We recently connected with Jodie Eckleberry-Hunt and have shared our conversation below.

Jodie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I love a good story, and I love reading real, human stories – so much so that I’ve always wanted to write a book of inspirational stories to help others. Yet, I was afraid. I was afraid of being “not good enough,” of being judged, of failing. So, I didn’t do a thing. I swallowed my dream, but it was still in my belly. One of the big problems was that I always compared my storytelling to other people’s, and I fell short in my own mind. My stories were raw, real, and sometimes ugly. I wondered if people would want to read something like that. My issue was that I had a hard time reconciling how to be real and inspirational at the same time. It took me years to understand that people want realness in pure form. It helps alleviate a sense of isolation and shame. It wasn’t until many years after first contemplating my dream of writing a book of inspirational stories that I finally sat down to write Badass Stories: Grit, Growth, Hope, and Healing in the Sh*tshow. The risk is that some people won’t like the rawness, and I have come to the conclusion that is okay. My stories won’t resonate with everyone. They couldn’t possibly, but that doesn’t make them any less worthwhile. I am not going to measure my success by sales. I am measuring my success with my satisfaction that I wrote a book that I think has some great stories and themes to help people heal and feel a part of a community where perfection doesn’t exist.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Once upon a time, I was a medical transcriptionist, which means I typed physicians’ office notes. I remember typing a note about an elderly guy who came in with grief after his wife died. He left with a prescription for Prozac, and I found myself thinking “there must be more than a pill for grief.” I decided to study psychology so I could become a therapist, and I loved it. I loved learning. I loved the science, and I loved the people/stories. After obtaining my Ph.D., I went on to complete a two-year fellowship in health psychology and am board certified in that specialty, which means I have special training in mind-body medicine. I have expertise in stopping smoking, losing weight, improving sleep, alleviating pain and so on. After fellowship, I went on to teach physicians in training for about 13 years. I taught them how to make diagnoses, do counseling, and how psychological problems present in medical settings. After a while, I moved on to establish and executive health/coaching service line for a health care system, and that was incredibly fun. Now, I am in full-time private practice while also writing books and doing keynote talks and workshops. I need a lot of variety to keep my on my toes. I am most proud of the more than 25 years I have spent counseling people (and teaching others to counsel people) in emotional pain. It continues to be an incredible privilege.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

My teenage son has asked me multiple times what I would do differently if I didn’t choose psychology, and my answer always frustrates him. I say that I cannot imagine doing any other work. Psychology is the study of the human mind and behavior. It is endlessly fascinating and applies to everything that humans do. I seem to get bored easily, and psychology gives me so many things to consider.

Any advice for managing a team?

This question is so important because so many people get it wrong. I think leadership is a bit simple. Care about people – really care about them and listen. Don’t spend so much time talking, but rather, listen. When people feel valued and humanized, they will perform. Lead with humility – remembering that you don’t have all the answers – and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable about that. There is an old quote: Culture eats strategy for lunch everyday. Focus on the culture. When you stop caring about people, find a new job.

Contact Info:

• Website: jodieeckleberryhunt.com
• Instagram: @jeckeberryhunt
• Facebook: @jeckleberryhunt
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jeckleberryhunt
• Twitter: @jeckleberryhunt
• Youtube: @jodieeckleberryhunt