Synthesis Episode 9: CEO Tanya Hall on Bringing Honor to Self-Publishing

Filed Under: Beliefs-Based Branding, Intrinsic Branding, Leadership, Synthesis

LISTEN HERE (audio + video)

Synthesis is a Root + River hosted webcast featuring nonconformist leaders whose ideas make them — and us — see the world differently.

Our ninth episode of Synthesis features Tanya Hall. Tanya Hall is CEO of Austin-based Greenleaf Book Group and author of Ideas, Influence and Income: Write a Book, Build Your Brand, and Lead Your Industry. She is also energized to empower authors to be inspired creators and to lead her organization to greater profitability and growth.

Check out this nonconformist idea Tanya shared with us:

‘Usually, in media, there is some reverence for the creator. In any other part of media, if you are bootstrapping your work, you are this awesome independent! In publishing, you get looked down on. It makes me crazy!’

In our visit, we discuss stepping out to be an author after coaching other authors. We talk about leadership in the 21st century, the pitfalls of leading in The Human Age, the physical symptoms of stress in the workplace and the injustice of the old “money only flows one way” approach to publishing her industry has too long embraced.

Some of our favorite takeaways from our visit with Tanya:

“Assumed best intent was a life-changer for me. Instead of going into a dangerous spiral, it’s a way of changing your mindset, …[Saying] I am just going to assume you had a bad day and we’ll talk about it later . . . Going into it with an accepting and loving state of mind … really changes the interpersonal energy.”
“When I worked in television … it was probably the most stressful job I ever had. If you couldn’t cut it, you were out. I remember I would just sit in the parking lot and shake. It was my first real job, so I just thought that was what adulting was.”
“In a situation like that where people are having physical outcomes to the stress of the environment you need to take a step back and see if there is something you can do differently instead of assuming everybody thrives on it like you do.”
“Every quarter we sit down and we have a list of goals that track underneath those [vision] points.”
“You don’t command and control in publishing. … People are here because they seek purpose.”
The one thing people should focus on to improve their career is public speaking.
“There has to be a bias toward action. … I think sometimes if there is an emphasis on collaboration or purpose without some rails around it, that can go sideways on you.”
“Having worked in lots of different parts of media, usually, there is some reverence for the creator. … In any other part of media, if you are bootstrapping your work, you are this awesome independent. In publishing, you get looked down on. … And it made me crazy! It just felt so archaic.”