IAM291- Keynote Speaker Provides Ideas and Materials to Help Spark Creativity and Innovation

Born in Moldova, Izolda learned how to communicate in multiple languages through a year-long immigration process. Today, Izolda gives keynotes and presents programs that help people tap into and master their leadership, creativity, and communication skills. She traveled the world as a NASA trainer. She is also the author of five books, including, Speak From Within, Engage, Inspire, and Motivate Any Audience and the host of the Creative Mindset podcast. Izolda, her husband, and their cats live in Maryland, USA.

• CEO Hack: Show up journal for gratitude and day organisation
• CEO Nugget: Keep the best, let go off the rest
• CEO Defined: Being of service

Website: https://izoldat.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/izoldat/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/izoldat/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IzoldaTSpeaker/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IzoldaT

Additional link: http://izoldat.com/showupjournal
Speak From Within: Engage, Inspire, and Motivate Any Audience https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Within-Inspire-Motivate-Audience/dp/0980229898/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554846950&sr=8-1

Transcription:

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:30

Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresham from the I AM CEO Podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Izolda Trakhtenberg of his Izoldat.com it's awesome to have you on the show.

Izolda Trakhtenberg 0:40

Thanks so much for having me. Gresham. I'm really, really looking forward to speaking with you.

Gresham Harkless 0:44

Yeah, me too. I'm super excited to have you on. And what I wanted to do was just read a little bit more about Izolda so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. And born in Moldova, Izolda learned how to communicate in multiple languages through a year-long immigration process. Today, Izolda gives keynotes and presents programs that help people tap into and master their leadership, creativity, and communication skills. She traveled the world as a NASA trainer.

She is also the author of five books, including, Speak From Within, Engage, Inspire, and Motivate Any Audience, and the host of the Creative Mindset podcast. Izolda, her husband, and their cats live in Maryland, USA. Izolda, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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Izolda Trakhtenberg 1:27

I absolutely am

Gresham Harkless 1:29

Awesome. Let's do it. So the first question I had was to hear a little bit more about what I call your CEO story. What led you to start your business?

Izolda Trakhtenberg 1:36

It actually sort of grew organically, I started doing training and workshops all the way back when I worked at the National Geographic Society and moved on from there. And they were within the National Geographic Society. And I thought, wow, this is really I love doing this. I love helping people learn.

And in 2001, right after literally right after 9/11, the week after 9/11, I was teaching a singing class and we used singing to process and to heal. And we sort of made that a journey together. And I realized that the power of creativity and the power of teaching people was something that we all can share and make use of.

And then when I went to NASA, I started doing training and traveling the world training, environmental science for them. And out of all of that, I started really thinking about what if I took this on the road myself because then I would get to focus on my great passion, which is creativity and communication.

And helping other people learn how to communicate across borders, across languages, often using creativity, grew out of a real desire to help people be able to connect and really interact on those fundamental levels that we all share. And that's how I started the business. And it's been growing ever since.

Gresham Harkless 3:01

Awesome. I absolutely love that. And I might be a little bit biased because I consider myself creative. But I love kind of like the way you kind of describe creativity kind of sounds like in and of itself, its own language that's a was a kind of, you know, go across, you know, different parts of the world and different, you know, races and ages and all of that creativity kind of seems to be its own thing.

Izolda Trakhtenberg 3:21

Absolutely it is. And it's really funny, if you have the courage, whoever you are if you have the courage to offer up something you've created, it's a story you're telling to the world, whether or not you're using words to write a book, or you're painting or you're doing music or marketing, it doesn't matter what it is, if it's something that you have created, that's creative, right.

And so as soon as you offer that story up into the world, anyone else, everyone else is going to have some sort of reaction to it. Now, if it's art, if it's a painting or sculpture, everyone is going to have their own ideas, and everyone's going to have their own filters. But then when they communicate those ideas, that's when the juicy stuff really happens when everybody can participate in the discussion.

Everybody can participate and give their viewpoint or their opinion, and learn from others. And that's how we connect and interact as we start understanding each other. And one of the things I love to say about creativity and communication, in general, is that once we understand each other, it becomes impossible to be indifferent to one another.

Gresham Harkless 4:28

That's really powerful. Because a lot of times we feel like we are so much different than the other person. But a lot of times we're so much close and sound like creativity and those creative projects that we work on are catalysts for that.

Izolda Trakhtenberg 4:42

Absolutely. And what's really funny is that you just said it's a catalyst and creativity is a catalyst but also any kind of reaching out. If you're reaching out in a sincere attempt to connect with someone. It doesn't have to be creative it can be something that is a conversation that you begin because you really want to know about the other person and about their experience.

And if you find someone that you want to know more about, and you're curious about who they are and where they come from, and their culture and their history and their background, then reaching out in that way, either through creativity or through language, whatever it did, that part doesn't matter so much. What matters is that it's an actual, sincere, beneficial curiosity. And that's when we can really begin that kind of interaction.

Gresham Harkless 5:38

Absolutely, that makes perfect sense. And, and I wanted to drill down a little bit deeper, I know we touched a little bit more upon your business, can you talk a little bit more about what you do to kind of support the clients you work with? And kind of like what you feel sets you apart? And your secret sauce?

Izolda Trakhtenberg 5:52

Wow, good question. So what I do is, I teach workshops, I go into organizations, businesses and churches, and schools, depending on who the client is, if you will, and I help them solve their problems. And often, our problems are communication issues. So I support my clients by providing workshops that will help them resolve issues or solve problems or innovate.

And I can do it through a negotiation workshop, or through a communication workshop, or sometimes, and I'll be honest, one of my favorites is creativity. It's about how to tell your story better. So we might do storytelling, or we might do singing, we might do something that allows the people themselves to find their inner voice and bring it out.

And what's really fun is when the most shy or hesitant person ends up discovering, or at least showing to everyone else a talent that they didn't know they had. And it's magic, then that's the secret sauce is the magic of having the courage to stand up having the courage to create and more importantly, having the courage to share what you've created.

And I facilitate that kind of finding of that courage and that kind of innovation in the spark of wanting to create and then wanting to tell your story better, whatever that story is, for each individual person. And I believe in providing a lot of supplemental materials because I often feel like, you read a book and then it's over, or you go to a workshop or a seminar, and then it's over. But I want to give a lot of supplemental materials.

So I provide a lot of things on my website, for example, the most recent book I wrote speaks from within It's a sort of a multimedia project, if you will, because I developed a number of audio and videos that people can listen to and watch and participate in to keep progressing to keep developing their communication skills long after they read the book long after they attend the workshop, for example.

And I do the same thing with creativity, I do the same thing with negotiation, I provide a lot of materials for that. And then of course, with the creativity, there's the creative mindset podcast. It's a daily micro show that I want to support my clients and customers within also my listeners with to give ideas on not only how to be creative, but how to have a creative mindset, which I think is really important. Because when you have that, that means you're open to inspiration, you're open to innovation, and you won't judge yourself. Because when you are being creative when you are in that part of your brain, there is no room for judgment, it's a completely different part of the brain that's being used when you're creating.

That's why they say don't write and edit at the same time because you're using different parts of your brain. And I help people find that part that spark so that they can then go out and create themselves and innovate and solve problems creatively and also want to again, share their new knowledge, share their creations, and that way improve their communication and interactions with the people around them whether it's at work or in their personal lives.

Gresham Harkless 9:22

Absolutely, no, I absolutely love that. And I love you know, everything that you've created in your building, just because a lot of it and you can definitely correct me if I'm wrong kind of seems like you know, just like as you touched on the participants in your workshops in your classes, they want to be able to do more and sometimes it's a courage or maybe a fear thing that kind of they have to deal with but they have it within them.

They just like the title of your book speak within they want to be able to do it and then you provide kind of that opportunity for them to be able to do that. Whether that be a book, reading a book, or participating in you know, some of the exercises or the workshops that you have.

Izolda Trakhtenberg 9:56

Absolutely. And what's really interesting is what you just said earlier about it being a catalyst. That's very true. And it doesn't even have to be whether or not they're shy or hesitant. Sometimes, they're not shy or hesitant, but they don't know where to start.

And sometimes it's almost like, by participating in a workshop to become more creative, or to learn how to communicate a little bit better, you get permission to actually make that endeavor, you know, oh, well, I went to this workshop, and now I have some tools. And now I can go start creating, or I can go push past the limit of my shyness, and actually reach out.

And the best way to reach out, of course, is never to just talk, the best way to reach out is to listen, and the best way to make a connection is to find out more about the other person, I actually attended a festival once and I made a conscious decision that I would not really offer anything else other than my name and a How are you about myself? Instead, I would ask questions of everybody I met, I would just ask about them really sit in that curious place and ask about who they were, what they did for fun, what they loved what they wanted.

And What was really interesting is how many people during that festival told me what an amazing conversationalist I was, which I thought was wonderful, because I wasn't really saying anything except to want to know more about them. And if you cultivate that curiosity, that is when you really can make those connections.

Gresham Harkless 11:32

Absolutely. And I definitely agree with that. I'm a big believer in space. And sometimes you know, that space could be like a workshop, or like even said, Just asking and listening to somebody else. But when you create that space, it gives that kind of opportunity that sometimes we miss and don't have permission to do so. So I love that you do that and love that you especially did that at the fair.

So I am I wanted to switch gears a little bit and ask you for what I call a CEO hack. And this might be an app or a book or a habit that you have, but it's something that makes you more effective and efficient.

Izolda Trakhtenberg 12:01

I'm always striving to be more efficient, and more productive. And to that end, I sort of developed my own thing, and I'll tell you about it. I call it the show-up journal because I think that's the most important thing that we can do for ourselves as CEOs. Or as anyone who is trying to do something that's entrepreneurial that's starting something for themselves.

And that is you have to show up. So I developed this journal, it's every morning first thing, before I even get out of bed, I do a one-page free write and I write about anything that comes into my brain. Just to get it's sort of a brain data dump, you know, you need to get rid of all the gunk that's in your head. So before you can start really planning and processing your day, you need to get rid of whatever the dust is, if you will. So I do a sort of a brain data dump first thing, and then I turn it over turn the page over on the very top of the next page is three things I'm grateful for.

So every day, I think about what I want to spend time actively being grateful for. And as someone who has her own business, and any CEO will tell you, I'm sure it takes energy to do all of the things we're doing to try and make our businesses grow. But taking a moment to be grateful for what you already have is something that sort of builds that foundation and builds a platform from which you can leap, into the unknown. And so I do that gratitude, then I do an affirmation, which is something that I'm trying to bring into my life.

And I'm always trying to learn so often it's about something that I'm curious about or something that I want to learn. And then I do three projects. And the projects are divided into threes, I believe three is a really lovely easy way of doing things, you know, morning, noon, and night. So I have these three projects. And each of them has three action items that I want to achieve that day.

And I write them down. And I'm a big believer in the satisfaction of crossing off what you've accomplished. So every time I achieve one of those things, I mark it off, and I put a big X through the little box next to the thing I wanted to achieve. And it gives me a real look at what I've done. Every week I go back and I figure out what I've done. And it helps me plan what's next.

Gresham Harkless 14:17

Absolutely no, I love that absolutely phenomenal CEO hack. Because a lot of times, you know, going through the day is great to kind of get your day started in the right way. And I appreciate you for sharing that with us. And now I want to ask you for what I call a CEO nugget. And this is a word of wisdom or piece of advice. Or if you can happen to a time machine. What would you tell your younger business self?

Izolda Trakhtenberg 14:36

I think really what I would say is keep the best and let go of the rest. That's probably it.

Gresham Harkless 14:44

I love that it's kind of like a practice and essentialism and I always heard that if it's not a yes, a definite yes then it's a no so just move on with it just like I'm sure you're going through getting everything ready for the move. So I appreciate that CEO nugget.

And now I wanted to ask you my absolute ever question which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. We're hoping to have different quote-unquote CEOs on the show so Izolda, I want to ask you, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Izolda Trakhtenberg 15:08

It means focusing on the most important thing, which is being of service. I don't feel like anyone, I have a lot of contractors, for example, and no one I don't, they don't work for me, I work for them. So I, I have to do what is going to help them shine.

Gresham Harkless 15:25

Absolutely. I think those are the best leaders and the best CEOs. Definitely a great reminder. So as I said, I truly appreciate your time, what I want to do is pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional to let our readers and our listeners know and then of course, how best they can get ahold of you.

Izolda Trakhtenberg 15:41

Oh, terrific. Thank you so much for that. Well, the best way to get a hold of me is through the website izoldat.com. Or you can find me @izoldat on Twitter or @izoldat on LinkedIn or @izoldat on Instagram. I'm pretty I'm pretty consistently boring or boringly consistent. And that's probably the best way, if you want to email me, is izolda@izoldat.com

Gresham Harkless 16:12

Izolda, I truly appreciate you thank you for the consistency we'll make sure to have those links in the show notes as well. And I hope you have a phenomenal rest today.

Izolda Trakhtenberg 16:19

Thanks so much, Gresham for having me. This has been wonderful.

Outro 16:22

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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