August 8, 2023 • 39 mins
Imagine you're stuck in your career, unsure of how to ascend further or maybe you're craving for a shift in your role within the organization.
What if you could turn things around?
Enter Amechi Udo - career change coach extraordinaire!
Amechi's unique insights have empowered mid-level and senior professionals to reshape their roles and organizations.
Join us for an enlightening conversation where Amechi unfurls the importance of leadership and its profound impact on workplace culture.
To connect with Amechi online, visit:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/careercoachforexecutives/
Website: https://www.yourcareermatters.co.uk/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dr. Pelè (00:00):
Hello happy people.
Welcome to the ProfitableHappiness Podcast.
Hello everyone, this is Dr.
Pelè with the ProfitableHappiness Podcast, and today it
is my pleasure to introduce youto Amechi Udo, who is kind of my
brother from another mother.
We found ourselves on LinkedInand, most importantly, I was so
(00:26):
impressed with the shares thathe would put out the content,
the power of his message.
He's a career change coach thathas a unique message for
organizations and we want tohear all about it, ameichi, and
the connection I made with yougoing all the way back to Africa
was really powerful, so I hopewe can talk about some of that
(00:46):
here.
How are you doing today,ameichi?
Amechi Udo (00:48):
I'm doing very well, Dr.
Pelè, welcome, welcome.
In fact, I would even give youa virtual high five just over
here.
There we go, awesome, awesome.
Now, ameichi, you want me tostraighten the camera?
We do want to knock everybodyout, yeah, knock everybody out.
Dr. Pelè (01:03):
Yeah, no, I hear you, ameichi, now.
Obviously we can tell from youraccent that you are in England.
Is that correct?
Is that a correct assumption?
That is accurate?
Yeah, and I'm here in Austin,texas, but both of us have
traveled a long, long way to getto where we are and I want to
hear all about it.
Ameichi, if we could start with, you're helping us understand
(01:25):
some of the central challengesthat you experience when you are
in organizations helping midand senior level professionals
go from stuck to successful intheir careers.
Tell us about that.
Amechi Udo (01:37):
Well, thanks very much for asking.
The work I do is very muchworking with individuals in
developing their leadership andtheir primarily with themselves
to give themselves permission toreshape and work differently
(01:58):
within their role and within theorganization.
People often think, oh mygoodness, they're getting this
career coach in.
That just means exit, exit.
Everybody comes to the meetingswith a parachute on.
I've got to be honest, in the20 plus years that I've been
working with people, I canliterally count on one finger
(02:20):
People who've actually exited asa direct consequence.
But even when they did, it wasthe manner of exit rather than
just throw their in the air andstorm out, and it was also for
the benefit of the organizationas well, because the
(02:42):
organization is.
A lot of my work is aroundorganizations getting the most
out of that professional workingrelationship.
And sometimes I'm asked inbecause, for whatever reasons,
that's not happening.
That maybe because theorganization's a whole is saying
we're going in a differentdirection and actually we're
(03:04):
bringing you in specifically toenable that mindset shift, that
shifting culture that we need.
It might be that they're sayingwe've got a team of individual
team.
Well, actually I will let thosewords out my mouth A team of
individuals, and that often issymptomatic of actually you
(03:25):
don't.
They know they don't have ateam.
What they have is primarily theindividual working
relationships and my coming in.
Sometimes I might use a toollike the disc team assessment
with them.
They can then start to map outoh right, these are all of our
strengths.
(03:45):
Now that we've got this inliving color, we can kind of go
ah, we can determine why thisperson does or doesn't run along
nicely with that person.
But now we've got guidance.
Oh, we can bring this otherperson across and in, or we can
give this person more of thiskind of work because it plays to
(04:07):
their strengths.
And we started doing that andafter a few weeks or a few
months we've seen a change inthem.
They're a different person,they're happier, they're more
productive.
Do you know what?
They're even, dare I say it,creating profitable happiness in
the workplace, and we love it.
You know, whatever you did,just we don't need to know.
(04:31):
We just know it's given us whatwe need.
Dr. Pelè (04:36):
You mentioned something that I think is really
powerful and poignant andpivotal.
You said that sometimes people,leaders need to give themselves
permission to sort ofrediscover and open up their own
powers, their own abilities tocreate change in their
organizations.
Tell us a little bit more aboutthat, Because it sounds to me
(04:57):
like that's a big problem.
I mean, when you, when you'rerunning around not even
believing that you can changeand create change.
Tell us about that.
Amechi Udo (05:06):
Well, crucially, leaders really can be real
shifters of mood, even at thevery basic level.
It's Monday morning, you comein morning, whoa.
The leader said good morning,okay, all right.
(05:26):
Oh, it's Monday morning.
The leader walks straight pastme.
Dr. Pelè (05:32):
Ooh, now we don't know what's going on with that
leader on either of thoseoccasions we don't know what's
going on in our life.
Amechi Udo (05:39):
They're human being just like the rest of us.
You know, I'm taking them downoff that dais, that stage we've
got them on.
It's an old one.
We breathe the same air, webleed the same blood, okay.
Dr. Pelè (05:51):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (05:52):
But due to the nature of the work environment
and the work culture, dependingon how that's been developed,
that individual saying somethingto your not can be interpreted
in numerous ways.
The leader may be just goinghey, general, I've got a meeting
(06:12):
on this, I've got to do that.
And they're all just oh, thiswas going on the road on the way
to get here, or this was goingon the home.
They're in their own thoughts,but suddenly it's interpreted oh
, that's typical of the leaderthe leader never acknowledged
that.
Oh, there's no way up.
And then they sit down and theyhave their cup of coffee or
(06:33):
whatever the beverage they wantto drink for the morning.
They talk to, they talk to eachother oh you're on, what's
wrong with you?
Oh, you didn't talk to me.
Oh, you as well.
Oh, this is going badly for me.
And before you know it, you'vegot bad vibes running through
the building.
Yeah, you didn't in any shapeor form, purposely or
(06:55):
intentionally, unless perhapsyou have some narcissistic
tendencies.
Yeah, yeah, no, I just doingyou.
Dr. Pelè (07:05):
You just doing you, and how important is that you
just doing you.
But sometimes you mentionedhere that the culture that an
organization has, depending onhow that's been developed.
So people are just doingthemselves, being themselves,
and I think what you're sayingis there has to be some
intentionality to buildthemselves as leaders and to
build cultures, and that'sreally what you are all about.
(07:27):
Is that correct?
Amechi Udo (07:28):
Very much so.
Yeah, yeah you know, you talkto a lot of people and typically
I work with people who havefound themselves in leadership
positions.
Dr. Pelè (07:40):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (07:41):
They're.
It's not to say that theyhaven't had leadership
development, but seldom does thecourse say and you're, one of
your colleagues has a criticalillness and another one is
dealing with the conflictbetween being a parent and being
being an employee.
You need to now support them.
That's not not on the list and,ps, you need to fulfill, or
(08:08):
enable the fulfillment of yourboss's legacy.
Now that they're in their lastyear, 18 months, and they just
want this to happen Because thisis their big thing.
Yeah, this is not.
This is not me.
Oh, I read the Harvard BusinessReview and it told me about how
to do that you got to live it.
(08:30):
Yeah, yeah, you got to live inrelations, yeah, and it brings
out in in us as individuals aswell.
Now I've touched my heart,because it is a, it is sometimes
it gets to the heart.
Dr. Pelè (08:45):
Yeah, yeah quite literally.
It's an it's an emotional.
Amechi Udo (08:49):
Yeah, this is somewhere I do or don't want to
go.
Yeah, this is comfortable oruncomfortable, I'm at ease or
ill at ease.
Yeah this, yeah, and it's, it'shard for for leaders to stop,
especially now.
I think over the last year, asI say, last 20 odd years working
(09:11):
with them, it's it's becomingincreasingly hard to stop, to
come to rest, to pause, ifanything.
It's like, hey, you know, I'veburned through my full set of
night cares, you know, trying tokeep going.
Yeah, yeah, they put in thepandemic.
It's like, you know, peloton,you got this on, on, on, fast
(09:33):
forward.
Yeah, let me not go too faraway.
Dr. Pelè (09:38):
Yeah, Well, you know I'm actually.
You are clearly passionateabout this topic.
I can see from your bodylanguage and just you really get
in there.
You really get in there withyour people and and you help
them start to feel empoweredthat they can make change and
that they can come out of theircubby holes and be the great,
(10:00):
influential leaders they want tobe.
But I'm interested in how yougot onto this career path
yourself as a career changecoach and and actually just as a
professional in the peoplespace what's your story?
How'd you get here?
Oh, how did I get?
Amechi Udo (10:16):
Okay, yeah, I set you in in the in our sort of pre
pre-con call chat.
Yeah, bag of sugar.
If you go to your cupboard pickup a 2k but 2kg bag of sugar, I
think that's about what.
Just under four pounds, mm.
(10:38):
Hmm, that was me when I wasborn.
I was born two months premature.
My name means God only knowswhat tomorrow may bring.
I'm not.
I'm not religious in any shapeor form, but my parents, after
they had the medicalintervention, what was left was
(10:59):
spirit, so they gave me my firstname.
My surname means sorry my middlename means best blessed
Benedict, and my surname meanspeace.
So, it's kind of like somepeople know the origins of
(11:19):
themselves and whether they wereborn and how they came into the
world.
Some people know the meaningsof their names.
Those are both significant forme.
I was with, as a good friend ofmine says, when she met me at
the organization I worked withat the time.
You told me your name is abouta m e c a dry.
There is no short form, not ame cheat, not a m h a, it's a m
(11:45):
h e.
And that organization I workedwith as I was actually an
executive search consultant inthe finance industry I
previously been in HR andlearning and development and
recruitment and fifth of January1999, nine o'clock, that was a
(12:10):
pivotal point.
There were other pivotal pointsalong the way, but that one.
I was even on my iPhone todayjust checking what day of the
week was that Tuesday?
We just had new year.
I was back in work.
I went into the office a littlelater because we've had
(12:31):
holidays.
Normally we're in between eightand eight 30.
I was there at nine by 925, Iwas out on the pavement no job,
no home, no kids.
By 925, I was out on thepavement no job, no home, no
kids.
Oh, boy.
(12:53):
For the first time in my life Icould be, as an adult, totally
selfish.
So just think about me and whatI wanted to do next in my life.
The boss that had let me go hadhad a conversation with me
(13:14):
probably five months before.
He said you're gonna get amatch here.
You're nearly 30.
You've really got to start tothink about what do you want to
do with the rest of your life,I'm like, but my goal wasn't
about what he'd said, it's thathe'd spotted what I knew deep
down.
I joined that from knowing thatI needed to worry.
(13:41):
Well, is this gonna be a careerI want to do longer term, or do
I want to do something else?
Mm-hmm, he knew that he was anexperienced man.
His name's David.
He's you know.
In that respect, I've got a lotof.
I've got a lot of time for thefact that he stopped in his life
(14:03):
and said excuse me, what areyou doing?
He was the second person that Ican no third person I can pick
out in my life.
Who did that?
Wow, the first person was alady called Mary Ann.
In my first job, a job thatactually got made around me, I
(14:24):
didn't even have to apply theysaid what do you want to do in
the job?
I don't know, I think this andthat they create the job around
me.
It came off the back of doing awork placement with them.
It was I don't know what you'dcall it.
They were county government,local government, yeah, uk
anyway.
So, but that was.
(14:45):
That was back then.
And this lady, mary Ann, shecame into the office she was
there actually as a volunteerand she sat down and she just
said to me Amici, you're bored.
Dr. Pelè (14:56):
Ooh.
Amechi Udo (14:59):
What?
Try to try to style it out.
No, got you, nailed you.
You're bored.
Yeah, long story short.
I thought well, if she can seeit, how come other folks who've
been working me longer becausethis is like her first day?
(15:20):
Yeah, she's not bad, you'rebored.
Why aren't these other folkstelling me or saying something?
One or two it's like, oh, don'tstay here.
It was my first HR job, sodon't stay here.
Not because it's a bad place,but you've come with a level of
qualification and understandingand experience that most of the
(15:41):
people here don't have.
Dr. Pelè (15:43):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (15:44):
And you either use it now and put it into fertile
ground or watch it disappear.
So I moved on.
I did move on and I joined thehealth service and I worked in
an NHS hospital so the NationalHealth Service here and two key
(16:05):
things happened there.
One was very, very significantfor me professionally my then
boss, a nice person called Linda.
She said to me Mechie, I don'twanna see you here in two years
time.
You want that one?
I've just joined.
Yeah, develop people so theycan leave.
Dr. Pelè (16:26):
That's a good.
Develop people so they canleave, that's good.
No, no she was clear.
Amechi Udo (16:32):
After she saw the shock, she went look, these two
managers, which is the nextposition, up from where you are.
They've only just started, sothey're going to be on a two
year cycle.
At least I myself am notplanning to go anywhere.
And they say I boss, gosomewhere Because that's the
(16:55):
role I'm going for.
So there are no vacancies atthe next level.
So initially, like I said, Ithought oh, I thought this boss
was going to be all kind andnice, and she was, because she
made me look at where is careerprogression here, where are the
(17:17):
opportunities, whether that besideways upwards, new areas
within the business.
She made me open my eyes tothat.
The second thing that happenedin that role was that somebody
came downstairs.
We were based in a communityhospital, so we're not all
flashing lights, we're muchslower pace, but we had a
(17:38):
palliative care unit, which isend of life care.
Somebody came in and askedcould somebody come upstairs
please and witness somebody'slast wooden testament?
Dr. Pelè (17:52):
And.
Amechi Udo (17:52):
I've got to be honest at the time I was a lot
younger, a lot more arrogant, alot more ignorant.
In some ways as well.
I would look around the officeand I would say, yes, I don't
think at the time I'd actuallyheard properly what had been
asked.
I would already do my, alreadylistening, yeah.
Dr. Pelè (18:10):
I'll do that.
Amechi Udo (18:14):
And I went upstairs.
It was only one floor up, so wewent in the lift and the lift
was not a zooming express lift,it was just like slow and steady
.
Just enough time to actuallyrealize the significance.
Because I then started torealize if I'm doing this, this
(18:37):
person probably doesn't haveanybody, and also, this person
is now coming to the end oftheir life.
Dr. Pelè (18:44):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (18:45):
So, although I'm doing a small thing with signing
as a witness, it's a big thingin terms of hey, what are you
going to be doing in the timethat you have?
Yeah, yeah.
And my work in terms of workingwith people in organizations
actually, at its heart, says hey, what are you going to do with
(19:06):
the life that you have?
Dr. Pelè (19:07):
Oh, my goodness, that's an important point.
I'm going to come back to thatin a second.
So, basically, you foundyourself here on a journey that
I like to call the leadershipjourney.
I have something on my wallthat says a leader is one who
knows the way, goes the way andshows the way.
You didn't just show, youdidn't go get some kind of
(19:29):
degree or certificate and thenshow up.
You've lived this thing andyou've really.
This is an experience for youthat has turned into how you now
help others.
The point I wanted to go back tothat you said is this question
of what do you really want to dowith the time that you have on
this planet?
I read a book recently calledBurn the Boats, and the most
(19:52):
outrageous point that I can'tget out of my head was when he
talked about the fact that hisname is Matt the author, when he
talks about how he has an appcalled I think it's called
WeeCloak.
No, weecroak, weecroak,c-r-o-a-k.
(20:12):
We die, basically, andbasically this app reminds him
every day, for five times a day,that he's going to die.
And so, because he constantlyknows that every decision,
everything he does, is all aboutwhat do I really want to do
with the short time that I haveon this planet.
It's kind of a weird angle onwhat you've said, but how
(20:35):
powerful is that right?
Amechi Udo (20:37):
Yeah, I realized reasonably early in my life two
things we're all going to die,but also we're a long time
unborn.
So that really puts that lifethat you have in a really tiny
little laser-sliced sandwich.
Dr. Pelè (20:56):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (20:58):
So right, okay, so there's eons of time before we
even existed in this form.
We're always a collection ofitems held together in various
forms, and then there's anothertime where that form that we're
held in currently will break theforce will, the bonds will
(21:18):
loosen and we'll be around tomake something else.
Dr. Pelè (21:23):
Yeah, yeah, and that's true wisdom right there.
True wisdom, I found, is whenyou know that you know a lot of
people hold on to this form andto this money and to this thing
or whatever it is that they havenow which is so temporary,
right.
True wisdom starts where youare.
In that conversation, I wantedto ask you if we could shift to
(21:44):
the topic of the solutions thatyou bring to your organizations.
I mean, clearly, people have tomake these decisions about
their lives and about their workall the time.
Do you have some methodologies?
Maybe you have a two-stepprogram, a five-step program,
maybe even a 12-step programthat you bring into companies to
(22:05):
help their leaders really beginto create the change they can
create.
Amechi Udo (22:12):
I bring something that's fundamental and in some
ways very easy and yet verydifficult, and that is that I
bring the space for what needsto be there.
And now, of course, you can'temail hey, I'm just here to
(22:33):
bring the whole the space.
It's you are.
Can we get the other company in?
We've got 20 years of pedigreeand done all that.
But the truth often is it's notabout the particular
certification, fancy methodology, step by step program.
(22:56):
If that's what you want to buy,then I'm probably not the
person to bring to yourorganization.
Mm.
Hmm, if you actually realize,our organization is made up of a
series of human relationships.
Right now, this particularhuman relationship is working in
a way which either we want tohelp create create a more
profitable, happy, happy workingenvironment or we recognize
(23:19):
that, through the circumstances,beyond the control of the
individual concerned, it is nowtime for them to make a
transition, and we want them totransition in a way that is
respectful, that is supportive,that is nurturing and, let's be
frank, also gives us the bestchance, reputation only being
(23:41):
spoken of well when this personleaves.
Yes, we want them to leave well,we don't want them to leave
badly.
Then we will have aconversation and generally, the
organizations that commit totheir people don't just say
(24:01):
people are our greatest asset,and they actually say these are
people.
Dr. Pelè (24:09):
Yeah, yeah, and go ahead.
Well, I was just going to saythat one of the things I like
about your approach, whichleaves things you listen right,
it leaves things as they are sothat you can come in and help
people see a path.
You know, I like the idea of acareer path where you don't just
show up but you actually thinkabout the long term.
(24:32):
Is that what I'm hearing fromyou, that you help people sort
of see a larger career path?
That's not just where you arenow and do I like it or do I not
like it?
Right?
Amechi Udo (24:42):
Well, sometimes it's about being with where you are
now.
In the past I would have beenoh, you know, this is what
happened here and we've.
But hey, what do you want toachieve?
Well, hold on.
That's where we're here.
Here are the loads I'm carrying, and some of those loads are
work related, some of those areother parts of my life related,
(25:06):
some of those are external, someof those are internal.
I'm not a therapist, I'm not apsychologist.
I just want to be clear aboutthat.
But I am a pair of ears thatwill give you a space to share
this in a non-judgmental way anda confidential way, as long as
it's not opposing a risk to youor others, and we will have that
(25:30):
discussion.
I mean, your listeners areprobably thinking, oh, what's he
doing to talk about?
Can he give me an example?
I remember going and workingwith a very successful leader.
They were working very hard tomake an impact.
(25:51):
Their company had been acquiredby a much larger parent and as
part of the deal it was you'vegot to keep the team.
We've invested, got to keepthem.
But this leader was now beingasked the question what have you
generated for us in pounds andpension?
What have you done for us andthe leader was conflicted
(26:16):
because they were all in withthe people, my people.
I made the promise I'm going tosupport them, I'm going to keep
them, I'm going to protect them.
It's going to be great.
So okay, have you kepteverybody?
Yes, I have.
Have you brought anybody new onboard?
Yes, I have.
If we were to go and get keyperson insurance to get to
(26:37):
protect against any kind offraud, I would say I would say
any of these people leaving, howmuch would that be?
He did the figures.
We didn't need to talk anymoreBecause he now had the language,
he had the numbers.
But he had the connection withhis value around his commitment
(26:57):
to the people.
We created the bridge.
How can I talk people in amonetary sense?
That also respects this neworganization we have now become
part of and their value ofprofitability and return.
Dr. Pelè (27:16):
You know, what you've just defined is profitable
happiness.
Right, I love that youbasically your example really
talks about you know it's funnybecause companies this is not
that easy for companies andleaders to get their heads
around the idea that they canhave a profitable, hard charging
bottom line, successful companyand very happy employees at the
(27:40):
same time.
That balance is quite a hardfor me.
Amechi Udo (27:44):
It's not to be honest, and you know why?
I know why Because I used towork with a business partner a
while ago and she told me abouta former business that she and
her business partner she had.
She said that business partnerdied and when that person died,
(28:06):
that was it for the business.
She could not afford to go outinto the market and buy the
equivalent ability.
And so when we started workingtogether, she said look, one of
the first things we've got to dois we've got to get key person
insurance If either of us dropsdown dead or is in ill or for
other reasons can't work and weneed to go to the market to get
(28:28):
a replacement.
We need to know we can do it.
Dr. Pelè (28:33):
So for me.
Amechi Udo (28:34):
I'm not meaning to be, you know, I don't.
I'm not mean to undermine that.
Oh, you can't do it.
The actuaries in the majorinsurance firms Lloyds of London
and wherever else they can doit, yeah, and they do it very
properly and they're very happyto do it.
Dr. Pelè (28:53):
Yeah, yeah.
Amechi Udo (28:56):
So if a footballer or musician can go, oh, actually
I love my craft, but you knowwhat, if I got nodules or if I
broke my finger, I couldn't domy, my problem or happiness
would stop.
So how come somebody who'sknocking the sticks on the drums
(29:17):
can get it and some CEO or COOor MD theoretically can't get it
Because actually you want toget that game?
Here's Lloyds of London, here'sthe actuaries.
They will just ask them lookaround this room.
Would you be happy if your exwalked out of the door?
(29:39):
You know, ex has, in particular, job title.
Yeah, oh no, okay, so we knowwhat unprofitable unhappiness
looks like.
Dr. Pelè (29:53):
So let's go to the other side of it.
Amechi Udo (29:56):
So problem of happiness is right now, yeah,
but I just haven't beenconscious about it because it's
just been running, it's justbeen good.
It wasn't until ex got COVIDthat I suddenly realized oh, it
wasn't until why?
Why?
Ex said actually, family's nothappy, we've got to relocate.
(30:21):
It wasn't until someone put arather large bag of money in
front of somebody and they tookit.
Yeah, then went and workedsomewhere else.
That was when we experiencedunhappiness, unprofitable
unhappiness.
Dr. Pelè (30:37):
Yeah, yeah, you know, you know.
I think you've really capturedyou know in your executive
coaching process or practice.
I think what I'm sensing fromyou is these are complicated and
complex human intangibles andsometimes it's the best listener
(31:01):
, the best feedback provider,the best coach really that can
help people with these careerpaths and transitions and growth
and so on.
Oh, maitjean, what are youexcited about next?
What are you working on rightnow?
Is there something that you arelaunching or releasing that
people can find online?
And, by the way, let us knowwhere online people can find you
(31:24):
best.
Amechi Udo (31:25):
Well, we'll deal with those bits first.
Then you can put my name intoLinkedIn A-M-E-C-H-I-U-D-O.
I'm the only one, as far as I'maware.
Yeah, okay, so you will find methere.
You can go to my website,wwwyourcareermatterscouk.
(31:47):
We're just going through a bitof a spruce up process.
Your site is live and active,but we're just going to be
adding some new stuff over thecoming weeks.
Yeah, so be prepared.
When you arrive on the website,it will say sign up to the
newsletter.
So please do.
It's the easiest way to stay incontact.
(32:09):
Those are the best two.
I'm saying that because also ina plethora of social media apps
, powerfulways, channels, it'slike no, let's keep it simple.
Yeah, the easiest one if youreally, really, really really
want to connect is you can dropme an email.
My first name am-e-c-h-i atyourcareermatterscouk.
(32:36):
That's a met.
She am-e-c-h-i atyourcareermatterscouk.
Just put Dr Pele in the subjectline and then put your request
in the main body.
We'll have a conversation.
(32:59):
What am I excited about?
I'm excited about.
I'm excited to work with somenew interesting clients coming
through, some more leaders andsome more mid-level
professionals who really arewanting to take the next step
within their organizations.
I really want to tripleunderline I'm not here only
(33:22):
because people want to step out.
In fact, in terms of thecurrent environment,
increasingly people are sayingno, I want to stay in.
The manner in which they'restaying, in the way that they're
preparing and managing theircareers is raising lots of
(33:44):
questions.
I'm only one person, but Icertainly believe there are a
lot of people who need support.
Those people work insideorganizations.
If they're supported, then theorganization's benefit.
I'm going to just give you areally quick story, but after I
(34:06):
have a few.
When I was earlier in my career, I was working in an
organization and I decided thisparticular morning I'd go in
early.
I was going to be in there at 8o'clock I was there.
I was just sat down, I unpackedmy stuff, the computer was on
(34:28):
and then somebody else came intothe office, the colleague.
They then proceeded to say oh,that's terrible this, and that's
horrible, it's raining,basically just bringing all
their mood hoover energy draininto the room.
I don't know what possessed me,but I turned around and I said
(34:54):
actually I've just come in tohave some quiet time, to just
concentrate on this.
You say you've had a bad day orit's a horrible day.
I just want to let you knowit's 10 past eight in the
morning, I don't know, about you.
My day has been okay and it israining outside at the moment,
(35:19):
but I'm sure it will pass.
I'm going to say, hey, you needto stop dumping your stuff on
me and just put shields up Forcefield.
Yeah, yeah, but it required ashift for me first, because I
could have easily just gone.
(35:40):
They come in and they spoiledit.
No, actually is the reality myreality.
No, it isn't.
Therefore, I can now reset andreconnect with where I'm at and
then communicate with them.
If they're out on a judgmentalway, just that's yours.
Dr. Pelè (36:05):
Yeah, it's not mine.
Amechi Udo (36:07):
Now, why does that matter?
We are now in an environmentwhere, oh, hold on, my slack has
gone off, oh, hold on myLinkedIn's just.
Oh, hold on.
We get challenged, we getinterrupted, we get impinged,
dinged, vinged, winged all overthe place.
Yeah, we're getting.
(36:29):
The pace of change isphenomenally fast.
The expectations of ourselves,of others, the shifting sands of
multiple generations now in theworkforce, all of that on top
(36:50):
of ecological, political,technological changes.
We're trying to adapt and cope.
Yeah, I think the Americanswould say Teter Todda, you know
one little thing?
(37:10):
Or make it all tip over.
Dr. Pelè (37:12):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (37:15):
And I think, without working on some of this stuff,
having space for some of thisstuff, if it's just to say you
need to stop for a moment.
Dr. Pelè (37:27):
We have to intentionally address these
intangible emotional things.
And, by the way, I love your isthat an English or British
slang?
When you said mood hoover, Iactually wrote it down.
I wrote it down because it'snot something I'm familiar with,
but I think it's someone whosucks all the positive feelings
(37:51):
out of the air and just bringsall their negativity.
But I think what you're sayingis that you know it's so
important for us to just focuson these things, bring them up
and deal with them.
If we allow them to just happenby default, we're going to get
cultures that are negative bydefault.
But if we intentionally focuson how do we improve all these
(38:13):
things, we will get there.
I just want to say thank you somuch for spending some time
with us on the profitablehappiness podcast.
All the very best to you inyour endeavors.
And you know we have a wholeother conversation about our
history.
You know coming from Africa andfinding ourselves in the people
(38:35):
business and the perspectiveswe bring.
But maybe that's anotherpodcast, maybe.
Amechi Udo (38:40):
Yeah.
Dr. Pelè (38:41):
Thank you so much for being here, Amici.
It's been a pleasure to meetyou.
Amechi Udo (38:45):
And likewise you, dr Palais.
Thank you so much, dad or son,we'll talk soon.
Dr. Pelè (38:49):
Thanks for tuning in to the profitable happiness
podcast.
For more episodes, visitDrPalaiscom.
And remember get happy firstand success will follow.
The South African 멀.
Hello happy people.
Welcome to the ProfitableHappiness Podcast.
Hello everyone, this is Dr.
Pelè with the ProfitableHappiness Podcast, and today it
is my pleasure to introduce youto Amechi Udo, who is kind of my
brother from another mother.
We found ourselves on LinkedInand, most importantly, I was so
(00:26):
impressed with the shares thathe would put out the content,
the power of his message.
He's a career change coach thathas a unique message for
organizations and we want tohear all about it, ameichi, and
the connection I made with yougoing all the way back to Africa
was really powerful, so I hopewe can talk about some of that
(00:46):
here.
How are you doing today,ameichi?
Amechi Udo (00:48):
I'm doing very well, Dr.
Pelè, welcome, welcome.
In fact, I would even give youa virtual high five just over
here.
There we go, awesome, awesome.
Now, ameichi, you want me tostraighten the camera?
We do want to knock everybodyout, yeah, knock everybody out.
Dr. Pelè (01:03):
Yeah, no, I hear you, ameichi, now.
Obviously we can tell from youraccent that you are in England.
Is that correct?
Is that a correct assumption?
That is accurate?
Yeah, and I'm here in Austin,texas, but both of us have
traveled a long, long way to getto where we are and I want to
hear all about it.
Ameichi, if we could start with, you're helping us understand
(01:25):
some of the central challengesthat you experience when you are
in organizations helping midand senior level professionals
go from stuck to successful intheir careers.
Tell us about that.
Amechi Udo (01:37):
Well, thanks very much for asking.
The work I do is very muchworking with individuals in
developing their leadership andtheir primarily with themselves
to give themselves permission toreshape and work differently
(01:58):
within their role and within theorganization.
People often think, oh mygoodness, they're getting this
career coach in.
That just means exit, exit.
Everybody comes to the meetingswith a parachute on.
I've got to be honest, in the20 plus years that I've been
working with people, I canliterally count on one finger
(02:20):
People who've actually exited asa direct consequence.
But even when they did, it wasthe manner of exit rather than
just throw their in the air andstorm out, and it was also for
the benefit of the organizationas well, because the
(02:42):
organization is.
A lot of my work is aroundorganizations getting the most
out of that professional workingrelationship.
And sometimes I'm asked inbecause, for whatever reasons,
that's not happening.
That maybe because theorganization's a whole is saying
we're going in a differentdirection and actually we're
(03:04):
bringing you in specifically toenable that mindset shift, that
shifting culture that we need.
It might be that they're sayingwe've got a team of individual
team.
Well, actually I will let thosewords out my mouth A team of
individuals, and that often issymptomatic of actually you
(03:25):
don't.
They know they don't have ateam.
What they have is primarily theindividual working
relationships and my coming in.
Sometimes I might use a toollike the disc team assessment
with them.
They can then start to map outoh right, these are all of our
strengths.
(03:45):
Now that we've got this inliving color, we can kind of go
ah, we can determine why thisperson does or doesn't run along
nicely with that person.
But now we've got guidance.
Oh, we can bring this otherperson across and in, or we can
give this person more of thiskind of work because it plays to
(04:07):
their strengths.
And we started doing that andafter a few weeks or a few
months we've seen a change inthem.
They're a different person,they're happier, they're more
productive.
Do you know what?
They're even, dare I say it,creating profitable happiness in
the workplace, and we love it.
You know, whatever you did,just we don't need to know.
(04:31):
We just know it's given us whatwe need.
Dr. Pelè (04:36):
You mentioned something that I think is really
powerful and poignant andpivotal.
You said that sometimes people,leaders need to give themselves
permission to sort ofrediscover and open up their own
powers, their own abilities tocreate change in their
organizations.
Tell us a little bit more aboutthat, Because it sounds to me
(04:57):
like that's a big problem.
I mean, when you, when you'rerunning around not even
believing that you can changeand create change.
Tell us about that.
Amechi Udo (05:06):
Well, crucially, leaders really can be real
shifters of mood, even at thevery basic level.
It's Monday morning, you comein morning, whoa.
The leader said good morning,okay, all right.
(05:26):
Oh, it's Monday morning.
The leader walks straight pastme.
Dr. Pelè (05:32):
Ooh, now we don't know what's going on with that
leader on either of thoseoccasions we don't know what's
going on in our life.
Amechi Udo (05:39):
They're human being just like the rest of us.
You know, I'm taking them downoff that dais, that stage we've
got them on.
It's an old one.
We breathe the same air, webleed the same blood, okay.
Dr. Pelè (05:51):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (05:52):
But due to the nature of the work environment
and the work culture, dependingon how that's been developed,
that individual saying somethingto your not can be interpreted
in numerous ways.
The leader may be just goinghey, general, I've got a meeting
(06:12):
on this, I've got to do that.
And they're all just oh, thiswas going on the road on the way
to get here, or this was goingon the home.
They're in their own thoughts,but suddenly it's interpreted oh
, that's typical of the leaderthe leader never acknowledged
that.
Oh, there's no way up.
And then they sit down and theyhave their cup of coffee or
(06:33):
whatever the beverage they wantto drink for the morning.
They talk to, they talk to eachother oh you're on, what's
wrong with you?
Oh, you didn't talk to me.
Oh, you as well.
Oh, this is going badly for me.
And before you know it, you'vegot bad vibes running through
the building.
Yeah, you didn't in any shapeor form, purposely or
(06:55):
intentionally, unless perhapsyou have some narcissistic
tendencies.
Yeah, yeah, no, I just doingyou.
Dr. Pelè (07:05):
You just doing you, and how important is that you
just doing you.
But sometimes you mentionedhere that the culture that an
organization has, depending onhow that's been developed.
So people are just doingthemselves, being themselves,
and I think what you're sayingis there has to be some
intentionality to buildthemselves as leaders and to
build cultures, and that'sreally what you are all about.
(07:27):
Is that correct?
Amechi Udo (07:28):
Very much so.
Yeah, yeah you know, you talkto a lot of people and typically
I work with people who havefound themselves in leadership
positions.
Dr. Pelè (07:40):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (07:41):
They're.
It's not to say that theyhaven't had leadership
development, but seldom does thecourse say and you're, one of
your colleagues has a criticalillness and another one is
dealing with the conflictbetween being a parent and being
being an employee.
You need to now support them.
That's not not on the list and,ps, you need to fulfill, or
(08:08):
enable the fulfillment of yourboss's legacy.
Now that they're in their lastyear, 18 months, and they just
want this to happen Because thisis their big thing.
Yeah, this is not.
This is not me.
Oh, I read the Harvard BusinessReview and it told me about how
to do that you got to live it.
(08:30):
Yeah, yeah, you got to live inrelations, yeah, and it brings
out in in us as individuals aswell.
Now I've touched my heart,because it is a, it is sometimes
it gets to the heart.
Dr. Pelè (08:45):
Yeah, yeah quite literally.
It's an it's an emotional.
Amechi Udo (08:49):
Yeah, this is somewhere I do or don't want to
go.
Yeah, this is comfortable oruncomfortable, I'm at ease or
ill at ease.
Yeah this, yeah, and it's, it'shard for for leaders to stop,
especially now.
I think over the last year, asI say, last 20 odd years working
(09:11):
with them, it's it's becomingincreasingly hard to stop, to
come to rest, to pause, ifanything.
It's like, hey, you know, I'veburned through my full set of
night cares, you know, trying tokeep going.
Yeah, yeah, they put in thepandemic.
It's like, you know, peloton,you got this on, on, on, fast
(09:33):
forward.
Yeah, let me not go too faraway.
Dr. Pelè (09:38):
Yeah, Well, you know I'm actually.
You are clearly passionateabout this topic.
I can see from your bodylanguage and just you really get
in there.
You really get in there withyour people and and you help
them start to feel empoweredthat they can make change and
that they can come out of theircubby holes and be the great,
(10:00):
influential leaders they want tobe.
But I'm interested in how yougot onto this career path
yourself as a career changecoach and and actually just as a
professional in the peoplespace what's your story?
How'd you get here?
Oh, how did I get?
Amechi Udo (10:16):
Okay, yeah, I set you in in the in our sort of pre
pre-con call chat.
Yeah, bag of sugar.
If you go to your cupboard pickup a 2k but 2kg bag of sugar, I
think that's about what.
Just under four pounds, mm.
(10:38):
Hmm, that was me when I wasborn.
I was born two months premature.
My name means God only knowswhat tomorrow may bring.
I'm not.
I'm not religious in any shapeor form, but my parents, after
they had the medicalintervention, what was left was
(10:59):
spirit, so they gave me my firstname.
My surname means sorry my middlename means best blessed
Benedict, and my surname meanspeace.
So, it's kind of like somepeople know the origins of
(11:19):
themselves and whether they wereborn and how they came into the
world.
Some people know the meaningsof their names.
Those are both significant forme.
I was with, as a good friend ofmine says, when she met me at
the organization I worked withat the time.
You told me your name is abouta m e c a dry.
There is no short form, not ame cheat, not a m h a, it's a m
(11:45):
h e.
And that organization I workedwith as I was actually an
executive search consultant inthe finance industry I
previously been in HR andlearning and development and
recruitment and fifth of January1999, nine o'clock, that was a
(12:10):
pivotal point.
There were other pivotal pointsalong the way, but that one.
I was even on my iPhone todayjust checking what day of the
week was that Tuesday?
We just had new year.
I was back in work.
I went into the office a littlelater because we've had
(12:31):
holidays.
Normally we're in between eightand eight 30.
I was there at nine by 925, Iwas out on the pavement no job,
no home, no kids.
By 925, I was out on thepavement no job, no home, no
kids.
Oh, boy.
(12:53):
For the first time in my life Icould be, as an adult, totally
selfish.
So just think about me and whatI wanted to do next in my life.
The boss that had let me go hadhad a conversation with me
(13:14):
probably five months before.
He said you're gonna get amatch here.
You're nearly 30.
You've really got to start tothink about what do you want to
do with the rest of your life,I'm like, but my goal wasn't
about what he'd said, it's thathe'd spotted what I knew deep
down.
I joined that from knowing thatI needed to worry.
(13:41):
Well, is this gonna be a careerI want to do longer term, or do
I want to do something else?
Mm-hmm, he knew that he was anexperienced man.
His name's David.
He's you know.
In that respect, I've got a lotof.
I've got a lot of time for thefact that he stopped in his life
(14:03):
and said excuse me, what areyou doing?
He was the second person that Ican no third person I can pick
out in my life.
Who did that?
Wow, the first person was alady called Mary Ann.
In my first job, a job thatactually got made around me, I
(14:24):
didn't even have to apply theysaid what do you want to do in
the job?
I don't know, I think this andthat they create the job around
me.
It came off the back of doing awork placement with them.
It was I don't know what you'dcall it.
They were county government,local government, yeah, uk
anyway.
So, but that was.
(14:45):
That was back then.
And this lady, mary Ann, shecame into the office she was
there actually as a volunteerand she sat down and she just
said to me Amici, you're bored.
Dr. Pelè (14:56):
Ooh.
Amechi Udo (14:59):
What?
Try to try to style it out.
No, got you, nailed you.
You're bored.
Yeah, long story short.
I thought well, if she can seeit, how come other folks who've
been working me longer becausethis is like her first day?
(15:20):
Yeah, she's not bad, you'rebored.
Why aren't these other folkstelling me or saying something?
One or two it's like, oh, don'tstay here.
It was my first HR job, sodon't stay here.
Not because it's a bad place,but you've come with a level of
qualification and understandingand experience that most of the
(15:41):
people here don't have.
Dr. Pelè (15:43):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (15:44):
And you either use it now and put it into fertile
ground or watch it disappear.
So I moved on.
I did move on and I joined thehealth service and I worked in
an NHS hospital so the NationalHealth Service here and two key
(16:05):
things happened there.
One was very, very significantfor me professionally my then
boss, a nice person called Linda.
She said to me Mechie, I don'twanna see you here in two years
time.
You want that one?
I've just joined.
Yeah, develop people so theycan leave.
Dr. Pelè (16:26):
That's a good.
Develop people so they canleave, that's good.
No, no she was clear.
Amechi Udo (16:32):
After she saw the shock, she went look, these two
managers, which is the nextposition, up from where you are.
They've only just started, sothey're going to be on a two
year cycle.
At least I myself am notplanning to go anywhere.
And they say I boss, gosomewhere Because that's the
(16:55):
role I'm going for.
So there are no vacancies atthe next level.
So initially, like I said, Ithought oh, I thought this boss
was going to be all kind andnice, and she was, because she
made me look at where is careerprogression here, where are the
(17:17):
opportunities, whether that besideways upwards, new areas
within the business.
She made me open my eyes tothat.
The second thing that happenedin that role was that somebody
came downstairs.
We were based in a communityhospital, so we're not all
flashing lights, we're muchslower pace, but we had a
(17:38):
palliative care unit, which isend of life care.
Somebody came in and askedcould somebody come upstairs
please and witness somebody'slast wooden testament?
Dr. Pelè (17:52):
And.
Amechi Udo (17:52):
I've got to be honest at the time I was a lot
younger, a lot more arrogant, alot more ignorant.
In some ways as well.
I would look around the officeand I would say, yes, I don't
think at the time I'd actuallyheard properly what had been
asked.
I would already do my, alreadylistening, yeah.
Dr. Pelè (18:10):
I'll do that.
Amechi Udo (18:14):
And I went upstairs.
It was only one floor up, so wewent in the lift and the lift
was not a zooming express lift,it was just like slow and steady
.
Just enough time to actuallyrealize the significance.
Because I then started torealize if I'm doing this, this
(18:37):
person probably doesn't haveanybody, and also, this person
is now coming to the end oftheir life.
Dr. Pelè (18:44):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (18:45):
So, although I'm doing a small thing with signing
as a witness, it's a big thingin terms of hey, what are you
going to be doing in the timethat you have?
Yeah, yeah.
And my work in terms of workingwith people in organizations
actually, at its heart, says hey, what are you going to do with
(19:06):
the life that you have?
Dr. Pelè (19:07):
Oh, my goodness, that's an important point.
I'm going to come back to thatin a second.
So, basically, you foundyourself here on a journey that
I like to call the leadershipjourney.
I have something on my wallthat says a leader is one who
knows the way, goes the way andshows the way.
You didn't just show, youdidn't go get some kind of
(19:29):
degree or certificate and thenshow up.
You've lived this thing andyou've really.
This is an experience for youthat has turned into how you now
help others.
The point I wanted to go back tothat you said is this question
of what do you really want to dowith the time that you have on
this planet?
I read a book recently calledBurn the Boats, and the most
(19:52):
outrageous point that I can'tget out of my head was when he
talked about the fact that hisname is Matt the author, when he
talks about how he has an appcalled I think it's called
WeeCloak.
No, weecroak, weecroak,c-r-o-a-k.
(20:12):
We die, basically, andbasically this app reminds him
every day, for five times a day,that he's going to die.
And so, because he constantlyknows that every decision,
everything he does, is all aboutwhat do I really want to do
with the short time that I haveon this planet.
It's kind of a weird angle onwhat you've said, but how
(20:35):
powerful is that right?
Amechi Udo (20:37):
Yeah, I realized reasonably early in my life two
things we're all going to die,but also we're a long time
unborn.
So that really puts that lifethat you have in a really tiny
little laser-sliced sandwich.
Dr. Pelè (20:56):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (20:58):
So right, okay, so there's eons of time before we
even existed in this form.
We're always a collection ofitems held together in various
forms, and then there's anothertime where that form that we're
held in currently will break theforce will, the bonds will
(21:18):
loosen and we'll be around tomake something else.
Dr. Pelè (21:23):
Yeah, yeah, and that's true wisdom right there.
True wisdom, I found, is whenyou know that you know a lot of
people hold on to this form andto this money and to this thing
or whatever it is that they havenow which is so temporary,
right.
True wisdom starts where youare.
In that conversation, I wantedto ask you if we could shift to
(21:44):
the topic of the solutions thatyou bring to your organizations.
I mean, clearly, people have tomake these decisions about
their lives and about their workall the time.
Do you have some methodologies?
Maybe you have a two-stepprogram, a five-step program,
maybe even a 12-step programthat you bring into companies to
(22:05):
help their leaders really beginto create the change they can
create.
Amechi Udo (22:12):
I bring something that's fundamental and in some
ways very easy and yet verydifficult, and that is that I
bring the space for what needsto be there.
And now, of course, you can'temail hey, I'm just here to
(22:33):
bring the whole the space.
It's you are.
Can we get the other company in?
We've got 20 years of pedigreeand done all that.
But the truth often is it's notabout the particular
certification, fancy methodology, step by step program.
(22:56):
If that's what you want to buy,then I'm probably not the
person to bring to yourorganization.
Mm.
Hmm, if you actually realize,our organization is made up of a
series of human relationships.
Right now, this particularhuman relationship is working in
a way which either we want tohelp create create a more
profitable, happy, happy workingenvironment or we recognize
(23:19):
that, through the circumstances,beyond the control of the
individual concerned, it is nowtime for them to make a
transition, and we want them totransition in a way that is
respectful, that is supportive,that is nurturing and, let's be
frank, also gives us the bestchance, reputation only being
(23:41):
spoken of well when this personleaves.
Yes, we want them to leave well,we don't want them to leave
badly.
Then we will have aconversation and generally, the
organizations that commit totheir people don't just say
(24:01):
people are our greatest asset,and they actually say these are
people.
Dr. Pelè (24:09):
Yeah, yeah, and go ahead.
Well, I was just going to saythat one of the things I like
about your approach, whichleaves things you listen right,
it leaves things as they are sothat you can come in and help
people see a path.
You know, I like the idea of acareer path where you don't just
show up but you actually thinkabout the long term.
(24:32):
Is that what I'm hearing fromyou, that you help people sort
of see a larger career path?
That's not just where you arenow and do I like it or do I not
like it?
Right?
Amechi Udo (24:42):
Well, sometimes it's about being with where you are
now.
In the past I would have beenoh, you know, this is what
happened here and we've.
But hey, what do you want toachieve?
Well, hold on.
That's where we're here.
Here are the loads I'm carrying, and some of those loads are
work related, some of those areother parts of my life related,
(25:06):
some of those are external, someof those are internal.
I'm not a therapist, I'm not apsychologist.
I just want to be clear aboutthat.
But I am a pair of ears thatwill give you a space to share
this in a non-judgmental way anda confidential way, as long as
it's not opposing a risk to youor others, and we will have that
(25:30):
discussion.
I mean, your listeners areprobably thinking, oh, what's he
doing to talk about?
Can he give me an example?
I remember going and workingwith a very successful leader.
They were working very hard tomake an impact.
(25:51):
Their company had been acquiredby a much larger parent and as
part of the deal it was you'vegot to keep the team.
We've invested, got to keepthem.
But this leader was now beingasked the question what have you
generated for us in pounds andpension?
What have you done for us andthe leader was conflicted
(26:16):
because they were all in withthe people, my people.
I made the promise I'm going tosupport them, I'm going to keep
them, I'm going to protect them.
It's going to be great.
So okay, have you kepteverybody?
Yes, I have.
Have you brought anybody new onboard?
Yes, I have.
If we were to go and get keyperson insurance to get to
(26:37):
protect against any kind offraud, I would say I would say
any of these people leaving, howmuch would that be?
He did the figures.
We didn't need to talk anymoreBecause he now had the language,
he had the numbers.
But he had the connection withhis value around his commitment
(26:57):
to the people.
We created the bridge.
How can I talk people in amonetary sense?
That also respects this neworganization we have now become
part of and their value ofprofitability and return.
Dr. Pelè (27:16):
You know, what you've just defined is profitable
happiness.
Right, I love that youbasically your example really
talks about you know it's funnybecause companies this is not
that easy for companies andleaders to get their heads
around the idea that they canhave a profitable, hard charging
bottom line, successful companyand very happy employees at the
(27:40):
same time.
That balance is quite a hardfor me.
Amechi Udo (27:44):
It's not to be honest, and you know why?
I know why Because I used towork with a business partner a
while ago and she told me abouta former business that she and
her business partner she had.
She said that business partnerdied and when that person died,
(28:06):
that was it for the business.
She could not afford to go outinto the market and buy the
equivalent ability.
And so when we started workingtogether, she said look, one of
the first things we've got to dois we've got to get key person
insurance If either of us dropsdown dead or is in ill or for
other reasons can't work and weneed to go to the market to get
(28:28):
a replacement.
We need to know we can do it.
Dr. Pelè (28:33):
So for me.
Amechi Udo (28:34):
I'm not meaning to be, you know, I don't.
I'm not mean to undermine that.
Oh, you can't do it.
The actuaries in the majorinsurance firms Lloyds of London
and wherever else they can doit, yeah, and they do it very
properly and they're very happyto do it.
Dr. Pelè (28:53):
Yeah, yeah.
Amechi Udo (28:56):
So if a footballer or musician can go, oh, actually
I love my craft, but you knowwhat, if I got nodules or if I
broke my finger, I couldn't domy, my problem or happiness
would stop.
So how come somebody who'sknocking the sticks on the drums
(29:17):
can get it and some CEO or COOor MD theoretically can't get it
Because actually you want toget that game?
Here's Lloyds of London, here'sthe actuaries.
They will just ask them lookaround this room.
Would you be happy if your exwalked out of the door?
(29:39):
You know, ex has, in particular, job title.
Yeah, oh no, okay, so we knowwhat unprofitable unhappiness
looks like.
Dr. Pelè (29:53):
So let's go to the other side of it.
Amechi Udo (29:56):
So problem of happiness is right now, yeah,
but I just haven't beenconscious about it because it's
just been running, it's justbeen good.
It wasn't until ex got COVIDthat I suddenly realized oh, it
wasn't until why?
Why?
Ex said actually, family's nothappy, we've got to relocate.
(30:21):
It wasn't until someone put arather large bag of money in
front of somebody and they tookit.
Yeah, then went and workedsomewhere else.
That was when we experiencedunhappiness, unprofitable
unhappiness.
Dr. Pelè (30:37):
Yeah, yeah, you know, you know.
I think you've really capturedyou know in your executive
coaching process or practice.
I think what I'm sensing fromyou is these are complicated and
complex human intangibles andsometimes it's the best listener
(31:01):
, the best feedback provider,the best coach really that can
help people with these careerpaths and transitions and growth
and so on.
Oh, maitjean, what are youexcited about next?
What are you working on rightnow?
Is there something that you arelaunching or releasing that
people can find online?
And, by the way, let us knowwhere online people can find you
(31:24):
best.
Amechi Udo (31:25):
Well, we'll deal with those bits first.
Then you can put my name intoLinkedIn A-M-E-C-H-I-U-D-O.
I'm the only one, as far as I'maware.
Yeah, okay, so you will find methere.
You can go to my website,wwwyourcareermatterscouk.
(31:47):
We're just going through a bitof a spruce up process.
Your site is live and active,but we're just going to be
adding some new stuff over thecoming weeks.
Yeah, so be prepared.
When you arrive on the website,it will say sign up to the
newsletter.
So please do.
It's the easiest way to stay incontact.
(32:09):
Those are the best two.
I'm saying that because also ina plethora of social media apps
, powerfulways, channels, it'slike no, let's keep it simple.
Yeah, the easiest one if youreally, really, really really
want to connect is you can dropme an email.
My first name am-e-c-h-i atyourcareermatterscouk.
(32:36):
That's a met.
She am-e-c-h-i atyourcareermatterscouk.
Just put Dr Pele in the subjectline and then put your request
in the main body.
We'll have a conversation.
(32:59):
What am I excited about?
I'm excited about.
I'm excited to work with somenew interesting clients coming
through, some more leaders andsome more mid-level
professionals who really arewanting to take the next step
within their organizations.
I really want to tripleunderline I'm not here only
(33:22):
because people want to step out.
In fact, in terms of thecurrent environment,
increasingly people are sayingno, I want to stay in.
The manner in which they'restaying, in the way that they're
preparing and managing theircareers is raising lots of
(33:44):
questions.
I'm only one person, but Icertainly believe there are a
lot of people who need support.
Those people work insideorganizations.
If they're supported, then theorganization's benefit.
I'm going to just give you areally quick story, but after I
(34:06):
have a few.
When I was earlier in my career, I was working in an
organization and I decided thisparticular morning I'd go in
early.
I was going to be in there at 8o'clock I was there.
I was just sat down, I unpackedmy stuff, the computer was on
(34:28):
and then somebody else came intothe office, the colleague.
They then proceeded to say oh,that's terrible this, and that's
horrible, it's raining,basically just bringing all
their mood hoover energy draininto the room.
I don't know what possessed me,but I turned around and I said
(34:54):
actually I've just come in tohave some quiet time, to just
concentrate on this.
You say you've had a bad day orit's a horrible day.
I just want to let you knowit's 10 past eight in the
morning, I don't know, about you.
My day has been okay and it israining outside at the moment,
(35:19):
but I'm sure it will pass.
I'm going to say, hey, you needto stop dumping your stuff on
me and just put shields up Forcefield.
Yeah, yeah, but it required ashift for me first, because I
could have easily just gone.
(35:40):
They come in and they spoiledit.
No, actually is the reality myreality.
No, it isn't.
Therefore, I can now reset andreconnect with where I'm at and
then communicate with them.
If they're out on a judgmentalway, just that's yours.
Dr. Pelè (36:05):
Yeah, it's not mine.
Amechi Udo (36:07):
Now, why does that matter?
We are now in an environmentwhere, oh, hold on, my slack has
gone off, oh, hold on myLinkedIn's just.
Oh, hold on.
We get challenged, we getinterrupted, we get impinged,
dinged, vinged, winged all overthe place.
Yeah, we're getting.
(36:29):
The pace of change isphenomenally fast.
The expectations of ourselves,of others, the shifting sands of
multiple generations now in theworkforce, all of that on top
(36:50):
of ecological, political,technological changes.
We're trying to adapt and cope.
Yeah, I think the Americanswould say Teter Todda, you know
one little thing?
(37:10):
Or make it all tip over.
Dr. Pelè (37:12):
Yeah.
Amechi Udo (37:15):
And I think, without working on some of this stuff,
having space for some of thisstuff, if it's just to say you
need to stop for a moment.
Dr. Pelè (37:27):
We have to intentionally address these
intangible emotional things.
And, by the way, I love your isthat an English or British
slang?
When you said mood hoover, Iactually wrote it down.
I wrote it down because it'snot something I'm familiar with,
but I think it's someone whosucks all the positive feelings
(37:51):
out of the air and just bringsall their negativity.
But I think what you're sayingis that you know it's so
important for us to just focuson these things, bring them up
and deal with them.
If we allow them to just happenby default, we're going to get
cultures that are negative bydefault.
But if we intentionally focuson how do we improve all these
(38:13):
things, we will get there.
I just want to say thank you somuch for spending some time
with us on the profitablehappiness podcast.
All the very best to you inyour endeavors.
And you know we have a wholeother conversation about our
history.
You know coming from Africa andfinding ourselves in the people
(38:35):
business and the perspectiveswe bring.
But maybe that's anotherpodcast, maybe.
Amechi Udo (38:40):
Yeah.
Dr. Pelè (38:41):
Thank you so much for being here, Amici.
It's been a pleasure to meetyou.
Amechi Udo (38:45):
And likewise you, dr Palais.
Thank you so much, dad or son,we'll talk soon.
Dr. Pelè (38:49):
Thanks for tuning in to the profitable happiness
podcast.
For more episodes, visitDrPalaiscom.
And remember get happy firstand success will follow.
The South African 멀.
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