The Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast

Are You Living Your Encodings? From Jim Collins to Wake Up Eager Clarity

Jim Collins calls them "encodings"—the deeply wired patterns that shape how we contribute—and in this episode, Suzie Price explores how understanding your natural strengths, motivations, and energy can help you build a life you can't wait to wake up to. What if the key to a more energized, meaningful life isn't working harder—but understanding what you're truly wired to do? Inspired by Jim Collins' book What to Make of a Life and his conversation with Tim Ferriss, Suzie explores the concept of "encodings" and connects it to the TriMetrix assessment and the Wake Up Eager philosophy. She shares personal stories, research from Gallup and Jim Collins, and practical examples from hiring and leadership to show how alignment impacts performance, fulfillment, and energy. Whether you're leading a team, making career decisions, or simply trying to understand yourself better, this episode will help you recognize the clues your strengths and energy have been giving you all along. Discover how to stop fighting your wiring and start living more intentionally.   TOP 3 TAKEAWAYS 1. Your Energy Leaves Clues - The things that consistently energize you, engage you, and feel natural often point directly to your deepest strengths and encodings. 2. Success Doesn't Always Mean Alignment - You can be capable, respected, and even successful in a role that fights against your natural wiring. Over time, the energy cost of misalignment catches up. 3. Understanding Your Wiring Creates Better Decisions - Whether you're hiring, leading, coaching, or planning your future, understanding how people naturally think, behave, and stay motivated helps create stronger alignment and better outcomes   KEY QUOTES "You can be successful, respected, capable, and still be living completely outside your encodings. Eventually, the energy cost catches up to you." "You can be good at something and still not be encoded for it." "Your experiences don't create your encodings. They reveal or suppress them." "Energy leaves clues." "Sometimes your encodings are hiding in plain sight." "Stop overriding your wiring." "When your wiring, your strengths, your environment, and your contribution begin to align, you don't just perform better—you come alive." "Life gets better when we align what energizes us with how we naturally contribute." "Words don't teach. Life experience teaches." "We should allow others to be who they are through their strengths." "If you don't change and grow, you won't have what you need for what's coming next."   PRACTICAL APPLICATION 1. Start Tracking Your Energy - For one week, pay attention to the conversations, projects, and activities that leave you energized versus drained. 2. Look for Repeating Patterns - Identify strengths, interests, and contributions that have shown up consistently throughout your life and career. 3. Stop Minimizing What Comes Naturally - The things that feel easiest to you may be some of your greatest gifts—even if they seem ordinary. 4. Seek Objective Feedback - Use assessments, coaching, journaling, or trusted friends to help validate the patterns you may be overlooking. 5. Make One Small Alignment Adjustment - Choose one activity, project, or responsibility that better reflects your natural strengths and make space for more of it this month.   ABOUT SUZIE PRICE Suzie Price is the founder of Priceless Professional Development, creator of the Wake Up Eager philosophy, and a TriMetrix expert who helps leaders and organizations align people, roles, and strengths to build high-commitment, low-drama workplaces and lives they can't wait to wake up to.

2026 Tip #3 - Nicole Williams - Mini Episode

Why Smart Leaders Still Make Bad Hires (And Don't See It Coming)

Smart leaders still make bad hires because they skip upfront clarity—failing to define observable success for the role—then rely on general interview questions and are swayed by likability/confidence. In this episode, your host Suzie Price, discusses the fixes. TOP 3 TAKEAWAYS 1. Define success first. Identify the observable, day-to-day behaviors the role requires before interviewing.  2. Anchor interviews to those priorities. Create behavioral questions tied to the top 3–5 Superior Performance Attributes.  3. Don't confuse likability with fit. Evaluate competence against the defined attributes, not just confidence or rapport. KEY QUOTES - "Confidence is not competence, connection is not capability."  - "Define what success looks like in this role five days a week, not in theory, not in a job posting, but in real observable behavior."  - "Ask yourself, what are the top three to five things this person must do well every single day to be successful?"  - "Good questions don't work if they're not anchored to something specific to your role at this time in this company, in your position, in your team."  - "They slow down before they speed up." PRACTICAL APPLICATION - Define 3–5 daily must-dos for the role (observable behaviors).  - Build a simple scorecard with those attributes and 1–5 anchors.  - Write 1–2 STAR behavioral questions per attribute and ask the same to all finalists.  - Assign interviewers to evaluate specific attributes and use the scorecard in debriefs.  - Add a short work-sample or situational task tied to the top attribute.  - Create 30/60/90 outcomes linked to the attributes and review early. ABOUT THE HOST Suzie Price is the founder of Priceless Professional Development and host of the Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast. For more than 20 years, she has helped leaders and organizations improve hiring, communication, and performance through the practical application of behavioral science, personal development, and the TriMetrix assessment suite.

Tip #2 Nicole Williams Tip - Mini Episode

Touching Heaven, Walking Earth: How 10 Minutes a Day Can Transform Your Life and Leadership

Ep 147: Touching Heaven, Walking Earth How 10 Minutes a Day Can Transform Your Life and Leadership -      If you're too busy to slow down, this conversation might be exactly what you need. How 10 minutes a day focused on your inner life can transform how you lead, live, and show up in the world.   Overview: Ron Price discusses the importance of inner life and spiritual practices in leadership and personal growth. He emphasizes the significance of daily reflection, prayer, and activities like gratitude and acts of kindness. Ron's new book, "Touching Heaven, Walking Earth," explores the Lord's Prayer and offers a seven-week program for spiritual growth. He highlights the need for leaders to invest in their inner life, even if it's just 10 minutes a day, to enhance their clarity, peace, and purpose. Ron also shares personal anecdotes and practices, such as maintaining a gratitude list and praying for others, to illustrate the transformative power of inner work.                                                                                  Top Takeaways From Episode 147: -         Ron Price emphasizes the importance of nurturing one's inner life for effective leadership and personal growth. -         Ron's new book, "Touching Heaven, Walking Earth," is a seven-week program based on the Lord's Prayer, aimed at fostering spiritual wellness and community connection. -         The program includes daily activities such as gratitude lists, acts of kindness, creative expression, and connecting with others. -         Ron advises setting aside at least 10 minutes daily for self-improvement and spiritual practice. -         The book is designed for a wide audience, including skeptics, those seeking to reconnect with faith, and those wanting to grow spiritually or build community. -         He encourages leaders to find activities that help them feel centered and to prioritize self-care to avoid burnout.   Key Quotes: Ron Price – 00:00 - Ron, if you don't change and grow, you won't have the insights, wisdom and strength to be the best version of yourself for what's coming tomorrow. Ron Price – 07:32 - you're the only person who can open it up. Ron Price – 19:47 - 10 minutes a day can transform your life. Ron Price - 46:32 – Relax. It's not all on your shoulders. Ron Price - 47:53 – Be still and know.   Main Timestamps: 0:04:03 — Prioritize the inner life: carve daily time (start with 10 minutes) for reflection to improve leadership presence and resilience. 0:05:49 — COVID epiphany: proactively reinvest in inner growth so you're prepared for unexpected change. 0:06:14 — Build a habit: start small (10–30 minutes/day) and protect that time as your "circle of control." 0:16:43 — Use a structured short program: try a 7-week theme-based routine (3–4 pages or 10 minutes/day) to slow down and reflect. 0:18:09 — Daily micro-practices to adopt: listen to uplifting music, perform one act of kindness, do a short creative exercise, have a meaningful conversation, write 3 gratitudes, pray/reflect for someone, and rest. 0:20:24 — Morning routine template: gratitude list + brief reading (devotional/Bible/reflective text) + journaling + targeted prayer/intentions for the day. 0:27:54 — Practice forgiveness regularly: schedule or prompt daily/weekly reflections to release grudges and reduce emotional load. 0:31:59 — Define "preparedness" as centered presence: cultivate practices that keep you present, values-aligned, and focused rather than reactive. 0:33:20 — Find your "time stops" activity: identify one activity (music, exercise, nature, writing, art) that puts you in a flow state and schedule it weekly. 0:38:57 — Prevent burnout with rhythm: adopt micro-rests (daily) and periodic longer recovery (sabbatical or extended rest) before reaching crisis depletion. 0:41:53 — Invest in long-term wellbeing: use diagnostics and targeted self-care (sleep, nutrition, movement, medical/age metrics) to extend vitality and capacity. 0:46:01 — Leadership mindset shift: relax the "it's all on me" pressure—cooperate with your values/spirit rather than trying to control everything. 0:50:24 — Use a short shared practice to deepen team connection: run a short group reflection program (7 weeks / 10 min daily) to build empathy and honest conversations.

What You Heard Is Not What They Meant: The Clean Language Secret to Better Leadership Conversations

In this episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast, Suzie Price sits down with Judy Rees, a leading voice in Clean Language, to explore how this powerful tool can transform leadership conversations. Rather than making assumptions and jumping to conclusions, Clean Language helps leaders ask better questions and truly understand what people mean. Judy explains how leaders can use these tools to reduce miscommunication, make better decisions, and build high-commitment, low-drama teams. Suzie and Judy dive into the top questions that leaders can start using right away to unlock clarity in conversations and guide teams toward better collaboration and problem-solving. They also discuss the importance of reflection, active listening, and understanding in leadership, emphasizing how Clean Language improves both the listening and speaking skills of leaders. This episode is a must-listen for any leader who wants to stop misinterpreting and instead create meaningful, action-oriented conversations that lead to clearer outcomes and stronger team dynamics.     Top Takeaways of Episode #146 ---  What you heard is not what they meant — We automatically interpret through our own experience. That meaning-making is the #1 reason conversations go wrong One simple question can unlock clarity — "What kind of X is that X?" reveals what someone actually means. Even one question can change the entire direction of a conversation. Stop solving the problem—ask what they want — "What would you like to happen?" shifts from complaint → outcome. This is the fastest way to move people forward. People feel heard when you use their exact words — Repeating someone's language activates connection and trust. It literally changes how people experience the conversation. Slow down to speed up — Each question takes ~1 minute. But prevents miscommunication, rework, and wasted time.     In this episode: [00:00:34] Suzie Price: "Clean Language isn't about fixing things — it's about understanding them first so that we can solve the right problem." [00:05:12] Judy Rees: "What you heard is not what they said. Leaders often misinterpret because they're hearing with their assumptions, not with their ears." [00:09:14] Tom Hanson: "Leaders are often making decisions based on incomplete information. Asking better questions helps get to the heart of what is actually needed." [00:05:31] Judy Rees: "You are making meaning—and it's distorting what you're hearing. The key is to ask more questions to avoid jumping to conclusions." [00:19:20] Suzie Price: "When you give people space to explain themselves fully, you avoid rushing to judgment, which allows for deeper insights and stronger solutions." [00:50:23] Tom Hanson: "Stop trying to solve problems before you truly understand them. By questioning first, you lay the groundwork for more effective and sustainable solutions."

2026 Tip #1 : Age Younger, Lead Stronger: Science-backed insights for leaders who want to sustain energy, vitality, and high performance.

In this episode, Dr. Nicole Williams shares four simple health resets designed to improve performance, focus, and overall energy while preventing burnout. She explains how techniques like nervous system regulation, eating a protein-rich breakfast, taking scheduled breaks, and staying hydrated can help high performers optimize their physical and mental resilience. These resets are not extreme but practical habits that support sustained energy and productivity throughout the day. By implementing these strategies, leaders can avoid burnout, increase their focus, and sustain long-term success without sacrificing their health.   Key Takeaways from 2026 Tip #1 ---    Nervous system regulation enhances performance : By managing stress through deep breathing and relaxation techniques, high performers can maintain mental clarity, reduce anxiety, and improve focus.  A protein-rich breakfast fuels energy and focus : Starting the day with protein helps stabilize blood sugar, boost energy, and sustain focus, which is essential for optimal performance throughout the day. Hydration and breaks prevent burnout : Staying hydrated and taking scheduled breaks allow the body and mind to recharge, preventing fatigue and maintaining high levels of energy and productivity.   Episode Transcript: [00:01:00] Dr. Nicole Williams : "This quick reset shifts you to stress mode and back into clear thinking. Number two is the protein and produce power start to your day within the first hour of waking up, anchor your breakfast with protein plus fiber." [00:02:00] Dr. Nicole Williams : "Take five-minute reboot blocks between your meetings where you can stand up, walk around, grab a glass of water, and even better get a little bit of light in your eyes." [00:03:00] Dr. Nicole Williams : "These strategies are simple. By design, they're powerful because they work with your body and your schedule. You don't need a full lifestyle overhaul to feel better."

Stop Workplace Combat: Turn Conflict Into Collaboration With Aggressive Listening

In this episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast, Suzie Price tackles the challenge of workplace conflict and how it can be transformed into collaboration through aggressive listening. She explains how aggressive listening — a powerful tool that goes beyond hearing words to truly understanding the emotions and intentions behind them — can be the key to resolving conflict and building stronger, more cohesive teams. Suzie dives into practical strategies that leaders can use to shift the dynamic from combat to collaboration, reducing stress and fostering a more productive, positive work environment. By shifting from a defensive mindset to one of curiosity and understanding, you can turn challenging situations into opportunities for growth, connection, and better teamwork.   Key Takeaways from Mini-Episode #13 ---    Conflict is normal — combat is a choice. Conflict simply means priorities are colliding, but workplace "combat" happens when people try to win instead of understand. Leaders who reframe conflict as a diagnostic tool can use it to uncover misalignment and strengthen collaboration. Preparation prevents emotional escalation Before difficult conversations, the PREP framework helps leaders stay grounded: P – Plan the conversation R – Review the three root causes of conflict E – Emotion check (HALT: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) P – Perfect aggressive listening Aggressive listening lowers defenses and unlocks solutions Aggressive listening isn't hostile—it means relentlessly seeking to understand the other person. Using the RPSA sequence (Reflect, Probe, Support, Advise) helps people feel heard first, which dramatically increases the likelihood that solutions will be accepted.   Episode Transcript: [00:01:36] : "Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional." [00:04:26] : "Listening aggressively means you are focused on hearing the other person in a determined, deeply energetic way—with zero agenda other than understanding." [00:07:41] :  "If you try to solve the problem before the person feels heard, the solution will be rejected no matter how logical it is." [00:11:36] : "When a person's motivators don't align with their role, even the most capable employees will eventually disengage." [00:17:26] :  "There was never a time when I would not have chosen some settlement by reason rather than the sword."

How to Reduce Bad Hires: The SPARK™ Framework for Hiring, Onboarding & Coaching

Episode Preview: In this episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast, host Suzie Price explores one of the most expensive and frustrating challenges leaders face: bad hires. Rather than blaming poor performance on skills or experience, Suzie explains why most hiring failures come down to one overlooked factor — fit. Suzie introduces the Spark Framework for Hiring, Onboarding, and Coaching, a refined approach built from over two decades of leadership consulting and thousands of Trimetrix assessments. She explains how defining Superior Performance Attributes before interviews begin helps leaders identify the behaviors, motivators, and decision-making patterns truly required for success in a role. Throughout the episode, Suzie breaks down why traditional interviews often fail. Leaders tend to rely on chemistry, intuition, or résumé strength, which can unintentionally introduce bias and lead to costly hiring mistakes. Spark Job Kits provide a structured alternative by giving leaders clear role benchmarks, competency-based interview questions, and objective ways to compare candidates. But the framework doesn't stop at hiring. Suzie explains how the same tools become a leadership roadmap for onboarding, coaching, and long-term development, helping leaders guide employees toward stronger performance while reducing unnecessary friction and turnover. Suzie also highlights the real cost of getting hiring wrong — which can reach one and a half to eight times a person's salary when factoring in lost productivity, team disruption, and leadership time. With clearer expectations and better alignment, leaders can protect their culture, strengthen their teams, and make hiring decisions with confidence. If you want to reduce hiring risk, build stronger teams, and create a workplace where people wake up eager to contribute every day, this episode will give you practical insights to start defining success before you hire. Read the transcript for Episode 145 below and discover how the Spark Framework and Trimetrix assessments can help leaders hire with clarity, coach with intention, and build teams that truly fit the work they're meant to do.   Top Takeaways of Episode #145 ---  Most Hiring Failures Are Preventable 89% of bad hires fail because of fit — not skill — and when leaders clearly define role-aligned attributes before interviewing, they dramatically reduce misalignment, bias, and preventable turnover. Structure Reduces Risk Using competency-based, role-aligned interview questions and objective debrief tools shifts hiring from instinct-driven to intentional — reducing the financial risk of turnover that can cost 1.5 to 8 times a person's salary. Hiring Is the Beginning — Not the End When the same defined attributes are used for onboarding and coaching, leaders create consistency, accountability, and growth — building high-commitment, low-drama teams across the entire employee lifecycle.   Hiring mistakes rarely happen because someone lacks skill — they happen because the role was never clearly defined in the first place. In this episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast, Suzie Price introduces the Spark Framework for Hiring, Onboarding, and Coaching, a practical system designed to help leaders reduce bad hires by defining success before the interview process even begins. Suzie explains why 89% of bad hires fail due to poor fit rather than lack of ability, and how tools like Spark Job Kits and Trimetrix assessments help leaders identify the behavioral patterns, motivators, and personal attributes required for success in a role. Instead of relying on intuition, chemistry, or résumé strength alone, leaders can use structured interview questions and clear role benchmarks to make confident hiring decisions. The conversation also explores how these same frameworks extend beyond hiring into onboarding, coaching, and long-term performance development, giving leaders a practical roadmap to strengthen teams, reduce turnover, and create a more aligned workplace culture. This episode is a practical guide for leaders who want to hire with clarity, coach with intention, and build teams that wake up eager to contribute every day.   In this episode: [00:01:07] Suzie Price: "Most bad hires don't fail because of skill. They fail because of fit. When the role's attributes aren't clearly defined, alignment is never established and friction begins." [00:02:40] Suzie Price: "A résumé can look perfect and an interview can feel strong, but if motivational drives, personal skills, and behavioral energy don't match the role, friction will show up." [00:07:32] Suzie Price: "The core principle is defining success before you hire, not after. When success is clear, hiring shifts from emotional and undefined to intentional and aligned." [00:12:27] Suzie Price: "The cost of a bad hire can range from one and a half to eight times a person's salary, which is why clarity in hiring decisions matters so much." [00:19:43] Suzie Price: "Spark doesn't replace your judgment. It sharpens it, clarifies it, and helps protect your culture, your team's momentum, and your bottom line." [00:21:05] Suzie Price: "People wake up eager when their strengths align with what the job requires every day. When that alignment exists, both leaders and teams thrive."

Age Younger, Lead Stronger:The Truth About Energy, Muscle & Longevity

Episode Preview: In this episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce podcast, host Suzie Price sits down with functional medicine and longevity expert Dr. Nicole Williams to explore what it truly means to age younger — not cosmetically, but physiologically and strategically. Suzie and Dr. Nicole dive into the powerful connection between nervous system regulation, muscle preservation, energy management, and high performance leadership. They challenge the common belief that aging automatically means slowing down, gaining weight, or accepting burnout. Instead, they unpack how aging younger is about waking up eager in your body — with clarity, strength, and resilience. You'll learn why managing your energy is more important than managing your time, how stress adaptation silently leads to burnout, and why recovery is a non-negotiable for sustainable success. Dr. Nicole shares practical tools like box breathing, exercise snacking, and structured recovery planning — strategies used by professional athletes that high performers can apply in their own lives. Together, they make the case that your health is not a side project — it is a strategic asset. When your nervous system is regulated and your body is functioning well, your leadership capacity expands. When it's not, everything feels harder. If you're ready to increase your resilience, sharpen your focus, build strength that lasts, and wake up eager in your body and your life, this episode is for you. Read the transcript for Episode 144 below and discover how to build longevity, regulate your nervous system, and lead from a place of strength and clarity every single day.   Top Takeaways of Episode #144 ---    Aging younger is about capacity — not appearance. Longevity means waking up energized, thinking clearly, maintaining muscle mass, and building a nervous system that can adapt to stress. Muscle, sleep, and blood sugar stability are foundational. 80% of long-term results come from nutrition, recovery, and consistent habits — not grinding harder in the gym. Health is a strategic asset. Data-driven assessments — whether for your body or your leadership — provide clarity that prevents "shots in the dark" and accelerates real progress.   Aging younger isn't about chasing cosmetics — it's about building a body that can carry your leadership for decades. In this episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast, Suzie Price sits down with Dr. Nicole Williams, functional medicine and longevity expert, to explore what it truly means to age with strength, clarity, and resilience. Rather than focusing on surface-level fixes, this conversation dives into the foundations of sustainable vitality: nervous system regulation, muscle as a longevity organ, energy optimization, and data-driven health strategies tailored for high performers. Dr. Nicole shares her personal journey into functional medicine, why quick prescriptions often miss the root cause, and how leaders can shift from reactive healthcare to proactive longevity. This is a grounded, practical discussion for driven professionals who want more than a longer life — they want the energy, stability, and physical resilience to lead well for years to come.   In this episode: [00:10:02] Dr. Nicole Williams: "Aging younger should really be a feeling in your body. Once that feeling is there, the external has a way of catching up. It's about how your body functions more than how it looks." [00:18:29] Dr. Nicole Williams: "A wake up eager body isn't about perfection or extreme routines. It's about having a regulated nervous system so your body supports your leadership capacity instead of draining it." [00:20:19] Dr. Nicole Williams: "People become stress adapted. The body will tolerate it for a while, but when the load becomes too much, your ability to adapt drops — and that's when burnout begins." [00:25:18] Dr. Nicole Williams: "High performers manage their energy, not just their time. When you feel energized, you can accomplish more in less time." [01:03:02] Suzie Price: "Your health is a strategic asset for your life."