "Green Apple Slices", where John Garrett and Rachel Fisch discuss a recent business article related to the Green Apple Message. These shorter segments are released each Monday, so don't miss an episode by subscribing on iTunes or an Android app.
This week, John and Rachel discuss a Harvard Business Review article, "Burnout at Work Isn’t Just About Exhaustion. It’s Also About Loneliness" by Emma Seppala and Marissa King.
Tim Cowley started playing rugby after a friend suggested they both join a team as they were watching a match on TV. It had been several years after his college football ended, but Tim thought those skills would translate well to the rugby pitch. Besides, it was in his blood because his grandfather had played Gaelic Football in Ireland and then a little bit after immigrating the US. He’s also really into table top games and microbrewing beer, all of which give his skills that make him a better CPA.
In this episode, Tim and I talk about how important it is for accountants to know how to network. Through his hobbies, he’s learned that there are a variety of people out there, some with non-traditional jobs, so they might be looking for someone who isn’t a traditional accountant. He also finds that it’s really important to take the time to talk with everyone because "making a non-business connection to others is the key to being a good accountant."
The Green Apple Podcast does weekly "Green Apple Slices", where John Garrett and Rachel Fisch discuss a recent business article related to the Green Apple Message. These shorter segments are released each Monday, so don't miss an episode by subscribing on iTunes or Stitcher.
This week, John and Rachel discuss an ATD article, "Don't go to school for finance — liberal arts is the future" by Abby Jackson.
Trent McLaren grew up visiting his family’s beach home near Melbourne anytime his parents had a long break from work. When he moved to Sydney, he thought what better place to live than on the beach? Then he can visit every day instead of just for holidays. When he isn’t entertaining coworkers at his home, he really enjoys walking along the beach and sipping lattes.
In this episode, Trent and I discuss his philosophy that “as long as my outcomes are being met, then everything is free reign.” We talk about how companies and firms can create the framework for a sharing culture to thrive but it’s still up to the team members to be an active participant in that. He also gives several examples of ways that coworkers have bonded at different places he’s worked.
The Green Apple Podcast does weekly "Green Apple Slices", where John Garrett and Rachel Fisch discuss a recent business article related to the Green Apple Message. These shorter segments are released each Monday, so don't miss an episode by subscribing on iTunes or Stitcher.
This week, John and Rachel discuss an ATD article, "Want to Increase Employee Engagement? Hold Managers Accountable".
Garrett Wagner started riding bicycles when he was young and has never quit. He started riding competitively after a good friend invited him to join the team. Since then, he's done many 100-mile rides, biked parts of the Tour de France course, and participated in many races and triathlons. He really enjoys the challenge that cycling forces you to conquer and the pure joy and freedom he experiences on the road.
In this episode, Garrett and I talk about how cycling has impacted his career, teaching him to push himself harder. Similar to being a CPA, it takes a lot of hard work and discipline to be successful. He's also developed some great coworker relationships after riding together. He says, "The connection isn't what you do at work, it's why you do these things you're passionate about."
The Green Apple Podcast does weekly "Green Apple Slices", where John Garrett and Rachel Fisch discuss a recent business article related to the Green Apple Message. These shorter segments are released each Monday, so don't miss an episode by subscribing on iTunes or Stitcher.
This week, John and Rachel discuss a HR Digest article, "A Not-To-Do List to Cultivate Work-Life Balance" by Anna Verasai.