In this transformative episode of the Stuck In My Mind Podcast, host Wize El Jefe and co-host Craig Andrews welcome Peter Teuscher, an international entrepreneur, senior corporate executive, transformational coach, and passionate advocate for soulful leadership. Across a deeply engaging conversation, Peter shares the twists and lessons of his journey from building businesses in Canada to coaching executives and leading workshops around the globe.
Purpose, Happiness, and Leadership in the Modern World
Right from the start, Peter unpacks the single biggest lesson drawn from his years in corporate and entrepreneurial environments: the indispensable role of purpose in work and life. He shares candid reflections about how a sense of meaning—knowing your “why”—is more fundamental than any promotion or paycheck. Peter drives home the point that true fulfillment stems not just from external success, but from the alignment between daily work and deeper values.
In a world obsessed with positive change, Peter urges listeners to look inward, saying positive change is best measured by your sense of fulfillment and the value you bring to others, rather than just meeting surface-level goals. Through relatable anecdotes and stories from his global travels, he reveals how cultural differences impact leadership—contrasting Asia’s hierarchical structures with North America’s flatter, entrepreneurial approaches—and what it truly takes to build trust and earn respect as a leader in any environment.
Curiosity, Resilience, and Reinvention
Curiosity, according to Peter, has been a driving force at every stage of his journey. He recounts the leap of faith it took to leave a thriving Canadian business and embrace new challenges in Europe’s corporate world—underscoring that real growth often demands stepping into discomfort and uncertainty.
One of the most relatable segments comes when Peter and Craig explore the “myth of the slimy salesperson.” Drawing from decades of sales experience, Peter dismantles the outdated view that sales is about persuasion or manipulation. Modern selling, he insists, is rooted in service: “How can I add value? How can I be of help?” This mindset shift is essential not only for sales pros, but for coaches, content creators, and anyone learning to value their unique contributions in business.
Confidence and “knowing your worth” are recurring themes, especially for new entrepreneurs struggling to price their services or articulate their value. Peter shares his early struggles with setting rates and how underpricing or giving work away for free diminished client commitment. Ultimately, he reveals, people won’t value what you don’t value yourself.
Balancing Strategy with Intuition
When the discussion turns to coaching leaders, Peter dives deep into the art of balancing rigorous strategy with a healthy dose of intuition. He explains that strategic models are merely guidelines—adaptability, presence, and gut instinct matter just as much, especially in unfamiliar or rapidly changing contexts. Peter encourages leaders to cultivate self-awareness, listen for feedback, and not become rigidly attached to any particular plan.
Unlearning Corporate Habits: The Coach’s Mindset
Among the most striking insights is Peter’s account of transitioning from corporate leadership, where giving answers is often the expectation, to coaching, where the art lies in asking the right questions. The shift from “solving problems” for others to empowering them to find their own answers is at the heart of his approach, and one of the main reasons he believes in the transformational power of good coaching.
On Failure, Vulnerability, and Growth
Both Peter and Wize share honest accounts of professional and personal “failures”—or as they reframe them, crucial learning moments. From significant business losses in Canada to questioning his own purpose later in life, Peter
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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(00:42):
And welcome to another episode of Stuck In My Mind
podcast. And on today's episode, we're
oops. Sorry. Hold on a second. You need that.
Sorry, everybody. I forgot to sign into my phone.
(01:13):
Alright. Sorry about that. And on today's episode, we're diving deep
into what it needs to be a purpose purpose driven leader in
today's fast paced world with someone who who's done it all.
Peter Toycher Toycher is not just a seasoned entrepreneur, a
senior corporate executive. He's a transformational coach, workshop
facilitator, and change maker who's worked across continents and
(01:36):
industries. Whether he's leading high stakes sales initiatives, developing
talent, or coaching executives uncover their next breakthrough,
Peter brings a unique blend of curiosity, empathy, and
strategic thinking to every everything he touches. So let's let's get him
on the stage. Welcome to the show. Great to be with
you, Will. Thanks so much. Oh, pleasure's mine. How are you too?
(01:58):
Well, yeah, like we were discussing off, hey. You're five hours ahead of me. So
Exactly. I'm glad I wasn't the one with the phone on this time. Oh,
yeah. No. I I forgot. It's the wife calling me. She knows that I usually
do my show at this time, so I don't know. But okay.
You've had a long career in in corporate.
(02:19):
What what's one lesson you that still sticks with you today?
Jeez. I've had so many. I I think,
you know, because happiness is such a, important topic for me, I
think, recognizing the you know, your
own sense of purpose in what you do, I think is the most
(02:39):
fundamental thing. No no matter, you know, big or small, what level of a
business you're at, or what you're trying to accomplish in life,
knowing the why of why you of of what's driving you and and your
purpose, I think is is kind of the most fundamental thing I've
learned, in in all my years in in in trying to
find something that's fulfilling and makes me happy at work. What
(03:01):
what does positive change mean to you on a personal level?
Well, positive, positive change, you know, I I
think, how do we know what's positive? And it's usually guided by
how we feel. Right? So when we kinda trust that inner guidance
system and, get in alignment with our values,
(03:21):
I I think that is that always moves us in a positive
direction. So, you know, positivity is how do I add
value, and how do I find fulfillment?
How how has travel shaped your approach to business and leadership? Because you've you've
traveled all over the world. Yeah. Well, you
(03:42):
know, it's different cult culturally from country to country. I I mean, I
I live in Germany at the moment. I'm originally from Canada, but,
you know, I've worked from The US to China. And, you know,
it it it means different things culturally to to different,
you know, in different cultures. So, you know, in Asia,
there's more hierarchy. There's more, you
(04:05):
know, giving respect to someone because of their
their their title or their, authority.
Whereas, you know, in in in the in North America,
it's more entrepreneurial. In some cases, the hierarchies are more
are more flat. And so, so that that's that's a
little bit different. I think, in in the Western world,
(04:29):
you know, leadership isn't something that you can take for granted. You
really, have to earn people's trust and respect,
and, and really connect with them on that
level in order to to to really, be empowered
as a leader. So, I think those are those are super important. Building
trust is like the foundation. You know? I don't think people,
(04:52):
will follow in a a leader unless there's a real trust there.
Yeah. Can you recall a moment where
because, sorry. Can you call a moment where curiosity
changed the course of your career? Yeah. I
think, curiosity is is kind of this constant,
in in my life. I
(05:16):
think it started when I, you know, had my own business. I started my own
business in my twenties with my brother in Canada, and just,
you know, the curiosity of, you know, do I have what it takes,
to to be to be an entrepreneur, to start my to, you
know, build my own business? And then, I think the
(05:37):
biggest change I made, I left left a successful business in
Canada, left my friends, family, everything, to try
something new, move to Europe, and and, really,
that was the biggest shift. So that's when I went from being a small business
owner to moving into the corporate world. And I don't think you make a
move like that, when you're actually pretty comfortable,
(05:59):
unless you're super curious about what new challenges and new
adventures can bring for you.
What what's, one of the biggest myths about sales that people still
believe to this thing? Well, I guess it,
depends on, if you've got experience with sales or not. But I I
think for people who are not in sales and, you know, I I know for
(06:20):
myself, I I used to think,
sales had to be this very, you had to be very
persuasive. And in some ways, it almost seemed a bit slimy, a bit.
I I'm trying to pull something over pull the wool over someone's
eyes. And and really, you know, as I
developed and became a leader in in the sales area and
(06:44):
gave sales coaching and sales training, I I realized,
you know, it's it's far more about how can I be of service and how
can I add value? So when you learn to, explain to
someone how a product you're selling or how the service you're delivering
adds value to your live, to to their lives, I
think, then you get to that win
(07:05):
win. And I I think too many people think of the old used
car salesman, kind of, cliche of what
sales is about. And I think there's far more people who are
really successful at sales because, for one, they believe in what they're
selling, and they look for, how that can add value to other
people's lives. I I was I was actually released a show
(07:28):
with a friend of mine recently, and and one of the things things
we're discussing was, how coaches and content
creators learn how to create offers because I got
some of us content creators aren't salesmen, so we don't know
where to start or even know where our value is as content
creators and and coaches and stuff like that. So that was a that was a
(07:50):
great discussion we had, and we were talking about what it was like.
One of the main things was people just didn't know their worth. They didn't know
what to price their services at. Yeah. Yeah.
And I find a lot of people, especially when they're just getting into being,
entrepreneurs, you know, working for themselves, and and not
(08:11):
really knowing their own value, I think that's one of the most
difficult things. Even for me as a when I first got into
coaching, you know, it was, it
was easy on a corporate level. When I had a an
agency that would book me, they set the price. But when it
started to be time for me to to pitch myself,
(08:34):
that's a really hard step to make. And until you have some successes
and recognize, oh, actually, I really do add value. I really
do deliver something, and you can do that consistently. I
think that's when you build the confidence to start to say, well, here's what I'm
worth. You know? This is this is how much it's going to deliver for your
company, or these are the changes that it'll make for you. And therefore,
(08:55):
I I, you know, my time is is worth x amount. And I I
think, you know, that's part of the learning curve.
So I I I and I hear this from so many people whether
they're consulting or, or or whether they're
offering a service or they're, or they're a coach,
in the in those early stages. And you you will not be successful unless you
(09:17):
get over that hump of, you know, being willing to
charge. The the thing is a lot of people
and and in the beginning, I would, because I wanted to get
experience, I would do things, for a low price or even offer
it for free. And the thing I learned is if if it's
if it's not worth anything, like, if it doesn't cost anything, it's not
(09:40):
worth anything. And and if you undervalue yourself, people won't take you seriously
and won't, sometimes won't get the full value of what you've got to
give because they've got this, mental concept of, well,
it's cheap, so the results, I'm not gonna expect much in the terms of results.
Right? When people are paying, and that that's not to
say I think people would be should be charging these exorbitant prices in order
(10:02):
to make themselves credible. I think you have to believe in the price that you're
charging. So it's this this balance between, making
sure that you're valuing yourself, correctly, at market value,
but also making sure you believe, that what you're offering is
worth what you're charging. Yeah. Absolutely.
Definitely. How do you how do
(10:24):
you balance strategy and intuition
intuition when coaching leaders? Yeah. I
think, you know, I there's there's plenty of great models to use, to
help people, you know, develop
a a sense of strategy and and develop the steps and the processes to get
to their success. But, you know, they only kind
(10:48):
of point you in a direction. And I think if you're too rigid in your
approach and your strategy, that that is going to
you know, the same thing is not gonna work for every situation. You have to
be adaptable. And so that's when I think intuition comes in.
And so it it always depends on, you know, when when you have when
you're very experienced in a in a particular area or a particular field,
(11:09):
the those intuitive kind of instincts real they, you know, they they, the
impulse is to really kick in quite easily. But when you're kind of
going a little beyond your comfort zone and you're trying something new,
you get a little unsure of those, you know, the those intuitions that
you have. So I I always encourage leaders to
trust their gut, whether it's their their their intuitions
(11:32):
about people or about situations.
So and and and I think it's all about a a good sense healthy
sense of awareness. So, if you've got an
impulse or an intuition to pursue a certain strategy
or a certain direction, just make sure that you're in the moment and you're
aware and you're watching for the feedback that you might be off track. Right?
(11:55):
So, I talk a lot about presence with people
because sometimes people get so stuck in their head that they don't
listen to their gut, and they're so set on,
one way of doing things that they, they're
they're it's probably not all wrong, but they they need to make some
adjustments and and adapt to certain situations. So I think,
(12:18):
yeah, having having first of all, recognizing that,
whatever strategy you used on the last project might not work %,
and then kind of being in the moment and being very self
aware and and then listening to your gut. So that that's the approach that
I use. Does that make sense? Yeah.
(12:39):
What's something you had to unlearn from corporate world to become a a
better coach?
Yeah. I the the the thing that you're often
expected to do as a leader in the corporate world is give direction and
tell people what to do. And, a lot of
people will come to you for the answers.
(13:01):
And I learned this also in a leadership role that, the
more you give people the answers, the more they'll come to you and and and
be less willing to try to find the answers themselves. So,
you know, in coaching, it's about asking the right questions.
As soon as you start telling people what to do, you're a consultant. You're no
longer a coach. And so, I think moving from that,
(13:23):
giving people direction and giving trying to give people the answers and the
solutions to, helping people find the answers within them, I think,
was probably the biggest shift. Yeah.
What what was, what was one failure that ended up being
a a huge turning point for you in your career?
(13:47):
Actually, it was, it was back in
Canada. I, I I like to try lots of different businesses,
and, I I really believed in this one project.
And, to the point that,
you know, when you when you believe so strongly in something that you're not willing
(14:07):
to admit, it's it's gone off the rails Yeah. That that
is, you know, that is the thing that I learned
from the, you know, putting a lot of money into something that I ended
up losing losing it all. For one, I learned that
mistakes are really great tools for learning.
You know, so don't be afraid of making mistakes because even though I lost a
(14:30):
lot of money in that in that one project, I still recovered, and I'm still
doing great. You know? And it can sometimes
be be very, yeah, make you
very, afraid to to try and take risks
again. But, but I think it's it's a this,
you know, doing things in iteration. So always self assessing and making
(14:52):
sure that, listen. This is what I've set out, and I how
how close am I at to this goal, and how realistic is
it, or what adjustments do I need to make? Again, it goes back
to being too, married to your strategy or
your your path forward and not will not
being willing to admit to yourself when you need to make adjustments and and,
(15:14):
changes in your path. So I think, I think that's that
that's what I really learned out of that.
And we we actually shouldn't call them failures because they're
more like lessons learned, and you take and you take them and and
and just learn from it. And it's it's those
that state that they don't
(15:38):
that stay stuck in that, and they on that and and on that failure
instead of taking that lesson and learning and moving on and picking themselves up
and going are the ones who stay stagnant. They stay they don't they
don't grow. They don't move on. They, like, they they're afraid after that one
failure of, oh, I'm gonna fail again. No. You just gotta keep going
because everyone fails.
(16:00):
Everyone has failed in coach. Everyone has failed in their different projects.
It's when it's how you pick yourself up and keep trying and keep
trying, and eventually, you'll find what you're supposed to be
doing. Yeah. Exactly. I actually do, a workshop
with leaders, and and, it's it's something a friend of
mine actually I I I I kind of borrowed from him, but,
(16:22):
they call it, failure night. And so, basically, you you get
together with a group of people who are kind of willing to talk
about, you know, it it's really easy to get successful people
together to talk about their successes. But try getting those people
who, you know, wanna make a good impression on their peers to talk about their
failures. And but when you can get over that,
(16:45):
that barrier and start talking about, yeah, you know, I really screwed up here,
but what I learned was this. And the, you know, the outcome at the end,
wasn't what I wanted, but now I know going forward, this is, you know, this
is these are the changes I'm gonna make. And I think when you get a,
once you get one or two people really willing to be vulnerable and share their
story, all of a sudden, everybody starts to open up and go, yeah. Yeah. I
(17:07):
had a similar situation. And that is like, from a night like
that where people share, the things that they
considered mistakes, but in the end were just these great
learning experiences for them, I think that that's such a valuable
process to be part of. Yeah.
You've, facilitated workshops globally. What what what's
(17:29):
the moment that that really moved you? Where where was that workshop where it
was like, oh, man. This is amazing.
Yeah. I I did, actually, there was
one that I did in The US that I, in in,
in Alabama, which, was a a group of people, and we were
we were working on it through a number of different,
(17:53):
different topics. And one of the things, we
were working on was how to overcome stress and burnout and and that kind of
thing. And so, you know, I I have a I've
been meditating for twenty five years. And so I I just kind
of shared some really fundamental tools on,
we called the session leading my leading yourself. And so
(18:17):
just understanding your own stress levels and,
recognizing that, you know, that you can't
control the outside world. What you can control is sort of in you. You you
can't, you know, you can you can manage your stress levels
by, managing, you know, the
way you your mental models, the thoughts that you have, and so on. And so
(18:38):
when I got the feedback, people were like, wow. I I never
knew how liberating to know that, you know, you don't have to believe every thought
you have and and to know that everyone else has this
inner narrator, this voice in their head that's, you know, that's negative and
nagging and and so on. And so, I, you know,
it it became very personal and, you know, some of the stories that
(19:01):
people shared out of it were were really inspiring. So I think, you know, you
can do a lot of this business stuff and talk about strategy and talk
about, everything from, product development
and, you know, and and or sales strategies and so on. But, when
you talk about, how, how pressure and
stress really gets to people and and how, people share sort
(19:23):
of the things that they're suffering through at work. That that's really inspiring
to have people open up and then talk about their stories and then give them
the tools to overcome sort of those challenges. So I think that's
that was, some of the most inspiring, work I've done.
Oh, for me, even had I not had I
listened to the voice in my head five years ago, I would have never launched
(19:45):
my podcast. Yeah. There you go. It was it was just me.
Just who's gonna wanna listen to me. No one who's
no one's gonna wanna talk to me. It it was just me being
negative and me not just to I I sound
horrible. And any excuse I could make up, I would make up
just not to record. And so finally, one day, I just
(20:08):
said, you know what? Let me stop making excuses. I press
record. I recorded a a probably a five, seven minute episode
with my nephew. Didn't didn't didn't have the setup I have now. It was
a mic, a mixer, a phone not
even plugged into the mixer. I didn't even have the proper hookups.
(20:29):
And that's how we started. And my nephew's like, no. We can't release that. I
was like, no. We're gonna release it. We're gonna release it just like that. Mhmm.
Because I want people to see where we started at to where
we're at now and and the difference and the growth
with everything. Like, had I continued with the
negativity, I would have never grown to where I'm at.
(20:50):
It's me conquering my fear and then wanting to learn
more, wanting to improve on and improve on what I'm doing, improving
on my mic, improving on my skills, improving on editing,
audio, video, and investing in myself,
taking courses, investing in equipment. It was something
like, okay. The the more I the more I did it, just the more confidence
(21:13):
I gained. Yeah. And it's so, you know, we we look at these
people who are really accomplished and great at what they do that we maybe admire
or strive to be like. And it's important to remember, you know, none
of them were born with those abilities. Right? They worked on it. Right?
And and the thing is, you you when you see
some of these really accomplished people or these real high performers,
(21:35):
you think that they they don't have any of those concerns or self doubt. But,
you know, imposter syndrome is most common in the in the high
performers and the people who are super successful. You know? They
they, you know, they'll admit to me as a coach, you know,
if people knew what I was really like, you know, they they would not think
so highly of me or whatever. And that's just the imposter syndrome talking
(21:56):
where, you know, they they listen too much to the self doubt and the
negative voice in their head, and don't sort of put
in perspective all the things they've accomplished. And so, even when
people come up against really, difficult challenges
where they think, oh, I don't know if I can make it through this one.
And then we'll look back and go, well well, what was the what was
(22:17):
the last real big challenge or problem that you had, and did you know how
to fix it before you you you started working on it? And
and, you know, nine out of 10 times ago, no. I had no idea how
to overcome it. Right? So it's through the per process of facing your
fears, facing your challenges that you're gonna grow and and
become more than you were yesterday. And so that's really, I mean, that's
(22:39):
really, all success is. I don't really believe in this competition,
between others. I'm I'm just in competition with who I was yesterday. And so as
long as I keep getting better. Right? And so I I love your story there
because, you know, it's it's overcoming that fear and
resistance to go ahead and do it and and that that voice that says you
can't and proving it wrong. Yeah. And and it
(23:03):
was it to me, it was something because I was 44
years old. I I didn't know my purpose in life. I didn't know what
I, I I I have a good paying job and
but I didn't have a purpose. I didn't know what and so when I
started doing the podcast and I started getting messages from
people talking about, oh, I needed to hear that episode or someone messaged
(23:25):
me, oh, this episode was wonderful. Thank you. It was those
and then when I was receiving them from personal friends of mine, it's like, oh,
I heard this episode. Because me and a friend, we did
early on to the episode, and he's a highly successful,
real estate broker in Brooklyn. And I'm
and so one of our former classmates was hearing us
(23:48):
talk, and we we talked about growth and and
mindset and coaching and everything and all the things we
were working on and and everything we were doing to work on ourselves.
And what we the the the risk we
take take and just making stepping out of
our comfort zones and and do and just taking that risk that
(24:12):
we wouldn't have had we had we just kept listening to
all those voices. And that person said, listening to you
guys, to to people I grew up with that I
knew know personally, talk about what y'all were doing and everything, that
just inspired me to because she was on she was on the fence of starting
her own business. And listening to us, she's
(24:33):
like, these are two guys I know personally. I grew up and hung out with
them. I know who they are. They're doing
it? Why can't I? Why can't I take that faith? Why can't
why can't I take that leap? And when when I
receive messages like that, that's like, oh, man. This is what I'm supposed to
be doing. I'm supposed to be doing this podcast. I'm supposed to supposed to be
(24:54):
having these conversations to inspire others out there that that
might not have the
resources to to to to get
this type of information anywhere else. So to be being able to have
these conversations and and and inspire other people to
to keep learning and growing is, to me, is it's it
(25:17):
was like this feeling inside was like,
oh, man. I feel so good being able to to provide something
that that is a value that people are taking something from
it. Yeah. I I mean, look. That's why I do what I do.
You know, I I had a a great paying
job. I I had a great position, high level in a, you know, in a
(25:39):
publicly traded company, and I, and I
realized that I wasn't as I didn't aspire to be a CEO or, you
know, that level of business. I really wanted to help other people.
And, and I I think when I look at where I've
come from, you know, this thought
that if I can do it, anybody can do it. Right? Because I I don't
(26:00):
see myself as overly special or, you know, other than
having got the information that helped me change my
mindset, change my way of thinking, to help overcome my
inner, mental roadblocks. I think that that was the shift that I made.
And I was fortunate, you know, to to meet the right people, to to give
me the right guidance, and that sort of thing. And so that's what I wanna
(26:22):
be giving back to others. So that's great. You know? That if if you can
inspire just one person like that, you know, you've already made a
huge accomplishment. Yeah.
So how do you help leaders embrace vulnerability without losing
authority? Well, I think,
we talked before about trust. And, you know, there's a
(26:44):
great model by, Patrick Lencioni. He he talks about the
five dysfunctions of a team and the the the foundational piece
where that the thing that causes people,
for one, to, you
know, lose respect or or not find that connection
or not feel that willingness to to follow a leader is trust.
(27:07):
And and and it's the kind of trust. It's not the kind of trust that's
you know, I trust you're gonna be honest and not steal from the company or
or show up on time for work, but it's the kind of trust,
where it's all about vulnerability. It's all about,
saying, you know, I'm not sure about that, or, hey. Listen. I think I made
a mistake, or, I I really need some help
(27:29):
here. Right? A lot of a lot of people aren't willing to, be that
vulnerable, because they don't have the trust that, you know,
people are gonna, I might lose my job or I won't get the
promotion, and so on. So the I encourage
that kind of vulnerability in leaders all the time to go, you know, a lot
of a lot of, people who are new to leadership will go, well, I can't
(27:52):
show. I can't admit that I make made a mistake or I can't admit
that I don't know, and so they'll make something up. And and that will
communicate to the people in their team that, okay, there's not a there's
not you know, if he's not willing to, you
know, show his weaknesses, then neither am I. Right? So
so I think, showing a level of vulnerability,
(28:16):
that facilitates trust is is what's going to get you a lot of
respect, and it's not gonna undermine your authority. I mean, if you're coming
in every day and going, oops, I screwed up again. Oh, I I have no
clue about that. That's more of an incompetence problem than a, you know,
than than a vulnerability problem. So I think being,
you know, the the I've been told that one of the reasons I'm I'm successful
(28:38):
at sales and successful at leadership is because people find
me authentic. Right? So, and so
to do that takes a level of vulnerability, but it it
it creates such a level of, trust.
And, I I think that that kind of thing is respected, at
least through my experience. Right? I don't think the people who are really
(29:01):
hard line and who are, you know, don't show any
emotion and, you know,
are are just very strict in the way they do things. I I
don't I don't think that will get the most out of the people that you're
trying to lead. I think you'll get a lot of respect if you show your
human side along with your competency.
(29:23):
Yeah. That way, if you show
your human side, people can relate with you, can relate to you. Yes. If
you're if you're able to show people like, hey. Listen. I hurt. I I go
through things. I make mistakes. I'm not perfect. I'm still learning. I'm still
growing. I think a great leader is someone who can acknowledge
their mistakes. Yeah. And face them head on and be like,
(29:45):
listen. Yeah. I messed up. But I'm gonna be hold myself accountable,
and I'm gonna take full responsibility for my mess up.
And and I'm a take that lesson and learn from it and and and and
grow and and show people, hey. Listen. Yeah. I'm not perfect.
If if you if you show me someone who is perfect like, everyone
here makes mistakes. Everyone here is not perfect. We but
(30:08):
we work together and and make it so that
you they can see, yes. I'm a coach. I teach. But
I I still I made mistakes. I want y'all to see that side of me.
I want people to see that I'm not completely perfect, that I'm still
learning and growing. And that and that shows people, hey. He's
he's like me. He's he's a person someone he's someone like he's a person like
(30:31):
me who who probably has the same
wants and and and desires for like,
most of for the most part, most of the people I speak to,
they want they want yeah. They wanna be successful. Yes. But the most part, they
wanna be happy. They want their family to be healthy, and and they just
wanna be able to enjoy their life. And so when
(30:54):
you show that part to people with that, that I'm here to say, I I
want the same things. I'm going I'm working on towards the same goals as you
are, that maybe in some some different other lane.
Absolutely. And I I I do the same as a coach. Like, I, you
know, I I talk about what we're we're striving for, you know, what what's
optimum. But I don't claim that I live I
(31:16):
I'm perfectly happy all the time or that I, you know,
my communication is always perfect or that all my relationships are
flawless. You know? That that's not human. Right?
The the difference is I have the tools and the awareness to help make the
shifts and the changes, and that that level of awareness is what I'm trying to
pass on to people. But, I you know, perfection
(31:39):
is is not the goal. It's every day making steps
towards getting better. And so I'm on that journey just
like everybody else. And I think you're absolutely right that a a leader
that can admit that, you know, there's they're constantly yeah. Every day
is a school day. Every day is a is a day for you to learn
and grow. And so I think leaders who can admit that, they'll
(32:01):
get a lot more respect and trust.
Definitely.
What what has entrepreneurship taught you that corporate
life never could? Well,
I I started more as an entrepreneur and then moved into the corporate world.
So, but I I think the the thing
(32:24):
that where entrepreneurship helped me in the corporate world was
not being afraid to make choices, not being afraid like,
I I was, I was used to, having to
hold myself accountable and take responsibility and,
make make decisions and learning to trust my intuition and my gut as we talked
(32:45):
about earlier. And so, I think that's the big
difference. I see a lot of people at different levels of
of management who, you know,
who who while we gotta follow the process, even if,
you know, they become very bureaucratic and, even though,
maybe something's time sensitive and we could miss an opportunity, they'd they'd
(33:08):
rather be safe, and rather than than,
take some risks. I think taking calculated risks is
something that you that you learn as an
entrepreneur, and it's it's
it's, you know, sadly, in the bigger the companies, the less
that is present. And that's why you see less innovation and less kind
(33:30):
of, you know, breaking the boundaries
of of of in whatever industry you're
in of the status quo. So so, yeah, I think
that's that's the finding that entrepreneurial spirit in yourself and the
willingness, like we said, to make mistakes, to push boundaries,
to take to make choices and take responsibility for them. Those are the
(33:53):
things that I learned. Definitely.
If if your younger self could see you now, what do you think he'll be
most surprised by?
How far I've come? I think because, you know, there was when I was
think of myself in my teens or my early twenties,
(34:14):
yeah, I I, I I didn't have a lot of
confidence. I didn't I had a very limited idea of what was
possible for me, and it was when I changed that
mindset that all that, changed for me. And
and so I've the expectations that I had for myself as a
young man, I've far and away exceeded them. So,
(34:36):
but I think, I think more than any kind of business
success, the fact that I've become,
happy in my work, in my relationships, I found a way
to, be successful and be happy in life, and
I don't think I really believe that was possible back in those early
days.
(34:58):
What's one overlooked skill that separates good leaders from great
ones?
Well, we've already talked about trust. Yeah. But I think, you know, the the
thing that makes the fundamental thing that makes people
successful is their ability to communicate. And so,
to be a great leader, you need to be a good
(35:22):
communicator, and and one of the fundamental pieces
of communication that people forget is listening. So,
so great leaders will let other people talk first, get
feedback, and then they will
share their opinion, or then they will give instructions and and talk. So they
they can read the room or they can assess, and they can get honest answers
(35:45):
from people. So I'd say communication is far and
away the the most important skill and within communication,
having great listening skills, being able to let other people talk first.
Sometimes, leaders feel like, I I've met people
in leadership roles who feel like, okay. I'm expected to be the one to
talk. But if you if you give people the
(36:06):
space to, to open up and share and talk
first and then kind of give direction
or, that then lead the momentum, I think that
is that's what makes great leaders in my view.
Can can you kinda walk us through your your personal coaching
(36:27):
philosophy a little? Sure. Well, fundamentally, I
believe that, everybody has more
potential than they're than they're living. And
so in coaching, I I start with the premise that,
people people have the answers they're looking for within them. So
whether it's people that I'm coaching on their personal level or,
(36:50):
you know, on a corporate level up to, you know, top
executives, they are
they're they're usually coming for two things. They're either, saying,
look. Here's where I wanna achieve. How do I get it? So how do I
get what I want? Or they're, saying, I don't know what I
want. How do I get some clarity? And so, both
(37:11):
of those answers are already within the person that I'm coaching,
And it's my job just to ask the right questions. And so they're either
questions that someone hasn't thought of or they're questions that people
aren't willing to ask themselves. So the the coaching
process is this uncovering of the knowledge we already have
locked within us and, and opening that up and being willing
(37:34):
to look at it. So, you know, that that's kind of
the the foundation, of my, of,
my coaching process. And I think the biggest roadblock that
people face, well, is themselves, but usually it's it's the
the way they think and believe. So, you know, no matter how much
work you've done on yourself or how successful you've become, you're gonna
(37:56):
have some beliefs in you that are, that are hurdles that you still
have to, cross. And so, you
know, whatever challenge people are facing, I bet I can find a
belief within them that's leading them to that that
outcome they didn't want they don't want or that challenge that they continue
to, you know, face in life. So so, yeah, it's a
(38:19):
it's a combination of of that recognizing that the answers are when within
you and knowing that the roadblocks you face are usually rooted in
some kind of belief that you've developed. So what
because you you you work with clients all over the world. So when when working
with international clients, how do you account for for cultural nuances?
(38:39):
Well, I just try to be really open. So
I I don't claim to understand, you know, every culture. I, you know,
I I I know some things about,
synchronous some some idiosyncrasies about a different Asian cultures or,
or, you know, the German culture compared to, you know, the
Canadian culture, you know, which is a a big one in in
(39:02):
communication. But, but I
think just being curious about other people
and being open to the fact that, you know,
the the for me, diversity, the most important thing, about
diversity is having different ways of looking at things, different
ideas, opinions, different ways of expressing yourself.
(39:24):
And so when you stay curious and you stay open,
cultural differences won't really have a big impact.
It's when the the when you have different cultures
coming together in a in in a room together, then you become a
bit of a mediator and, navigating that
room and trying to keep everyone else open and
(39:48):
curious and willing to communicate freely.
I I think, that's what I that those are the biggest
challenges with with cultural differences. But for me, I've I've I love
to travel. I love to get to know new cultures,
you know, whether it's languages, food, or
traditions or rituals. I think my own love
(40:11):
of that, I think, is what what helps me through all of that.
What's one daily practice that helps just keep you grounded
in your purpose? Well, I I've been,
meditating for, around twenty five years, and I
think, fundamentally, that has changed my life, but it's also,
(40:32):
something that keeps me on track
every day. I mean, I have a a morning ritual anyway, and it's usually a
combination of well, it's always a combination of some form of
meditation and some form of exercise or movement. And so,
I think when you start the day by grounding yourself,
(40:53):
getting some clarity through meditation, and and then,
that that will that will make your purpose for the
day very clear. And, you know, I I have,
daily rituals and have, like, annual rituals. So, you know, I'll
create a vision for the year ahead and get really clear about what I
wanna accomplish this year, and then I try to live that
(41:15):
in in every day. So so so I'll start my day with a with a
meditation. That's the one thing that I do every day, and I finish every
day with, some reflection and gratitude.
And that, I think, keeps it all in perspective, keeps
me grounded, and and that is a huge part
of what I think, has made me successful.
(41:38):
How do you my my last question is, how do you define
success at at this point in your life?
Yeah. It's it's not been about, the,
making more money or any of those kind of,
any accolades. For me, it's continuing to be
(42:01):
continuing to grow and learn, because,
I think the more you learn the the and the more you know, the more
you realize that there is still to learn. And, and and so I I
wanna continue to be on that learning journey through life.
So, I I think that's the and, again,
as I said before, you know, if I'm better than who I was
(42:23):
yesterday, I'm you know, it's a success. And
so so that that's, that's kind of what, you know, what
what defines it for me. I I asked I've asked a lot of
people how they define success, and the one answer that stuck with
me was so simple. And, that person said to me,
happiness. If I'm happy on a regular basis, then I'm
(42:45):
successful. And so happiness is something
everybody defines for themselves. And,
but I I'm definitely happy in the in the work that I do and the
relationships I have and the life that I have, but it it all starts from
within me. And so, so yeah. And I don't
think I would be happy and fulfilled if I wasn't continuing to grow and
(43:07):
change and evolve.
What what message do you hope to leave behind for for the next
generation of, change makers?
I I think, the most
important thing regardless of what you're trying to to do is,
(43:27):
first of all, try and be the best that you can and
then pass that on to other people. That's what I've been
doing. And, you know, I've I've been,
for years, been giving the example of when you're on the plane, you know, and
they and they do the safety instructions. You know, in the case of loss of
cabin pressure, first, put the mask on yourself pressure. Yeah. And then help those people
(43:48):
around you. And I think, you know, it's really hard to,
support other people in their success and happiness if you haven't found
success and happiness on your own terms. And so,
so so, really, that's I'd say, you
know, find your own potential and continue to pursue that.
And and then once you feel comfortable there, start giving back and
(44:11):
start helping others do the same. I I think that's the that's the
thing that I would encourage others to do, and that's what inspires me to keep
working at what I do. Awesome. Awesome. This has been a great
conversation. But we've come to the part of the show where you
get the solo screen and you get to plug and wait and let everybody
find find you find you, check you out, check your website,
(44:33):
everything. Sure. Absolutely. You can find me
at PeterTeuscher.com, and the last name is spelled t e u
s c h e r. I write a weekly blog,
to share sort of a wide variety of topics to
help people progress and, create more awareness.
I've also written a book called Rethinking Happiness. You can find a link to that
(44:55):
on my website as well. And if anybody has any questions, feel free to
reach out and and drop me a message there. Or if you wanna book a
session with me, that you can do that at my website as well. So,
so, yeah, I, I I look forward to hearing from people. And,
Will, thanks so much for giving me a platform to share my ideas.
Oh, the pleasure's all mine, man. It was it was great having you on. I
(45:18):
I've got to to learn some stuff and and have a great conversation.
To me, I I enjoy honestly, sometimes sometimes I kinda feel
selfish. Like, I enjoy these conversations, and and and when
I go back and listen to them again, and I I learn in the
process. So I I enjoy it. But in the but at the same time, I'm
also sharing it on my platforms, so there's not really nothing
(45:40):
selfish about what I'm doing. But I just have a great time having these
conversations. Yeah. You know, I started doing these podcasts,
last year because I was, I thought it would be a good way to
promote my book. But after the second podcast, I realized I
really enjoy doing, you know, these having these conversations. And everybody I
talk to brings a little bit something outside of me. Yeah. And and so,
(46:03):
I I, you know, I've I've probably done thirty, forty, maybe even 50 of these
now, and I, I I really enjoy every
conversation. And and and then you get the feedback and people
talk about how, you know, something you said there really, you know, it
really inspired me. And and and then I'm like, that just keeps me
going. You know? That that, that really gets me excited. So so yeah.
(46:25):
So I hope we have the same effect with our conversation, and,
everyone is great for me as well. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
for for being such a great guest. But don't leave just yet. Let me close
out the show, and we'll chat a little bit off there. But thank you so
much for being such a great guest. Thanks for having me.
Alright, everybody. Another episode is in the books. I
(46:46):
greatly appreciate everybody who's tuned in live. If you catch the replay,
please. If you haven't subscribed, please subscribe. Hit the notification bell.
As always, big shout out to my RealWise fam, Papi j, Randy j. Love
you guys. Big shout out to the boss lady. Love you and appreciate everything
you do. And as always, big, big shout out to all the
essential workers out there. God bless you. I'll be safe. You know,
(47:09):
your boy, Wise, does it. Peace out.
And welcome to another episode of Stuck In My Mind
podcast. And on today's episode, we're
oops. Sorry. Hold on a second. You need that.
Sorry, everybody. I forgot to sign into my phone.
(01:13):
Alright. Sorry about that. And on today's episode, we're diving deep
into what it needs to be a purpose purpose driven leader in
today's fast paced world with someone who who's done it all.
Peter Toycher Toycher is not just a seasoned entrepreneur, a
senior corporate executive. He's a transformational coach, workshop
facilitator, and change maker who's worked across continents and
(01:36):
industries. Whether he's leading high stakes sales initiatives, developing
talent, or coaching executives uncover their next breakthrough,
Peter brings a unique blend of curiosity, empathy, and
strategic thinking to every everything he touches. So let's let's get him
on the stage. Welcome to the show. Great to be with
you, Will. Thanks so much. Oh, pleasure's mine. How are you too?
(01:58):
Well, yeah, like we were discussing off, hey. You're five hours ahead of me. So
Exactly. I'm glad I wasn't the one with the phone on this time. Oh,
yeah. No. I I forgot. It's the wife calling me. She knows that I usually
do my show at this time, so I don't know. But okay.
You've had a long career in in corporate.
(02:19):
What what's one lesson you that still sticks with you today?
Jeez. I've had so many. I I think,
you know, because happiness is such a, important topic for me, I
think, recognizing the you know, your
own sense of purpose in what you do, I think is the most
(02:39):
fundamental thing. No no matter, you know, big or small, what level of a
business you're at, or what you're trying to accomplish in life,
knowing the why of why you of of what's driving you and and your
purpose, I think is is kind of the most fundamental thing I've
learned, in in all my years in in in trying to
find something that's fulfilling and makes me happy at work. What
(03:01):
what does positive change mean to you on a personal level?
Well, positive, positive change, you know, I I
think, how do we know what's positive? And it's usually guided by
how we feel. Right? So when we kinda trust that inner guidance
system and, get in alignment with our values,
(03:21):
I I think that is that always moves us in a positive
direction. So, you know, positivity is how do I add
value, and how do I find fulfillment?
How how has travel shaped your approach to business and leadership? Because you've you've
traveled all over the world. Yeah. Well, you
(03:42):
know, it's different cult culturally from country to country. I I mean, I
I live in Germany at the moment. I'm originally from Canada, but,
you know, I've worked from The US to China. And, you know,
it it it means different things culturally to to different,
you know, in different cultures. So, you know, in Asia,
there's more hierarchy. There's more, you
(04:05):
know, giving respect to someone because of their
their their title or their, authority.
Whereas, you know, in in in the in North America,
it's more entrepreneurial. In some cases, the hierarchies are more
are more flat. And so, so that that's that's a
little bit different. I think, in in the Western world,
(04:29):
you know, leadership isn't something that you can take for granted. You
really, have to earn people's trust and respect,
and, and really connect with them on that
level in order to to to really, be empowered
as a leader. So, I think those are those are super important. Building
trust is like the foundation. You know? I don't think people,
(04:52):
will follow in a a leader unless there's a real trust there.
Yeah. Can you recall a moment where
because, sorry. Can you call a moment where curiosity
changed the course of your career? Yeah. I
think, curiosity is is kind of this constant,
in in my life. I
(05:16):
think it started when I, you know, had my own business. I started my own
business in my twenties with my brother in Canada, and just,
you know, the curiosity of, you know, do I have what it takes,
to to be to be an entrepreneur, to start my to, you
know, build my own business? And then, I think the
(05:37):
biggest change I made, I left left a successful business in
Canada, left my friends, family, everything, to try
something new, move to Europe, and and, really,
that was the biggest shift. So that's when I went from being a small business
owner to moving into the corporate world. And I don't think you make a
move like that, when you're actually pretty comfortable,
(05:59):
unless you're super curious about what new challenges and new
adventures can bring for you.
What what's, one of the biggest myths about sales that people still
believe to this thing? Well, I guess it,
depends on, if you've got experience with sales or not. But I I
think for people who are not in sales and, you know, I I know for
(06:20):
myself, I I used to think,
sales had to be this very, you had to be very
persuasive. And in some ways, it almost seemed a bit slimy, a bit.
I I'm trying to pull something over pull the wool over someone's
eyes. And and really, you know, as I
developed and became a leader in in the sales area and
(06:44):
gave sales coaching and sales training, I I realized,
you know, it's it's far more about how can I be of service and how
can I add value? So when you learn to, explain to
someone how a product you're selling or how the service you're delivering
adds value to your live, to to their lives, I
think, then you get to that win
(07:05):
win. And I I think too many people think of the old used
car salesman, kind of, cliche of what
sales is about. And I think there's far more people who are
really successful at sales because, for one, they believe in what they're
selling, and they look for, how that can add value to other
people's lives. I I was I was actually released a show
(07:28):
with a friend of mine recently, and and one of the things things
we're discussing was, how coaches and content
creators learn how to create offers because I got
some of us content creators aren't salesmen, so we don't know
where to start or even know where our value is as content
creators and and coaches and stuff like that. So that was a that was a
(07:50):
great discussion we had, and we were talking about what it was like.
One of the main things was people just didn't know their worth. They didn't know
what to price their services at. Yeah. Yeah.
And I find a lot of people, especially when they're just getting into being,
entrepreneurs, you know, working for themselves, and and not
(08:11):
really knowing their own value, I think that's one of the most
difficult things. Even for me as a when I first got into
coaching, you know, it was, it
was easy on a corporate level. When I had a an
agency that would book me, they set the price. But when it
started to be time for me to to pitch myself,
(08:34):
that's a really hard step to make. And until you have some successes
and recognize, oh, actually, I really do add value. I really
do deliver something, and you can do that consistently. I
think that's when you build the confidence to start to say, well, here's what I'm
worth. You know? This is this is how much it's going to deliver for your
company, or these are the changes that it'll make for you. And therefore,
(08:55):
I I, you know, my time is is worth x amount. And I I
think, you know, that's part of the learning curve.
So I I I and I hear this from so many people whether
they're consulting or, or or whether they're
offering a service or they're, or they're a coach,
in the in those early stages. And you you will not be successful unless you
(09:17):
get over that hump of, you know, being willing to
charge. The the thing is a lot of people
and and in the beginning, I would, because I wanted to get
experience, I would do things, for a low price or even offer
it for free. And the thing I learned is if if it's
if it's not worth anything, like, if it doesn't cost anything, it's not
(09:40):
worth anything. And and if you undervalue yourself, people won't take you seriously
and won't, sometimes won't get the full value of what you've got to
give because they've got this, mental concept of, well,
it's cheap, so the results, I'm not gonna expect much in the terms of results.
Right? When people are paying, and that that's not to
say I think people would be should be charging these exorbitant prices in order
(10:02):
to make themselves credible. I think you have to believe in the price that you're
charging. So it's this this balance between, making
sure that you're valuing yourself, correctly, at market value,
but also making sure you believe, that what you're offering is
worth what you're charging. Yeah. Absolutely.
Definitely. How do you how do
(10:24):
you balance strategy and intuition
intuition when coaching leaders? Yeah. I
think, you know, I there's there's plenty of great models to use, to
help people, you know, develop
a a sense of strategy and and develop the steps and the processes to get
to their success. But, you know, they only kind
(10:48):
of point you in a direction. And I think if you're too rigid in your
approach and your strategy, that that is going to
you know, the same thing is not gonna work for every situation. You have to
be adaptable. And so that's when I think intuition comes in.
And so it it always depends on, you know, when when you have when
you're very experienced in a in a particular area or a particular field,
(11:09):
the those intuitive kind of instincts real they, you know, they they, the
impulse is to really kick in quite easily. But when you're kind of
going a little beyond your comfort zone and you're trying something new,
you get a little unsure of those, you know, the those intuitions that
you have. So I I always encourage leaders to
trust their gut, whether it's their their their intuitions
(11:32):
about people or about situations.
So and and and I think it's all about a a good sense healthy
sense of awareness. So, if you've got an
impulse or an intuition to pursue a certain strategy
or a certain direction, just make sure that you're in the moment and you're
aware and you're watching for the feedback that you might be off track. Right?
(11:55):
So, I talk a lot about presence with people
because sometimes people get so stuck in their head that they don't
listen to their gut, and they're so set on,
one way of doing things that they, they're
they're it's probably not all wrong, but they they need to make some
adjustments and and adapt to certain situations. So I think,
(12:18):
yeah, having having first of all, recognizing that,
whatever strategy you used on the last project might not work %,
and then kind of being in the moment and being very self
aware and and then listening to your gut. So that that's the approach that
I use. Does that make sense? Yeah.
(12:39):
What's something you had to unlearn from corporate world to become a a
better coach?
Yeah. I the the the thing that you're often
expected to do as a leader in the corporate world is give direction and
tell people what to do. And, a lot of
people will come to you for the answers.
(13:01):
And I learned this also in a leadership role that, the
more you give people the answers, the more they'll come to you and and and
be less willing to try to find the answers themselves. So,
you know, in coaching, it's about asking the right questions.
As soon as you start telling people what to do, you're a consultant. You're no
longer a coach. And so, I think moving from that,
(13:23):
giving people direction and giving trying to give people the answers and the
solutions to, helping people find the answers within them, I think,
was probably the biggest shift. Yeah.
What what was, what was one failure that ended up being
a a huge turning point for you in your career?
(13:47):
Actually, it was, it was back in
Canada. I, I I like to try lots of different businesses,
and, I I really believed in this one project.
And, to the point that,
you know, when you when you believe so strongly in something that you're not willing
(14:07):
to admit, it's it's gone off the rails Yeah. That that
is, you know, that is the thing that I learned
from the, you know, putting a lot of money into something that I ended
up losing losing it all. For one, I learned that
mistakes are really great tools for learning.
You know, so don't be afraid of making mistakes because even though I lost a
(14:30):
lot of money in that in that one project, I still recovered, and I'm still
doing great. You know? And it can sometimes
be be very, yeah, make you
very, afraid to to try and take risks
again. But, but I think it's it's a this,
you know, doing things in iteration. So always self assessing and making
(14:52):
sure that, listen. This is what I've set out, and I how
how close am I at to this goal, and how realistic is
it, or what adjustments do I need to make? Again, it goes back
to being too, married to your strategy or
your your path forward and not will not
being willing to admit to yourself when you need to make adjustments and and,
(15:14):
changes in your path. So I think, I think that's that
that's what I really learned out of that.
And we we actually shouldn't call them failures because they're
more like lessons learned, and you take and you take them and and
and just learn from it. And it's it's those
that state that they don't
(15:38):
that stay stuck in that, and they on that and and on that failure
instead of taking that lesson and learning and moving on and picking themselves up
and going are the ones who stay stagnant. They stay they don't they
don't grow. They don't move on. They, like, they they're afraid after that one
failure of, oh, I'm gonna fail again. No. You just gotta keep going
because everyone fails.
(16:00):
Everyone has failed in coach. Everyone has failed in their different projects.
It's when it's how you pick yourself up and keep trying and keep
trying, and eventually, you'll find what you're supposed to be
doing. Yeah. Exactly. I actually do, a workshop
with leaders, and and, it's it's something a friend of
mine actually I I I I kind of borrowed from him, but,
(16:22):
they call it, failure night. And so, basically, you you get
together with a group of people who are kind of willing to talk
about, you know, it it's really easy to get successful people
together to talk about their successes. But try getting those people
who, you know, wanna make a good impression on their peers to talk about their
failures. And but when you can get over that,
(16:45):
that barrier and start talking about, yeah, you know, I really screwed up here,
but what I learned was this. And the, you know, the outcome at the end,
wasn't what I wanted, but now I know going forward, this is, you know, this
is these are the changes I'm gonna make. And I think when you get a,
once you get one or two people really willing to be vulnerable and share their
story, all of a sudden, everybody starts to open up and go, yeah. Yeah. I
(17:07):
had a similar situation. And that is like, from a night like
that where people share, the things that they
considered mistakes, but in the end were just these great
learning experiences for them, I think that that's such a valuable
process to be part of. Yeah.
You've, facilitated workshops globally. What what what's
(17:29):
the moment that that really moved you? Where where was that workshop where it
was like, oh, man. This is amazing.
Yeah. I I did, actually, there was
one that I did in The US that I, in in,
in Alabama, which, was a a group of people, and we were
we were working on it through a number of different,
(17:53):
different topics. And one of the things, we
were working on was how to overcome stress and burnout and and that kind of
thing. And so, you know, I I have a I've
been meditating for twenty five years. And so I I just kind
of shared some really fundamental tools on,
we called the session leading my leading yourself. And so
(18:17):
just understanding your own stress levels and,
recognizing that, you know, that you can't
control the outside world. What you can control is sort of in you. You you
can't, you know, you can you can manage your stress levels
by, managing, you know, the
way you your mental models, the thoughts that you have, and so on. And so
(18:38):
when I got the feedback, people were like, wow. I I never
knew how liberating to know that, you know, you don't have to believe every thought
you have and and to know that everyone else has this
inner narrator, this voice in their head that's, you know, that's negative and
nagging and and so on. And so, I, you know,
it it became very personal and, you know, some of the stories that
(19:01):
people shared out of it were were really inspiring. So I think, you know, you
can do a lot of this business stuff and talk about strategy and talk
about, everything from, product development
and, you know, and and or sales strategies and so on. But, when
you talk about, how, how pressure and
stress really gets to people and and how, people share sort
(19:23):
of the things that they're suffering through at work. That that's really inspiring
to have people open up and then talk about their stories and then give them
the tools to overcome sort of those challenges. So I think that's
that was, some of the most inspiring, work I've done.
Oh, for me, even had I not had I
listened to the voice in my head five years ago, I would have never launched
(19:45):
my podcast. Yeah. There you go. It was it was just me.
Just who's gonna wanna listen to me. No one who's
no one's gonna wanna talk to me. It it was just me being
negative and me not just to I I sound
horrible. And any excuse I could make up, I would make up
just not to record. And so finally, one day, I just
(20:08):
said, you know what? Let me stop making excuses. I press
record. I recorded a a probably a five, seven minute episode
with my nephew. Didn't didn't didn't have the setup I have now. It was
a mic, a mixer, a phone not
even plugged into the mixer. I didn't even have the proper hookups.
(20:29):
And that's how we started. And my nephew's like, no. We can't release that. I
was like, no. We're gonna release it. We're gonna release it just like that. Mhmm.
Because I want people to see where we started at to where
we're at now and and the difference and the growth
with everything. Like, had I continued with the
negativity, I would have never grown to where I'm at.
(20:50):
It's me conquering my fear and then wanting to learn
more, wanting to improve on and improve on what I'm doing, improving
on my mic, improving on my skills, improving on editing,
audio, video, and investing in myself,
taking courses, investing in equipment. It was something
like, okay. The the more I the more I did it, just the more confidence
(21:13):
I gained. Yeah. And it's so, you know, we we look at these
people who are really accomplished and great at what they do that we maybe admire
or strive to be like. And it's important to remember, you know, none
of them were born with those abilities. Right? They worked on it. Right?
And and the thing is, you you when you see
some of these really accomplished people or these real high performers,
(21:35):
you think that they they don't have any of those concerns or self doubt. But,
you know, imposter syndrome is most common in the in the high
performers and the people who are super successful. You know? They
they, you know, they'll admit to me as a coach, you know,
if people knew what I was really like, you know, they they would not think
so highly of me or whatever. And that's just the imposter syndrome talking
(21:56):
where, you know, they they listen too much to the self doubt and the
negative voice in their head, and don't sort of put
in perspective all the things they've accomplished. And so, even when
people come up against really, difficult challenges
where they think, oh, I don't know if I can make it through this one.
And then we'll look back and go, well well, what was the what was
(22:17):
the last real big challenge or problem that you had, and did you know how
to fix it before you you you started working on it? And
and, you know, nine out of 10 times ago, no. I had no idea how
to overcome it. Right? So it's through the per process of facing your
fears, facing your challenges that you're gonna grow and and
become more than you were yesterday. And so that's really, I mean, that's
(22:39):
really, all success is. I don't really believe in this competition,
between others. I'm I'm just in competition with who I was yesterday. And so as
long as I keep getting better. Right? And so I I love your story there
because, you know, it's it's overcoming that fear and
resistance to go ahead and do it and and that that voice that says you
can't and proving it wrong. Yeah. And and it
(23:03):
was it to me, it was something because I was 44
years old. I I didn't know my purpose in life. I didn't know what
I, I I I have a good paying job and
but I didn't have a purpose. I didn't know what and so when I
started doing the podcast and I started getting messages from
people talking about, oh, I needed to hear that episode or someone messaged
(23:25):
me, oh, this episode was wonderful. Thank you. It was those
and then when I was receiving them from personal friends of mine, it's like, oh,
I heard this episode. Because me and a friend, we did
early on to the episode, and he's a highly successful,
real estate broker in Brooklyn. And I'm
and so one of our former classmates was hearing us
(23:48):
talk, and we we talked about growth and and
mindset and coaching and everything and all the things we
were working on and and everything we were doing to work on ourselves.
And what we the the the risk we
take take and just making stepping out of
our comfort zones and and do and just taking that risk that
(24:12):
we wouldn't have had we had we just kept listening to
all those voices. And that person said, listening to you
guys, to to people I grew up with that I
knew know personally, talk about what y'all were doing and everything, that
just inspired me to because she was on she was on the fence of starting
her own business. And listening to us, she's
(24:33):
like, these are two guys I know personally. I grew up and hung out with
them. I know who they are. They're doing
it? Why can't I? Why can't I take that faith? Why can't
why can't I take that leap? And when when I
receive messages like that, that's like, oh, man. This is what I'm supposed to
be doing. I'm supposed to be doing this podcast. I'm supposed to supposed to be
(24:54):
having these conversations to inspire others out there that that
might not have the
resources to to to to get
this type of information anywhere else. So to be being able to have
these conversations and and and inspire other people to
to keep learning and growing is, to me, is it's it
(25:17):
was like this feeling inside was like,
oh, man. I feel so good being able to to provide something
that that is a value that people are taking something from
it. Yeah. I I mean, look. That's why I do what I do.
You know, I I had a a great paying
job. I I had a great position, high level in a, you know, in a
(25:39):
publicly traded company, and I, and I
realized that I wasn't as I didn't aspire to be a CEO or, you
know, that level of business. I really wanted to help other people.
And, and I I think when I look at where I've
come from, you know, this thought
that if I can do it, anybody can do it. Right? Because I I don't
(26:00):
see myself as overly special or, you know, other than
having got the information that helped me change my
mindset, change my way of thinking, to help overcome my
inner, mental roadblocks. I think that that was the shift that I made.
And I was fortunate, you know, to to meet the right people, to to give
me the right guidance, and that sort of thing. And so that's what I wanna
(26:22):
be giving back to others. So that's great. You know? That if if you can
inspire just one person like that, you know, you've already made a
huge accomplishment. Yeah.
So how do you help leaders embrace vulnerability without losing
authority? Well, I think,
we talked before about trust. And, you know, there's a
(26:44):
great model by, Patrick Lencioni. He he talks about the
five dysfunctions of a team and the the the foundational piece
where that the thing that causes people,
for one, to, you
know, lose respect or or not find that connection
or not feel that willingness to to follow a leader is trust.
(27:07):
And and and it's the kind of trust. It's not the kind of trust that's
you know, I trust you're gonna be honest and not steal from the company or
or show up on time for work, but it's the kind of trust,
where it's all about vulnerability. It's all about,
saying, you know, I'm not sure about that, or, hey. Listen. I think I made
a mistake, or, I I really need some help
(27:29):
here. Right? A lot of a lot of people aren't willing to, be that
vulnerable, because they don't have the trust that, you know,
people are gonna, I might lose my job or I won't get the
promotion, and so on. So the I encourage
that kind of vulnerability in leaders all the time to go, you know, a lot
of a lot of, people who are new to leadership will go, well, I can't
(27:52):
show. I can't admit that I make made a mistake or I can't admit
that I don't know, and so they'll make something up. And and that will
communicate to the people in their team that, okay, there's not a there's
not you know, if he's not willing to, you
know, show his weaknesses, then neither am I. Right? So
so I think, showing a level of vulnerability,
(28:16):
that facilitates trust is is what's going to get you a lot of
respect, and it's not gonna undermine your authority. I mean, if you're coming
in every day and going, oops, I screwed up again. Oh, I I have no
clue about that. That's more of an incompetence problem than a, you know,
than than a vulnerability problem. So I think being,
you know, the the I've been told that one of the reasons I'm I'm successful
(28:38):
at sales and successful at leadership is because people find
me authentic. Right? So, and so
to do that takes a level of vulnerability, but it it
it creates such a level of, trust.
And, I I think that that kind of thing is respected, at
least through my experience. Right? I don't think the people who are really
(29:01):
hard line and who are, you know, don't show any
emotion and, you know,
are are just very strict in the way they do things. I I
don't I don't think that will get the most out of the people that you're
trying to lead. I think you'll get a lot of respect if you show your
human side along with your competency.
(29:23):
Yeah. That way, if you show
your human side, people can relate with you, can relate to you. Yes. If
you're if you're able to show people like, hey. Listen. I hurt. I I go
through things. I make mistakes. I'm not perfect. I'm still learning. I'm still
growing. I think a great leader is someone who can acknowledge
their mistakes. Yeah. And face them head on and be like,
(29:45):
listen. Yeah. I messed up. But I'm gonna be hold myself accountable,
and I'm gonna take full responsibility for my mess up.
And and I'm a take that lesson and learn from it and and and and
grow and and show people, hey. Listen. Yeah. I'm not perfect.
If if you if you show me someone who is perfect like, everyone
here makes mistakes. Everyone here is not perfect. We but
(30:08):
we work together and and make it so that
you they can see, yes. I'm a coach. I teach. But
I I still I made mistakes. I want y'all to see that side of me.
I want people to see that I'm not completely perfect, that I'm still
learning and growing. And that and that shows people, hey. He's
he's like me. He's he's a person someone he's someone like he's a person like
(30:31):
me who who probably has the same
wants and and and desires for like,
most of for the most part, most of the people I speak to,
they want they want yeah. They wanna be successful. Yes. But the most part, they
wanna be happy. They want their family to be healthy, and and they just
wanna be able to enjoy their life. And so when
(30:54):
you show that part to people with that, that I'm here to say, I I
want the same things. I'm going I'm working on towards the same goals as you
are, that maybe in some some different other lane.
Absolutely. And I I I do the same as a coach. Like, I, you
know, I I talk about what we're we're striving for, you know, what what's
optimum. But I don't claim that I live I
(31:16):
I'm perfectly happy all the time or that I, you know,
my communication is always perfect or that all my relationships are
flawless. You know? That that's not human. Right?
The the difference is I have the tools and the awareness to help make the
shifts and the changes, and that that level of awareness is what I'm trying to
pass on to people. But, I you know, perfection
(31:39):
is is not the goal. It's every day making steps
towards getting better. And so I'm on that journey just
like everybody else. And I think you're absolutely right that a a leader
that can admit that, you know, there's they're constantly yeah. Every day
is a school day. Every day is a is a day for you to learn
and grow. And so I think leaders who can admit that, they'll
(32:01):
get a lot more respect and trust.
Definitely.
What what has entrepreneurship taught you that corporate
life never could? Well,
I I started more as an entrepreneur and then moved into the corporate world.
So, but I I think the the thing
(32:24):
that where entrepreneurship helped me in the corporate world was
not being afraid to make choices, not being afraid like,
I I was, I was used to, having to
hold myself accountable and take responsibility and,
make make decisions and learning to trust my intuition and my gut as we talked
(32:45):
about earlier. And so, I think that's the big
difference. I see a lot of people at different levels of
of management who, you know,
who who while we gotta follow the process, even if,
you know, they become very bureaucratic and, even though,
maybe something's time sensitive and we could miss an opportunity, they'd they'd
(33:08):
rather be safe, and rather than than,
take some risks. I think taking calculated risks is
something that you that you learn as an
entrepreneur, and it's it's
it's, you know, sadly, in the bigger the companies, the less
that is present. And that's why you see less innovation and less kind
(33:30):
of, you know, breaking the boundaries
of of of in whatever industry you're
in of the status quo. So so, yeah, I think
that's that's the finding that entrepreneurial spirit in yourself and the
willingness, like we said, to make mistakes, to push boundaries,
to take to make choices and take responsibility for them. Those are the
(33:53):
things that I learned. Definitely.
If if your younger self could see you now, what do you think he'll be
most surprised by?
How far I've come? I think because, you know, there was when I was
think of myself in my teens or my early twenties,
(34:14):
yeah, I I, I I didn't have a lot of
confidence. I didn't I had a very limited idea of what was
possible for me, and it was when I changed that
mindset that all that, changed for me. And
and so I've the expectations that I had for myself as a
young man, I've far and away exceeded them. So,
(34:36):
but I think, I think more than any kind of business
success, the fact that I've become,
happy in my work, in my relationships, I found a way
to, be successful and be happy in life, and
I don't think I really believe that was possible back in those early
days.
(34:58):
What's one overlooked skill that separates good leaders from great
ones?
Well, we've already talked about trust. Yeah. But I think, you know, the the
thing that makes the fundamental thing that makes people
successful is their ability to communicate. And so,
to be a great leader, you need to be a good
(35:22):
communicator, and and one of the fundamental pieces
of communication that people forget is listening. So,
so great leaders will let other people talk first, get
feedback, and then they will
share their opinion, or then they will give instructions and and talk. So they
they can read the room or they can assess, and they can get honest answers
(35:45):
from people. So I'd say communication is far and
away the the most important skill and within communication,
having great listening skills, being able to let other people talk first.
Sometimes, leaders feel like, I I've met people
in leadership roles who feel like, okay. I'm expected to be the one to
talk. But if you if you give people the
(36:06):
space to, to open up and share and talk
first and then kind of give direction
or, that then lead the momentum, I think that
is that's what makes great leaders in my view.
Can can you kinda walk us through your your personal coaching
(36:27):
philosophy a little? Sure. Well, fundamentally, I
believe that, everybody has more
potential than they're than they're living. And
so in coaching, I I start with the premise that,
people people have the answers they're looking for within them. So
whether it's people that I'm coaching on their personal level or,
(36:50):
you know, on a corporate level up to, you know, top
executives, they are
they're they're usually coming for two things. They're either, saying,
look. Here's where I wanna achieve. How do I get it? So how do I
get what I want? Or they're, saying, I don't know what I
want. How do I get some clarity? And so, both
(37:11):
of those answers are already within the person that I'm coaching,
And it's my job just to ask the right questions. And so they're either
questions that someone hasn't thought of or they're questions that people
aren't willing to ask themselves. So the the coaching
process is this uncovering of the knowledge we already have
locked within us and, and opening that up and being willing
(37:34):
to look at it. So, you know, that that's kind of
the the foundation, of my, of,
my coaching process. And I think the biggest roadblock that
people face, well, is themselves, but usually it's it's the
the way they think and believe. So, you know, no matter how much
work you've done on yourself or how successful you've become, you're gonna
(37:56):
have some beliefs in you that are, that are hurdles that you still
have to, cross. And so, you
know, whatever challenge people are facing, I bet I can find a
belief within them that's leading them to that that
outcome they didn't want they don't want or that challenge that they continue
to, you know, face in life. So so, yeah, it's a
(38:19):
it's a combination of of that recognizing that the answers are when within
you and knowing that the roadblocks you face are usually rooted in
some kind of belief that you've developed. So what
because you you you work with clients all over the world. So when when working
with international clients, how do you account for for cultural nuances?
(38:39):
Well, I just try to be really open. So
I I don't claim to understand, you know, every culture. I, you know,
I I I know some things about,
synchronous some some idiosyncrasies about a different Asian cultures or,
or, you know, the German culture compared to, you know, the
Canadian culture, you know, which is a a big one in in
(39:02):
communication. But, but I
think just being curious about other people
and being open to the fact that, you know,
the the for me, diversity, the most important thing, about
diversity is having different ways of looking at things, different
ideas, opinions, different ways of expressing yourself.
(39:24):
And so when you stay curious and you stay open,
cultural differences won't really have a big impact.
It's when the the when you have different cultures
coming together in a in in a room together, then you become a
bit of a mediator and, navigating that
room and trying to keep everyone else open and
(39:48):
curious and willing to communicate freely.
I I think, that's what I that those are the biggest
challenges with with cultural differences. But for me, I've I've I love
to travel. I love to get to know new cultures,
you know, whether it's languages, food, or
traditions or rituals. I think my own love
(40:11):
of that, I think, is what what helps me through all of that.
What's one daily practice that helps just keep you grounded
in your purpose? Well, I I've been,
meditating for, around twenty five years, and I
think, fundamentally, that has changed my life, but it's also,
(40:32):
something that keeps me on track
every day. I mean, I have a a morning ritual anyway, and it's usually a
combination of well, it's always a combination of some form of
meditation and some form of exercise or movement. And so,
I think when you start the day by grounding yourself,
(40:53):
getting some clarity through meditation, and and then,
that that will that will make your purpose for the
day very clear. And, you know, I I have,
daily rituals and have, like, annual rituals. So, you know, I'll
create a vision for the year ahead and get really clear about what I
wanna accomplish this year, and then I try to live that
(41:15):
in in every day. So so so I'll start my day with a with a
meditation. That's the one thing that I do every day, and I finish every
day with, some reflection and gratitude.
And that, I think, keeps it all in perspective, keeps
me grounded, and and that is a huge part
of what I think, has made me successful.
(41:38):
How do you my my last question is, how do you define
success at at this point in your life?
Yeah. It's it's not been about, the,
making more money or any of those kind of,
any accolades. For me, it's continuing to be
(42:01):
continuing to grow and learn, because,
I think the more you learn the the and the more you know, the more
you realize that there is still to learn. And, and and so I I
wanna continue to be on that learning journey through life.
So, I I think that's the and, again,
as I said before, you know, if I'm better than who I was
(42:23):
yesterday, I'm you know, it's a success. And
so so that that's, that's kind of what, you know, what
what defines it for me. I I asked I've asked a lot of
people how they define success, and the one answer that stuck with
me was so simple. And, that person said to me,
happiness. If I'm happy on a regular basis, then I'm
(42:45):
successful. And so happiness is something
everybody defines for themselves. And,
but I I'm definitely happy in the in the work that I do and the
relationships I have and the life that I have, but it it all starts from
within me. And so, so yeah. And I don't
think I would be happy and fulfilled if I wasn't continuing to grow and
(43:07):
change and evolve.
What what message do you hope to leave behind for for the next
generation of, change makers?
I I think, the most
important thing regardless of what you're trying to to do is,
(43:27):
first of all, try and be the best that you can and
then pass that on to other people. That's what I've been
doing. And, you know, I've I've been,
for years, been giving the example of when you're on the plane, you know, and
they and they do the safety instructions. You know, in the case of loss of
cabin pressure, first, put the mask on yourself pressure. Yeah. And then help those people
(43:48):
around you. And I think, you know, it's really hard to,
support other people in their success and happiness if you haven't found
success and happiness on your own terms. And so,
so so, really, that's I'd say, you
know, find your own potential and continue to pursue that.
And and then once you feel comfortable there, start giving back and
(44:11):
start helping others do the same. I I think that's the that's the
thing that I would encourage others to do, and that's what inspires me to keep
working at what I do. Awesome. Awesome. This has been a great
conversation. But we've come to the part of the show where you
get the solo screen and you get to plug and wait and let everybody
find find you find you, check you out, check your website,
(44:33):
everything. Sure. Absolutely. You can find me
at PeterTeuscher.com, and the last name is spelled t e u
s c h e r. I write a weekly blog,
to share sort of a wide variety of topics to
help people progress and, create more awareness.
I've also written a book called Rethinking Happiness. You can find a link to that
(44:55):
on my website as well. And if anybody has any questions, feel free to
reach out and and drop me a message there. Or if you wanna book a
session with me, that you can do that at my website as well. So,
so, yeah, I, I I look forward to hearing from people. And,
Will, thanks so much for giving me a platform to share my ideas.
Oh, the pleasure's all mine, man. It was it was great having you on. I
(45:18):
I've got to to learn some stuff and and have a great conversation.
To me, I I enjoy honestly, sometimes sometimes I kinda feel
selfish. Like, I enjoy these conversations, and and and when
I go back and listen to them again, and I I learn in the
process. So I I enjoy it. But in the but at the same time, I'm
also sharing it on my platforms, so there's not really nothing
(45:40):
selfish about what I'm doing. But I just have a great time having these
conversations. Yeah. You know, I started doing these podcasts,
last year because I was, I thought it would be a good way to
promote my book. But after the second podcast, I realized I
really enjoy doing, you know, these having these conversations. And everybody I
talk to brings a little bit something outside of me. Yeah. And and so,
(46:03):
I I, you know, I've I've probably done thirty, forty, maybe even 50 of these
now, and I, I I really enjoy every
conversation. And and and then you get the feedback and people
talk about how, you know, something you said there really, you know, it
really inspired me. And and and then I'm like, that just keeps me
going. You know? That that, that really gets me excited. So so yeah.
(46:25):
So I hope we have the same effect with our conversation, and,
everyone is great for me as well. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
for for being such a great guest. But don't leave just yet. Let me close
out the show, and we'll chat a little bit off there. But thank you so
much for being such a great guest. Thanks for having me.
Alright, everybody. Another episode is in the books. I
(46:46):
greatly appreciate everybody who's tuned in live. If you catch the replay,
please. If you haven't subscribed, please subscribe. Hit the notification bell.
As always, big shout out to my RealWise fam, Papi j, Randy j. Love
you guys. Big shout out to the boss lady. Love you and appreciate everything
you do. And as always, big, big shout out to all the
essential workers out there. God bless you. I'll be safe. You know,
(47:09):
your boy, Wise, does it. Peace out.
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