Suggestions
Jason Seiden
VP Consulting Growth & Innovation at Cielo Talent
Jason Seiden is a seasoned communications consultant currently affiliated with PartnerComm, Inc. Based in the Greater Chicago Area, he has a diverse background in leadership, communications, branding, and strategy. Seiden is also the founder and principal consultant of BRNDSTRM, where he has been active since August 2004. His work focuses on enhancing organizational effectiveness through improved communication strategies and brand alignment.
Professional Background
- Education: Seiden is an alumnus of Northwestern University, specifically the Kellogg School of Management.
- Consulting Experience: He has worked with high-profile clients including LinkedIn, Nike, and Walmart eCommerce, providing insights and strategies that drive business growth and employee engagement.
- Publications: Seiden is the author of two career-oriented books: Super Staying Power and How to Self-Destruct, the latter of which has received awards for its impactful content.
Career Highlights
- Leadership Roles: He served as Chief Strategy Officer at Wedge and has held various advisory positions in organizations like Pavilion and LongJump.
- Innovative Initiatives: At Ajax Workforce Marketing, he was instrumental in increasing employee brand engagement significantly for Fortune 50 companies.
- Community Engagement: Seiden has contributed to the Geneva Academic Foundation and DisruptHR Chicago, focusing on innovation in human resources.
Skills and Certifications
Seiden holds a Talent Optimization Certificate from The Predictive Index and emphasizes creating supportive work environments that foster joy and productivity.
Overall, Jason Seiden's extensive experience in communications consulting positions him as a thought leader in driving organizational change through effective branding and strategic communication initiatives.
Highlights
In gratitude of all y'all's outreach to me today, I wanted to take a moment to share something joyful. (I’ve shared this before. It’s worth repeating.)
It's a joyful thing that, like many beautiful things, was born in a dark place: 6 years ago today, I lost my older daughter, Elle. She was 15. (I know. I'm sorry. Take a breath. You'll give your kids an extra hug later. I promise it's all OK.)
My moment of joy came a few days later, when I had an honest-to-goodness, bolt-of-lightning, life-changing epiphany. It left me overwhelmed with pure appreciation for how Elle's birth and death had now expanded my capacity for joy and grief beyond what I’d ever thought possible, and how it was such a gift to be able to experience my life more fully!
Even in the moment, it was incredibly incongruous, to feel such joy out of tragedy. Watch the video for a description of that moment as well as everything that followed, from the feelings of guilt that tried to swamp the joy and the act of selfishness I had to commit to tamp down that guilt, to that moment's impact on how I live my life (including how I now hold memories of Elle like a favorite story, and how my grief journey became transformed from a slog through darkness into a quest to live every inch of my life to the utmost—every win, every mistake, every emotion, every decision, every interaction, every moment).
BTW, I have no roadmap for you here. I don’t know how the epiphany happened, so I can’t tell you how to make it happen for yourself. Or if you even should. I just know I’m one of the lucky ones, and that maybe hearing my story maybe will unlock something for you, too.
Thank you everyone for showing up, checking in, and bearing witness; that's what's made my healing possible. That's also why I get to spend what could have been a dark day honoring all the beauty life has to offer, and how Elle's legacy has become one of light, and of love, and of joy.
How amazing.
With love and gratitude— JPS
#morejoy #lifeisgreat & special shout outs to a few of the folks were on the ground those first few days Lisa Arroyo Seiden (Cervenka) Mark Stelzner Amanda Hite Susan LaMotte Leela Srinivasan Heather Bussing Elena Valentine Laurie Ruettimann Lars Schmidt Jill Schlesinger Tiffany LaBanca Ben Prawer, SHRM-CP Michael Kelly Nick Wangler Sarah White Bill Winsininski, CDCP Madeline Laurano Kyle Lagunas Jeremy Stolberg Jeffrey Lawrence Meg Bear Tim Sackett, SPHR, SCP Steve Browne, SHRM-SCP Maren Hogan Joel Tesch Katrina Kibben Philip Robert Cecile Alper-Leroux Dina Medeiros Dinah Alobeid allen morgenstern Stuart Frankel Sameer Kazi David Hood Vivian Maza Jeffrey Seiden Barry Seiden Phil Seiden Glenn Seiden Jeff Goldblatt
What you can’t see are the 100 people or so watching me tee off, or my hands, which were shaking.
Pressure is real. Sometimes, it’s too much and sometimes you’re able to overcome it. But you won’t know which outcome you’ll get until after you take your shot.
This video is of my first tee shot for my club’s member/guest playoff this past weekend. There were 30 players (15 teams) in the playoff around me, and another 70 people or so lining the fairway. All watching. The hole is the hardest rated on our course, with a creek cutting the fairway 210 yards out and out of bounds running along the entire right side. My dad and I drew 3rd. The first contender put a safe iron right down the fairway, 50 yards short of the creek. The 2nd guy hit a perfect drive about 30 yards past the creek.
Our turn.
My dad offered to tee off, but I turned him down: my club, my responsibility. I’m not a good golfer; I don’t play often and I’m very inconsistent. And even though it’s a game, and despite all the stuff I’ve been through (this week is the anniversary of Elle’s passing), I was still in the moment, feeling all that pressure, and honestly terrified of embarrassing myself. So I thought about what my wife says all the time—do the thing that scares you most FIRST—and I did that.
My ball landed 190 yards out, just left of center on the fairway. My best shot of the day!
My second shot? That one had too much of a fade on it and rolled out of bounds.
Oh, well.
Whatever you’re facing, however much your hands are shaking, breathe; trust your training; and remember this: nothing quiets a nervous mind like stepping up and taking the damn shot.
Because win or lose, there is no better feeling than the one that comes from knowing you were fully invested in the game.
#morejoy #pressure
cc Glenn Seiden Lisa Arroyo Seiden (Cervenka)
