The Brilliance Interview Series August 16, 2024 with Janet Macaluso

Hi, this is Li Huang from Los Angeles. I'm here with my guest, Janet Macaluso.

Today.

Welcome to the Brilliance interview series where I feature amazing, brilliant, fabulous women like Janet here today to share their story, their journey and their wisdom to help you along with yours. And I'm leaving from Los Angeles, in case you haven't met yet. And welcome and please let us know where in the world you are if you're joining us live and even if you're watching the replay, we love to know where we have reached around the world and connect with you because it's such a global community here and we are so happy that you are able to be in this content with us today because Jenna's going to share her brilliance on the regenerative system of self and system. This is incorporating over 30 years, almost 30 years of corporate experience in leadership, learning, development, helping teams, businesses and leaders and how on her own personal journey, she's going to share a little bit about how and why she decided to leave her amazing leadership role of a VP in a corporation into having her own business. Because she's so passionate about what she's learned and her own journey and that she will want to share with you and help the world and people like us and you and me and leaders. And she specifically work with leaders, help them realize that there's more power within you and the power come from self. So thank you so much for joining us. Like I said, watching your replay let us know where you are and where you're coming from and what you do and what make you excited about the topic today. So I'm going to turn over to Janet. Janet, where are you in the fabulous world today? I think in the Boston area.

Yes. I'm calling in from my basement office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I spend the summers in Boston or Cambridge. And then in the cooler weather, I go to Malaga, southern Spain. Yes.

And Jen and I unfortunately not to me inside LinkedIn, inside the program with Selena Young. And yeah, I learned that she spent half a time in Spain. I was like, oh, my God, that's so amazing. How many of you would like to have a lifestyle like hers where you run your own business and you can stay where you are and work on your own hours on the project that you're passionate about. So we'll have Janet share more about what she's working on and why she's so passionate about what she wanted to share and teach the world.

Sure. And you know, you asked me a little bit about like the inside story or the backstory about my life. So I'm going to share a little bit about that. And I believe that my story is an example of regeneration, which is the process that I believe in so wholeheartedly now. But I would say to begin with, I grew up in a very blue collar background in a family and wasn't really expected to go to college, but I did anyway. I went one year paying for it myself and it became more expensive and harder than I thought. I dropped out after the first year and I became a flight attendant. So I don't know, I don't think you knew that about me, but I was a flight attendant for four years.

Wow.

And yes, and then I realized it's very seductive to stay in that industry because you get more seniority, you can choose your time off. But I knew I didn't want to. I liked everything except being on the airplane. So I actually started going back to school. Night night classes at Harvard Extension School, which was and still is, I think, one of the best kept secrets in terms of getting Harvard professors at a much cheaper price than going to the day school. So I ended up starting out slowly, doing well and getting my bachelor's degree with honors over time, and left of course, being a flight attendant. Then while I was there, a professor who was teaching a course on motivational psychology, she recommended me to the Harvard Graduate School of Education. So I ended up going there thinking I can help adults, corporate adults like myself who want to learn and grow and develop. Because coming from a blue collar environment where I was expected to get a job and not necessarily go to school, I found that learning and growing, what an opportunity that that gives me, that gave me and I could see it for other people. So I wanted to be able to use learning in corporate. And while I was at Harvard, learning all the kind of cutting edge neuropsychology of how people learn and the best way to interact, et cetera, my advisors said to me, well, you know, given what you talk about, you should go to organization development. And he's recommending another program to me. I didn't want it at the time, but what I realized was I was also working as a consultant and I was teaching them these leadership management classes. And I realized that if they go back to the same environment that doesn't support their learning, doesn't hold them accountable for the learning, doesn't create the infrastructure for what they just paid for to grow for their people. It's actually money and time wasted out the window. So after a while, I actually did go back and I got that second masters in organization development. And I found that that together with understanding, learning and the infrastructure of change made all the difference. And then from there I ended up in corporate for almost 30 years. So it's long winded.

That's like amazing transformation all in itself. And that I bet traveling the world you seen a lot and experienced a lot being a flight attendant for four years. And this is your own desire in your heart that you want to explore more and create more. I think a lot of us, especially women, a lot of time we did things because the family or the demands of the moment and we forgotten what made us happy. That there's something inside of us we want to nurture and grow. And I really admire you for taking that step and the courage to move forward and following your passion. And even if you didn't know what it was, you just following that intuition, inkling and think this is where I want to go into. And guess what? People, places and circumstances come conspire for you to have that happen and guide you along the way. So it's very exciting that Jenna, that you're here and and you're able to share that with me and also with the audience. That's one of the reasons I love having this brilliant interview show Pete, because of women like Janet, from her own experience that she can help so many people. And I'm excited for her to share what her insights are on the regenerative self and system with you today. So thank you, Janet.

Sure. In that approach, while I was still in corporate, by the way, I left corporate in the Great Resignation during the pandemic. But while I was still there, I started and have been studying now for seven years a living systems approach which I also call regenerative. You know, I am a living, my body is a living system. And together Li Min and you and the community, Whoever is in LinkedIn and watching or the recording, we are a social, a living social system and we're in a planetary system. So these are all living systems that are foundational to us. And as life, Life is a process of continually becoming. And that is really exciting to me because it's not like we're ever done. Li Ming. I might screw up and I have more times than I wish to remember. But as a living system, I am programmed in our DNA. Our essence is this program to become and evolve. And so how do we take advantage of that knowing that this is our like our core birthright to become. And so that has given me like the courage to take that step to leave corporate, the Safety of let's say a salary that I was getting and go out on my own. But it's still changing and evolving. But I feel like I'm closer to who I truly am in my core essence than I was before.

Yeah. And that's something that we share on our beliefs that there's grilling inside each of us. And a lot of times that there's only a seed that you may not even know. And it takes peeling off the onions along the way. And like you said, we're never done because what is our body all changed. You know, cell changes in 28 days. So you're not the same person ever. And the thing is having a way that to follow and realizing what your heart's true desire will help you along the way and help guide you on maybe the next evolution or where you want to go along the way. So it's a journey of exploration and discovery. Right. And like there's no destination as long as we are alive and still. And even if our physical bodies are here, this energy. Right. That change. So we never really die in the essence. So that we're talking about and brilliance, that's all inside of us. That's what we got excited about talking about that the other day when we connected.

So.

Yeah. So I, I believe that you're sharing some of the practical side of how to utilize that in day to day basis.

Right. So what I thought I would share with your audience was a study, the results of a study and that I have simplified into this acronym that I'm calling the ABCD Effective Change or Path to Change. And I'm going to unpack that in a minute. But this is a study that was a longitudinal study at Harvard over 13 years. And it was conducted with the most intractable people. And I'm talking about like prisoners and alcoholics or smokers, delinquents, even community groups and politicians who didn't actually see well, communicate well together. So these different groups went through a certain process that I'm calling the ABCD Effective Path to Change. They went through this and they were studied by the departments of business, Psychology and education. So that's the multidisciplinary school. And what I'd like to do now is share the results that have been very, very successful. This has been replicated at different companies. Certainly a lot of it was started at P and G. A number of the brand names that we take and use daily, like toothpaste, for example, we don't understand like how did those happen. But whether it was P and G or Dupont, Google Food Labs, seventh generation. A number of these companies use the same process that I'm going to share and simplify. So if I think about A as the first one in the method, it means active. So how do we actively bake in new patterns, new habits, new routines into our daily life. So we have to actively bake them in, but only 10 to 20% of our day. So not like trying, not doing it all day long and practicing. That often happens at a retreat. It's very concentrated, concentrated and focused. Then you go home and you kind of forget it. All this is baking, actively baking in those routines. So instead of my sitting on my sofa here, meditating in the morning and then being totally stressed out for the rest of the day, I'm thinking about how do I insert a little bit of my practice. Whatever it is that you're trying to change might be meditation, it might be stress reduction, might be gratefulness, self awareness, whatever. It may be a new skill. So that's the A is baking it in actively, which is A for active.

Yeah.

B is means blending the whole person. And so blending the whole person means actually, let's see. Talk about the state of being. So what's my being or my identity? And we need to actually change our identity. Maybe it was from a smoker or an alcoholic or a delinquent to a different identity. And so this is the state of being or the sense of identity. And the sense of being is one part of blending. The other one is having the motivation to actually embody that identity. So the will or the backbone. And then finally the other blended part is a structured process that we follow. Not just like, I'm alone and I'm going to make my New Year, New Year's resolutions and then forget everything by February. It's having a process. So that's the blending. It's my will, my state of being, and a functional process that I'm going to describe. Now, what do I mean by a process? Well, there's a cadence, which is C. C for cadence. Having a regular rhythm or frequency of learning, real time. So think about Weight Watchers or Alcoholics Anonymous or these other types of change, transformational change processes. They had a frequent rhythm or cadence where people would come continually, go back to the well, if you will, because motivation, it waxes and wanes. I can be really motivated now, but in a little while that will fall down. But coming back on a regular cadence helps to elevate that. So that's C for cadence. Now D is for duration. And the Duration means for real cultural change. This can take three to seven years to change an organization because we're really talking about its identity, how we think about ourselves and our state of being and what we're doing. So this is unwiring the old habits and transplanting new identity and new habits through that regular cadence of learning. And also every day actively blending in a little part 10 to 20% of that new habit. Finally, Li Min is E. I've given you the duration. The E stands for environment. And I don't know if you've ever heard of the line we're the average of our closest five friends, average in finances, weight, intelligence. So if we want to change and up ourselves to the next stage of our potential, we need to surround ourselves with like minded people who aren't dragging us down. So having an environment, whether it's a coach like I am, who is just in someone who is just a little bit ahead of you on, on the same path. So Weight Watchers, Alcoholics Anonymous, they're facilitated. The change agent is someone who says I got your number because I was there too. So having a change agent who can see support you in that environment really makes a difference. So that's the method I would recommend. It's active, blending the whole person, a regular cadence, duration and having an environment that supports it supports you with a change agent who's just a little ahead of you. I'm just going to say one thing more women, then I'm going to stop. My experience in corporate is that I was always asked for the shortest cut the band aid, do it quick and dirty and give a half day of some workshop. And that is not going to make the change that deeply transforms our people, our state of being and our way of operating. So this is my method and it's a regenerative way. It keeps continually upping the game. I'll stop and see what questions or reactions you have.

Yeah and if you watching replay you can feel free to ask questions because we will still answer questions from the comments and reach out Jenna for more information. Very, very excited because it's very easy to remember the letters A, B C D E what they stand for and totally agree because any changes take time and repetitiveness to build into. You know look at we just finished Olympics athletes, they practice hours for years and years to become such a professional on every little details and every little move. And so what to say, we are the athlete in our own life, whatever we are practicing for our next role or next project. So in a way we, we are In a role, practicing and just it in a different week.

Deal.

Right. So I love that it's active. You're going to be active participant in picking up what habits you want to create based on the identity roles you want to take on and which takes from my own personal experience is that when I got on the want to be a healthy path, when I don't know how many overworked, exhausted women out there, I have been down with frozen shoulder and chronic fatigue because all the, because I wasn't taking care of health. So when I realized that without my health I couldn't do anything, I chose to have an identity of being a healthy fit person. So I created a habit of exercising, cutting out certain food in my diet. And you make decision a lot quicker because it's like oh, that's just not my part of my identity anymore and don't do it. Or you say oh, exercise, that's part of my identity. So now you gravitate toward the habit. So, so important like what you say about blended having the will, the identity and the beingness, that's what the embody the motivation as you're talking about. And then the outside habits and things that environment are what you want to create. So you proactively choose the people, the how to's and what to do to help make that change and shift.

I think you really made the important point here Lehman is the identity. Because people can practice all the latest fads of whatever it is they're trying to evolve to, but if they don't see themselves really as being an Olympian in the, in the case of the Olympics or a healthy person, it's so easy to collapse back into the old, more comfortable and automatic routines.

Yes, exactly. It's because that's what identity is what keep us consistent in doing things, certain things and thinking certain way. That's why Jen is so important that what you talk about there's no quick fixes.

It's.

There's no way you're gonna do a 180 in one day because it won't last. So it take deliberate practice and deliberate movement towards it. And then the basis is like we gotta have the motivation will to be that person we want to be because that's what drive behind it.

Well, it's true and that happens on a personal level. But it also becomes a flywheel, meaning that it impacts the next level of change, whether it's in work or life. Because the folks I work with we might be changing a value adding process of how they a product offering for Example, but then they come back and say they're relatively. Relationships are home at home are better as well because this change in this identity you keep as living beings would keep evolving and growing and you. You want to be like the next best person. It's. It's a beautiful process. Yet people. There are people who would rather just settle for the comfort. So I have to say that it's not for everyone. The change takes courage and practice and persistence. Which is why it's good to have a community.

Yes. Because we all human, we seem to want to stay where we are. Just like things, you know, the status quo. And it takes someone like that. So I being an amazing community where I met Janet is where you can see other people example how they're working toward their goal and succeeding become part of example and motivation to pull you along. I'm not doing this alone. And then there are people who are example and then their guide, like you said, having a coach and mentors who's been there, done that to guide you along the way way. And that's how you can accelerate the process rather than struggling by yourself. So thank you, Janet, so much for sharing your story and the method that a lot of major corporation like you said they are, they are using this process. Their goal is for company goes. However, companies are made of people.

Exactly.

Products are made by people. And so when your people are better, your company and products become better.

Mm. And you're developing your product, you're developing your processes and you're developing your people all in the flow of work. When it's done this way, you don't need to go to training separate that bolt on training activity you're developing while you're working. And that to me is very motivating and engaging. You know, they talk a lot about people's not engaged at work, but if they're growing and developing, they are.

Yes. Yes. Because what happened is, like you said, it's not a closed classroom. And you just do it for this few hours here. You might get it at the moment without practice. You know, like you can't just watch a video and be became like a super superstar athlete from watching videos. You got to go do the work and practice, as I call it, like your daily rep. And because then when you're working in making your life and your work, you're doing the reps every day. And then that's your gym. And so. Yeah, I love it. Thank you so much, Janet, for my pleasure today. And I'm so glad that she's able to share with us a strategy that I hope you can take home and start using it. Let us know how it works for you. And so thank you for my for you to watch or re watch the replay of the brilliance interview show and and for helping me serve my passion of empowering inspiring women audience on the platform with example story from amazing brilliant fabulous woman like Janet and my mission is to help you start that little spark whatever that is in your heart. It might be a little flicker of light however if you nurtured every day and have this that sparkle and the brilliance come out as you sparkle and shine you help shine up the next little star beside you and I see the vision of all the lights light up across the galaxy and that will make the world brilliant. That light lit up because of your brilliance and because you are here in this world. Thank you so much for joining us today. Until next time have a fabulous day.

Bye. Thank you.