Episode 1111: Impact the World - Interview with Leadership Coach Jerry Fu – Part 4

[00:00:00] Scott Maderer: Thanks for joining me on episode 1,111 of the inspired stewardship podcast.

[00:00:07] Jerry Fu: I'm Jerry Fu. I challenge you to invest in yourself, invest in others, develop your influence and impact the world by using your time, your talent and your treasures to live out your. Having the ability to understand and resolve conflict is key.

[00:00:24] And one way to be inspired to do that is still listen to this. The inspires stewardship podcast with my friend, Scott Mader

[00:00:32] One beggar telling other backers where to find us. I believe when people, and I think this is the turning point. Really people are willing to be generous without compensation. There comes a point where it's say, Hey, there is a clear line between what I'm able to give away for free, but I also want you to succeed, even if you don't.

[00:00:51] When people, when coaches are willing to say that.

[00:00:54] Scott Maderer: Welcome, and thank you for joining us on the inspired stewardship pod. If you truly [00:01:00] desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent and your treasures for your true calling and the inspired stewardship podcast.

[00:01:11] We'll learn to invest in yourself, invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the world.

[00:01:20] And today's interview with Jerry Fu. I asked Jerry about stewardship and how it's impacted him. I also asked for his top tips on making an impact. And Jerry also shares with you what he hopes to leave as his legacy. One reason I like to bring you great interviews. Like the one you're going to hear today is because of the power in learning from others.

[00:01:43] Another great way to learn from others is through reading books. But if you're like most people today, you find it hard to find the time to sit down and read. And that's why today's podcast is brought to you by audible. Go to inspired stewardship.com/audible [00:02:00] to sign up and you can get a 30 day free trial.

[00:02:04] There's over 180,000 titles to choose from. And instead of reading, you can listen your way to learn from some of the greatest minds out there. That's inspired stewardship.com/audible to get your free trial and listen to great books the same way you're listening to this podcast. Jerry Fu is a conflict resolution coach for Asian American leaders.

[00:02:28] He started coaching in 2017 to help other Asian American professionals deal with the challenges they encounter at work with their families and within themselves prior to starting his coaching business, Jerry worked as a pharmacist and began facilitating leadership workshops in 2012. Today, Jerry offers a range of coaching services, which includes individual cases.

[00:02:51] Group workshops and keynote presentations and his free time, Jerry enjoys travel, trying new restaurants and lots of [00:03:00] salsa dancing. Welcome to the show, Jerry

[00:03:02] Jerry Fu: Scott, this for having me.

[00:03:05] Scott Maderer: So of course my brand is inspired stewardship. And again, like last week when we talked about leadership, I've learned over the years, that stewardship is one of those words that different people hear different things when they hear it.

[00:03:17] So what does the word stewardship mean to you and what has that meaning had an impact on your life? In what way is that meaning had an impact on your life?

[00:03:27] Jerry Fu: Yeah. Excellent question. Stewardship for me implies and really represents. An attitude of a servant posturing yourself as a servant, realizing that as a leader, you are not meant to be served, but to serve others.

[00:03:46] And I have to remind myself every time I take on a leadership position to, I'm not doing this just to get the big piece of chicken as one committee. And right. I'm not just doing this. The [00:04:00] rewards are great as a leader, for sure. You know that there are some really nice compensation packages out there.

[00:04:05] Yeah. Unfortunately that comes with a lot of ego as well, right? To say, Hey I've made it this far. I deserve a lot because I know how hard I worked to get here, as opposed to saying, Hey, you know what? Yeah. My compensation probably is higher than other people that I'm leading. And I heard one CEO say it this way because some people think plenty of people think they're working for me.

[00:04:29] I really think I'm working for. I set up this company, not so that I could just enjoy the benefits that come from owning a company, but I'm really making a difference because the work we're doing is important and we're giving people jobs and an opportunity to really make, play their role in having the impact that our company wants to have.

[00:04:49] And yeah, that's the impact it's had on me because even as a coach, if I tell people I'm doing this so I can have a higher quality. [00:05:00] That might be true, but it probably would inspire them to work with me. But if I am honestly doing this and I am I the people it's there, people supposed to believe me or not, but when I know I am doing this so that people don't simply say, Jerry is a good leader, but Jerry May be a better leader.

[00:05:16] Jerry helped me overcome challenges at work Better relationship with my boss and really helped me define success for myself and say, respectfully disagree with people who may not support my idea of success. Those are good things, right? I'm going to trust that people are going to compensate me for my time and they feel yeah, I got a good value out of working with Jerry and at the same time it comes back down to serving people, right?

[00:05:45] I wouldn't do this unless I were serving and it's not gonna my business won't last, unless I'm actually genuinely serving.

[00:05:51] Scott Maderer: And again, it comes back to that too, cause I think probably when you said some of those things, everyone's thought of somebody that said those things and they believed them [00:06:00] and everyone thought of somebody that has said those things and they're like, yeah, you don't really mean that.

[00:06:05] What do you think is the difference between that part of it? People authentically saying it and people believing it versus saying it and people aren't hearing the authenticity.

[00:06:17] Jerry Fu: Yeah. Great question. I think a big part of it is what are they posting, right? How are they presenting themselves?

[00:06:27] Cause that's, there's only that's part of it because sometimes it's very calculated right. As to how they're presenting themselves. And at the same time there's only so many secrets you can hang onto, I think before they come to life. So especially in today's world. Oh yeah. With social media and everyone has a camera on their phone now.

[00:06:48] I think part of it is, yeah. Look at what kind of legacy are they leaving now? Any smart coach will have not just testimonials. [00:07:00] Like they'll have the share of referrals too. Or at least that's what I believe is that people don't just, when they see how overjoyed they are at the kind of change and transformation that experiencing the lifetime, having since work with an effective coach, I don't think they keep that to themselves.

[00:07:15] They'll usually say tell three friends, Hey work with this coach. She, he did so much for me. And I think about Michael and the impact he had on me. And I tell people all the time, right? Hey, work with Michael he's, he helped save my career. He's always has something useful, interesting to say, and I'm going to hang around him.

[00:07:38] And that's not something I do just to get referral bonuses from Michael. That's not what our relationship is built on. It really isn't authentic desire to share and a humility to, Hey I'm one beggar telling other beggars where to find me. Yeah, I believe when people, and I think this is the turning point, really, when people are willing to be generous without compensation, [00:08:00] there comes a point where it's say, Hey, there is a clear line between what I'm able to give away for free.

[00:08:04] But I also want you to succeed, even if you don't have it. When people, when coaches are willing to say that I think those are the people I tend to respect the most and actually the ones I want to pay to hire me, because I thought to myself if they're this generous can imagine what they're willing to do for paying clients, right?

[00:08:23] Yeah.

[00:08:24] Scott Maderer: So if somebody really wants to make a dent in the universe, whatever that phrase means to them, what are some of the principles or tips that you would give them to be able to do?

[00:08:36] Jerry Fu: Yeah. Yeah. Like a great resource. I'll go ahead and point you to is designing your work life by bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

[00:08:44] Cause they talk about impact specifically, where do you want to be a surgeon where you only work on like a brain surgeon working only work on one patient at a time, but for those patients, right? The obviously do a lot, or do you want to go [00:09:00] macro scale where you are helping with a nonprofit in third world countries trying to.

[00:09:05] Fix or make changes to a broken system like healthcare or government or infrastructure, things like that. And I would just tell people, Hey, like bill Burnett and Dave Evans already have a great resource on that. But if you want to simplify some takeaways yeah. It is to ask yourself, yeah, like what am I wired?

[00:09:27] Why do I have a heart for right. Is it refugees? Is it orphans? Is it widows? Is it anti-trafficking causes? Is it educational systems? Is it certain areas of the world. That you feel like you need help cleft palate. And that's another fun one where dentists go in and not only do these, sir, perform these surgeries, but also train up local dentists to do them.

[00:09:55] And yeah, just take time to explore, take time to interview people in [00:10:00] these spaces. Learn what drives them, what keeps them going on their toughest days. And now that you have a more complete picture. Certain causes out there and what it takes to support them. And you have to ask yourself now, like how much time am I willing to invest, or how much money or how much talent do I want to invest in terms of trying to have this impact? Because on one hand you should just start, right? No one says, oh, you have to join. Someone else's caused. Usually as the exhibit says, right? The way you elevate yourself as to elevate others.

[00:10:40] So when you are willing to help someone else elevate their platform, they're probably going to elevate you in the process or give you referrals to things like that. I'll refer to a term called happy, overwhelmed, where, you know, when you get good at one thing and volunteering, other costs tend to find you.

[00:10:56] They're like, oh, Jerry's a contributor. Maybe he'll help with. [00:11:00] And you have to discern have the Curtis. And that's another thing I would tell my self 10 years ago, have the courage to discern what's most important to you. Be willing to say no, because that's the opportunity cost question, right?

[00:11:12] If you're saying yes to something, when you're saying no to I'm saying no to sleep and recharging, that's not good. Those aren't good things to say no to. So yeah, to pick two or three things, I would say just for practical experience, pick two or three things that mean a lot to you, and then just have the courage to say no to the rest and trust that other people would come around.

[00:11:30] That there's more than that people to contribute to each of these causes.

[00:11:33] Scott Maderer: Let me ask you what everyone tells me is the a not so easy question that I say is the easy question. If I invented a machine and I was able to pluck you from where you are today and transport you into the future a hundred to 150 years, and you were magically able to look back on your whole life and see all of the impacts and the ripples that you've left behind.

[00:11:55] What impact do you hope you've

[00:11:56] Jerry Fu: left on the world? Oh, Thank you for asking [00:12:00] that I need to zoom out more often, really. If I had to look back on my life

[00:12:06] Scott Maderer: version of the obituary.

[00:12:07] Jerry Fu: That's great. I know. We all got to deal with that. I want to see a society specifically where Asian Americans have a seat at the table.

[00:12:18] Not just I'm, that's what I'm focusing on, but that I want to help. And the zooming out macro level where everyone's. Can be seen, heard, and respected regardless of their background or culture or beliefs. Where we can all agree on what's essential, which is a society where it's that diversity, equity and inclusion thing, where everyone. So we can eliminate a world with discrimination and racism, where again, even if we deal with these things, people know how to overcome them. I also want to see a world where yeah, people don't have to worry about where the next meal is coming from or like seeing these perfectly preventable diseases that are still pervading certain countries.

[00:12:59] [00:13:00] Where people again, have no fair access. Please don't think people are like, oh, he's a socialist. It's not about that. I'm not talking about that. I just want a world where in a place where we are all human, that we can all take care of each other as humans, I guess is the way I'm going to sum it up.

[00:13:19] So yeah, my impact yeah, whether it's in third world countries or with refugees or with certain races being able to feel like we all belong and also. Also, this is the fun wrinkle that everyone can enjoy dancing, where everyone's able to enjoy being around each other may be a bit much, but just to be able to yeah, just to be able to

[00:13:42] Exactly. Yeah. But at least, even if people don't want to invest in dance at always, they can appreciate it. And the benefits of. Maybe that's a more realistic thing.

[00:13:51] Scott Maderer: My God daughters are both. They'd been in dance for years and so we go to a lot of their performances. So I can say I enjoy dancing as [00:14:00] a spectator.

[00:14:00] That's still fair. Absolutely. So what's coming next for you as you continue on this journey to living after call and impacting the world.

[00:14:10] Jerry Fu: Yeah. Yeah. For me, I'll be happy to tell people, look, I've only been open a year right now. I've had the, maybe a year and a quarter by the time this this reaches the airwaves, but.

[00:14:22] Right now the next things for me. Yeah. I need to build out my automated marketing campaigns and being able to replicate myself and my attempts to reach more people, even if I'm not directly able to do it. I saw even if it's so yeah. To have a marketing campaign, that's not dependent on my direct efforts.

[00:14:42] I'm no longer being the main trapper behind that. I'm still doing some private tutoring on the side to help stabilize. And so that's been another great opportunity to build relationships as well for the immediate need. And then otherwise I'm just going to keep appearing on more podcasts than [00:15:00] trying to generate more referral business through some established coaching schools or working alongside of them.

[00:15:06] So there's a combination of those. As I build out with this and scale up for my business. So those are my next steps.

[00:15:14] Scott Maderer: You can follow Jerry on LinkedIn as Jerry Fu or find him on his website@adaptingleaders.com. Of course I'll have links to those over in the show notes as well. Jerry, is there anything else that you'd like to share with the listener?

[00:15:30] Jerry Fu: Yeah, sure. Yeah. When you go to the website, there is a free download. We may have mentioned this earlier in the previous episode about yeah. Free download on a framework to handle. Difficult conversations. You can also schedule a complimentary 30 minute call just to share your story or a challenge. You need some help with no strings attached.

[00:15:49] You can also find my free book blog where I discussed interesting and useful leadership literature. Summarize it for you, give you some key takeaways. So if you don't have time to read this, check [00:16:00] out the blog post, and hopefully that's enough to get you going, or it's inspire you to read the book yourself and see what kind of dialogue that leads to other things on.

[00:16:09] Or available, I have a monthly book discussion. It's just 10 bucks a person the first Wednesday of every month. We do some networking. I'll give you a book summary and then there's some facilitate discussion. So it's a great opportunity to network, get some insights and even stay in touch and keep each other accountable with whatever next actions you want to take.

[00:16:25] After having heard the book.

[00:16:27] Scott Maderer: Thanks so much for listening to the inspired stewardship podcast, as a subscriber and listener, we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen, but act on what you've heard and find a way to live your calling. If you enjoy this episode. Please do us a favor. Go over to inspired stewardship.com/itunes rate.

[00:16:55] All one word iTunes rate. It'll take [00:17:00] you through how to leave a rating and review and how to make sure you're subscribed to the podcast so that you can get every episode as it comes out in your feed until next time, invest your time. Your talent and your treasures develop your influence and impact the world. .