This content was created by Pete Alexander. This content was uploaded by Pete Alexander. This is a podcast episode (Episode 212: "Winning at Business and Life with Scott Ballard") hosted by Professor Pete Alexander and recorded January 31, 2021. The clip is a brief interview in a "6 questions in 7 minutes" format where host Pete Alexander asks guest Scott Ballard (a dyslexic business coach) about his work helping people exchange limiting beliefs for truth, leadership and emotional intelligence, hiring and team development, a recommended guest (Michael Hyatt), and a personal first-job anecdote. Metadata includes a podcast thumbnail and the episode title.
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This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, please tell me who you are and what you do.
I'm Scott Ballard, and I'm a dyslexic business coach. And what I do is I help people exchange the lies that they've believed about themselves, their ability, who they are, and what they can do for the truth, and then go out and live their life and accomplish the things that they, they've always wanted to.
Well, Scott, it's a pleasure to have you on the show. Question number 2: What is something that makes you smile and/or laugh about working in your industry?
The idea that we don't have lies that are working against us, and that makes me smile when people finally realize, oh, I do have lies. I do have things that aren't true that I have been hanging on to. I have been living into, working into, and exchanging those and realizing when the light bulb comes on, when the smile comes to the face, it is like, oh, the truth is I have this ability. I have this talent. I have this. Value I create in the world, and it's super important, and it's also the way for me to become a better version of myself and then achieve what I want out of life.
I love this.
It's all about insight.
It is, it is. And I love the passion in your voice. It's so great. Question number 3: I have a fictitious book with all the answers for business. What chapter would you think most companies should read?
Um, uh, do Do you really know the lies or the truths about the people on your team, in your business, in your company? And have you done anything to invest in that? Because that's where the greatest progress or achievement can be made. But companies don't ever talk about that. It's not about the skill, it's about your thinking. And if we can change our thinking and make that positive and make it the truth, then we can see the full potential of somebody. No matter what their past has been, they can do that, and they're going to get greater results for your business and for your company from there forward. So, yeah.
Oh, I love that. It's very insightful. And it's, you know, everybody has their special talents, and if you can cultivate those special talents, as you're saying, it can make a— it could be a difference maker in the company. Would you agree?
Yeah, it's a game changer. It's the transformation. All insight is particularly for leaders when they think about their team, they think about their employees, tends to be focused on the negative and getting more out of less instead of what is there, what can we have, and how can we actually foster that so they become a better version of themselves, achieving their goals or dreams or aspirations. And as they do that, they show up to your work and contribute in a bigger way because they're doing that in their whole life. And so that's the journey. We, we call it the Great Exchange. That's the journey we take people on, taking them from the lie to the truth and then going, okay, you've got that now. Now what can— what's possible? Well, there's a lot more possible in all of our people and in ourselves, but we don't— we, we don't do the work of getting rid of the lies. And that's, that's where we begin. What's the lie you've believed from your teacher, from your, uh, from your first boss, from your manager, from your parents, from your best friends, from that experience 5 years ago? And what is really the truth about that? And who are you?
Yeah, I think we can all relate to that. That's great. Question number 4: other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude, and care for customers, what advice would you give to other business leaders?
Well, I think just what we were talking about, to actually study and know and find out really what people believe about themselves even before you hire them. Who, who are you and what do you believe about yourself that is, can be built on? What is the truth that we can build on here in this work, in this job, and, and take you to another level? It's really about helping people become the best version of themselves while they're in that process. And so that's the advice, invest in that. They're thinking about themselves. That's never talked about. And yet it's universal to all 8 billion people. We have these things that we think that are detrimental to us being productive and positive and adding value, and we need to deal with them. And then we need to replace them. And then see what the potential is that you have in your people and yourself. And maybe it starts with you as a business owner. Maybe you need to do this work first. And then as you see the transformation and the breakthrough, you could go, oh my goodness, I have 100 people, I have 10 people. What could we do if we really were living into our full potential?
Mm-hmm.
And I think the result be Yeah, and I totally agree with you.
Having the business leader do it first, because then they can, you know, they're supposed to be leading the organization. So be a leader and know exactly that if you go through that process, you learn things about yourself. And then as you have your people going through it, you can relate to them and you can talk to them about it, right? I mean, is that what you're getting at?
There's so much about leading that is about understanding and is about having the empathy for people or the awareness about them. You know, there's a ton. We just had an article come out on LinkedIn, I think 57,000 views, and it was all about emotional intelligence for leaders and companies. Right? And so this is the work now that people are realizing. You can't beat people over the head. You can't. It doesn't work, the old methods. But if we actually help people discover what is holding them back and do that work and have these deep conversations, then we can see the change, the transformation, and everybody is better. Everybody gets lifted up, right? Everybody together. And so that's what we do. That's, that's the work. So that would be my message.
Thank you for that. Question number 5: What other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?
Yeah, a guy that has coached me for years, Michael Hyatt. I don't know if you know Michael. He's out in Nashville, Tennessee, but he really is a forward thinker in this. And he's been doing what we're talking about here for years and years and years in his company. I think they're in the fastest growing top 100 in the last couple of years, his little Michael Hyatt company. But he's a guy that is just a genius at this., and he's built a team and I know his people that just live this out and they show up as their best version. They create the best value and then they win at life and they win at their career, which, gosh, wouldn't that be great for all of us?
Right? Absolutely. Well, that's a great referral. I'll reach out to him. And question number 6, please tell me about your first job.
Yeah, we talked about this before, so I'm only laughing because I love the question. My first job is like, I'm 7 years and I'm picking beans. Now, this was back in the '60s where kids worked. I mean, we went and picked beans to make money, and I hated it. We got on the bus at 5:00 in the morning. It was wet, it was cold, it was muddy. We made very little money, and it was just dreadful experience. So I only laughed because I think about how pitiful I was and how much I hated it. And I was like, thank you for asking the question. Because I needed to tell somebody about that bad job.
Oh, it's a great story too. And I, you know, it's so funny when I ask that question and see people's faces light up. It's just, you know, I appreciate it.
I was like, okay, this is the best question of all, really?
Oh my goodness. Well, Scott, thank you so much for being on the show. How can people find you?
Yeah, confidencecoach.org. Is, is where you find all about us and everything you need is there. So yeah, that's it. And then on LinkedIn under Scott Ballard, I just, I'm there. And, uh, yeah, this has been so much fun. This has been easy. So thank you for that.
You bet, my pleasure. And this is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.
