The Principle of Resonance
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Audio Transcript:
Have you ever met anyone who absolutely brightens up a room by leaving it? It's not my joke, but I've met people like that and I'm sure you have as well. And today we're going to talk about residents, about the energy, the sound, the feeling that you put out there, as in any one of your roles. So I can tell you in my role, I've got a ton of examples how I've realized my energy has affected, those around me.
And not that I'm some giant influencer because I'm not. But in a role as a founder, certainly there's there's some influence there. And and how I, with the energy I bring to a meeting or to a call or to just whatever it matters, one on ones, all those things matter. As a dad, it matters, you know, certainly.
And in your community, I mean, it's easy to grab the pitchfork and go rolling down with a torch and, want to want to burn down the next thing with the rest of the mob. But, boy, is that the right energy you want to be putting out there. So, I mean, I guess what we're talking about really is just it's about a vibe.
It's about a frequency that, that you're going to put out there. And when you're in sync or when you're out of tune with who you really are, with your virtues, with your character, you know, whether it's a, you know, call, a tuning fork, you know, you hit that and and it just sounds good. Or maybe a musical harmony.
You hear some, some four part harmony or some, bands that just are amazing in terms of their, their musicianship, those those are matter. Or, you know, somebody pulls up beside you, you know, in the vehicle and their base is thumping and you feel you feel the hum there, you know, you feel that that's what I'm talking about.
But but more metaphorically then into our energy and how we're shaping those around us with our, own resonance. You know, it isn't just a concept for leadership. It shows up in boardrooms, of course, but it shows up in kitchens and quiet conversations, shows up down at the library and across the street. And it shows up in your neighborhood.
It shows up everywhere. It's just a it's an important part of who we are that I'm not sure. I know people are talking about it. I mean, I'm sure there's lots of people who are, but in my daily life, I don't hear a lot about it. You hear about good vibes, bad vibes. But, I just think, I think being intentional really matters.
And I can tell you in my roles as a founder, when I walk into a room or when when I join a meeting, whether it's a remote meeting and our company is remote. So I'm oftentimes on a zoom or a meters, whatever, something like that. The tone I bring with me absolutely matters. And again, I, I don't run our company with an iron fist.
And you, you, you do as I do kind of thing, but it's just it's just part of the role. And if you ignore that, you're probably missing, no matter how much you try to humble yourself and and make, make that somebody else's, you know, prerogative, it's ultimately still you're you're the founder there. Or if you, you know, your manager in a team or whatever role you have, there's probably some level of, of responsibility.
And so for me as a founder, it is. And there are there are many times we struggle throughout the years with, with real challenges in our company and many more to come. I mean, that's part of running a company. If you're not struggling, you're probably not trying this hard enough. You're not. You're doing something difficult and somebody else can put you out of business soon.
And so I even look right now in the current climate, the business club, with all the tariffs and and trade wars and real wars and all the macroeconomic stuff, a geopolitical craziness is going on out there. It's it's a challenge. And there are there are folks at our company that are looking to me to help them settle. And I'm not fully there.
They're adults and doing their thing. But I'm, I'm a I'm part of the equation for them. And I can tell you, if I come in with a disingenuous energy that everything's fine and there's that that's terrible. And they're going to know that they're going, okay, this fool, who's this guy? On the flip side, though, if I walk around like it's a funeral and I've got a dirge playing in my head and also broadcasting for my body, well, that's not good either.
And that could create both. Those could create serious problems. But if I what I've tried to do over the years is I've tried to strike a tone. And if we stay on the the sound analogy, I was trying to strike a tone that matches with the severity of the situation. So it can be a serious situation. Can be a real situation we're facing.
But I also then try to couple that with who I am in my core and where my character and virtues lie, which is an encouragement and possibility and, and those kind of things. And, it just it's much more genuine for me. But it also, I think, is somewhat calming for others, for them to be able to. It's not a dissonance or my sound is no longer a dissonance to them.
Now they can work out their own melody, their own sound, and harmonize with mine, as opposed to, whether I was shooting too high or too low on that. So I think that's that's something for me. And I'll tell you, that's not so easy to do when so many people are looking for your sound. It's almost as if, you know, you're you're broadcasting that sound out, so they have to receive it.
So you have to amplify it because you've got more people, depending on how large your company is or your team or whatever it may be. And so for me, I have to be very careful and make sure I am preparing for resonance, and I'm making sure I'm I've got clarity of my thinking and I've, I've taking pauses throughout the day or throughout the week or month or quarter, whatever it is to make sure I am aligning my energy, if you will, and harmonizing my energy to a tone that that does that does resonate with who I am and and what I want to see out in the world today.
So I think that that's really important. And I can tell you as, as a father, holy smokes. I mean, I sometimes feel like I am the family tuning fork if if I am off now, they always say if mom ain't happy, nobody happy. And that is a for sure thing. So let's just be clear there that one hits hard and real.
But but ultimately my kids also and my wife as well reflect from what I admit and look same thing anyways. Teenage daughter, same kind of deal. She walks in a room, don't know how she feels. That's going to have a real impact on what's going on here. And I can tell you there's there's been times we've had we've had times where this maybe story matters, maybe it doesn't.
But, with our kids, there's been times where we've had kind of serious conversations. Now, as a toddler, she's conversation might be something about touching the stove, but as they've grown older and another teens, there's maybe some more important conversations going on or more weighty conversations, I should say. But there's been times where we're maybe in something you don't know with your been there, you kind of stalemated the conversation, and it's been a serious situation.
And all of a sudden, something funny happens. Maybe it's a noise. Maybe, maybe, maybe one of the kids farts. Or you for whatever. Who knows? Something, something happens that just changes the tone to this whole kind of comedic moment. And and all of a sudden, the energy in the room is different, and and that is absolutely a blast.
And all of a sudden, you find a way out and so I think is a dance sometimes I've actually purposely created those kind of funny moments because it does help kind of shift the tone. And so again, I think from a practice standpoint, I try to go in thinking, okay, if I misstep here, if I over speak, if I do something else, I got to make sure I'm modeling kind of a presence and a calm and oftentimes for me, humor is a tool there that that my kids resonate with.
And we kind of get through. And so that's, you know. Yeah. Hey, your mileage may vary, but that's that's something that works for me. As a friend in the community or just want to I mean, being attuned is really the gift and and seeing where others are. I mean, I'm, I tend to be a harmonizer. I tend to not be so boisterous and and just it's my signal only and get with it.
But but sometimes in a community, you know, there are there are a lot of people, like I say, they're they're going through the streets with pitchforks and, and, and torches ready to do whatever. Well, mobs are pretty well stupid together. And there's always they're almost always wrong in terms of what they want to do as a mob.
So I'm try to be careful now, but but you'll find the what, what what the concern is. Right. What is the energy from where is it from? Is it fear? Is it, is it? You know, anger normally comes from fear or something, you know? So what is it? Loss. Is it I don't know. And so when you can figure that out then you can usually harmonize with that and bring your own bit that that can maybe be more encouraging or more, more hopeful and less of the other.
So again, that's a tough one. There's lots of different voices and energies and all that kind of stuff in communities that that are tougher, but it certainly matters. And then I think it's also important to know that sometimes you're going to be out of time. You know, I mean, for me, it happens. I mean, even even the best musicians in the world go, go flat sometimes or sharp or whatever.
And I've, I've had times where my energy is not how it should be. And I go back to mountain leverage, where there's times where we struggled. And maybe I was a little more down in the mouth about it. And, and that that is tough. And so everybody feels that weight, feels that struggle feels the challenge. And the challenge is real.
You're going to feel the stresses real. It needs to be there. It's how we grow. We get stronger through stress. I mean, people pick up heavy things and put them down all the time. Multiple sets of things to grow muscles. And so it's there. But but man, if you oh gosh, you got to pick this weight up again.
I got to put it down again. Get to pick it. If you did that every day, who would want to ever go work out? It's hard enough as it is. So, so I think, you know, for me, I often kind of check in on these when I'm, when I found my energy is, is often so that a it means I'm trying to be thoughtful about that and be introspective how what is my energy?
But when I find it's off, I immediately go to, okay, where is my energy needed improvements, but where is it needed most today? And how does it need to to resonate? How does it need to manifest itself to reflect who I want to be when I leave the room, right? Or when I enter the room? And so I think that that helps for me.
I mean, sometimes, sometimes just doing some gratitudes that that's super awesome. Gratitude is a secret weapon. I've talked about that a bunch. And anytime you start with gratitude and wherever you're going, your energy already is. I think, you know, a couple bars in the right spot, you know, so that that gets you moving. Now you've got you've got movement, you've got momentum.
And that that helps me from a, from an energy perspective. But, you know, this sounds all bunky when I'm talking. Oh energy and blue. Woo woo. I get it all, but you know, this is real, right? We've talked about the feeling of when you feel based in something you can feel that in, you know, you go on YouTube, there's these videos of, of guys who they have, like a metal plate with a bunch of sand on it.
And then they play these, they play different frequencies of, of sounds, and, and the sand will move into a different shape, whatever. That is absolutely fascinating. Now, maybe we'll find out that's all bunk. And you guys, I don't know. I've never tried it myself, but I get it. It's legit. It's just amazing. This stuff moves and so it creates different shapes.
And so I guess, this is real. It's a real thing. Even if it's not sound, even if all that would be be debunked. I think we all get a feeling. We know there's energy that that that we felt others bring in and out of situations. And, and I just think it's important where you recognize our own. I've found it to be important for me.
It's, it's not that I'm trying to manipulate people with that. It's just I'm trying to make sure I'm bringing my authentic best self to the situation and that I'm. I'm helping that person. I mean, when you look at flourishing, there is a there is a melody of nourishment that happens in the world. And, I try to make sure I'm playing that melody so that you can come in and harmonize with that.
I hope you're feeling for me on this podcast, that a genuine energy that that's, that's full of, flourishing for you. And it is and it's legit. It is genuine. And that's where I'm at. So, I think that's the kind of thing I want to portray everywhere. And I'm not always perfect at it. And that's okay. You know, this this isn't about perfection.
It's just about, you know, intentional and and making sure you're aligned with who you are, fundamentally and authentically. So, with that, I'm, I'm going to end today. Again. Your mileage may vary on this one, but for me, this this has got a lot of, a lot of bang for your buck when you focus on the kind of energy you're bringing to any situation.
And right now, it's super important, I think, for anybody in business and, and and just in life in general, there's always there's always chaos happening around us. And think about the people you've been around in your life when chaos has happened, the helpers, those, the people that have a calm demeanor about them, or maybe they have an excited demeanor, whatever, whatever demeanor you needed in that moment.
They had it. That was the energy they were putting out there. And, I don't know about you, but I want to be one of those people. I want to be one of those people that that in a moment like that, people can look to and have, and, and have a positive experience and, and be able to help them be their best selves.
So that's it. So anyway, hey, I hope, like I say, genuinely, you feel that for me today and I hope wherever you are, you know, I guess my challenge to you would be to think, you know, what energy are you putting out there today and, and how and, and does it match who you want to be? And if you left the room, would people feel who feels lighter now or would they?
Not. You want them to cook in their hands or anything when you leave. But, when you enter a room, would you want them to be, hey, here's this guy or here's this gal. Yeah, right. I think, I think that'd be great. So, anyway, but that said, I, this this helps me flourish and helps those around me flourish.
And I hope wherever you are today, you also are flourishing.
Alex Reneman is the founder of Mountain Leverage and Unleash Tygart and host of Flourishing w/ Alex Reneman. For 20+ years he has worked as CEO of Mountain Leverage, honing the concept of flourishing and experimenting with it in the business. In July of 2024, he decided to begin to share this idea with others, which led to his podcast, social content, and the plans for other initiatives in the future.
