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"Mick Unplugged" is a transformative podcast that challenges listeners to move beyond the conventional 'Why' and embrace the empowering realm of 'Because.' Hosted by Mick Hunt, the voice of Modern Leadership, this podcast is designed for leaders, doers, and anyone aspiring to create meaningful impact in both their personal and professional lives.
Each episode delves into the principles of Modern Leadership, focusing on discovering your 'Because'—your core driving force—and how it can turn dreams into reality and aspirations into actionable steps. With practical advice, real-life stories, and forward-thinking insights, you’ll learn to make your 'Because' a daily focus, fueling your journey toward success and fulfillment.
Whether you’re looking to deepen your motivation, set meaningful goals, or apply modern leadership theories to overcome challenges, "Mick Unplugged" provides the tools, strategies, and insights to guide your path. Subscribe now and start transforming your life with purpose and modern leadership principles.
Are you ready to change your habits, sculpt your destiny, and light up your path to greatness? Welcome to the epicenter of transformation. This is Mick Unplugged. We'll help you identify your because so you can create a routine that's not just productive, but powerful. You'll embrace the art of evolution, adapt strategies to stay ahead of the game, and take a step toward the extraordinary.
Intro:So let's unleash your potential. Now here's Mick.
Mick Hunt:Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of Mick Unplugged where we dive deep into the stories that challenge, inspire, and fuel our Because. And today, I'm truly honored and excited because we're gonna explore a journey of a remarkable individual, a beacon of creativity, and impact in the digital realm. Join us as we uncover the true insights and inspirations of my friend, the incomparable, Diana Lammerts. Diana, how are you doing today?
Diana Lammerts:I'm thank you so much for the wonderful intro. It's a pleasure being here.
Mick Hunt:Absolutely. So, Diana, one of the things that attracted me to you was just a ton of conversation, a ton of insights. I mean, you truly are like that inspiration in the digital in the digital world. But when I looked at your website for the first time several months ago when I got introduced to you, you have because on your website. So because success follows a pattern.
Mick Hunt:Tell us about that. Like, because success follows a pattern, what does that mean to you, and and what does the world need to know about that statement? Because to me, that's a very powerful statement.
Diana Lammerts:It does because you have to take certain steps in order to become successful. So it's almost like, you know, if you wanna walk up the stairs, you have to take certain steps in order to get to the 5th floor, you know, and it's the same with success. There is a pattern. You can that's why everyone is talking about the blueprint. Once you have the blueprint, you can apply it everywhere, and a blueprint Well,
Mick Hunt:the beginnings were actually, I started as, Well,
Diana Lammerts:the beginnings were actually, I started as, a local, radio journalist and then became a news anchor. The fun fact is I'm actually an introvert. So but when it comes to the job, I can be an extrovert. It's a completely different different dynamic, and that is also a pattern. You know?
Diana Lammerts:Like, some people nowadays, we talk a lot about introverts as well. When they step into their purpose, it's easy for them. And then they are there, and then the energy is there. And then it's almost like they're a different person. That's how I started.
Diana Lammerts:And then at one point after, I think, 12 years or something on air, I wanted to look for something else. So I went to the other side of the media, public relations. And public relations, a lot of people confuse it with only media, but it's actually it start with perceived reality. You wanna build up your brand. You wanna build, a reputation for yourself.
Diana Lammerts:So it is, of course, it is media, but it's also networking. It is connections. It is how people see you in the community as well. So there is a pattern on how to build up your brand, not through just marketing or, like, digital marketing or social media marketing. No.
Diana Lammerts:Public relations is becoming the new part of marketing.
Mick Hunt:Absolutely. You know, what I've noticed with you and what I've seen by studying you is you've truly mastered your craft. Right? I believe that mastery is a key component in the things that we do. In your journey in the digital world, right, and in even the PR world, was there a pivotal moment that, like, accelerated your learning curve and how you mastered your craft?
Mick Hunt:Was there that moment that said, okay, I have to master this in order to take this to the next level?
Diana Lammerts:Every day, you you face a challenge, and every day, there's a new challenge that you wanna achieve something. Especially with public relations, to me it was important to inform clients for example, okay, this is what you can do, this is what you should do, but you also want to listen. And, when you build a team, for example, it is very important, especially when you work remotely. I started to work remotely before it was even a thing. That was back in 2012.
Diana Lammerts:So I learned that it is important to create something where everyone feels to be part of the team even though they're in different locations. So when we had the whole discussion of, home office, to me, that was normal. But other people ran into challenges because they weren't used to it. They didn't feel part of a team anymore. But you can actually create this culture.
Diana Lammerts:And that is very, very important that you can create a culture in your company, and that also applies to any industry.
Mick Hunt:That's amazing. Again, one of the things that I know that you do and your work showcases your vibrant imagination. I'm not gonna believe that Diane is an introvert. There's no way you're gonna convince me of that. Right?
Mick Hunt:But I do know that you have a crazy, amazing imagination, and you just talked about, you know, the creativity of working remote before it was a thing. And in the digital world that you live in, things change daily for you. Right? Like, technology changes, interactions change. What have you done, or where do you see the future of the digital space and how that's gonna influence your project and your work as you move forward?
Diana Lammerts:Two letters, AI. AI is and no one can say, it's not gonna come. It's like back in the days, the Internet. We are generation. We had modems where you had to get off the phone in order to dial it on to be online.
Diana Lammerts:Back then, everyone said, like, why do you need that? I was actually one of the few people who said, oh, we don't need, Wi Fi on all our phones. Who needs that? Today, it's just like, we can't work without it anymore. You know?
Diana Lammerts:So AI is gonna be very, very important, and I understand that a lot of people are afraid that it will take away jobs, but they don't see the positive part. It frees time. For example, for journalists, they have more time to do research for public relations as well. So instead of sitting there and let's say you have a writer's block, you can actually get inspired and start. And, of course, you always create your own spin and you write in order to sound like the person that you're writing for as well.
Diana Lammerts:But it definitely will help a lot and, you know, we just have to learn, and that's why I'm part, for example, of the Global AI Council. Because I want to learn how to use AI, how to work with AI and not against it. And if you work with something, then you don't have to be afraid of it. And it's the same thing because success has a pattern. So you want to include AI to make your life easier.
Diana Lammerts:That's why we delegate.
Mick Hunt:I love that. So let's unpack that a little bit. What are some of the use cases, or what are what are some of the ways that you're using AI today?
Diana Lammerts:Well, number 1, a lot of people have it, Alexa. For example, Siri. I'm more of an Apple person, so I use Siri. And ChattyPT, of course, that is I use it daily. I use it daily.
Diana Lammerts:And, you know, how many times are you sitting in front of of your computer thinking, how can I word this email? I wanna say this, but I don't wanna sound like this. So you just enter what you wanna say and tell JettyPT, but I wanted to make it sound like this a little bit. And boom, there you go. In 2 minutes.
Diana Lammerts:And then maybe you tweak a little bit here, tweak a little bit there, but it helps you so much. That is 10 minutes you save off of your time. 10 minutes you have for your kids, for your friends, for yourself that you can do something. You can go meditate, work out, yoga, whatever you prefer. And that gives you more life quality as well.
Diana Lammerts:And, what else? There's so many things that I use. Of course, I use all DALI as well. And, oh gosh. There's so many.
Diana Lammerts:Then there's, AI humanizer. Because at one point, you are getting tired of the typical chattypt phrases, and then you run it through this. And, of course, you wanna give your own spin to it as well. So nothing that I write is a 100% AI. I that is just almost like the foundation and the rest is mine because I think that is very important.
Diana Lammerts:Otherwise, you lose personality. It's it's almost like cooking food. You know? Like, you have a recipe, but you put your own spin to it. Like, I know my grandma always did, and her food was amazing.
Diana Lammerts:But, you know, you can only copy it, but it will always have your specific spicy taste.
Mick Hunt:No. That's correct. And I use if we talk specifically chat gpt, I use it more as a brainstorming mechanism. Right? Like, I look at it like a coworker or a partner, and I'm sitting around a conference table and I'm bouncing ideas, and it's like, how would how would you frame this?
Mick Hunt:Or if this is my audience, what are some things that I should consider when I say a, b, or c? And so I think a lot of people today, and this totally isn't an AI conversation, but I think they're getting so comfortable with just letting, in particular, ChatGPT speak for them, that they're not paying attention to the content that's actually coming back, and they're just posting. I see it a ton on social media where it's like, oh, you can tell that that was a 100% AI written, and they didn't even try to make it personalized. They didn't even try to delete some things. It's just copy paste and boom, there you go.
Mick Hunt:And it's so inauthentic, And that's not what the world needs today.
Diana Lammerts:No. And that is actually gonna be, a problem one day or where you separate yourself from everyone else because people are are smart. They're gonna notice at one point. So that's why you always wanna rewrite it and have have it sound in your own voice. So I think that is very, very important.
Diana Lammerts:It's like almost when you teach something or you talk about growth. Of course, we didn't reinvent the wheel. Right? Like, someone wrote about it. Greek philosophers, for example.
Diana Lammerts:Right? But we take it, we rephrase it, and then we act on it. And it's the same with that. And you can actually, also ask your GPT to always say something contra to what you say so that it keeps keeps you thinking. And, it it is very helpful.
Diana Lammerts:It's it's not gonna replace you. It's helping you. It's a tool.
Mick Hunt:Totally agree. And so segmenting from ChatTBT and using it as a way to help you, not actually do your work for you. I know that you truly believe in character and core values. What are some of the core values of Diana Lamars?
Diana Lammerts:Authenticity, definitely, and respect, and to see what the other person is about as well. Taking it in, listening, and then see, okay. How can we do this? To brainstorm. I'll brainstorm is amazing.
Diana Lammerts:It is amazing. Even though if you sometimes say like, okay. Oh, how does this work? Why does it work like this? Question things.
Diana Lammerts:That's what I love when someone comes from the outside who's not a professional and ask those questions because that actually shows you, oh, this is missing. Because that one person that comes forward actually is the one that's speaking up. And there are many others who don't understand it, but they just don't speak up. Input is always a way constructive criticism is the best thing that can happen to you because that shows you where you can improve things. I'm not saying lacking because it's not necessarily lacking, but how you can improve things.
Diana Lammerts:And we always want to improve things because, otherwise, we still would ride on horses nowadays.
Mick Hunt:I love that. So with what you do and all the different services that you provide, right, your work not only captures attention, but it sparks thought and action. What are some of the projects that you're most proud of when it comes to the impact that you've been able to make on a client?
Diana Lammerts:One is actually that that that is due to my heart. The longest painted bible that brings all kinds of religions together because we were at a book fair, and there were Jewish visitors, Muslims, and Christians. And they said, it's all my book because it doesn't have any words. It's over a mile long. It was created by a German artist and he died.
Diana Lammerts:And this is how his son actually, found the artwork. And stepping into it, I was sitting in the attic and wrote the biography, and I it was almost like feeling that that the artist was still there. That was very amazing and eventually won a world record as well. And helping create a company from scratch as well, recently for the past few years, in order to make a difference in the protection industry, for example. When you come together and you come together from and you merge your ecosystems, that is huge.
Diana Lammerts:Merging ecosystems because if you come from different industries and come together, you can create something bigger, something better because you have different mindsets, and you can bring different things to the table. And that is just amazing. That's why I love networking so much. When and I see one person say, oh, you're doing this, and this person is doing this. If you bring this together, perfect.
Mick Hunt:That's amazing. You talk about collaboration and networking a lot. Like, I feel, especially in today's time, networking collaboration is a key ingredient to success. I don't care what industry you're in. I don't care where you are in your career.
Mick Hunt:That's what it's gonna take to propel forward. How has that helped you in your life and in also in your career?
Diana Lammerts:It's just it's just fun. I love it. I love it. You meet so many people. For example, we're doing interviews on, Fox 5, Pix 11, and for other TV stations as well.
Diana Lammerts:And you meet so many people. You get to know them. You learn about them, and it's always such a pleasure to interview them as well. And then when I learn, okay, there's this person and that person, I can connect them and just the joy to see what they can grow out of that as well. And then at one point, maybe you jump on board, and then you are part of the team as well, which is amazing.
Mick Hunt:That's awesome. What's been your most powerful collaboration?
Diana Lammerts:As of currently oh, there were so many. But currently, most most definitely being back as a host. I haven't done that for a long time. So that is nice to go back to the roots as well with different PR agencies and a great team. They are amazing, and it's so much joy to work with them, because we all have one goal, helping people to get out there and get their brand out there and actually to elevate and build credibility.
Diana Lammerts:And the other one is a company that that I helped build in regards to to executive protection where we want to change the industry and have a more concierge like service so that people feel heard. Because it's I like that's one of my favorite quotes by, Maya Angelou is, people don't remember what you did for them, but how you make them feel. And if you can people make people feel happy and heard, especially heard nowadays, where everything is so loud, people don't get heard. So that is super important active listening and then to adapt and then make their dreams come true. Making someone's dream come true or helping being honored to be on this road and on this journey to help someone get to their goal and when they get there, it's almost like in a movie.
Diana Lammerts:You know? Like, when when this moment when they finally realized you did it, and then you can be the one cheering them on and say, say, yes. You did it. That is oh my gosh. That gives me goosebumps.
Diana Lammerts:That is the best feeling ever.
Mick Hunt:Absolutely. You truly are an inspiration. Again, I'm not gonna buy that you're an introvert, but you truly are an inspiration. And I believe that inspiration is the gift that keeps on giving. So what advice would you give to aspiring creatives who look up to you?
Mick Hunt:Like, what advice would you give them?
Diana Lammerts:Reach out to others, collaborate, and and brainstorm. See how you can, creatively add to a business because there are people who are the ones that are very technical. They're the left brain and the right brain people. So be the one who is the creative part. Help them because that can only improve the business as well, looking at it from a creative way, finding creative ways to do something.
Diana Lammerts:And then on the other end, of course, we need the analytical people as well to come to the creative people in order to say, okay. No. But we still need some kind of processes. Like, creativity is amazing, but in order to get there and, again, there's the pattern. We need a process in order to get somewhere.
Mick Hunt:I love it. What are 3 tips that you would give to the listeners about that blueprint that that you so eloquently talk about? What are 3 things that people can do today to start to change their own personal blueprint?
Diana Lammerts:You don't always need to follow where everyone goes. That is not always necessarily the way to go even though that everyone tells you, oh, you need to do this. You need to do that. Because basically, it's the same, we did the documentary once. And the the question, the documentary where we ask a university professor, what was their first?
Diana Lammerts:The beauty image that we had or the media building it? Are we wanting it? And he said it's actually wasn't the media necessarily. It's it's a play. You know?
Diana Lammerts:There's is a request and demand for it, and and it's the same. So at one point, one person said it's black fashion. Like that what is coming back, the mullet is coming back. Whoever said that that we liked it back in the days, like no one, right? But now it's coming back because someone said this is cool again.
Diana Lammerts:But, you know, you have to find your own way. You have to find your own way, and what everyone does is not always necessary. That is definitely would be 1. Don't lose yourself. Don't lose yourself.
Diana Lammerts:Stay real. Be real with yourself, and don't do something you don't want because then then it's not gonna go anywhere. It's just not. Be authentic. Everything else is way too it's exhausting.
Mick Hunt:I'm telling you. You know, I tell people all the time, be yourself because everyone else has already taken. Right? There's just room for you. So just just go be you, and I promise all the things that are supposed to happen definitely will happen.
Diana Lammerts:And the third thing is be nice for yourself. Treat yourself. And if you have a bad day, chocolate always helps, especially German chocolate. No. That's truly, like, this is something that even even when I celebrate, it is something, you know, that helps me.
Diana Lammerts:So I found found this and maybe for you or working out, for example, helps as well. So make sure if you have a bad day or something, just do it. And even if you don't like it, I'm I'm not that one person that gets up in the morning and says, yay. I wanna work out. No.
Diana Lammerts:I force myself. Like, sometimes you have to convince yourself and trick yourself into things. So if you don't feel like doing things, trick yourself. There was a time where, I actually had my yoga mat right by beside my bed, so I didn't find any excuse at all in order to work out in the morning. So even if I didn't make it to the gym, trick yourself.
Diana Lammerts:And then it's gonna work out. At one point, it's we we all here for a purpose. We wake up every morning for a purpose. Otherwise, we wouldn't wake up. So and then we have to make something out of it, and, you know, and it's worth it.
Diana Lammerts:It is worth it.
Mick Hunt:Totally worth it. So what are some of the new and upcoming things that you're gonna be working on over the next couple years? What's what's new and exciting for Diana?
Diana Lammerts:Years is such a long time, especially after the pandemic. I always think when I do when I interview people to come on the teams, like, they you can't really ask the question, well, what are you gonna do in 5 years? Because, like, we learned that you never know. Right now, I'm super excited to be part of a great team that does promote experts on TV channels, puts them in front of of the people in an audience so that they can establish themselves. And I have the chance to create a culture, and I love that because there's this company called Zappos.
Diana Lammerts:And I was introduced to it, oh my gosh, 15 years ago. And I just loved the culture that they had. And creating something like this is that is my dream. A culture where everyone feels of course, you can't make everyone happy, but a culture where everyone feels heard and where you get positive reinforcement for good behavior.
Mick Hunt:That's awesome. So where can people find and hear about you?
Diana Lammerts:You can find me on Instagram, Diana Lamatz, or dlmedia.info. It's my website, yeah, on social media and and online.
Mick Hunt:Love it. Everyone, follow Diana. She is one of the kindest people that you will ever meet. She I called Diana. She's like that cheerleader, that pat on the back when you need it sometimes.
Mick Hunt:Right? Like, anytime I meet Diana, she's there. She's giving me encouragement. So, Diana, I personally wanted to thank for all the encouragement that not only you give me, but that you give the world. And I'm truly honored to have you on the show.
Mick Hunt:Is there anything that you wanna leave the guests? Any last words of Diana before we wrap this one up?
Diana Lammerts:I really appreciate you. Your show is amazing, and that's why I love to like them and listen and and to watch them because I just love the energy and how you're able to interview people. So that's why I love to cheer, and and it's authentic. And that's why I love doing it. And, again, just be authentic and be yourself and have integrity, and everything will be alright.
Mick Hunt:I love it. Ladies and gentlemen, the incomparable Diana Lamers. Diana, thank you for being on the show. And for the listeners, as always, remember, your because is your superpower, and Diana will tell you it's your blueprint. Go unleash it.
Mick Hunt:Diana, I appreciate you.
Intro:Thanks for listening to Mick Unplugged. We hope this episode helps you take the next step toward the extraordinary and launches a revolution in your life. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast, and be sure to check us out on YouTube at Mick Unplugged. Remember, stay empowered, stay