Gunhard Keil: Digital Change & Negotiation | The Business Blast Podcast #492

Welcome to the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by WagsMedia. WagsMedia provides you with everything you need to generate more customers and grow your brand. Head on over to wagsmedia.com, W-A-G-S-M-E-D-I-A dot com, to enter a contest where you can win a free, done-for-you custom website valued at $2,500 for a limited time only. Now let's jump into the episode.

Alright everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have a special guest, Gunnar Kyle, with us. He is an IT entrepreneur, top executive coach, and change mentor, and he helps people to master digital change and excel their negotiation skills. Negotiation skills. So welcome to the show, man.

Yeah, thank you very much, Tyler. I'm glad to be with you.

Of course, man. We're glad to have you here. And we'll go right into it. The first question I have for you, Gunnar, is what's the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?

Actually, it's not too much to do with what I do today, but it's been like a personal imprint for interaction with other people. So it was a long time ago and I was I was talking bad about a person behind his back. He was like the kind of, I presume, the best friend. I thought I was impressing the other guys, but actually I was just a pompous idiot at that time. My friend somehow overheard the conversation, so he approached me and said, what he said, You have to see this kind of not so fit, kind of little overweight boy saying, "Hey, Gunnar, I don't believe what you said about me, and is this really what you think?" And actually it hurt me. And that made me very careful about what I say about other people, trying rather to see the strength in them and not, you know, just like the first glance and what they appear to be in the first moment. So that was like the most, most, uh, what does it say, most effective imprint I had.

And, uh, I'm excited for your answer on this next one. What's the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?

This is, uh, about digitization, um, because it's not about streamlining the administration. A lot of people think digitization is just streamline the administration, get rid of the stuff that you don't want to do. Actually, it's about the core business that you do. Whatever you like most and do best and think it makes you indispensable, that is the expertise or process you should instantly think about how to digitize. And that is, I would say, the most, most valuable, most important message I can give you.

And, uh, what is your best piece of like overall business advice? So let's say maybe somebody's just getting started out, uh, let's say in it or something like what would you tell them in the beginning?

I have to be a little bit generic again because mostly it's, it's, uh, I mean if it's about decisions that you take on your enterprise, the business that's to it's not necessarily thinking about did I make the right or wrong decision in the beginning. It is you make decisions like for me being an entrepreneur or being in the IT business or digitization or what we have is a communication app like WhatsApp for Business. It is by the actions and the consequent pursuit we take we can make decisions, the right ones, or good decisions. So carry them out, be consequent, and, and see it through.

And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?

Get up in the morning and do your stuff.

Yeah. Um, and in your opinion, what's the key to happiness?

Gee, I mean, I'm a— good lord, I'm, I'm a father of 4 kids, I'm married for 25 years, so actually I'm a kind of a to-be protected species. And I think to have a family, to commit to the family and not to be egoistic, this is actually what really— I mean, it sounds very dramatic, but it's very easy, it's very natural. That makes me happy. I mean, just my daughter passed by right now. She gave me a kiss when I was talking to you and I felt happy in that moment. I think this is what I can advise to everybody. Love people, not yourself, and love will come to you. And that makes you happy. Very easy, actually. Very natural.

Yes, I agree. And what is the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?

I beg your pardon, I didn't get it.

Uh, what is the best book?

Best book, best book. Yeah. Oh, that is, that is from Kahneman, Thinking Fast and Slow.

And what's the number one thing you learned from the book?

Well, it's about if you care about being thought credible and intelligent, do not use complex language where simple language will do. I think this is the key. And it reminds me of an old quote of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and he said, all effective things go from primitive over being complex to being simple. And I think that brings it to the point.

Yes. I love that, man. Um, and maybe that is your favorite quote, but if it's not, what is your favorite quote?

Yeah, that's it. Uh, that's, as I said, uh, Like Kahneman quotes, if you care about being thought credible and intelligent, do not use complex language where simple language will do. This is in his book, and that is my number one quote.

I love it, man. Dude, thank you so much for coming on. The last question I have for you before we let you go is where is the best place for people to find you online?

It's very easy for me because Gunnhard is like one of the most rare names to find in the internet. You just type my name, G-U-N-H-A-R-D, in Google or any other search engine and you will find me.

Perfect, man. Thank you again for joining us.

You're welcome.

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