K.C. Eames shares her journey from playing indoor volleyball to discovering her passion for beach volleyball later in life. Raised in a household that encouraged trying various activities, K.C. began playing volleyball at 10 and progressed to playing in the Junior Olympics. Despite burning out from the intense schedule, she rediscovered her love for the sport through beach volleyball. K.C. emphasizes the parallels between athletic competition and professional growth, highlighting the importance of persisting through challenges. She also discusses the value of sharing personal interests to enhance workplace relationships, inspired by a memorable interaction early in her career with a Partner who valued her volleyball experience and sought out her advice for his daughter. Now in a leadership role, K.C. is committed to fostering an open workplace culture where individuals can freely share their diverse passions.

Episode Highlights

· K.C. emphasized the importance of trying out different activities and sports as a child, which helps in discovering what one truly loves.
· The discipline, resilience, and understanding of failure that comes with sports have parallels in professional growth and success.
· She experienced burnout from playing volleyball continuously, which teaches the lesson that being consumed by one activity can diminish the love for it.
· K.C. highlighted that sharing personal interests at work leads to stronger connections, breaking down hierarchy, and enhancing workplace culture.
· As a leader, demonstrating openness about one's own interests can cultivate an inclusive and open work environment, encouraging others to do the same.

Adam Shay, a former accounting firm owner now coaching business founders through his company Share the Knowledge, joins the show to discuss his passion for mountain activities. Adam shares his journey of discovering a love for the mountains during his college years in Virginia, which blossomed into regular trips for hiking, mountain biking, and snowboarding. He enjoys visiting places like the mountains of North Carolina, Virginia, and often makes trips out west to locations such as Colorado and Montana. Adam emphasizes how these outdoor experiences help him relax, find peace, and even spark creative ideas due to a clear mind away from work. As he transitioned to sharing more personal aspects of his life, the conversations with clients and team members became more meaningful, strengthening business relationships. Through these experiences, Adam underscores the importance of integrating personal interests into professional life for both personal fulfillment and to foster deeper connections in business.

Episode Highlights

· Adam enjoys mountain time, describing his trips to North Carolina, Virginia, and the western United States, finding peace and clarity away from work.
· Sharing personal interests and passions helps deepen business relationships, moving them from transactional to more personal connections.
· Adam posts about his personal interests on LinkedIn to build connections that bridge the gap between personal and professional life.
· He believes in the importance of showing interest in people as individuals, beyond their professional roles, to develop deeper relationships.
· Adam emphasizes the value of having passions outside of work, encouraging self-reflection and finding interests that bring joy, as these can contribute positively to one's personal and professional life.

Cristin Browne shares her passion for gardening and skiing and all things outdoors. She discusses how her love for gardening began after purchasing her house with a blank backyard, which she saw as a blank canvas to create a flourishing vegetable garden. Despite her initial efforts resulting in mostly failed crops except for zucchinis, she found joy in experimentation and the connections it fostered with her neighbors and coworkers. Additionally, Cristin talks about her passion for skiing, which began in her teenage years on the East Coast and was further developed in Colorado. She highlights the joy of engaging in ski lift conversations and the unique practice it provides for networking and building connections. Through these outdoor hobbies, she emphasizes the importance of embracing all aspects of oneself, both inside and outside of work.

Episode Highlights

· Cristin shares the significance of the color pink in maintaining her femininity and personal identity during her time in the military.
· She discusses her journey into gardening, emphasizing experimentation, learning from failures, and the joy of connecting with neighbors and coworkers through gardening activities.
· Cristin describes her love for skiing, highlighting how it offers a sense of freedom, adrenaline, and the opportunity to connect with others through shared experiences and ski lift conversations.
· She advocates for bringing all facets of one's identity to work, expressing how sharing personal interests like gardening can lead to deeper connections and adjacencies with coworkers, enhancing workplace culture.
· Cristin emphasizes the importance for individuals to be authentic and for organizations to foster a culture that supports and values the diverse aspects of an employee's identity beyond just their professional role.

In this episode of What's Your "And"?, Jeff Towberman, the finance supervisor and controller at the North Saint Paul School District in Minnesota, shares his profound passion for baseball. Jeff recounts how a childhood experience at a San Francisco Giants game with his grandfather sparked his love for the sport. Over the last forty years, Jeff has channeled this passion into playing and then coaching baseball at various levels, including youth leagues and high school teams. He emphasizes the life lessons baseball can teach, such as teamwork, resilience, and the importance of knowing one's role. Jeff's story highlights how his dedication to baseball has positively influenced his professional life and personal connections. Listen in as Jeff and John discuss the intersection of sports, work, and life.

Episode Highlights

· Coaching baseball has allowed Jeff to positively impact the lives of young players, teaching them important life lessons beyond the game.
· Jeff believes that baseball, like life, requires understanding individual roles and working as a team to succeed.
· Jeff's lifelong love for baseball is deeply intertwined with his personal and professional life, including coaching at different levels and inspiring others.
· Jeff emphasizes the importance of providing a supportive environment for kids in sports, recognizing that their time on the field can be a crucial escape from personal challenges.

This week's guest is Elsa Hirl, a financial assistant at Maquoketa State Bank in Iowa and the vibrant personality behind Momma Hirl's Baking. Elsa shares her passion for baking, which she attributes to her grandmothers and her early experiences making cinnamon rolls in junior high. She talks about how her baking journey and then sharing her "And" with others has bolstered her confidence and helped her break out of her comfort zone. Elsa also touches upon the joys of holiday traditions and the importance of balancing work with personal passions. Listeners will enjoy her humorous anecdotes and the heartwarming story of how her family came to appreciate her Christmas cinnamon rolls.

Episode Highlights

· Baking is deeply ingrained in Elsa's family history, with her starting to sell baked goods in junior high.
· Works as a financial assistant while also managing her baking business, emphasizing the importance of pursuing passions alongside a career.
· Pursuing and sharing her passion for baking has helped Elsa build personal confidence and step out of her comfort zone.
· Sharing personal passions (like baking) at work helps in creating more meaningful human connections and improving workplace culture.

Bill Casey, the Deputy CEO at MGO, talks about his passion for music and car restoration. He shares memories of learning the guitar in high school and playing in various bands, emphasizing the importance of practice to stay proficient. Bill discusses his experience performing live many times in Chicago, highlighting the need for preparedness and teamwork in both music and work environments. He also talks about the significance of having hobbies for relaxation and creativity, seeing them as therapeutic ways to balance life's stresses. Further, Bill underscores the value of understanding colleagues' personal interests to build better communication and relationships in the workplace. Throughout the episode, he notes the importance of recognizing employees’ broader capabilities beyond their job roles.

Episode Highlights

· Engaging in personal hobbies like music and car restoration can foster relaxation, creativity, and better team dynamics.
· Regular practice is essential for maintaining proficiency in any skill, whether it's playing guitar or delivering work presentations.
· Providing and receiving constructive feedback in a positive manner is key to improving performance, be it in a band or at work.
· Recognizing employees as more than their job roles and valuing their broader capabilities can enhance workplace culture and decision-making.