How To Win At Work AND Succeed At Life With Megan Hyatt Miller

Your Dream Business

English - June 29, 2020 00:00 - 50 minutes - 91.9 MB - ★★★★★ - 34 ratings
Careers Business Marketing Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed

Previous Episode: 5 Steps to Getting Started with Podcasting

Next Episode: How to Sell on Social Media Without Feeling Salesy!

In this week’s podcast, I have the amazing Megan Hyatt Miller who is the chief operating officer at Michael Hyatt and Company. She is also the co-host of the popular Lead to Win Podcast. In this episode, we talk all about Michael Hyatt Company and how Megan runs it, as well as how you can stay focused and get work done without feeling overwhelmed.

KEY TAKEAWAYS COVERED IN THE PODCASTOur life has different seasons – different things are possible in different seasons.Respect the constraints that you have in your life and don’t fight it.Your weekly big three are the three most important things you need to achieve each week.Instead of writing a huge to-list every day, try to focus on the top three things you need to do and then move onto any others IF you have time.The act of writing is really good to clarify things and have a sense of calm.Having a paper planner is like having a sense of control that you can hold in your hand.Success includes all parts of your life, not just work.To have a great day, you need to have a morning and night ritual.Self-care is important to support yourself.You can be successful without burning yourself out and make compromises.
THE ONE THING YOU NEED TO REMEMBER ABOVE ALL ELSE…We have so much going on in our lives, so it is important to decide what you want to focus your energy on and what you want to achieve. When you plan and prioritise the important things, you will ultimately be more productive.HIGHLIGHTS YOU SIMPLY CAN'T MISSAn Introduction to Megan 05:54Working at Michael Hyatt Company 08:05Succession Planning and Diversifying 09:42Managing Your Time Efficiently 13:18The Season of Life 18:20The Full Focus Planner 22:20You Can Win at Work and Succeed at Life 34:00Journaling for Kids and Students 39:00What’s Next for Megan? 43:52
Transcript below

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of the podcast. How are you doing? I am sat recording this on a beautiful sunny day in Rochford in England. And I have to say, because we haven’t been able to get in a plane this year yet. I was missing, going to amazing sunny places like California and Nashville. And I was in Greece and Cyprus and Dubai last year. So I am really, really very grateful for the sun shining here because, I don’t know about you, but it totally makes a difference to my mood and how I feel. And obviously I’ve had my garden done. So after I’ve recorded this, I’m probably going to go and work in the garden, which will be heavenly. Anyway, haven’t come on to tell you a weather report. Today I have an amazing interview for you. I am interviewing the very lovely Megan Hyatt Miller, who it was such a delight actually. So nice to have her on. I really think you’re going to love this conversation. It was so, so enjoyable to do from my point of view. Now you might recognize the Hyatt name as I have had two or two members already at the Hyatt family. So I’ve obviously already had Michael Hyatt on the podcast and Megan is Michael’s daughter. And as you know that. Well, his other daughter, Megan’s sister, Mary is my coach and very dear friend and she’s been on the podcast twice. So it was so nice to add Megan to the lineup.

I feel like I should be interviewing their entire family, but I think we’re going to stop it at Megan, but it was great to chat with her. So let me tell you a little bit about Megan first. So Megan Hyatt Miller is the chief operating officer. At Michael Hyatt and company, she’s also the cohost of the lead to win podcast, which is consistently featured in the top 10 of iTunes. As a leader of leaders, she is the grand architect of Michael Hyatt and company successful achievement focused culture. Today, she teaches other companies, how to practically craft a company culture that makes a double win effortless. Uh, they have a sort of phrase that they win at work and win at life. She enjoys her free time with her husband and check this, five children. Five. There’s a woman is basically chief operating officer at a hugely successful business that is in an industry that is incredibly fast moving.

And she does all this while being mum to five children, which completely blew my mind and these children. And I think she says it on the podcast. We’ve got a couple of teenagers. A couple of boys who were around sort of 10, 11, I think. And then a baby who is only just turned one like, WOW. So in this episode we talk all about Michael Hyatt and company and how Megan runs the company and what she does in there. But the reason I bought Megan on is because Megan is one of the people behind the full focus planner. And I use the full focus planner to help me stay organized. Now I’ve tried so many planners and I have to say, I failed dismally at loads of them. Couldn’t get on with them, thought I loved them. And then we did it for three days and then be done. I have been using the full focus plan and I for six months solidly and consistently, and I love it. And they’ve got some great thoughts and opinions on how you can actually stay focused and get work done without the overwhelm, without having hundreds of things on your, to do list. So that’s what we talk about in today’s episode.

And like I said, It was just such a lovely conversation, loved chatting to her, really enjoyed it. The other thing that you should know is while I was in Nashville last year, Mary, very kindly, this is before see way before lockdown. Took me to Michael’s and Michael Hyatt companies offices. Oh, my actual word.

You have never seen offices. Like it. They’re beautiful. This so, so amazing. And the culture that they’ve created in that business is, is phenomenal. So honestly, I think you’re gonna love today’s episode. Megan was just delight to interview and it was so nice to have a chat with us, so please enjoy. Okay. So it gives me such pleasure today to welcome to the podcast. The very lovely Megan Hyatt Miller, Megan, welcome to the podcast.

Megan: Hey, it’s so great to be with you. I’m so excited to be here.

Teresa: I honestly, and I’m really, really excited to have you on, and it feels like I’m slowly getting the entire Hyatt family on the podcast. It feels like, you know, should I get your mom on? Should we get one of the other sisters on?

Megan: Of course.

Teresa: Obviously your, your dad, Michael Hyatt, very kindly come on and we’ve had Mary on a couple of times. So it seems perfectly fitting and wonderful that you agreed to come on because one, it’s nice to have all three of you, but two you and your take is very different and your life is very different from, from what we get from them, which is really cool. So, so in case my audience don’t know, you, can you just give them a brief overview of what you do and how you got to be doing what you do?

Megan: Absolutely. So I’m the chief operating officer of Michael Hyatt and company, which is obviously a family business. You know, you just heard Teresa say that. Uh, my dad has been on the podcast, Michael Hyatt before.

And so we have a leadership development company and our mission is to help overwhelmed successful leaders, get the focus that they need so they can win at work. And succeed at life that when it work and succeed at life, part of our mission is really what gets us out of bed every morning. Definitely what gets me out of bed because I’m also a mom of five kids, including three kids that are adopted as of two kids who were my stepkids and three kids who were adopted. So we have an interesting family and I’m running a company. And so that’s what I’m trying to figure out. You know, how can I grow this company and build this life that I want at home and do both at the same time. So that’s a big part of who we are. And one of the things that we offer is called the full focus planner, which Teresa, I know you are a big fan of and love. Yup. And we’ll probably talk a little bit more about that in a minute. Um, but that is a quarterly planner that helps people just really, um, kind of cut through all the distraction that we’re experiencing right now. And, you know, kind of no matter what time it is, um, so that you can focus on what really matters and get those things done. So anyway, we do all kinds of things, including goal achievement and, uh, leadership development. As I said, coaching, um, related to that and productivity also. Um, and mostly right now we’re a virtual company. Like everybody else, we were already significantly virtual, but now we’re a hundred percent virtual and, uh, people are trying to figure out just like you guys are how to do it with your kids at home and all the rest. And it’s an interesting journey, right.

Teresa: For sure. That is a very good word for it. Interesting.

Megan: Yeah. And air quotes. That was my interesting, that’s what you can see us.

Teresa: So Megan how long have you worked at Michael Hyatt and Company

Megan: Since 2012. So it’s been a while.

Teresa: Yeah. What was that like to go and work with your dad? Like. Cause quite honestly, not that my dad has a company, but I couldn’t imagine working with my dad.

Megan: Well, you know, people ask me this a lot and I always say, if the relationship is good, it will be probably better when you’re in business with each other. If it’s not, run, like it’ll make it worse. So that’s always the advice I give. But, you know, it’s funny. I came to work for my dad at that point. In 2012, I had just brought my two younger boys home. They were, um, three and 14 months old when we adopted them from Uganda. And I thought I was going to be a stay at home mom. So I’d quit my previous job. I was in communications and I thought I’m going to just be a stay at home mom. And for nine months I was. About to rip my hair out by the roots. So I love my kids, but I was like, I got to talk to some adults, you know? And so I just went to work with him part time and over a pretty short period of time, it just became more and more. And I. Have more and more responsibility until eventually I was running the whole business and now we’re in business together. So, um, it’s a really special thing and we have a lot of fun. We, I think, think a lot of light, a lot of like, and we’re really complimentary with each other. So for us, you know, just the fact that we have a great relationship and we’re really committed to transparency and great communication has made it, um, honestly easy and loads of fun. So I’m enjoying that.

Teresa: Yeah. And I can see that. And I think from an outsider, looking in and watching the things that you guys put up and how you are when you are together, it obviously works so well for you. Doesn’t it. And the other thing that I wanted to ask, it’s really interesting. And I, I I’ve heard your dad say this before, is that he, he wants, he’s obviously getting to a point where he’s starting to step back a bit and step back a bit, hence why you are in charge and you are leading it, but how do you. How is the vision of running a company with his name on, you know, do you think that matters? Do you think that people will want him always or cause that transition must be, you’ve got to plan that out and think about it.

Megan: Absolutely. That’s a great question. Well, we kind of began the conversation about succession planning probably at least three years ago, and really came up with the plan that we have now that we’re executing. So I’ll become the CEO of the company in January of 2022. Um, And he will continue to write, uh, for our audience. He will speak on behalf of the company, you know, a number of times a year, but he has other things he wants to do as well. And so our intention is to during that period of time between now and then to continue to raise my profile, but actually, um, we’re not really looking to replicate or to fill the role that he’s going to vacate with my personality. Um, we want to spread that among a number of people and really have a kind of, uh, the voice of our brand rise up and fill that space rather than it being just totally a personality oriented brand, because there’s some limitations to that that, um, you know, obviously, uh, you know, you’re, you’re limited when only one person is kind of the face of the brand.

So we’re intentionally diversifying that. So it’s not just me. It’s not going to just be him. It’s going to be other people as well, because I think that gives not only freedom for the two of us, but it also provides a diversity of perspectives, which I think is very relevant right now. So that’s kind of how we’re approaching it.

Teresa: And I see that already. I see that you’ve got two younger people on the podcast. Is it leads when podcasts that no. That’s your podcast.

Megan: The focus on this podcast, which is the one for the planner.

Teresa: Yes. So obviously they’re younger. You’ve got a different demographic. Yeah. Also, I really liked the fact of when I look at, you know, your business, I love the fact that you or the other person, because your dad, you know, he’s been in corporate worlds. He’s very corporate looking guy. He’s a lovely, lovely guy, but he’s, you know, he’s been in business a long time. Yeah. You bring a different perspective. You bring that you’re managing now with young children. Just, you know, your, your daughter’s almost a year old, like, and I think what’s so smart about this is to the company. You’re bringing lots of people who might not resonate with, you know, I resonate probably better with you, you talk about because I’m a mom.

Megan: We’re in the same season of life. Yeah, exactly.

Teresa: You know, where is other people will definitely look at your dad and go, you know, get that other people will want someone younger, like the people on the podcast. So yeah, I think that it’s a great movement. Like you said, it’s really hard to have an entire company around one person because a...

Megan: Lot of pressure.

Teresa: Isn’t, isn’t up to it that day, or doesn’t want to go and speak on a stage or, you know, so I think, I think it’s a great move. So let’s talk about. Because when you, when you say your bio, when you say who you are and what you do, I think people, and I know lots of my listeners are women. I know lots of them are business owners, lots of them have their own children and manage families and homes. And they’re probably sat there going say, “What ? You did what? Did you have an extra, like six hours in your day that we don’t know about”. How on earth do you manage doing everything you do?

Megan: Well, it’s not magic that’s for sure. I think that it it’s come really from clarity around what I want for my life. And two of my kids have special needs. Uh, the boys that we adopted from Uganda had some special needs. Actually many of those have gotten better over the years, but when we first brought them home, I was quite overwhelmed with, um, what they were going to need.

From me as their mom to really kind of heal from the early experiences that they had had and be in a place where they were thriving. And so I knew that it was not going to be an option for me to kind of let the reigns out on my ambition to the point of working, you know, 50, 60, 70 hours a week, you know, as a, as an entrepreneur, I knew that was not possible without sacrificing my family. And so when my dad came to me and said, um, you know, Hey, I think it’s time for you to start running the company for you to become the COO. I said, well, I don’t know if I can do that because I’ve got these kids and they’ve got a lot of needs. And, and I just thought about it and I thought, okay, you know what? They are in school at this point. I think I could do this. If I could be done every day by 3:30 in the afternoon so that when they come home from school, I can be totally present because otherwise they’re with the babysitter after school. And then, um, you know, it’s bedtime by the time we have dinner, it’s bedtime shortly after, and there’s not a lot of time left for me to do what they need. So that was the parameter that I put in place. And I said, I can do this, but I’m going to work from nine to 3:30 every day. That’s it. End of story and whatever doesn’t fit in that timeframe is just, you know, just a no go. And so about 90 to 95% of the time I adhere to that and I’ve done that for years since they were little, you know, they’re now 10 and 12.

And like I said, they were three and 14 months when they came home. So that has the constraints of that have driven really. Pretty extraordinary innovation on my part in clarity, around my priorities, because you know, in, in only that amount of time, every day, I don’t have time to do anything. That’s not important. You know, I can’t waste time. I can’t get distracted with things that I could delegate to somebody else. Um, I can’t have pointless meetings. I have to do. You know, a solid day because it’s shortened day of high leverage work. And that has really worked well for me. I would say that that vision for my personal life has been what’s enabled me to professionally succeed.

Teresa: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I think that’s the thing, isn’t it? Because often I talk about the fact that people start their own business, they go into their own business thinking, Oh, I’ll have the freedom. Now what I had was more work than I ever more time that I had to work than I ever knew. And there’s that constant for mums, especially the, when I’m with my daughter, I don’t feel like I’m giving that enough attention when I’m here. And she’s sure like, and obviously at the moment it’s even worse.

Megan: Oh gosh.

Teresa: I’ll be on a call like this, where I’m on screen and I’m talking to someone and even, and it’s happened a couple times, even when my door’s shut, it’ll start to sneak open and she’ll come and just stand. And I’ll be like, with my arm, like, get your word, like, try to like, let it be seen on my face. It’s so hard. Cause you feel like just trying to juggle it all. You never feel. I think sometimes that you’re never quite doing the right thing at the right point. And I think the other thing that’s interesting and one thing I love about. What you portray in particular through your own social media, through when I’ve seen you? I was very lucky that I got to see you in Nashville at the end of last year.

Megan: That was so fun.

Teresa: It was really fun, really, really fun. And also it was, um, it was, I think my last trip since.

Megan: Oh, right.

Teresa: Which is just like I can’t believe it, but I really gotta play it again. Um, but yes, and it was a great, great trip, but some, one of the things that I loved is that you’re very honest about the struggle, but this is hard because

Megan: It is hard.

Teresa: I think if you like me, I, and I know you, you know, we read a lot, we look at a lot of entrepreneurs. We, we try and model things and see things and think like, Oh, this is great. We’re going to try this and do this. And you see some people and you’re like, “How on earth, do they do that?” And one thing that we talked about at the time was talking about...