This is the second part of my interview with Dennie Theodore, click here to read Part One. I conduct these interviews so that you may learn from them. Please let me know what you think. How do you keep on going, how do you motivate yourself? Most accomplished people are self motivated because they love what they are doing, do you? How do you distinguish yourself from your colleagues and even competitors? What's unique about the service you provide? This is important even if you are working for an organization? What kind of life lessons have you learned so far? How do you integrate your personal and professional life? These are some of the questions that Dennie answered.
Avil Beckford: How do you motivate yourself and stay motivated?
Dennie Theodore: I promise myself one day a week to read late in bed and sleep in …. Not necessarily in the same 24 hr period.
Avil Beckford: What's the most important business (or other) discovery you've made in the past year?
Dennie Theodore: The best skill to have is the ability to adapt.
Avil Beckford: What’s one of the biggest advances in your industry over the past five years?
Dennie Theodore: Women seen as necessary in leadership positions to move projects and business forward.
Avil Beckford: What are the three threats to your business, your success, and how are you handling them?
Dennie Theodore: The usual… Similar Circles is run out of my kitchen with no funding, no time and is too GTA-centric. I’m handling them by asking my community to pitch in and they’ve been giving with both hands.
Avil Beckford: What’s unique about the service that you provide?
Dennie Theodore: I’m not trying to offer a 10-step “how to” process, but rather open discussion on “why to”. By creating an emotional/mental comfort zone, folks feel better about mentoring and networking.
Avil Beckford: What do you observe most people in your field doing badly that you think you do well?
Dennie Theodore: It’s easier to point out what others are doing well – because my strength is seeing success in others and helping promote it.
Avil Beckford: Tell me about your big break and who gave you.
Dennie Theodore: I’ve had several careers and many folks to thank in each one. My biggest break was my kid being willing to try anything once with me – from moving around the country to eating cereal for supper if that’s all we had. As one of my top priorities, he could have made my explorations difficult instead of participating as he has.
Avil Beckford: What has been your biggest disappointment in your life – and what are you doing to prevent its re-occurrence?
Dennie Theodore: There isn’t enough time in the day… considering giving up sleep.
Avil Beckford: What’s an accomplishment that you are proudest of?
Dennie Theodore: I learned to speak up, to forgive and to listen more.
Avil Beckford: How do you integrate your personal and professional life?
Dennie Theodore: I try to be the same person in all circumstances. I don’t hide one from the other. I allow myself to have an emotional response every now and then J
Avil Beckford: What’s a major regret that you’ve had in life?
Dennie Theodore: I’ll never win an Oscar. But I suppose first I have to write a screenplay.
Avil Beckford: What are five life lessons that you have learned so far?
Dennie Theodore:
- Speak up
- Ask questions
- Speak out
- Forgive
- Listen
When you have some down time, how do you spend it?
Dennie Theodore: Reading, baking, walking/hiking, doing laundry.
What process do you use to generate great ideas?
Dennie Theodore: I read, read, read. And then I talk about it with friends till I figure out what I’m thinking. Then I write, write, write.
What’s your favourite quotation and why?
Dennie Theodore: It changes. Today it’s “May you live the life you’ve earned” by TO Jazz singer Julie Michels
Avil Beckford: How do you define success?
Dennie Theodore: Success is not measured by how many hours you put in or how many projects went in under your watch. It is measured by the legacy you leave and the value you provided along the way through both your influence and achievements.
Avil Beckford: In your opinion what’s the formula for success?
Dennie Theodore: Walk your talk.
Avil Beckford: If trusted friends could introduce you to five people that you’ve always wanted to meet, who would you choose? And what would you say to them?
Dennie Theodore: Only 5?? Queen Elizabeth I; Carol Burnett; Katharine Hepburn; Terry Gilliam and Ray Bradbury … I would ask: “Can I make you dinner?”
Avil Beckford: What excites you about life?
Dennie Theodore: Humour, kindness, whipped cream.
Avil Beckford: How do you nurture your soul?
Dennie Theodore: Same but I put the whipped cream on pound cake.
Avil Beckford: If you had a personal genie and she gave you one wish, what would you wish for? Or, if I gave you a magic wand, what would you use it for?
Dennie Theodore: My selfish wish is funding for a webspace… my unselfish wish is that all children around the world be given love, food and shelter in that order.
About Dennie Theodore
a professional writer, facilitator, strategic planner and business manager, contributing to artistic and business projects across Canada and internationally. She has a long and successful history in many communities and is known as a caring mentor, negotiator and leader.
A business and artistic chameleon, Dennie offers a range of leadership, communication, strategic planning and change management skills. Dennie has brought her many skills to bear for such places as Atlantis Systems International, TD Bank, AT&T, Nortel, and The Citadel Theatre. She served on the boards of Cahoots Theatre Projects and Mixed Company, produced the Peer-to-Peer Conference with CWC and IBM, and currently runs the Similar Circles blog and events.
Recently named to the TIAW Making a Difference roster for 2009 , Dennie is a recognized leader and speaker in many industries.
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