Episode 79

Episode #76 - Sharing Our Leadership Assets To Grow Influence: An Interview With Hector Ortiz

The ability for ourselves to grow as leaders takes a lot of persistence, commitment, and understanding a little about our own selves in order to create opportunities for self-reflection and development of our own communication and influence. Even though these aspects are important, we must find ways in our own ways to create relationships, confidence, and determination in the ways we lead others. Leadership consultant and author of positive thinking and personal/professional growth Dr. Hector Ortiz shares his unique perspectives not only on how what he shares with others about this subject, but how he has been able to create these important aspects in his own life. Being able to be a role model is only one piece of the overall sphere of influence we carry, let alone vision for our organization (both personally and professionally). We are able to grow if we are able to examine who we surround ourselves with, and nurture our own well-being.

Guest Bio

Dr. Hector Ortiz is the Program Manager for Diversity and Inclusion at Penn State Health System. Previously, Dr. Ortiz served as Senior Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships, Office of Advancement and Strategic Initiatives at Central Penn College. From 2015 to 2020, he served at Central Penn College as an Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies. Hector is a Leadership Harrisburg Area graduate, class of 2005. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, a master’s degree in diplomacy, and a doctorate degree in international relations and has obtained the Highest Toastmaster Educational Award, the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) recognition in 2018. He has written two books: The Creative Energy of Positive Thinking, and Six Assets To Grow Personally and Advance Professionally.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/hector.r.ortiz.33

LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hectorrortiz1166/

Website: http://www.drhectorortiz.com/

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Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs

Transcript
Intro:

Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and

Intro:

determination, all converge into an amazing, heartfelt experience.

Intro:

This is Speaking From The Heart.

Joshua:

Welcome back to episode number 76 of Speaking from the Heart.

Joshua:

Today we're going to be interviewing Dr.

Joshua:

Hector Ortiz, who is a fellow Toastmaster and I have known

Joshua:

personally for many years.

Joshua:

He is the Program Manager for Diversity and Inclusion at Penn State Health

Joshua:

System, and previously, he served as the Senior Director of Community

Joshua:

Engagement and Partnerships through the Office of Advancement and Strategic

Joshua:

Initiatives at Central Penn College, located in Enola, Pennsylvania.

Joshua:

From 2015 to 2020, he also served as an assistant professor and director

Joshua:

of graduate studies at the college, and he is a Leadership Harrisburg

Joshua:

area graduate, graduating in 2005.

Joshua:

He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, a master's degree in

Joshua:

diplomacy, and a doctorate degree in international relations, which you

Joshua:

will hear quite clearly a international perspective that we talk about, especially

Joshua:

with the topic at hand, which is mostly focused on leadership in this episode.

Joshua:

Hector has also obtained the highest Toastmaster's educational

Joshua:

award, Distinguished Toastmaster, and he received that in 2018.

Joshua:

He's currently the author of two books, the Creative Energy of Positive Thinking

Joshua:

and Six Assets to Grow Personally and Advance Professionally, which

Joshua:

we also talk about in this episode.

Joshua:

What I really found interesting to really kick off this new year for us,

Joshua:

and especially learning a lot more about.

Joshua:

What we can do in the realm of leadership and communication, is that we can learn

Joshua:

so much from just influences, not only from around us, but also who do we hang

Joshua:

out the most that gives us those thoughts and perceptions, which really helps us

Joshua:

to understand not only the ways in which we can approach different subjects,

Joshua:

especially in the new year, but also how we can change our opportunity to

Joshua:

be happy and be able to be successful while making achievements overall.

Joshua:

I think that this might be the wake up call that we might need to help

Joshua:

us to start with our goal planning, and especially making ourselves

Joshua:

more accountable for what we can do within our own leadership realm.

Joshua:

But with that, let's go the episode.

Joshua:

All right, we're here with Dr.

Joshua:

Hector Ortiz.

Joshua:

Hector, thanks for sharing your heart with us today.

Hector:

Thank you for the invitation.

Hector:

It is really a pleasure to be here and had the opportunity to share

Hector:

some thoughts and some stories and some intentions and commitments as an

Hector:

individual, as a professional with an aviance that I am sure is willing to

Hector:

learn, is willing to share, is willing to know how many people can be able

Hector:

to support, to help, to inspire, and I hope after this podcast, we can be able

Hector:

to promote the opportunity that people think in a different way, hopefully

Hector:

in a proactive way to live a beautiful life that I am living at this moment.

Joshua:

I have to tell you.

Joshua:

That is the most awesome opening to when I say, "Thanks for sharing your heart with

Joshua:

us today" that I've had yet, so thanks for that because really, that's my goal,

Joshua:

Hector, every time that I have somebody on the show is to be able to do just that,

Joshua:

so thank you for that great insight to help our audience kind of dive into it,

Joshua:

and I want to also say, full disclosure, because I already introduced you to the

Joshua:

audience that I've known you for a number of years now because of Toastmasters, and

Joshua:

for those that are interested in checking out Toastmasters International, my

Joshua:

listeners have known this very well now.

Joshua:

You can go to the episode notes, click on the Toastmasters international link

Joshua:

and can go and visit a local club closest to you, whether that's in person or

Joshua:

online, and learn more about how you can network with others, but Hector,

Joshua:

I've done enough of a shameless plug.

Joshua:

What I want to do is really talk a lot about some of the things that

Joshua:

you have accomplished in your life, because first off, I introduced you

Joshua:

as Doctor Hector Ortiz, and I think that it's always amazing to see

Joshua:

people move through their educational journey to get to where they are at.

Joshua:

I have been a shameless plug myself of having two master's degrees, so my

Joshua:

first question to you is, how did you get to ultimately earn your doctorate?

Joshua:

Why did you have this pursuit of thinking of education being

Joshua:

truly important for yourself?

Hector:

Thank you for the question, and I really, truly believe that

Hector:

education is one of the ways that every single individual, any person in the

Hector:

world, can be able to create social mobility, can be able to achieve goals

Hector:

and intentions, objectives, and can be able to move in any direction that

Hector:

that individual wants to do in life.

Hector:

I really believe that education is that equalizer, that independently how you

Hector:

start, whatever neighborhood, whatever family you come from, that education allow

Hector:

any person, any individual, to exercise deliveries, the intentions, and to pursue

Hector:

whatever they want to pursue in life.

Hector:

I am thankful, grateful.

Hector:

I had a father that liked to read and when I saw that intention to

Hector:

promote education to ensure that their childrens become educated.

Hector:

It's something that you don't have to convince me two times.

Hector:

I really knew from the beginning that education was the key and so happy,

Hector:

so thankful for the opportunity to get educated at the higher level:

Hector:

to go to the elementary school, to go to high school, to enter to

Hector:

college, graduate from college, get a master degree, and then a PhD.

Hector:

I did all at once because I really believe in the power of education.

Joshua:

With that, because you have done so much different education, I

Joshua:

know that you have taught for a number of years in Central Penn College,

Joshua:

which for my listeners, Central Penn is in Enola, Pennsylvania,

Joshua:

which is close to the state capitol.

Joshua:

Do you have that sense that you wanted your students to also

Joshua:

have that same passion as you did when it came to learning,?

Joshua:

And if so, How did you go about showing that to your students?

Joshua:

Was there some sort of way?

Joshua:

A methodology?

Joshua:

What were your tactics to help them get inspired?

Hector:

Let me tell you that Toastmasters play an important, I will say a

Hector:

fundamental role, in that opportunity that I have to teach at Central Penn College.

Hector:

I taught for at least six years, I was the director of programs at the

Hector:

master degree level, and organizational leadership, basically the two elements

Hector:

that Toastmasters highlights so very well, communication and leadership,

Hector:

and I was teaching these two subject matters at the master degree level.

Hector:

When I have the opportunity to talk with people who has already degrees because

Hector:

they have bachelor's degree in order to pursue the master's degree, I have

Hector:

to talk to them about leadership, and what's amazing was a journey to have

Hector:

the opportunity to see middle management leaders already who were in the journey

Hector:

to learn about leadership, to practice leadership; to utilize not just what the

Hector:

textbook says, not just what the best practices, the experiential learning

Hector:

says, but also the opportunity to digest and had conversation with these leaders

Hector:

on how they want to be better leaders.

Hector:

It's not just the style that they may have.

Hector:

It's not just the approach that they can have.

Hector:

It's the opportunity to digest when, how, what and who is going to be using that

Hector:

particular approach on leadership, which is extremely connected with communication.

Hector:

In my first classes with any students, I usually say there is two elements

Hector:

that you need to create leadership.

Hector:

One is communication.

Hector:

Without communication, there is no leadership to be able to communicate.

Hector:

The second way is influence, and without influence, you are not a leader.

Hector:

If you are not able to convince, to persuade anyone,

Hector:

then you are not a leader.

Hector:

You have to have followers.

Hector:

You have to have a group of people who able to move with you in any

Hector:

particular direction, but integrity is what, in my view, create leadership.

Hector:

The style is something else, but the foundation, the pillars of leadership,

Hector:

start with communication, continues with influence, and is able to create

Hector:

whatever leadership style you have you would like to get from life.

Joshua:

I love that because, you and I have had these sort of conversations

Joshua:

over coffee, about how it different leaderships can have different ways

Joshua:

in which we produce results, and I've always been excited, especially

Joshua:

as a student myself, to learn about those sort of topics because I

Joshua:

think that one sort of leadership style, and doing that continuously,

Joshua:

does not necessarily mean that you yield the same results every time.

Joshua:

You might have to change, you have to warp, you have to have,

Joshua:

like you said, these two elements: communication and influence.

Joshua:

Speaking of which, I think this is a great time to talk about the two books that

Joshua:

you have written as it relates to that.

Joshua:

I'm holding both of them, for my listeners, because I've been really

Joshua:

a fan of reading and learning about different perspectives and Dr.

Joshua:

Ortiz definitely has a lot of those when it comes to this subject.

Joshua:

Hector, you talk about in your first book, The Creative Energy of Positive Thinking:

Joshua:

A Basic Approach To The Genuine Concept Of Happiness, and then just recently, you

Joshua:

have written Six Assets To Grow Personally and Advance Professionally: A Practical

Joshua:

Approach To Reach Lifelong Fulfillment.

Joshua:

With both of these, and I know that this is probably a very loaded question,

Joshua:

which I hope that maybe you can condense for us, why write these two books?

Joshua:

Why do you feel that leadership, especially with thinking about and

Joshua:

learning about the ways in which we can do it, which is kind of the theme in both

Joshua:

of those books, why do you feel that is really important, because I could easily

Joshua:

say, "This is the way I always do it.

Joshua:

That's why it always works", but obviously, you disagree with

Joshua:

that premise because of some of the things that you've written.

Joshua:

Do you mind talking about both of them and kind of wrapping those together for us?

Hector:

Absolutely, and let me start with The Creative Energy Of Positive Thinking.

Hector:

I was with a good friend of mine; Mr.

Hector:

Grant Hetrick, who is the coroner of Dauphin County, and a good

Hector:

friend of mine, and one day he told me, "Why don't write a book?

Hector:

Just start writing.

Hector:

You had very good thoughts", and one of the reasons that I were convinced

Hector:

to write my first book, The Creative Energy of Positive Thinking, is when

Hector:

I saw so much negativism in people.

Hector:

Now, I am not trying to excuse that many of us face very difficult times in Earth,

Hector:

and many of us may not have the resources that other have, and it's going to be

Hector:

difficult for each one, however, the point of The Creative Energy Of Positive

Hector:

Thinking is that all depends with the way that you see things, and in my view,

Hector:

if the way that you see things is going to be giving you the perspective to see

Hector:

opportunities to move forward, to resolve whatever issues you may face, or if you

Hector:

see the other ways, you are going to be seeing just struggles, challenges, and

Hector:

how difficult life is, and you don't have everything that you need to resolve

Hector:

those issues, so all is the perspective that the individual bring, and my point

Hector:

is that should be always an opportunity to see anything from a optimistic

Hector:

perspective, and if you just take that chance, to see things from a proactive

Hector:

perspective, you're going to be able to see that life is not easy, not difficult,

Hector:

that life is not unfair, that life is what you decide to be, what you decide

Hector:

to become, what you decide to pursue, because at the end, it's just you, the

Hector:

only person who determined how much, how far, how fast you want to go in life, and

Hector:

again, one of the things that you can get from that book that I got myself and I

Hector:

emphasized the importance of this is, to create a mission, a statement of life;

Hector:

a personal mission, a statement of life.

Hector:

If you don't know where you are going, if you don't know what you are doing in

Hector:

life, then it's going to be difficult to have the opportunity to create happiness.

Hector:

It's going to be difficult to have the opportunity to see optimistic points of

Hector:

view, so I recommend, I emphasize the importance to start any human being with

Hector:

analyzing where you are, and where you would like to be, what you are doing now,

Hector:

what you would like to be in whatever time you have the opportunity to lead.

Hector:

In other words, a mission, a statement of life, which is for

Hector:

any organization is a mandate.

Hector:

There is no organization that is successful if they don't

Hector:

have a mission statement.

Hector:

I am asking the same para logic with the people that you should have a

Hector:

mission statement of life, and I was able to develop my and revise on annual

Hector:

basis after writing this book, The Creative Energy Of Positive Thinking.

Joshua:

Before you move to the second book, that is something that I think is

Joshua:

truly important is, like you said, having that mission statement for ourselves

Joshua:

so that we know where that direction leads, and I love this book in itself

Joshua:

because it walks through not only how you can start to develop that for your

Joshua:

own, but starts to challenge some of that thought process as well that you

Joshua:

might have already existing, and I think it's really about deconstructing

Joshua:

a little bit, and maybe as a question to that, Hector, is there something

Joshua:

that maybe you talk about in the book or even maybe you recommend to people,

Joshua:

because I know you do consulting as well.

Joshua:

Is there something that you recommend to individuals, or even businesses for

Joshua:

that matter, to help dispel that breaking of that thought pattern that might be

Joshua:

toxic or might be negative in nature?

Joshua:

Is there a first step that you would recommend, because as a coach myself, I

Joshua:

feel like I do that quite a lot with my clients and that means trying to say,

Joshua:

"This message that you've been telling of yourself might not be the message

Joshua:

that you should be sharing with others or even with your significant other.

Joshua:

It's about really working on a different viewpoint", so is there something that

Joshua:

you recommend to people that helps them to get started with that process?

Hector:

Well, one of the things that you can see in the book

Hector:

is there is a lot of research.

Hector:

There is a lot of other people who have wrote about this particular

Hector:

topic of positive thinking and the influence that positive thinking

Hector:

can create in the minds of people.

Hector:

Therefore, there is many other resources that people can go and read.

Hector:

Carnegie is one; How To Make (Win) Friends and enjoy life, right?

Hector:

It's one of the sources that I have read many times; the Carnegie Books.

Hector:

The tremendous John books that is a local author that has

Hector:

been, again, changing lives.

Hector:

I do many other sources that can be utilized, and many other self-help books

Hector:

that are available, that people can consider to learn to utilize what many

Hector:

others has written about it, but if you ask me one thing that you need that anyone

Hector:

should utilize is to believe in yourself.

Hector:

Start with that.

Hector:

Start with believing in yourself, and many people not are able to do.

Hector:

Many people are not just afraid to make mistakes, are afraid to move

Hector:

forward, believe me or not, and I mentioned this in the book, many people

Hector:

are afraid even to be successful.

Hector:

She said how people can be afraid of being successful, well they have not

Hector:

seen people around being successful, so they don't even believe that

Hector:

success may exist, because that's the resources, the neighborhood,

Hector:

what they see, and unfortunately, people tend to reflect on what they

Hector:

see, if they're around good people.

Hector:

There is a saying that the five people that become your best friends or the

Hector:

people you hang around all the time, you become the operas of those five people

Hector:

that you are around, and that's true in many ways, and I challenge all of the

Hector:

listeners today to analyze who are the five people that you go around regularly

Hector:

on periodic basis, that you get lunch, that do breakfast, that you talk, and

Hector:

you may be the overanalyzing everything: income, spirituality, emotional, many

Hector:

ways that you can, analyze, measure success, and we are part of that, so

Hector:

basically, the people that you are around tell you to reflect what you would like

Hector:

to do and with education, with learning, by reading, but try to get something

Hector:

else, you can get out of that, a status quo of that overage and move forward.

Hector:

That's what social mobility is all about.

Joshua:

That is some really good advice, and I think especially just having those

Joshua:

five people, I was literally thinking in my mind right now: "Who are the five

Joshua:

closest people that I associate with?", and it reminds me so much that I did

Joshua:

that exercise a few years ago when I initially paged through your book,

Joshua:

and I haven't done that in a while.

Joshua:

It makes me rethink that I should do that again, and I think it's

Joshua:

always good to revisit it, because like you even said earlier, that

Joshua:

influence that communication, those things change quite often.

Joshua:

Now I want to move to the second book, the Six Assets To Grow

Joshua:

Personally And Advance Professionally.

Joshua:

How did this book come out of the woodwork, if you will, of your experiences

Joshua:

or your associations, because I would've said, "Man, one book, having the Creative

Joshua:

Energy Of Positive Thinking, that enough, in itself, could say so much", so I

Joshua:

guess my question is, why a second book, and what is it that it does for people

Joshua:

that if they want to pick up that, why would they want to read that, Hector?

Hector:

Thank you again for the question and let me share with the audience

Hector:

that, in many occasions, many people had approached me and has shared how

Hector:

this book has changed his or her life, and just having one person, one person

Hector:

come to me and say, "This book helped me to change my life or help me where I

Hector:

am now.", I think the book fulfilled an intention, but many people: coworkers,

Hector:

social workers, students, and people who have shared with me, even a coworker that

Hector:

I have now said, "My son read this book, and do you know how much he loves, and

Hector:

how much he enjoy, and he was even going to commit suicide", and when saw this

Hector:

perspective, the different analogies, the different stories of the book, try

Hector:

to connect with the top principle, create that opportunity that people see life from

Hector:

different perspectives, so that itself helped me to evaluate that maybe something

Hector:

else can be done, and that's what the second book that was just published

Hector:

this year can, after those intentions to develop, not just the proactive

Hector:

approach, not just the positive thinking approach, but how we can develop the

Hector:

individual itself take six assets to grow personally and achieve professionally,

Hector:

emphasize the need to grow and to develop yourself as an imperative to fulfill

Hector:

personal and professional aspirations.

Hector:

It help also that individuals, people, or individual professionals,

Hector:

can also have the opportunity to read three elements that are so

important in life:

peace, success and happiness and success and happiness

important in life:

and peace can be seen from different perspectives; depends where you are.

important in life:

Depend how much because success for an individual who is poor, who

important in life:

may not have education is just to have a job, and that person had a

important in life:

sustainable job, may be success.

important in life:

For people who have sustainable jobs and may have education success may be

important in life:

seen differently and analyze different angles, different ways that people see

important in life:

success, that people see happiness, that see people see peace, and in that

important in life:

way, you develop the individual, try to understand what are the ways, what are

important in life:

the alternatives to develop individual, to create not just a positive thinking

important in life:

approach, but how much the feelings involve the decision that people make.

important in life:

How much is important to enhance the state of self-awareness, awareness, decision

important in life:

making, and analyze as an individual and as a professional, the different

important in life:

decisions that we make on daily basis, not just as an individuals, not just as a

important in life:

professional, but as a holistic approach of the individual and try to analyze

important in life:

the different perspectives that people bring, so in that way, you analyze the

important in life:

six assets, the six chapters, that we present to the individuals and to the

important in life:

professionals on how to better understand life from these two perspectives.

Joshua:

It's good to have a formula or a roadmap, if you will, to more clearly put

Joshua:

it, and to help us to move from that point where we are to another, which is always a

Joshua:

important subject in itself to help us not only stay on track, but I feel that when

Joshua:

we have those conversations, we can be more intentional, more rationalized with,

Joshua:

"Okay, this is the pillar that I'm in.

Joshua:

What is it that I can do to continue to grow in that while I'm working on these

Joshua:

other pillars, maybe concurrently, maybe the next step", whatever that pace is

Joshua:

for people, because especially with some guests that I've had on this show, Hector,

Joshua:

I definitely have learned a lot about the fact that we all have different ways.

Joshua:

We have different brain styles in which we develop that too, and I think

Joshua:

that this leads into my next question, now moving past the books, which I

Joshua:

encourage my listeners to pick up.

Joshua:

I'll put a link in the episode notes if you are interested in purchasing them.

Joshua:

They are available online and I'm really interested in the fact that you have moved

Joshua:

on into the Penn State Health System.

Joshua:

You became a Program Manager For Diversity and Inclusion.

Joshua:

Why the pivot?

Joshua:

Why move to now thinking about these conversations of DEI:

Joshua:

diversity, equity, inclusion?

Joshua:

Is it in the same vein of what you've written about and which

Joshua:

you're helping people to understand what those differences are?

Joshua:

What do you say is your mission with serving in such a role like this,

Joshua:

because truthfully, you could have stayed in education and continue to

Joshua:

inspire a whole generation of students thinking about these topics and

Joshua:

talking about them, but why the change?

Joshua:

I'm curious.

Hector:

Thank you for the question again.

Hector:

That's a fair question, and diversity, equity, inclusion play a

Hector:

fundamental role in decision making.

Hector:

Cultural differences is a huge, huge animal that many people tend to believe

Hector:

that they know, they understand, and they are fine because they just

Hector:

understand differences, but from my years of experience in even just

Hector:

understanding one of the elements of the multiple hundreds of differences that

Hector:

we share as a human beings, income, for instance, not just economic, not just

Hector:

socioeconomics, not just the opportunity to generate wealth, but income.

Hector:

In America, it's very disproportionate, and I am even seeing now the discussion

Hector:

about slavery and how many benefits this benefits, in quotation marks,

Hector:

create a slavery, and I was just afraid to even start a discussion

Hector:

like that when we know that.

Hector:

Politically.

Hector:

Slavery was defending the south and was against in the north, and that was

Hector:

created the Civil War many years ago, but the main point is that diversity,

Hector:

equity, inclusion is something that we're involved all the time.

The question is:

are you prepared?

The question is:

Are you ready to accept differences, and many people are not.

The question is:

Many people tend to believe that my culture is better than others; that my

The question is:

religion is better than others, that my approach about gender, ethnicity,

The question is:

national origin is better than others, and the point is that at the

The question is:

end, any culture is not even worse or is not better than anyone else.

The question is:

We are just different and we don't have any right to make another person

The question is:

to believe just in me because I think my culture is better than others.

The question is:

I don't have any right to make another person to change the culture, because it's

The question is:

something that you belong to, that you come from, and in spite of you, and if you

The question is:

want to demonstrate the authenticity that any single human being have, we are not

The question is:

open and able to showcase, to demonstrate, to create a war when diversity, equity,

The question is:

inclusion can leave, can transpire, can be exercised, by any single individual.

The question is:

When we are able to allow people to do the true selves, to be able to come to a

The question is:

particular session meeting environment, and share their ways of thinking,

The question is:

their ways of doing the tradition, customs, and ways of acting based on

The question is:

their experiences, then we are going to be able to allow any human being to

The question is:

present, and even be better, because diversity at the end from the business

The question is:

perspective, create productivity, enhance opportunity to create teamwork,

The question is:

and allow more involvement and engagement when we are truly focused

The question is:

in the vagueness of diversity in guests, try to fight who think like

The question is:

me, or who doesn't think like me.

The question is:

In leadership, there is a thought that said the leader is not a

The question is:

person who knows everything.

The question is:

The leader is the person who knows a little bit about leadership, who knows

The question is:

a little bit about how to be successful, but is able to put together a team

The question is:

of people when you have the talent of those areas that you are not aware,

The question is:

that you are not very good, and then you realize in people, "I don't know, Josh."

The question is:

Any leader in the world that can say, "I did by myself."

The question is:

We need a group of people who need a team, and that's what leadership,

The question is:

communication, influence, because you are able to communicate the vision and you

The question is:

are able to influence the why, then you are going to be able to have people who

The question is:

can follow to that particular mission of intention, goal, or objective, but you

The question is:

need to have a team, and the team has to be very diverse in thinking, in action,

The question is:

in aspiration, in intentions, and that's the role of the leader: to put together

The question is:

everyone in the right seat so the path to succeed in life can be achieved and can be

The question is:

generated, but that vision that the leader brings, but that team members that allow

The question is:

the vision of the leader to be successful.

The question is:

John Maxwell says the leader is more worried about the vision than the people.

The question is:

The people are not worried about the vision, but the leader, so the group

The question is:

of people select first the leader.

The question is:

The leader selects first the vision, not the people, so that's what you had when

The question is:

you had a vision and then the people will come and generate any opportunities to

The question is:

generate change and hopefully aspirations and satisfactions in the future.

Joshua:

Wow.

Joshua:

Those are some pretty profound statements, and I think that you

Joshua:

reinforce even what some of my other guests have said, and I have to call

Joshua:

this out specifically even right now, about the fact that we need that team.

Joshua:

I've had people on the show have called that our universal team.

Joshua:

I have heard it called our sphere of influence.

Joshua:

I've heard it called the group in which helps us to get to where we need to go,

Joshua:

but you make a very convincing statement and argument here about why it's so

Joshua:

important as well to have that in a leadership context, especially with the

Joshua:

work that you do, because it helps us to now see that global picture as opposed to

Joshua:

that individualistic picture, and I think that is so important to see those world

Joshua:

diverse views, and I love the way you hear it because sometimes I feel like we put

Joshua:

it into another category or we dump it into something else that we're trying to

Joshua:

make this point, and then it comes back to being individualistic, but I love the way

Joshua:

you just explained that, because I think it opens up this whole other conversation

Joshua:

in itself that I know that we won't have time to do in this episode, maybe we'll

Joshua:

bring you back and talk about some more, but I love the fact that you called that

Joshua:

out for what it is, and I appreciate that.

Joshua:

Hector, as we get closer to the end of the time, I want to ask you this one

Joshua:

final question because it really has been something of intrigue for me personally,

Joshua:

and I think that for my listeners, it might help to shine a little bit about

Joshua:

who you are and why you do what you do.

Joshua:

I know that you've been involved with Rotary.

Joshua:

I know that you've been involved in Toastmasters; that's how I met you, and

Joshua:

we have developed a strong friendship over these years in which I've been able

Joshua:

to not only have you worked for me, but I have worked for you as well alongside

Joshua:

doing all kinds of different things.

Joshua:

Do you feel that your way of giving to other people is to help them see these

Joshua:

ideas of positive thinking and leadership?

Joshua:

Do you feel that you see each person as being this big melting pot of opportunity,

Joshua:

because I feel like that's your worldview.

Joshua:

That's, to me, what I think, but please, educate me on this and my listeners,

Joshua:

because I think this passion just rings through with even with some of our

Joshua:

conversation that we've had today, and I think it will help us to understand that

Joshua:

motivation that you have inside yourself.

Hector:

Thank you for the question and thank you for those kind words

Hector:

again, kind words that help to move forward to keep doing what we are

Hector:

doing in the book and again, in life.

Hector:

I'll always think that in summary, whatever type of light any individual

Hector:

wants to leave, if we are able to summarize, in my personal view and

Hector:

I respect any other views, there is three lives that people can live.

Hector:

You can live a life of pleasure or happiness.

Hector:

You can live a life of success or achievement, or you can live a life

Hector:

that, again, is so important and is so much needed, which is a life of meaning.

Hector:

In other words, you can have multiple opportunities to create the life that

Hector:

you would like to get, but in summary, when you put people together, even

Hector:

in one way or another, people want to live a life of pleasure, a life

Hector:

of success, or a life of meaning.

Hector:

Let me start with the last one because of your question.

Hector:

Meaning is something higher than yourself, and that can be seen from

Hector:

the spiritual viewpoint, from the brain rationality viewpoint, from the

Hector:

emotional viewpoint, for the physical viewpoint; all depends what you would

Hector:

like to start analyzing the meaning.

Hector:

In my view, meaning is when you are able to do something not

Hector:

just for yourself but for others, that's what Rotary contemplates.

Hector:

That's what community service contemplates.

Hector:

That's what servant leaders contemplate.

Hector:

The opportunity to share the privileges that we have, because I feel privileged;

Hector:

my education give me privilege.

Hector:

The position that I have teaching give me privilege.

Hector:

The position to serve the community give me privilege.

Hector:

Those privileges, if they are using, not just to advance yourself, your

Hector:

family, the people around you, but to advance others, and let me tell you

Hector:

something that I wrote in the first book.

Hector:

In my view, the best thing that anyone can do for someone else, is

Hector:

not just give physical resources.

Hector:

Of course, many people need those, and it's fine to give when they need that,

Hector:

but the best way that any individual can help someone else is to be able to

Hector:

discover themselves, the talents, the attributes, the things that people have,

Hector:

and you're able to believe in someone else, if you're able to discover the

Hector:

talents and the attributes that people have, you are able to help themselves.

Hector:

That's the key point, Josh.

Hector:

When people are able to help others to help themselves, to believe in

Hector:

themselves, to see things from proactive perspective, that creates meaning.

Hector:

That creates meaning to life, that can create meaning to the profession, that

Hector:

can create meaning to the individual.

Hector:

That's what meaning is all about and that's just one of type of life that

Hector:

people can live, and if you combine that one with success, that, again, I mentioned

Hector:

to you, can be different, because depends of the individual is in the eye of the

Hector:

beholder what success is all about, and in that way, success can be achieved.

Hector:

Then in that way, if you have success and you have meaning, pleasure will come

Hector:

by default, so just depends what angle you see, what life you prefer, but you

Hector:

are able to live these three types of life combining and achieving then I live

what I think I live a life:

of pleasure, a life of success, a life of meaning.

what I think I live a life:

I am so grateful for the life that I have.

Joshua:

I'm grateful for the life that you have too, because of the influences

Joshua:

that you have touched other people, including even myself with, which I

Joshua:

think is a perfect segue to wrap up.

Joshua:

I know that you do public speaking about this topic.

Joshua:

You have done coaching and consulting relating to this.

Joshua:

I want to give you the last few minutes, Hector.

Joshua:

How can people reach out to you if they are interested in talking more

Joshua:

about this with you, because this has been a great conversation and we only

Joshua:

scratch the surface today, but what if people want to learn more about this?

Joshua:

Is there a way that they can reach out to you?

Joshua:

I'm going to give you the last few minutes to go ahead and pitch yourself.

Hector:

Thank you.

Hector:

Absolutely.

Hector:

You can reach me and you can find me in LinkedIn.

Hector:

You can find me in Facebook.

Hector:

You can find me in my website, www.drhectorortiz.com and

Hector:

you can find me in my books.

Hector:

I had pages in Facebook, in social media, connected with The Creative

Hector:

Energy Of Positive Thinking, and the Six Assets To Succeed Personally

Hector:

and Advance Professionally.

Hector:

You can reach me again, you are going to be sharing my contact information,

Hector:

that I am able to go and talk with people about this to communicate the

Hector:

best way that people may have in order to live a better life, but again, at the

Hector:

end, is the decision of the individual.

Hector:

At the end is the commitment of the individual.

Hector:

Nothing is easy in life.

Hector:

Nothing is difficult in life.

Hector:

You have to pay a price, and we all know that.

Hector:

Whatever we are doing, we pay a price, even for doing nothing, we

Hector:

are paying a price, the price of spending our time doing nothing, but

Hector:

we have to pay in one way or another.

Hector:

People tend to believe when we ask to pay is just monetary

Hector:

resources, but we pay socially, economically, politically, culturally.

Hector:

We pay emotionally, spiritually, rationality.

Hector:

We pay in one way or another.

Hector:

In that segue, I would like to emphasize anyone who is giving me

Hector:

the opportunity to listen today to Josh and myself, to think about life.

Hector:

What you would like to get from life.

Hector:

What are you doing now in life?

Hector:

Where are you?

Hector:

Are you happy with where you are, because if you are, then you just have to start

Hector:

planning what is going to be next, how you can find meaning, how to can find

Hector:

success, or how you can find happiness, but at the end, it's your decision.

Hector:

It's your life.

Hector:

I am just here sharing good practices that I am living, that I am practicing,

Hector:

and I didn't work, and just share those because I have the privilege to

Hector:

have an education, a family, and now a commitment to create a life that I don't

Hector:

have to wait to retirement to enjoy.

Hector:

I enjoy every single second, and I hope all of you who are here today can enjoy

Hector:

your life as it comes and every single second, because life is beautiful.

Hector:

The world you cannot have the opportunity to see and to observe

Hector:

and to contemplate with the life that we have with a number of years.

Hector:

Life cannot be measured by the number of years, but the seconds

Hector:

that you enjoy each opportunity that life offered to all of us.

Joshua:

I think that time is valuable, and that's what you're definitely summarizing,

Joshua:

is that we can use our time to help others and even help ourselves to see

Joshua:

that light that's within ourselves and what we want to get out of life, and I

Joshua:

certainly have gotten a lot out of this conversation as for my listeners too,

Joshua:

and with that said, Hector, thanks for being on Speaking From the Heart today.

Joshua:

It was a true privilege and honor to get to talk to you about your books,

Joshua:

about you, what motivates you, and more importantly, how you are a great

Joshua:

leader overall, and with that, I value our friendship as a result of all

Joshua:

of those things, so thank you again.

Hector:

Thank you.

Joshua:

I want to thank Hector again for being part of the show, and he

Joshua:

really shared with us some interesting perspectives about the topic of

Joshua:

leadership, which he not only brings the international perspective on, but also has

Joshua:

studied it for so long that a lot of those different techniques that he has talked

Joshua:

about in this episode, I know for a fact he has lived in person, and I think that

Joshua:

really generates a lot of the conversation that we can have, not only about

Joshua:

ourselves, but also the ways in which we can make progress in the right direction.

Joshua:

With those things in mind, we can definitely think about the goals.

Joshua:

We can think about ways in which we can have intentionality in our lives.

Joshua:

Being able to teach, to be able to learn; those are things that we learn at such

Joshua:

a young age to adapt as behaviors that oftentimes are forgotten about when we

Joshua:

get into the later parts of our life, until, of course we get some kids that we

Joshua:

raise, and then those all come flooding back into our minds as to the level of

Joshua:

importance they have, and I think he talked a lot about that, particularly

Joshua:

when we made it to the spheres of influence or the elements of leadership

Joshua:

more specifically, which he talked about communication and influence, but we don't

Joshua:

have to have those same resources that other people have that allow us to go

Joshua:

forward in a direction that is really needed to be optimistic, to be creative

Joshua:

in the way in which we deliver ourselves.

Joshua:

I know that for many of us, we can think about leadership as a way or a tool to

Joshua:

help us get to that next point, and I teach a lot of this, even my clients

Joshua:

that are going through my business, and they're thinking about ways in which they

Joshua:

can take their selves to the next level.

Joshua:

I even deal with that at work when it relates to the different types of

Joshua:

opportunities that exist when it comes to not only providing that creativity when it

Joshua:

comes to leading others, because we often have to think outside of the box, but

Joshua:

we also have to have good communication style to be able to do just that.

Joshua:

I often think of people like Dale Carnegie, John Maxwell, even some of

Joshua:

those notable figures that we talk about today: Warren Buffet, maybe

Joshua:

even a Steve Jobs who's no longer with us, who definitely tried to

Joshua:

create some of the unique cultures that we have and we can experience,

Joshua:

but those are just the juggernauts.

Joshua:

Those are just the people that, overall, create some of those things

Joshua:

that we have in our lives that we often think can be the role models, but why

Joshua:

can't we just believe in ourselves?

Joshua:

Why can't we just believe in our success of being able to be a good leader, and I

Joshua:

really love the fact that Hector talked about: who are the five people that you

Joshua:

go around with on a periodic basis that you surround yourself with, because I had

Joshua:

to stop myself, even in this episode, to think about what are some of the things

Joshua:

that I could learn from just being able to separate the individuals that I have

Joshua:

in my life that create that sort of unique persuasion of sorts to try to be able

Joshua:

to take a big step back and say, "Maybe I don't need to go in this direction.

Joshua:

I think that the other question that we have to ask ourselves is: how much can

Joshua:

we change our thoughts or perceptions in that bigger, greater framework of

Joshua:

leadership, because let's face it, we all know that we have different perceptions

Joshua:

and attitudes that we go into when it comes to not only the ways in which we

Joshua:

lead others, but also the ways in which we communicate, which we gain that influence.

Joshua:

Now, I'm not about to go out to give staff, or people that I would supervise,

Joshua:

a whole bunch of money to say that, "Yes, you need to be influenced by me,

Joshua:

so I'm going to pay you more above what you even get paid now", because then

Joshua:

that expectation will always be there.

Joshua:

Although money is a nice reward, it doesn't always mean that it provides the

Joshua:

right answer, but it also means don't have a pizza party every single Friday, because

Joshua:

then somebody knows that maybe something's up after that 15th, 20th, 25th pizza

Joshua:

party in a row, but I think what's really important here is to understand what the

Joshua:

importance is for our decision making.

Joshua:

What can we be surrounded with in our nebulous, or environment that

Joshua:

we work in, that help to create some of that awareness for ourselves

Joshua:

to be able to learn and grow?

Joshua:

Companies can easily turn to a survey that helps to survey the population of an

Joshua:

audience, AKA employees, or even bosses for that matter, in ways in which we

Joshua:

can promote our own individual growth to help us to understand what are the true

Joshua:

possibilities that exist before us, but I think what is really important here

Joshua:

is that we need to be our true selves in order to get that best feedback.

Joshua:

We need to have our team around us that allows us to understand

Joshua:

that change has to occur, but the change, especially even what Dr.

Joshua:

Ortiz provided in this episode, is about understanding that positive aspect

Joshua:

of it, the pleasure or the happiness that comes with it, the success or the

Joshua:

achievement, or even having meaning.

Joshua:

I think that for many of us, we forget about that last part, the meaning

Joshua:

aspect of it, in which we are able to recognize and engage with other

Joshua:

people because we bring context to it, because accepting differences in the

Joshua:

ways in which we approach subjects help to embrace our differences inside not

Joshua:

just ourselves, that just me mentality, but it opens up a whole new world of

Joshua:

understanding our decision making process.

Joshua:

Sound familiar?

Joshua:

It might be something that we might've missed, especially in United States

Joshua:

politics, or go to any country around the world in which you might need to

Joshua:

have a better understanding of the opposing viewpoints, which is why the

Joshua:

concept of debates go all the way back to Greek Roman times in which those

Joshua:

individuals, those that were representing other individuals for that matter,

Joshua:

were pontificating, or speaking, about the different ways in which they can

Joshua:

provide support for a position that is in mind, but I think that we often

Joshua:

forget about the fact that we need to find the best way to help, not only

Joshua:

ourselves, but those that are around us.

Joshua:

To help us to discover the talents and attributes of those other individuals

Joshua:

that we are gifted to be around.

Joshua:

I already hear the grumbling now, "Josh.

Joshua:

There's no way I'm going to work with Sally today because she's just so grumpy.

Joshua:

She is just terrible to work with.

Joshua:

How could you ever expect me to have such a positive attitude

Joshua:

around somebody like that?"

Joshua:

Maybe not relatable?

Joshua:

Let's try this scenario instead, "Josh.

Joshua:

There is no way that Bob is going to be able to get that deadline done,

Joshua:

and as many times as I keep telling him the importance of the deadline,

Joshua:

he just does whatever he wants.

Joshua:

He doesn't care what I have to say.

Joshua:

I have no value in front of him."

Joshua:

I think that we have to take a big step back and ask ourselves this question.

Joshua:

If we ever face that opportunity of leading others, especially in

Joshua:

this new year, we can ask ourselves this question: What do you want

Joshua:

to get out of that situation?

Joshua:

What is the meaning of being able to ask Sally, "What is going on?", or even

Joshua:

asking Bob, "What is going on?", because I think that it's so much more than just

Joshua:

a list of papers that detail our mission, our vision, our values, maybe even the

Joshua:

goals in which we can learn so much and create that intention in our lives to

Joshua:

order to understand how to best move forward, because it isn't just about the

Joshua:

fact that we need to be communicators or even influencers for that matter, but

Joshua:

it's about understanding not just those five people that are around us, but the

Joshua:

people that aren't around us either, because they do leave a mark on us.

Joshua:

They do change our thoughts, our perceptions, and even our

Joshua:

frameworks are, when it comes to the bigger scheme of things.

Joshua:

What is the important awareness or decision making that we should

Joshua:

be making, because it isn't just about embracing differences; not

Joshua:

just the physical side of it.

Joshua:

It's about embracing what we can potentially become, and it means also

Joshua:

bring some people alongside of it that might need to hear that message

Joshua:

more than once, and recognizing that we all go in different directions.

Joshua:

We are now in the year 2024, and I know that for many of us, we might be lost in

Joshua:

which ways that we can move forward, but I think that this important interview

Joshua:

really considers the fact that we don't need to have all the answers, but what

Joshua:

we do need to have is some assets to be personally enabled to think creatively,

Joshua:

because I think if we're able to do that, not only are we going to make it

Joshua:

to the next step, no matter what that is, no matter if we defined it or not

Joshua:

yet, but we're going to be able to push forward, and I think that surrounding

Joshua:

yourself with someone, maybe even this coach that's speaking to you right now

Joshua:

for that matter, can help you get to the ways that you want to be, especially

Joshua:

in the new year, because let's face it, it's never too late to get started.

Joshua:

Aren't you going to get started now?

Joshua:

Aren't you going to stop talking in the ways in which you think are

Joshua:

going to be done, and actually take action on them, because I think

Joshua:

you're ready for change, aren't you?

Joshua:

I am, and all I need is to hear from you.

Joshua:

Thanks for listening to episode number 76 of Speaking From The

Joshua:

Heart, and I look forward to hearing from your heart very soon.

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About the Podcast

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About your host

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Joshua Smith

Joshua D. Smith is the Owner and Founder of Your Speaking Voice, a life coaching, business coaching, and public speaking company based in Carlisle, PA. Serving clients across the world, Joshua got his start in personal/professional development and public speaking in April of 2012 through his extensive involvement in an educational non-profit organization called Toastmasters International.

Toastmasters International operates clubs both domestically and internationally that focus on teaching leadership, development, and public speaking skills. Joshua quickly excelled in Toastmasters International and found that he had a passion for leadership and helping others find their confidence and their true "speaking voice". Joshua has held all club officer roles and most District level positions in Toastmasters International and belongs to numerous clubs throughout the organization. Joshua has also been recognized as two-time Distinguished Toastmaster, the highest award the organization bestows for achievement in leadership and communication.

Outside of his community involvement, education is something that Joshua has always taken great pride in. His academic achievements include a number of degrees from Alvernia and Shippensburg University. He earned a Bachelor's degree in political science and communications from Alvernia in 2009, a masters of business administration from Alvernia in 2010, and later a masters in public administration from Shippensburg in 2014.

In the professional world, Joshua has held multiple positions with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for over 14 years which includes a variety of data analytics, procurement, budgeting, business process improvement (IT and non-IT), legal compliance, and working with the blind. He has applied his public speaking and development skills in the professional world to tackle numerous public speaking engagements and presentations from all levels of the organization, including executive management.

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