Alyssa Thelen, Gusto: The Coaches Table

Mar 18
In this conversation, Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel discuss the emotional experience of attending a wedding, reflecting on love and friendship. They delve into the philosophical question of what age one would choose to live at forever, sharing personal insights about their own experiences in their 20s and 30s. Alyssa Thelen joins the discussion, sharing her unique journey from being homeschooled to becoming a Gallup-certified coach. The conversation explores themes of positivity, adaptability, and the challenges of navigating change in both personal and professional contexts. In this conversation, Alyssa Thelen shares her experiences navigating professional changes and personal challenges, emphasizing the importance of leadership, positivity, and self-care. The discussion highlights how strong leadership can influence team dynamics, the necessity of embracing growth through challenges, and the value of finding perspective during difficult times. The speakers also explore the significance of leveraging personal strengths and seeking support from others to maintain positivity and resilience in the face of adversity. In this conversation, Alyssa Thelen, Bill Dippel, and Sarah Collins discuss the importance of leveraging individual strengths within teams, the power of asking for help, and the balance between personal values and social commitments. They explore how recognizing strengths can lead to better collaboration and empowerment, while also addressing the potential pitfalls of certain strengths. The discussion emphasizes the need for community among strengths enthusiasts and the value of asking for help as a leadership quality.
Seven Key Takeaways:
1. Lean into Your Strengths During Change — In moments of personal or professional uncertainty, rely on your natural strengths rather than trying to force skills that don’t come naturally. Alyssa emphasized using the tools in your belt rather than reaching for unfamiliar ones.
2. Find and Nurture Your Strengths Community — If you’re an internal coach, identify other strengths enthusiasts in your organization. Building a network of like-minded individuals can reinforce the value of a strengths-based approach and create momentum.
3. Embrace Growth Mindset in Difficult Times — Challenges provide opportunities for growth. Alyssa shared how both professional and personal hardships forced her to reframe her perspective and focus on what she could control.
4. Recognize the Power of Positivity (and Protect It) — High-positivity individuals often attract people seeking encouragement, but they must be mindful of energy vampires. Protecting time with other high-positivity people can help refuel and sustain optimism.
5. Asking for Help is a Strength, Not a Weakness — Whether personally or professionally, reaching out for support empowers others and strengthens relationships. Alyssa demonstrated this by strategically enlisting people with talents she lacked to navigate challenges.
6. Leadership Influence Goes Beyond Titles — People follow great leaders, not just organizations. Alyssa returned to Gusto primarily because of a leader who had invested in her, proving that strong leadership relationships drive engagement and retention.
7. Balance Woo with Boundaries — Having Woo (Winning Others Over) can make it hard to say no, leading to an overcommitted schedule. Learning to set boundaries is crucial for sustaining energy and prioritizing what matters most
Alyssa’s Top 10 CliftonStrengths
1. Woo
2. Communication
3. Activator
4. Competition
5. Adaptability
6. Belief
7. Command
8. Significance
9. Harmony
10. Positivity
To contact Alyssaa:
https://gusto.com/

Bill's Top 10 CliftonStrengths
1) Individualization
2) Developer
3) Activator
4) Woo
5) Restorative
6) Empathy
7) Harmony
8) Connectedness
9) Relator
10) Learner
Sarah's Top 10 CliftonStrengths
1) Positivity
2) Woo
3) Communication
4) Harmony
5) Activator
6) Developer
7) Input
8) Individualization
9) Responsibility
10) Arranger
Official Strengths On Fire Website: https://strengthsonfire.transistor.fm
Transcript
Sarah Collins (00:01.71)
hello Mr. Bill Dippel how are you doing today?

Bill Dippel (00:05.285)
Well, fantastic, Sarah. You just came back from New York, didn't you?

Sarah Collins (00:10.708)
I did. was in New York for a wedding and it was so lovely. was seriously one of the best weddings I've ever been to because these two people are so in love. You know, when you go to a wedding, people are like madly in love. It's just so good. And that's what it was. It was really beautiful. And I was sobbing, like forgot Kleenexes. And my friend who got married, she's so wonderful. She's been a friend since college. She suffered a lot of loss in her life.

And there was this moment where she says, I'm going to read this letter. And I look at my husband, he said, you're fucked. Because he knew that I was just going to be crying. I was already crying. And when she says this, I look at him, he's like, you're done for. Like, you're going to have to leave and go fix your face, lady.

Bill Dippel (00:54.127)
You're done. You're done.

Bill Dippel (01:00.579)
It's over. I thought I was the weeper in the group, Sarah. Now I love that you...

Sarah Collins (01:04.206)
Oh man, I was destroyed, but in the best way, you know, it was just like so, oh my gosh. Anyways, so. Yes.

Bill Dippel (01:08.241)
Of course. Isn't it amazing watching great friends come together and then, you know, get better at what they do? I'm a developer. So for me, it just fuels me and I just live for it.

Sarah Collins (01:18.028)
Yes!

Well, and my friend who got married is so beautiful and so smart and so successful and has everything going for her. And she really struggled like finding a partner in New York city. And I was always like, what is wrong with these men? Like I want to marry her. She's incredible. And so for her to have found someone who is just so perfect and they talked about, know, they're, you know, we're all in our like later thirties and then talking about like how they waited for each other and it ended up being so right. was like, my God.

Bill Dippel (01:32.944)
Wow.

Bill Dippel (01:45.35)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (01:51.149)
Beautiful.

Bill Dippel (01:53.329)
So good. So good.

Sarah Collins (01:54.456)
So it was wonderful, it was wonderful, and I just got to connect with other friends and stuff. So it was a wonderful time. Which, speaking of being in my late 30s, Bill, I have a question for you.

Bill Dippel (02:00.261)
That's fantastic! I'm so glad you made the trip.

Bill Dippel (02:06.585)
Yes. yes, I'm ready.

Sarah Collins (02:11.104)
If you could live at one age for the rest of your life, what age would you live at and why?

Bill Dippel (02:19.215)
Hmm. One age for the rest of my life. And what would it be? But now I can't come back. Like we've kind of, we've asked this question a little bit where we only go for a week and come back or something along that. But now I'm living. Now I'm there.

Sarah Collins (02:32.398)
Yeah, no, this is no, no, no, no, not like an age in time. Like, like, would you be 38? Would you be 40?

Bill Dippel (02:38.815)
my birth like a like an age. God.

Sarah Collins (02:41.836)
Yeah, yeah. You know, think about like you turn into a vampire, you know, and like whatever age, what age would you turn into the vampire where you're like, you're just that age forever. You live.

Bill Dippel (02:44.848)
man.

Bill Dippel (02:50.307)
Yeah, yeah, you know, I feel that classic draw that man if I only knew at 20 to 25 what I know now how much better I would be like how how I could do so be be confident be ready to do what I needed know the path have some ideas and have that young that vitality and I still feel great and I play

Sarah Collins (03:03.853)
Yeah.

Bill Dippel (03:17.274)
golf as you know all the time and there's no I don't miss. I don't think I'm missing those parts but man to be young again and to know what I know would just be amazing. I think so and honestly, I'm really happy right now. I really am. I'm in a good place. I'm doing that but to take that knowledge and to go back to let's just say, you know 25 know to know what the paths were and where I could go and how I could do it.

Sarah Collins (03:23.118)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (03:35.522)
Yeah.

Bill Dippel (03:46.832)
I think that would be really amazing. I think that would be great. yeah. I'm gonna say 25. I was coming back, I'd moved away. I'd lived in Los Angeles, so our hearts go out. I'd lived in some of the communities. Hearts go out to the Los Angeles communities right now. I did live in some of those areas and really loved that time in LA. I know a lot of people say, oh, the traffic and everything else. For me, living in LA, the people...

Sarah Collins (03:50.318)
Yeah, 25. That's your answer. Lock it in.

Sarah Collins (04:01.89)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (04:11.406)
Mm-hmm.

Bill Dippel (04:15.642)
the weather, the friends I met, was all fantastic. And that was when I was in that early 20s, right? I left high school and just left and went and did it. So I loved it. And I loved it. And to be able to recapture that and still come back maybe to where I am now, or maybe not, if I knew what the path was and I could turn it into something else. I think that my early 20s was just such a time ripe with...

Sarah Collins (04:18.007)
No.

Sarah Collins (04:23.586)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (04:33.133)
Yeah.

Bill Dippel (04:42.115)
man, you could grab so many fruits off of the trees and so live so many different ways. So that's for me. How about you? What would you do?

Sarah Collins (04:45.955)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (04:51.008)
Man, you know, I think it's tempting to say you're 20s, you know, because you're young, but I feel like I was so stupid. And I guess if you're living like you would get you, you would. I just guess I. No, I don't know, I guess, I mean, the rules, know, to these questions are all loosey goosey, but in my mind, it's like, I don't know if I had to live at any age, I think I would pick closer to 30.

Bill Dippel (04:55.265)
Mm-hmm.

Bill Dippel (05:01.444)
Well, I just took the stupid out of it. I said, wait, I don't get to take the knowledge? Well, now...

Bill Dippel (05:11.789)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (05:18.934)
Like, you still are young, your body still works, but you got a little bit of knowledge under your belt, like life experience. I think I would do that. Like, you feel old, but you're so young. You know? I'm looking, like, over the hill at 40 right now, so like 30 looks like, she was so cute. Look at it, she's not even so hot.

Bill Dippel (05:25.56)
Yeah. Yeah.

Bill Dippel (05:29.848)
It's smart. Yeah. Yeah. That's smart. No, it's...

Bill Dippel (05:42.115)
Well, I would also ask is our our is our reference to our past legitimate, right? Do I really want 25 or do I really want 32? Because am I warped on time? Am I warped on what I was doing at those times? I don't know how accurate any of that is. I just remember really feeling and like you said, I was really dumb. I was really and there are a lot of times I felt lost. Like what?

Sarah Collins (05:50.986)
Hmm.

Sarah Collins (05:58.732)
Mm-hmm. I know.

Sarah Collins (06:05.39)
No!

Yeah.

Bill Dippel (06:09.387)
What am I doing? But I'll figure it out. And now that I have most of that figured out to go back and do it again. man. Just crazy time. I think it would be fantastic. So now.

Sarah Collins (06:18.859)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah. The hard thing about these questions is they're supposed to be fun, but then it's like so easy to be like, take it too seriously and be like, what are the parameters? What are the rules of this universe? And it's like, no, don't, it's not that deep as Cody Rigsby would say.

Bill Dippel (06:28.45)
Yeah, yeah.

Bill Dippel (06:34.605)
I know, I don't know. Well, it would change my answer though. If I couldn't take the knowledge back, I would not go back to my early 20s. Stupid, know, stepping on stuff, not figuring, that was not, like you, I would have taken after 30. I have some ideas, I know where I'm at. Yeah, so it would change. I'm just saying it would change that part of it. Maybe not crazy time-wise, but yeah, it would change it.

Sarah Collins (06:43.83)
Yum.

Sarah Collins (06:51.724)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (06:58.893)
Yeah.

Yeah. Well.

Alyssa Thelen (07:02.518)
I want to add, I don't think knowledge is always power. mean, usually it is, but one thing that I loved about my stupidity at a young age was the ability to just really enjoy a tanning bed. Like, I'm sorry, but when you live in a very cold place and you're 16 and you're like, I'm just going to go take a nap in a really warm tanning bed for 20 minutes.

Sarah Collins (07:18.616)
Great.

Alyssa Thelen (07:27.832)
That felt so good and like ignorance was bliss and now today, like never could I ever, but I'm really glad I got to enjoy that while I could.

Sarah Collins (07:29.424)
my gosh.

Sarah Collins (07:36.17)
Wow, Alyssa.

Bill Dippel (07:36.963)
What was the cold place? What was the cold place, Alyssa?

Alyssa Thelen (07:40.12)
I mean, I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. Lincoln, Nebraska, which is, I spent 21 years of my life there. you know, I usually say to people with Nebraska, you know, if you haven't been, don't go. don't know what, a of nice people, but you know, Nebraska, yes, then go. Maybe not one of those spots, but yeah, Nebraska, it's not for everyone.

Bill Dippel (07:43.726)
Lincoln. Wow.

Sarah Collins (07:43.928)
She sure did. She sure did.

Sarah Collins (07:55.534)
Don't go!

Sarah Collins (07:59.168)
If you have someone to visit, If you don't have someone to visit, not necessary.

Bill Dippel (08:04.606)
Interesting.

Alyssa Thelen (08:08.524)
but it is for a lot of people. But yeah, now I live in Denver, Colorado and it's cold here too, but almost 300 days of sunshine a year. So I feel like you get a little bit of the best of both worlds.

Sarah Collins (08:08.866)
No.

Sarah Collins (08:21.292)
Yeah. Well, I am just delighted to have Alyssa Thelen. Did I say that right? Thelen? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course, the first one I mess up. OK, but Alyssa is with us today. And I am so excited because even though if you're listening, you're like, Alyssa, she is from Lincoln and we know Sarah lives in Lincoln. They must have like grew up together or knew each other. You would be wrong. We did not know each other when we lived in this city. We got introduced through like a friend of a friend.

Alyssa Thelen (08:25.912)
Yes, you got it. Second try.

Sarah Collins (08:51.918)
how a couple of years ago.

Alyssa Thelen (08:53.868)
Yeah, a couple years now.

Sarah Collins (08:55.274)
And we, they said, you all have so much in common, you should really connect. So we connected and we were so thrilled and I think nervous because we have so much in common. It was like the matrix glitched and just copied us in different worlds, but like the same life. And so the fact that Alyssa is on here talking about the glory of the ignorance of the tanning bed, I just want to say yes, ditto. And all day, I think I'll probably just be saying,

Alyssa Thelen (09:07.404)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (09:14.914)
here.

Alyssa Thelen (09:22.422)
Thank

Sarah Collins (09:25.186)
ditto what she said. Yes.

Alyssa Thelen (09:26.284)
That's great.

Bill Dippel (09:26.893)
You know, perfect. And I will tell I will tell everyone for our listeners, not our watchers. It's like I'm looking at a split mirror this morning. I see two engaging, wonderful, super positive, high energy, right? Great hair day. But it's it is again, you would think you guys grew up together or had a sister like track. So but that's amazing. You guys did not know each other then, but came together later. So.

Sarah Collins (09:43.171)
Mmm.

Sarah Collins (09:49.004)
Yeah. Yeah.

No. Yes. And we still have never actually met in person. It's a crazy thing, but we're afraid like the world will collapse if we do, you know? So it's kind of a, it's this whole thing. So on that note, Alyssa, what we need you to do is we need a little bit of your story. People need to hear, how did you get here? What have you been doing? And then also give us your top 10.

Alyssa Thelen (09:54.572)
with you now.

I know.

Bill Dippel (09:57.94)
What?

Alyssa Thelen (10:01.464)
If I'm not joking, I think it could.

Bill Dippel (10:05.931)
Wow. Wow.

Bill Dippel (10:18.221)
And as a Gallup coach, kind of talk about those top 10. So we need to make sure people are aware, Alyssa is a Gallup coach, Gallup certified coach.

Sarah Collins (10:24.674)
Yes.

Sarah Collins (10:28.558)
She is, but she also is an internal coach. So she works for a company for Gusto. She's done a few other things as well, which I want to make sure we hit on. you're a really unique, beautiful little flower here in our podcast world because you kind of don't fit the mold, right? You're a coach, but you're internal. We've never worked with you as a client, but you do this work internally at a company, which I think is going to be a really exciting perspective for the listeners to hear. So.

Alyssa Thelen (10:50.413)
Thank

Sarah Collins (10:58.04)
Tell us a little bit about you and give us your top 10.

Alyssa Thelen (11:00.856)
I love it. well, you personally, you mentioned like, you don't really fit the mold. And I would say that's a theme of my life. And I like to share a disclaimer that I was homeschooled early on. And so if there's any like, awkward stuff, if I'm not making eye contact, things like, just like, she was homeschooled. So like, let's just let that one slide by.

Sarah Collins (11:09.07)
Mmm.

Bill Dippel (11:14.87)
Ho ho.

Alyssa Thelen (11:24.256)
But no, only until fifth grade, but the glory of being homeschooled, my mom actually worked shortly after me graduating from being homeschooled, but oddly enough, she worked for this little company called Gallup when I was a kid. And so I vividly remember going to like take your kid to work day. I had a picture at Gallup headquarters.

I was like maybe an under the table Gallup employee, stuffing survey envelopes that my mom would bring home sometimes. And so I don't know, Gallup might come back at me for some like unpaid taxes on that front, but yeah, I got introduced to Gallup from a very early age. And yeah, I grew up, as I mentioned, in Lincoln, Nebraska. My first official job was working in a cornfield at 13 and...

You know, when you start in the cornfield as your first job, like it's only uphill from there, right? So, yeah, my professional career really, you know, I graduated from the cornfields at a few other roles in between there and graduating college. I wasn't really sure, you know, what am I going to do when I grow up? And my husband, I got married when I was 21, as we do in the Midwest. Like, what else are we going to do at 21?

Sarah Collins (12:18.638)
That's right.

Sarah Collins (12:38.498)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (12:41.528)
But thankfully, still married and happy today, all the good things. But he and I are very polar opposites. So very, he's high if we're talking CliftonStrengths language, high futuristic, high thinking talents, high focus achiever. And he's sitting over there in his investment banking job at 22, looking at me being like, what are you going to do when you graduate? What are you going to do when you grow up? And I'm like, a great question.

Sarah Collins (13:04.696)
You

Alyssa Thelen (13:09.1)
You know, I'm like high adaptability over here. I'm living like one day at a time vibes. And he, you know, I think I was going to the University of Utah at the time. That's where I graduated from. But he, he saw a flyer that must've come home in my backpack that said that there's a career fair, you know, and being a good husband, he was like, Hey, like maybe, maybe you should check out this career fair. I'm hearing, well fair, like is there cotton candy and carnival things? Yes.

Bill Dippel (13:28.129)
Sarah Collins (13:36.462)
What a funnel cake maybe, huh?

Alyssa Thelen (13:40.52)
Absolutely, with extra powdered sugar. I will go to that. I promise I'm coming home to your neighborhood here soon. went to the career fair fast forward, there was only one company I recognized at the career fair, which had a bullseye as their logo. And I'm like, I love Target. Are they giving away free gift cards over there? Yeah, I will wander to that booth. And luckily,

Sarah Collins (13:43.062)
you

Bill Dippel (13:44.715)
you

Bill Dippel (13:53.515)
if

Bill Dippel (13:59.147)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (14:01.826)
Yelp.

Alyssa Thelen (14:08.502)
they had a big sign behind them that said, we are looking for people that are fast, fun, and friendly. And I was like, whoa, I mean, are you speaking to my soul right now? I think that might be me. So yeah, I mean, when you think about fast, fun, and friendly, like I'm high woo, it's my number one.

Sarah Collins (14:29.954)
Yep. Sure is.

Alyssa Thelen (14:31.832)
I mean, I'm kind of fun, which I guess that could be wooed too, but then the fast part is activator, which I have at number three. And so I felt like, you know what, even though I've maybe had an untraditional like path leading up to graduating from college, I was really able to lean into a role that immediately matched my innate talents and strengths. And I've been fortunate to have really lived in that space ever since. And I won't go into all the details of my career. I don't want to put anyone to sleep, but.

Sarah Collins (14:39.192)
Hmm?

Alyssa Thelen (15:01.432)
I spent several years with Target leading teams. My first leadership role, I was leading a team of almost 50 people, which at 22, like talk about Dunster Fire, right? Like, sorry for anyone that was on that team, but like, you know, working through a lot of the kinks, right? Still am, to be honest with you. But then, you know, spent several years in that space, ended up doing campus recruiting for Target and traveling around to a bunch of different colleges. So that was my first.

Sarah Collins (15:11.98)
Right.

Alyssa Thelen (15:30.764)
dream job and then my husband went back to school at Berkeley so we moved to the Bay Area and that's when I moved into the world of tech startups which if anyone is listening and is familiar with kind of that scene I know there's Silicon Prairie and know Silicon Falls in Utah you know but the world of Silicon Valley it is very fast-paced a lot of high change a lot of exciting growth and so I

Sarah Collins (15:47.071)
You

Alyssa Thelen (15:57.356)
been in the tech startup space, a lot of it rooted out of Silicon Valley and San Francisco for almost 12 years now. So I've been in that space leading recruiting teams and now having been in leadership development for the last seven years. And here we are today.

Bill Dippel (16:13.691)
Excellent excellent. Can you you touched on woo is your number one? Can you tell us your top ten?

Sarah Collins (16:13.848)
Yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (16:19.372)
Yeah, for sure. So woo is number one. I still claim it.

Bill Dippel (16:22.203)
I'm stunned, and by the way, stunned that Wu is number one. Talking to you this morning, it's, I had, I mean, I really need you to come out of your shell today, Alyssa. I'm a little worried, so yes.

Sarah Collins (16:28.544)
It's almost like she's got a woo communication.

Alyssa Thelen (16:32.984)
You do. You should be. I mean, again, I actually, put the homeschooling thing out there as like a disclaimer, because if we become friends and you later hear that, it's like, I don't trust you, you know? Okay, so woo is one, communication is number two. So high shock again, verbal prep. Activator is number three.

Bill Dippel (16:43.473)
We're friends now. We're friends now.

Bill Dippel (16:53.615)
Mm-hmm. yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (16:57.74)
Competition is number four, which I don't claim as much today. I took this assessment back in 2012 and 13 years later, I think it's fallen a little bit further down these days, but it's still there. Adaptability is five. Belief is number six. Command at number seven. Significance is at eight. Harmony at nine. And then a little bit of positivity is my cherry on top at number 10.

Sarah Collins (17:25.378)
Yeah, I think there's more than a little there, but sure.

Bill Dippel (17:26.857)
Just to dash, yeah, dash positivity.

Alyssa Thelen (17:28.984)
I'm gonna get into this as we go on today, but like I have been grasping for every ounce of positivity I can get these last few weeks. Like I want a petition to restart 2025 February 1st. So we'll get into that soon, but I'm like, you know what, any bit of positivity, I'm like, yes, like I'm here for

Sarah Collins (17:42.462)
my god.

Sarah Collins (17:48.086)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Bill Dippel (17:49.501)
Well, can I can I ask you really? Let's jump right into that, because you mentioned positivity as being in your top 10. And I hear it. It's hard not to assume you've got a lot of positivity coming. But you did make an interesting statement, which I think our listeners would really be be interested in. And that is I've been grasping for it like I I've been trying to get at these last couple of weeks as a high positivity person. What does that look? What?

Sarah Collins (18:11.534)
Mm.

Alyssa Thelen (18:14.199)
Okay.

Bill Dippel (18:17.232)
What led you there and what is grasping for more positivity as a high positivity person feel like slash look like.

Alyssa Thelen (18:24.918)
Yeah, no, it's a great question. Yeah, I think, you know, I expect change and I think a lot of times people are surprised when changes come our way and I've tried to really prime myself and train myself like when these changes come up, we've seen this movie before, you know, like we can do it, you know, these are the changes that we expect and.

Sarah Collins (18:46.488)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (18:50.424)
With adaptability at number five, I usually actually love the opportunity and the challenge of overcoming the change. But to kind of just not go into, again, my deepest, darkest life moments here and to keep you all with me, it's really fun. As Sarah mentioned, I work for a company called Gusto. I was with them for about seven years from a startup of about 100 people up until we have about 3,000 people today.

Sarah Collins (18:57.677)
Yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (19:18.742)
And it's a people platform. serve small businesses. I mentioned my husband is a co-founder of a company. He is a customer. Like my high belief is and significance. I'm like, I believe in the work that Gusto does. We serve small businesses and it's good stuff. Yes. Okay. Hey.

Sarah Collins (19:31.054)
Mm-hmm. Yes. You serve Collins Collective, so thank you for that. We love you over here. So, people be getting paid through gusto with us, okay? This is not sponsored, but it could be, okay? You can connect with us.

Bill Dippel (19:41.265)
Good. Good God. And I'll list that super short before you go on with that story. How does Gusto help small businesses? Because you don't help me, but it sounds like I need you. So

Alyssa Thelen (19:50.584)
You may need us. Yeah. And this is not a sponsored post by any means. But, so we, are a people platform and really at the core of what we do is of course, payroll benefits, yucky, sticky stuff with taxes to make sure that your business is compliant. We also give you tons of resources to help you onboard your employees, time tracking, really so that it frees up small business owners to do what they love doing.

Sarah Collins (19:55.914)
No, not yet.

Alyssa Thelen (20:19.19)
because most people don't start a small business to be like, I can't wait to sit down and do my payroll by hand today. And so we take away a lot of that burden and make it easy for you to do what you love doing and leave the rest up to us.

Bill Dippel (20:19.719)
Gotcha.

Bill Dippel (20:26.342)
Yeah.

Bill Dippel (20:32.723)
yeah, new client now. Absolutely new client. All right. I took you off of the positivity train for a second. Go back. So go.

Sarah Collins (20:34.466)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, sorry.

Alyssa Thelen (20:37.248)
Okay, no, you're good. So anyway, I worked there for seven years as a startup too. And then I took two years kind of as a hiatus to do some leadership coaching and work for another small startup training and coaching managers. And what's really fun is in the two years that I had stepped aside from Gusto, I stayed in really close contact with my former manager that I had at the company and

He is based out of Bellingham, Washington, so not in Denver where I am, but he was just continuing to be invested in my development, checking in on me. And last spring he said, hey, would you be willing to coming back if we had the right role and all the right things were in place? And I was like, I mean, if it's for you, yeah, I'm working for you. I love gospel, I love what we do, but also we talk a lot about leaders and a lot of times people leave.

managers, not companies. And I think it also kind of goes in the direction too of like people can join companies because the manager seems great, right?

Sarah Collins (21:42.828)
Yes. I don't think we say that enough. You're absolutely right. And I just want to sit on that for just one quick second. We always hear, especially in this space, we leave because of our manager or our boss, not necessarily the company, but exactly what you said. We'll also follow a good leader. So if you have good leaders, if you're bringing on talent who is invested in people, good people will follow them, right?

Bill Dippel (21:45.596)
Cool.

Alyssa Thelen (21:45.634)
Yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (21:56.373)
and count.

you

Alyssa Thelen (22:08.332)
Mm-hmm, yeah.

Sarah Collins (22:09.716)
It's like in strengths-based leadership, they talk about the five traits of a strong team. And one is people want to join a strong team, right? Good people follow that. They see it they want to be a part of it. So I just think that's a hundred percent you're right. Okay. So continue the story.

Alyssa Thelen (22:17.912)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (22:27.052)
Yeah, for sure. And so, you know, I think what spoke volumes to me was his investment in my development, even though he had no skin in the game, we weren't even working together. And so to see that, of course, made me think like, I want to go back and do this again. Like our time was too short. And so I rejoined Gusto. I'm calling it my second Gusto era because also also a Swiftie, everything is an era to me. Also, like I think about life.

Sarah Collins (22:51.617)
Yes.

Bill Dippel (22:54.309)
you

Alyssa Thelen (22:54.496)
You know, sometimes people talk about like pre-COVID and post-COVID. I'm like, it's, my life is like what was pre-Taylor Swift concert and post-Taylor Swift concert. And like, that's how I think about my life timeline. So with that.

Sarah Collins (23:03.497)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (23:07.809)
Mm-hmm. You're right at home here. You're right at home here.

Bill Dippel (23:08.773)
Taylor has come up again in our podcast. It's a common theme here, Alyssa.

Alyssa Thelen (23:14.36)
Yeah, it will continue to be if Sarah is curating any of the guests. Just letting you know. But yeah, so I came back about six months ago and it's been glorious. It's been glorious. And I found out two weeks ago that my boss who I love so much and I still love so much, he's leaving.

Sarah Collins (23:21.358)
you

Alyssa Thelen (23:39.244)
He's leaving and he's leaving to go follow, and I can't even be mad at him because he's leaving to go follow a mutual former boss of ours, who I also have a special place in my heart for to go work for her. And, you know, it's one of those things where like, this is part of the working world is people come and go and we say goodbye to some and we're happy. Like, yeah, we're over you anyway, but we also hope.

Sarah Collins (23:40.206)
Alyssa Thelen (24:06.06)
we say, you later in hopes that we run into these people professionally again. And so I got that news a couple of weeks ago and have really just been trying to recalculate and rejigger what this is going to look like. And so that's just been a big like professional, I'm calling it like a professional storm, a professional like hunger games moment where I'm kind of like, okay, like.

Sarah Collins (24:19.694)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (24:30.604)
fighting for what's next and what's gonna be the right thing. So that's a little bit of like what's top of mind from a professional standpoint.

Bill Dippel (24:38.723)
Yeah. Can you build on that for a second more? How are you instilling positivity in the other people that have to now continue working with this amazing boss gone and yourself? Like, what does that look like for you? You're grasping to get positivity, even though it's so natural and reoccurring for you.

Sarah Collins (24:39.053)
Yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (24:55.286)
Yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (24:59.8)
I mean, something that I really try to think about and lean into a lot, I don't know if you all are familiar with Carol Dweck, I hope I'm saying her name correctly. She's a professor out of Stanford and talks a lot about growth mindset. And one of the things that I love with growth mindset and that we talk a lot about with it is that most of the time your biggest growth comes from doing hard things.

Sarah Collins (25:07.976)
Mm-hmm. Mindset.

Sarah Collins (25:25.771)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (25:26.68)
And this is one of those moments where I'm like, I'm not going to sugarcoat it for people. This is a hard thing. Like this person is like the glue to our team. He is like, you know, the band leader, like he is all of the things. And this is a moment where we have a choice to step up and lean into the hard and grow and come out on the other side, bigger, better, stronger than we were before or

We have a choice to make, which is to kind of like wallow in our sorrows and not rise to the occasion and then probably burn out, feel sad and go somewhere else. And so, you know, that's kind of the crossroads that we're at. And I am trying to look for these step up opportunity, these, these jump ball opportunities that our team members have right now and being able to share in some of that work that he was doing, but also allowing ourselves to rise to the occasion and

Sarah Collins (26:07.406)
you

Alyssa Thelen (26:25.92)
stretch our own skills in ways that we haven't maybe had the chance to do so before.

Sarah Collins (26:30.306)
Yeah, I just want to think about this impact it's had on you. And I just want to validate that you of course it is you have six influencing themes, three relationship building, one executing and its belief, which, you know, comes out in so many other ways too. And so it makes sense that like you come with so much energy, so much natural enthusiasm and drive.

Bill Dippel (26:30.51)
Right.

Sarah Collins (26:54.84)
but you're also attached to people. And so, like you said, you wanted to go back to Gusto, but part of it was you had maintained a connection with a person. So when you find out they're leaving, yes, of course you're like happy and there's opportunity, but it's totally natural to sort of grieve that and then think like, And so I just wanna take the space to say like, of course this is impacting you, right? And it sort of flips the world upside down. And I think like you have that high adaptability.

And I think we often say, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, you know, I like change. But I think a lot of times when people say they like change, what they mean is they like variety. Right? Because the truth is true change, like big change like this, it's uncomfortable. And I think it's okay to acknowledge like, well, yeah, I like variety, but damn, this is uncomfortable right now because now there are a lot of unknowns.

Alyssa Thelen (27:33.302)
Mm-hmm, yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (27:49.506)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (27:49.824)
and I'm feeling it and the people around me are feeling it and positivity easily. Yes, it is positive and it can bring good energy to people, but it only has so much like bounce back towards like negativity. And I think in change and I don't know if this is happening at your organization, but people can get because they're scared and they're nervous. There can be a lot of kind of like negative talk.

Alyssa Thelen (27:59.33)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (28:13.666)
happening of like, she said this and especially if it's not as transparent as we want it to be, which often it's not just because it has to be that way, then there's a lot of side talking. And I think positivity can get swallowed up in that. Because like positivity needs other positivity kind of like blossom. And so if it's constantly having this like storm on top of it, it kind of like powers under the rock like, okay, this is not my moment.

Alyssa Thelen (28:13.854)
and I'm

Alyssa Thelen (28:21.368)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

And... yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (28:37.728)
Yeah, no, it's such a good point. And I think, you know, what's interesting, you know, something I think about a lot is that...

Experience brings perspective and what is ironic in all of this, so this was the event that was last week, was finding out about this stuff with my boss and I'm in like the pit of despair for a second there and I'm like, you know, my boss's boss, who's gonna be now my boss, was like, how are you doing? And I'm like, is it dramatic to say that I'm heartbroken? Like I am like full on, like I am in the pit of despair, but.

Sarah Collins (29:14.431)
Yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (29:16.47)
You know, now, you know, and I won't get too deep into the personal stuff, but what's interesting, so I kind of have this like professional storm going on. And then I had a personal storm layered on top of that, which is like, I made it to Friday. I'm like, okay, that was such a hard professional week. And I got a call that my dad was in the ICU and he lives, he lives on the East coast and.

Bill Dippel (29:38.261)
Alyssa Thelen (29:42.208)
I'm sitting here just honestly with so much gratitude. got home yesterday, but I spent the entire week with him in the ICU and he made it. He's alive, but it was a really close call. And you know, the moment that I had was my perspective shifted because yes, the professional storm is still hard and these things still matter, but also life things are even bigger than that.

Sarah Collins (29:48.76)
Mmm.

Bill Dippel (30:11.146)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (30:11.859)
so true.

Alyssa Thelen (30:11.914)
And so sometimes like the world has this way of pulling you out of that and saying, yeah, that really sucks that your boss is leaving. Like this is really hard, but also like family, health, life, like this is bigger picture. This is big game stuff. And so I had a really big just perspective shift and, you know, and actually like the positivity is coming back because even though this has been like two of the hardest weeks.

of my personal and professional life. I'm sitting here being like, there is so much goodness and where I'm at, even though this has been really.

Sarah Collins (30:46.296)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (30:50.008)
Well, and I love that opportunity for that positivity to shine through through that. And it's funny because just last night I was talking to a friend of mine about career trajectories and she said something about sometimes we have to let death be our advisor. And it's the same thing that you're talking about with your dad, right? Like our problems can seem so big and so strong and like what we want to do for work and where we're going in our career and these decisions we're making.

Sometimes you have to sort of step back and say like, at the end of all of this, what's really important, right? And it's like, as terrible as it is that your dad was in the ICU and went through this, like that's so tragic and actually heartbreaking, the gift that it gives you of perspective.

Alyssa Thelen (31:22.594)
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (31:38.026)
Yeah. And that's, that's truly where I'm at right now. And, know, just feeling so much gratitude, like even though I was like, you know, really mad at my boss last week, I mean, which I was, and I wasn't, you know, guess what happened when I found out that I was going to be gone this week, I was facilitating a workshop. I had all these different things that were on the calendar and guess what happened? Poof. He took care of all of it. It was like, you have nothing to worry about. Like,

Sarah Collins (32:03.381)
Yes!

Alyssa Thelen (32:07.67)
And it was not just him, there was a couple other people too. And that's where, you know, my like significance and my belief in what is good in the world and like all of this coming together is even in these really hard moments. And I think about it in hard moments, like my personal hard moment, I think about it in the hard moments with stuff like these awful wildfires in California. Like I always try to tell myself and tell my kids.

Like in those hard moments, look for the helpers, look for the heroes, look for the people who are showing up and rising to the occasion. And so instead of focusing on the storm, I'm trying to focus on the helpers, on my strengths, leaning into those to get through. it's not always easy, but we gotta keep going.

Sarah Collins (32:38.542)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (32:52.302)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (33:00.6)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bill Dippel (33:02.049)
Oh, good. So good. I positivity is number 13 for me. You both have it in your top 10. Weird. Sarah's number one. And I when I'm listening to you, I just I reflect on the fact that if my dad was an ICU and my one of my favorite people on the planet was now going to leave me for another job, despite what it is, I might get on a podcast shortly thereafter and be like, Hi, guys. Oh, no, it's great. I'll talk.

Let's do it. And I'm listening to you and just being that positivity is just shining through. It's such a it's such a wonderful moment to hear you talk about and be upbeat about some of the things going on in your life and how that positivity affects you. Sarah, again, kudos to you on positivity needs positivity to blossom sometimes. How can we make that happen? And even me, it's not necessarily low for me. It's in the floor. It's 13. I tend to be pretty up.

Alyssa Thelen (33:31.256)
You

Alyssa Thelen (33:36.248)
Hmm.

Sarah Collins (33:37.602)
here.

Sarah Collins (33:53.677)
Mm-hmm.

Bill Dippel (34:00.619)
But I could see where that would pull me down. Sometimes I will wear my heart on my sleeve pretty hard. just amazing to me to hear those two stories and listen to the tone in your voice and have you go through this and knowing that what that means for your family, what that means for your other employees, you are, when you talked about, let's focus on the helpers, you're the helper in that situation for those people.

Sarah Collins (34:03.064)
you

Alyssa Thelen (34:09.099)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (34:09.57)
own.

Alyssa Thelen (34:13.033)
and

Sarah Collins (34:14.894)
Yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (34:19.224)
you

Alyssa Thelen (34:26.7)
Hmm.

Sarah Collins (34:26.702)
Yeah, I think that Woo communication positivity trio, it brings a level of energy that even in the darkest times can shine through. I always give people an example of like, if I got a flat tire on my way to work, like, I don't know what to do with that, to be honest, I gotta call somebody, okay, I need help. It would be very inconvenient. Like, this is not a good day, okay?

Alyssa Thelen (34:29.506)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (34:47.512)
A less. Triple A.

Sarah Collins (34:52.546)
But when I got to work, I would be like, my God, you guys, guess what just happened to me? This is crazy. I'm so mad. I'm so mad right now. And the thing is, people are like, yeah, that is how it would be. I'm like, but that is the combination of positivity, communication, and woo. Even when I'm actually upset and mad and heartbroken, it's still coming off with a different frequency and vibe because there are people, if they got a flat tire, they would come in they would be like, do not talk to me.

Alyssa Thelen (35:00.184)
worst.

Alyssa Thelen (35:14.744)
and then.

Alyssa Thelen (35:19.618)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (35:20.288)
I need to go to my office and I need to decompress. And I'm not saying that's like right or wrong. I'm just saying that's what we see. So like, even though it can be hard to articulate positivity, I think it's that. And that's what I heard when you were talking about your boss and you're saying like, you were telling your boss's boss, like I'm heartbroken. You really are, but you don't deliver it like my world is literally ending and I don't know what to do. You deliver it with this like energy and there's still that lace of positivity in it.

Alyssa Thelen (35:29.752)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (35:42.104)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (35:48.556)
And I think Bill hit it on the head. People need to follow that always. People want to follow that always, but in those moments of change, unexpected change, whether personally or professionally, you're like a beacon of light for people because for the folks that don't have a natural talent in doing that, it's they're going to seek you out, which makes me also think as a coach, what do you do to protect yourself? So you have time and space to deal with it because it could be easy.

Alyssa Thelen (36:11.096)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (36:17.378)
to take care of everyone else and to not take care of Alyssa during these times.

Alyssa Thelen (36:17.548)
Yeah.

Yeah, no, it's fair question. And, you know, this is where I, you know, sarcastically be like, I mean, I'll a glass of Sancerre at 4 p.m. and, you know, just turn on a trashy show or something like that. But, you know, it is tricky at work because, you know, this is a horrible visual, but sometimes there are moments where people are kind of like...

It's kind of gross, but from Nebraska, like we have ticks, right? Like we all know what a tick is and it latches to you and it sucks the blood out of you. We already had a vampire reference today, I think with Bill. So anyway, really on the blood track today. But you have to be careful of the people that are the ticks and that are really trying to suck all the blood out of you. you know, we don't have an endless amount of.

Sarah Collins (36:51.126)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (37:12.664)
There has to be certain moments where you're seeking those other people out. And it is interesting. I will put on my calendar. I have a couple different people that are my go-to people that are high positivity, where when it fills my cup to connect with them and people talk about, create white space on your calendar to do deep thinking, to write down your thoughts. I'm putting a 30 minute block on my calendar every week.

Sarah Collins (37:25.964)
Yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (37:41.984)
to talk to somebody that refills my empty tank.

Sarah Collins (37:45.199)
Mm hmm. I love that because this is honoring your talents. What works for one person may not work for someone else because we are motivated differently because you lead with influencing themes and you've got those relationship building themes backing it up. You are refilled through people. So if you were to block the time off in your calendar for deep thinking, you'd probably sit there the whole time being like, what? This is terrible. Like, when is the time over so I can go talk to somebody?

Bill Dippel (37:46.975)
You

Alyssa Thelen (38:09.154)
Mm-hmm.

Bill Dippel (38:12.927)
Yeah, can I get to it? Can I get to a Starbucks and talk to somebody for 10 minutes? Right. And and I we've discussed this a little before, too. I we all have high woo. Right. Number one on yours, Alyssa. I've made the claim before that I know the energy it's going to take to woo it up. I know that there's a lot of energy going to be invested if I'm going to go to a place where I'm going to meet 10, 15 people that I don't know.

Alyssa Thelen (38:13.538)
your first.

Sarah Collins (38:15.982)
Yeah!

Alyssa Thelen (38:39.59)
and

Bill Dippel (38:39.676)
And you would naturally instinctively think as a woo, that's what you want to do. You want to go meet woo. And, yes, if I walk into that environment, it's great, but sometimes getting me there is really difficult to do because I know how much energy I'm going to expand all the whole time to do it. And inevitably, if, if I ended up going anyway, I loved it. It was great. I, you know, I met three people. They're now my best friends. I met all 10 or, I, and I made a lot of connections with other people as woos do. made a lot of.

You know, hey, this is so and so and this works and do you guys know each other? And that's I I'm I'm curious. That's a little of that positivity, too. There's an energy that is required to maintain that positivity. And to me, it sounds like you're saying if I get together with somebody else that I know has that we're fueling each other, I've stepped into the I've stepped in the into the supercharger for Tesla or the the fuel, you know, the fuel tank needs to get filled.

Alyssa Thelen (39:13.752)
you

Sarah Collins (39:31.5)
Mm-hmm.

Bill Dippel (39:38.566)
chevron and here it is that's how i'm going to do it would that be fair is that is that a fair assessment

Sarah Collins (39:40.846)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (39:44.396)
That is a fair assessment. And truthfully, that's one of the reasons why I'm doing this podcast today. Like, let me tell you what, I'm very behind on a lot of things at this moment in time, but you know, this is my first meeting that I am having back from taking, you know, almost a week off and hanging out with my dad at the hospital. And I knew based on your personalities and being a faithful listener to your podcast, that this conversation was going to be

Sarah Collins (39:50.326)
Mm.

Alyssa Thelen (40:14.644)
a supercharger moment for me. And so that is why I wanted to opt into this despite everything else is because I knew that about both of you. And so I'm like, there's actually no, this might be the perfect time to do this.

Sarah Collins (40:18.264)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (40:29.174)
Right. Well, we are so honored to know that and we are so grateful that you're taking the time to be with us. And I think what you point out is so great. And so I'm thinking something and I want to ask you both if I'm right in moments of high change, whether personally or professionally, you know, it's going to happen. We're going to be uncomfortable. There's going to be a lot of unknowns. Do you think it's true that the key is

leaning into who you are, like being really steady and who I am and what do I bring and what do I need. And then if it's your family or your colleagues, helping them do that, right, which obviously we can do through CliftonStrengths. It's a great indicator. Like we were saying, you know, the things that are going to fuel you are being with those positivity people, right? Being together, being with that, that fuels you up. And the more fueled up you can get,

in knowing who you are and what you need, the better you'll react and adjust as the change keeps coming at you. Does that feel right?

Bill Dippel (41:35.836)
I'll give you my perception on it really quickly. And that is, Alyssa, I think you said it perfectly, which was find the helpers that as I mentioned, that energy that I'm going to expand on who I don't always want, but knowing myself really well, I know that when I get there, I'm going to be great. Right. All right. I'm going to be loving talking to people. So inevitably it's my wife or it's, you know, we've we've talked about doing.

Sarah Collins (41:54.23)
no.

Bill Dippel (42:02.952)
a karaoke in Denver as we get together for this event coming up. That is I'm thinking, a lot of energy. That's good. But getting me there and relying on the helpers in my life is both parts of that equation. Knowing myself and knowing what I can lean into absolutely helps me be there, knowing who I can encourage and help me do the other things and say, absolutely, yes, I empower those people around me.

Sarah Collins (42:20.494)
Mm-hmm.

Bill Dippel (42:30.828)
is the other part of the CliftonStrengths equation that I think both of them are critical. Knowing yourself, fantastic. But knowing others, by far and away, a bigger component to leading into that. Alyssa, thoughts?

Alyssa Thelen (42:45.528)
think, you know, only ads. mean, I think both of you are spot on there. Here's the thing, like sticking, you know, personal and professional things that have happened recently, I think in a moment of a significant challenge, storm, change, the last thing you want to do is start like reaching for those tools out in the shed that you don't know how to use, right? Like when you are in a moment,

Sarah Collins (43:12.174)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (43:15.262)
of hard things, you've got to reach for what's right there in your tool belt. Like, you know how to use the thing, you know? And I see too many people start to get outside of their talent zone and think they need to suddenly be futuristic or suddenly be super strategic or whatever that might be. When in reality, the best way for you to probably solve this problem or work through this is by

leaning into those things that come to you with ease, excellence and enjoyment. That's your best bet to get through the hard thing is to lean into that. And so I saw that happen, you know, and I'm still in the midst to truth be told of like both of these stories, right? But I mean, as cheesy as it sounds to say it, like I am trying to dig deep and lean into my strengths.

Bill Dippel (43:50.639)
down.

Bill Dippel (44:02.587)
Of course.

Sarah Collins (44:03.256)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (44:12.63)
focus on my strengths as opposed to focusing on the storm.

Sarah Collins (44:17.432)
Yeah. I just think that's so powerful to think about lean on the things in your tool belt in these moments. Those things that are just naturally easier for you because yeah, you're sort of you get into kind of this fight or flight mode depending on how significant the change is, right? And we just are not functioning at 100 % then and the unknown is scary. And so it's like do the easy thing. I think of Elsa.

do the next right thing, right? I think it's actually Anna who says it, but when in those times do the next right thing. And it's like, and that should be the thing that's easy for you, right? That is gonna come easy for you.

Alyssa Thelen (44:46.508)
Absolutely.

Alyssa Thelen (44:55.832)
Yeah. then tap on the people that have the talents that you don't, you know, and I know, again, we talk more about professional things, but since the personal stuff has been a lot of my hard thing the last week, like I'm sitting there in this hospital room and I'm, my dad lives in a remote part of the country. you know, I'm basically the only person there with him the entire time. And I recognize that

In that moment, there are a lot of things that should be happening that we should be thinking ahead about that I'm not naturally futuristic. And so guess what I'm doing? I'm texting my husband, hey, I want you to think like three weeks from now, think a week from now when I have to leave. Like what are the things that we should be thinking about that I'm not thinking about? You know, I'm texting my sister actually and a good friend of mine who is high ideation. I'm like,

Sarah Collins (45:41.346)
Yeah

Alyssa Thelen (45:49.4)
Can you think of things I'm not thinking about? Like go through that process because I'm low in ideation and I'm just thinking about the practical. But what I'm using in my talents in that moment is I'm high activator. So I'm ready to go. I'm ready to do things. And I just know that again, some of those talents like are not innate for me. And so I need to tap on the shoulder. I need to like, who wants to be a millionaire style, phone a friend on these things that I just naturally.

Sarah Collins (46:01.923)
Hmm?

Alyssa Thelen (46:19.232)
and not good at. And I do that at work too. had someone on my team, he's really good with ideation and brainstorming. And I said, hey, like I'm gonna be real with you here. This is something I'd love you to lead the brainstorming on because truth be told, like I can be like, fine, like put me in a straight jacket and I'll ideate with you. But outside of that, let your creative juices flow. Like that is a place that you shine.

let's let you shine there and I will ride the coattails and I will support you in that. But you know, it's not the right thing to do to try to like put your superhero cape on and try to do all the things when realistically you're probably energy is being drained and you're probably not doing it very well anyway if you're doing things that are outside of your top 15, in my opinion.

Bill Dippel (46:59.897)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (47:00.194)
you

Bill Dippel (47:08.351)
yeah, really good. Really, really great thought. And interestingly, I I cruised it really quick and saw it. You and I are really similar in our futuristic in context. Mine's 30. Mine's actually 36 if it went that low for context. And my futuristic is right, right where yours is that 17 18 range. And I remind people frequently, I don't think that way. And I don't think that way. I don't think forward or back.

Alyssa Thelen (47:21.048)
and

Sarah Collins (47:24.374)
Hehehehe

Bill Dippel (47:38.711)
So how do I think? And it's easy for them. you think right here and you're exhibiting that so well. And I'm thinking right now I'm in this hospital room, I'm dealing with this and I can deal with this. And I was just coaching a client yesterday who has no futuristic as well. And he's pivoting his business in a big, big way. So we were doing some change management around what his business would look like. And I got him to look at the profiles of his employees and let's pick the futuristic.

Sarah Collins (47:42.552)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (47:49.664)
Uh-huh.

Alyssa Thelen (47:55.436)
and

Bill Dippel (48:08.801)
And let's give them exactly what you said. The list of things you need to do right now, because you're looking at this and there are so many things in there that I see that you didn't put in there, but let's give it to your futuristic person and let's let them give you back a draft. And with that, you're going to come up with a couple of things from his. We need to start that now because they're looking at Q2 coming up, right? As we want all the changes in that point. And so.

Sarah Collins (48:09.559)
for it.

Alyssa Thelen (48:19.992)
and

Alyssa Thelen (48:33.569)
Hmm?

Bill Dippel (48:38.333)
so brilliant from you, from a coaching point of view to say, I'm enlisting the phone a friend. I need to pull in someone to do that.

Alyssa Thelen (48:43.64)
Thank

Sarah Collins (48:43.874)
Yeah. Another thing I want to point out is I think sometimes when people are high achievers, high performers, which usually bleeds in from professional into personal as well, we think we have to do everything. Right. So I love that you didn't think like, I got to do this, right? You were, you're, you're developed enough, the mindset, the growth mindset of like, Hey, I have people I can lean on. And I just want to note that like people want to help us.

Alyssa Thelen (48:56.48)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (49:12.45)
Mm.

Sarah Collins (49:12.812)
I think so often in our culture, we think like to ask for help is a sign of weakness and no one wants to help me. But almost everyone I ever talked to, if someone literally says, hey, I need your help. Could you do this for me? It's like a privilege. Like, my gosh, yes, please let me help you. I want to help you. Like I feel so good to be able to be in service, especially in hard times. You know, the personal stuff, even the professional stuff. It is an opportunity for people to show us how they care and how they love. And in a lot of ways they want to, and they don't know how.

Alyssa Thelen (49:33.044)
Thank

Sarah Collins (49:42.818)
And then we're like isolated and we're alone and we feel like I have to do everything myself and we get all resentful. And so I just encourage people to hear this and really think in these moments of change, who can help and not to think of it as like, God, I have to ask this person to help me and they're probably not gonna want to, but like, this is an opportunity for them. At work, look at this opportunity you've given someone to say like, I want you to lead this. You have a talent in it. I see it. I recognize it. I want you to run with it.

Alyssa Thelen (49:47.841)
Remember?

Sarah Collins (50:11.81)
That is such a great leadership quality to be able to do that. In your personal life, to be able to say that, right? To your husband, to your sister to say, you're good at this, please take this and lead with it. They're probably like, thank God, I've been trying to help, but I'm not there. I don't know what to do. How do I support you? What a gift you've given them. And just to remember, like to ask for help is not selfish. It's actually a gift to you and to them. And we need more people to be okay asking people to help them.

Alyssa Thelen (50:11.896)
and then.

Alyssa Thelen (50:20.802)
Thank you.

Alyssa Thelen (50:25.015)
Yeah.

Bill Dippel (50:40.47)
Yeah. Yeah. And very, very big on the on the ask, you're empowering the other people, you're acknowledging what their strengths are. How much do people blossom when you acknowledge what they do well through your eyes? Through the ask? Hey, I know you're so good at this. You're much better than I am. Please help me with that. And that's just empowering to everyone you you and them. So what we you know, we've talked a lot about your positivity and

Alyssa Thelen (50:40.512)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Sarah Collins (50:54.87)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (51:00.545)
Any comments?

Sarah Collins (51:01.07)
Yeah.

Bill Dippel (51:08.802)
how your competition has moved a bit over some time. As we do on this show, when do you think some of your strengths get in your way? When do you think a dumpster fire arises out of some strength that you think has been powerful for some period of time? What does that look like for you?

Alyssa Thelen (51:12.127)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (51:28.408)
Yeah, I'm going to speak quietly because I know my husband's working not too far away. I'm using a focus head in here and be like, I've got some words. Also sidebar that is relevant when I first became a CliftonStrengths coach, I think six or seven years ago. You know, of course you want to tell your friends about it, tell your family about it. And I convinced my husband, I was like, I need you to take this assessment and we're going to do the full 34.

Before you show me your results, I want to guess like your bottom five down.

Bill Dippel (52:03.893)
the bottom.

Sarah Collins (52:05.038)
No.

Alyssa Thelen (52:05.336)
It's her story, which again, like do this is like a disclaimer do not recommend moment but like I hit the nail on the head with his number 34 and he has not recovered like at every moment in life. be like and it's He's thinking from almost of this adaptability. He'll always be like you see how adaptable I'm being right now It wasn't that adaptable of me and I'm No

Sarah Collins (52:24.961)
Uh-huh.

Bill Dippel (52:28.951)
Oh, he hasn't gotten over it at all. Oh, wow.

Alyssa Thelen (52:31.906)
And so, but you know, I think that the key I always say to him and to even people that I coach is like, but the thing is, is the adaptability is the variety coming to you with ease, excellence and enjoyment. Like everybody can adapt, but like, are you, anyway, that's my sidebar, don't play that game. The dumpster fire combination, and there are a few, but I would say activator and adaptability, the combination of those together.

Sarah Collins (52:32.473)
Mmm.

Sarah Collins (52:46.797)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (53:01.25)
can be a little bit dicey because I'm excited to get things started and get going on things and yeah, 100%. And then I communicate it to people. So bring in a third talent too. I'm like telling the people about it. We're getting them excited. We're getting them on board. And then adaptability rears its nasty head in there and is like, but we're going to change the plan. Like I actually might change the plan as I'm talking about the

Bill Dippel (53:07.799)
Squirrel. Squirrel. Right? Like, yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (53:31.212)
Right? And so I think that, and when you're leading a team, you don't want them to feel frustrated because they started doing the work and then you have to read, read, adjust and re, you know, that's, that can be hard. And so that's one that I have to be really aware of, especially, in a leadership role versus as an individual contributor. It's like, you're mainly hurting yourself.

Sarah Collins (53:31.906)
Okay.

Sarah Collins (53:53.398)
Right, right. Ooh, so true.

Alyssa Thelen (53:54.806)
Yeah, yeah. then, you know, the woo, woo, as both of you know, as my fellow woo friends, you know, I don't know about y'all, but I feel a little bad sometimes because, you know, woo, you make friends fast. And like, I'm not trying to say that in a way as like, I'm the most popular girl in school.

Bill Dippel (54:02.375)
Aura, Aura.

Alyssa Thelen (54:20.428)
or something, but you do, you make quick connections and it comes from a genuine place. Like this is naturally how we show up. And what can happen is people think that you're maybe closer than you are. And as a now like working mom with three kids and you know, I struggle to figure out how to say no to some social commitments and

Sarah Collins (54:26.35)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (54:36.78)
Mm-hmm.

Bill Dippel (54:37.782)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (54:49.622)
My husband is like, wait, you have like book club tonight and I'm like, you have a birthday club and then you've got like a wine night on the calendar. And I say, yes, I want to say yes to everything. And then there's a work happy hour and it pains me to say no to people because like I want like it's, it is deep FOMO, but you know, it's, it's kind of being able to figure out how to protect those personal boundaries, not hurt feelings or make it seem like you were disingenuous in your connection with them, but trying to manage it.

Sarah Collins (54:58.926)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (55:13.08)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (55:17.302)
Mm-hmm.

Bill Dippel (55:17.533)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (55:20.002)
Yeah, and I really hear you like living through your values there, right? Because it's like when you're young, being a woo when you're in your 20s, like it's so easy, you know, you're the life of the party. Like, yes, let's go, let's do it. Especially I imagine Alyssa with your adaptability and your activator that woo your pro, yes, the yeses are easy. Like take me anywhere, I will make it fun. And then you get this husband and then you get these children.

Alyssa Thelen (55:24.28)
you

Bill Dippel (55:28.935)
It's great. I loved it.

Alyssa Thelen (55:48.696)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (55:49.824)
and you want to be a good present mother. And so these things come in and it's like, okay, yes, I want to do it and I will have so much fun. But now I have this value shift, right? I cannot be gone all the time. And it's, that's why it's so important to know your values. Like what is most important in this moment? Because even though it would be an easy yes to go to all these things, the consequences are not worth it because it's not necessarily the priority I want.

Alyssa Thelen (55:52.088)
Huh?

Alyssa Thelen (55:58.328)
Mm-hmm.

Hmm.

Bill Dippel (56:14.805)
Right, right.

Alyssa Thelen (56:17.154)
Yeah.

Sarah Collins (56:17.516)
I just, I don't know if you can tell, I'm just speaking from experience here.

Alyssa Thelen (56:19.762)
I mean you are working in my-

Bill Dippel (56:20.693)
I heard it. I hear it. And I will also tell you that, you know, tying back to the question you asked me in the beginning of this as a woo in my early 20s, it was great meeting people. where it got in my way frequently was I would build a friendship with somebody and then they would say, hey, I want to bring along so and so and so and so to something we're doing. And I'm like, no, I would with you. You and I are tight. Right. And yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (56:33.4)
and

Sarah Collins (56:33.752)
huh.

Sarah Collins (56:47.538)
No, that is your relator. Okay, I'm gonna call you out right there. That is not because that is not one I have. Okay, I that would not happen to me. Right.

Bill Dippel (56:50.064)
It is. is. But the woo. But the woo. But the woo got me there, right? They got me in and I and by the way, and then you're right, my relator is like, step away. No, no, you know, but then now we're all hanging out together now. like, we're all great. This is fantastic. So the woo helped again in there. And you're you're right. There's a combination of them there. But the woo definitely steps in and it builds that and.

Alyssa Thelen (56:50.594)
What?

Sarah Collins (57:02.572)
Right, right, right.

Sarah Collins (57:07.36)
Yeah.

Bill Dippel (57:17.19)
I think of those twenties again and my woo was great. It allowed me to do a lot of things that I wouldn't have normally stepped into and done. yeah, I absolutely love that we're all woo masters here on the pod today and talking about what that looks like. That's pretty fun.

Sarah Collins (57:28.131)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (57:32.813)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (57:35.17)
Yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (57:36.418)
can say like as much as would be so fun to have y'all as my like neighbors, it would be problematic because we live in an area, it's like a golf cart community, so everybody box around on their little golf carts, nobody has fences, and so, you know, there are happy hours happening, like people are sitting on their porch, come have a glass of wine, you know, and you're like, I could be doing that, like that could be a full-time job for me, you know?

Bill Dippel (57:42.107)
Sarah Collins (57:46.894)
Mm-hmm.

Sarah Collins (58:01.516)
Yeah, right.

Bill Dippel (58:02.535)
yeah.

Alyssa Thelen (58:03.402)
and around to that stuff and at the end of the day it's like no like values are family values are doing great at work that you know I have to stay grounded in that and not get blown with the wind

Sarah Collins (58:11.434)
Until then.

Bill Dippel (58:13.266)
Yeah, yeah. Sure.

Sarah Collins (58:15.756)
Yes, because it can be easy to do as a woo. Like I just think it's like that mature woo uses it strategically. The immature woo, which I think you have to grow through when you're young. I mean, that's how you become a party girl. It's just easy. Make friends everywhere. Okay, speaking of party girls.

Alyssa Thelen (58:18.796)
I'm

Bill Dippel (58:29.556)
Yeah, that's it. And I've joked, I've joked about this before, but who stands for winning others over in my world, it usually stands for wife objects often. And that is if I'm in the golf community, we're stopping, I'm having drinks. She's like, we got to go, you know, so yep, I get it. I get it.

Alyssa Thelen (58:47.832)
Yeah, your wife and my husband would would console each other like they would understand.

Sarah Collins (58:48.589)
Hmm?

Bill Dippel (58:54.258)
Yeah. Yes, totally.

Sarah Collins (58:54.582)
Yeah, yeah. So speaking of wooing it up and all the parties, here's your special question, Alyssa. Are you ready for it? If your strengths were a band, what would be the name of the group and what is their debut album?

Alyssa Thelen (59:14.41)
you know, there's only one obvious band name in my mind. And it's not that you like, again, low ideation here people. So like, are digging. We're just a group called the Fast Friends. We're Fast Friends.

Bill Dippel (59:17.927)
Sarah Collins (59:22.912)
huh.

Sarah Collins (59:30.638)
OOOO

Bill Dippel (59:31.058)
Wow, wow, the fast friends debut album, debut album title. What is it?

Alyssa Thelen (59:37.472)
You know, it's gonna be something that is relevant to me and may not strike a chord with the rest of the people that follow The Fast Friends, but Chasing Northern Lights is our debut album. And it's because I do have a Northern Lights chasing like friends test that I have for people. And this is in real life because I have chased the Northern Lights a couple of times in the last year. And

Sarah Collins (59:49.902)
oooo

Alyssa Thelen (01:00:07.008)
the day that like I track when the Northern Lights are coming and you never really know, but you live on the edge of your seat to figure out can we chase them? And the last time they were around a couple months ago, I put it out there to some friends. I was like, hey, I'm gonna go looking for these Northern Lights tonight. Like who's in? This is like it. And there were a couple takers and a couple people that were like, I'm sorry, what? And I'm like, that was the test. And you're either in

or you're out and the people that said yes, like you're my people. And guess what? We chased those Northern Lights. We got slurpees that night. Like it was everything I dreamed it to be. And it's like, anyway, so there you go.

Sarah Collins (01:00:40.568)
Mm-hmm. my gosh.

Bill Dippel (01:00:50.439)
The woo, the woo activator right there. Chase, if you're in, you're in. If you know, you know. And if you're not, we're going, we're done. So, so good.

Sarah Collins (01:00:50.68)
Mmm.

Yes.

Yeah. Okay. So I have one last question I just thought of, and I need you to, to, you know, give us your, your honest answer. You are our first internal coach that's been a guest on our podcast for anyone who's listening that is also an internal coach at an organization. Any tips or words of wisdom for them?

Alyssa Thelen (01:01:22.564)
I mean, I think it's really important to figure out who are your other, you know, strengths enthusiasts internally at your company, because the reality of the situation, they're probably, you may be the only CliftonStrengths coach, there's one other coach at my company. But there's a lot of other team leaders, managers, individuals who are kind of like closet strengths enthusiasts, and you have to start to find them and kind of create your own little

Sarah Collins (01:01:29.838)
Thank you.

Sarah Collins (01:01:46.136)
Mm-hmm.

Alyssa Thelen (01:01:51.73)
pod of, of enthusiasts to bounce ideas around with, to re-energize, to influence and get other people on board. And so just keep an eye out for those people and, and do what you can to help that flourish, to really get other, other people's buy-in because, yeah, it can be tricky and like the CliftonStrengths assessment prices keep going up, you know, and all the things. it's like,

Sarah Collins (01:02:16.064)
Please?

Alyssa Thelen (01:02:17.282)
how do we really figure out what the value is and how to really explain to the business that this is not just a fluffy personality test, but it is a strategic tool that can help you personally help your team grow and thrive. so, you know, find those people and make a little powerhouse out of

Sarah Collins (01:02:35.256)
Wow, 100%.

Bill Dippel (01:02:35.786)
really good, really good. So before we sign off, can you tell people how to get ahold of you? We're going to put it up on our website as well. But what's the best way to get ahold of Alyssa? If you if you had a question for something about gusto, something about what you're doing and how you do it, maybe how an internal coach works.

Alyssa Thelen (01:02:54.238)
Yeah, I love that. So honestly, the best way to get a hold of me is on LinkedIn. And that's where, you know, I kind of connect with a lot of people, especially related to personal or professional topics, I should say, sometimes personal. So yeah, Alyssa Thelen, T-H-E-L-E-N on LinkedIn. I think I'm the only Alyssa Thelen at Gusto. So wow. But yeah, that's probably the best place to connect with me there. If you went and found my socials, you'd be like, yep, I mean, this tracks like.

Sarah Collins (01:03:12.916)
Woo!

Sarah Collins (01:03:23.084)
Yes.

Alyssa Thelen (01:03:23.496)
It's Taylor Swift, it's Norma Mites, like all of the content that like Sarah and I might be into, but you're very professional, know, listeners would be like, yeah, that's not the content I'm looking for. Like I'll just ask my question over LinkedIn and go for

Sarah Collins (01:03:38.638)
That's right. That's right.

Bill Dippel (01:03:38.737)
Perfect. And if you're looking for that information, you're looking for the LinkedIn, it's on our website attached to the podcast. well, with that, Alyssa, we love having you on. Thank you so much for being our first truly embedded coach. I was embedded when I first started with Gallup and spent about two years as an embedded coach. And I know how difficult it can be to work in that tighter environment without expanding on. So kudos to you. That can be difficult.

Alyssa Thelen (01:04:08.994)
Thank you for that. And I'll tell you, this is real. you listening to your podcast is kind of my version of like listening to pump up music before like a basketball game. So like before I facilitate some strings workshops, I actually love listening and getting in the strings mindset by listening to your podcasts. And even though like you don't work with me internally, I kind of feel like you're my extended network and my, my people. And so it's been really fun to hear your voices and your, your wisdom through strings. Thank you for doing what you're doing.

Bill Dippel (01:04:31.557)
No.

Bill Dippel (01:04:36.977)
Well, we work together now. I'm only a couple hours out of Denver. Easy flight to get in, come and work and you know.

Sarah Collins (01:04:38.51)
my gosh.

Alyssa Thelen (01:04:44.824)
I mean, I'm still waiting for that karaoke invite that you keep talking and y'all keep talking about in Denver. I'm like, what is this Excursion Club? Okay. I mean.

Bill Dippel (01:04:48.013)
Uh-uh.

Sarah Collins (01:04:48.222)
Yes, I've told you beginning of June beginning of June you

Bill Dippel (01:04:52.986)
Get it? Do you not, you don't go to the Charlotte Blair event?

Alyssa Thelen (01:04:57.374)
Not yet, but I mean, tempt me with an invitation and there's a decent chance I'll say yes.

Sarah Collins (01:05:01.804)
That's right. That's right. I think there's some professional development dollars that could be thrown at this, you know?

Bill Dippel (01:05:03.896)
I love it. I love it.

Clearly. Clearly.

Alyssa Thelen (01:05:08.76)
Given all the changes and the step up in the work, think there's a business place here.

Sarah Collins (01:05:12.084)
Exactly. That embedded coach life comes with some PDs, you know?

Bill Dippel (01:05:16.668)
And given that Charlotte's event is in the Denver area, I mean, come on, we'll sneak you in the back, even if you don't jump in, we're sneaking you in. So it's so good.

Alyssa Thelen (01:05:21.976)
The next step.

Alyssa Thelen (01:05:27.128)
can't wait.

Sarah Collins (01:05:28.078)
Alyssa, thank you so much for being on our pod today and everything you had to offer. It's always a pleasure. And I hope someday we get to blow up the world by meeting in real life.

Alyssa Thelen (01:05:38.348)
I can't wait. I'm ready for it. Buckle up.

Bill Dippel (01:05:39.792)
We're gonna do it. It'll be perfect. So perfect. Thank you, Alyssa. We will talk to our arsonists on the next episode. Thank you for listening and we will talk soon.

Sarah Collins (01:05:51.502)
Bye!

Alyssa Thelen (01:05:52.342)
Cheers.
Sarah Collins
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