--- title: A guide to using Contagious You & Contagious Culture during a Contagious Pandemic. description: For your contagious, courageous, and congruous leadership... image: https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/hubfs/IMG_5594.jpeg --- [![Active_choices_horiz_wh (1)](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/hubfs/Active_choices_horiz_wh%20(1).png "Active_choices_horiz_wh (1)")](http://www.activechoices.com/) - [ABOUT ACI](https://activechoices.com/about/) - [OUR COMPANY](https://activechoices.com/about/) - [THOUGHT LEADERSHIP](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/) - [CULTURE & ENERGY INSIGHTS](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/) - [ACI IN THE MEDIA](https://activechoices.com/media/) - [CLIENTS & TESTIMONIALS](https://activechoices.com/about/clients/) - [THE IEP METHOD®](https://activechoices.com/iepmethod/) - [IEP METHODOLOGY](https://activechoices.com/iepmethod/) - [IEP METHOD® TRAINING](https://activechoices.com/work-with-us/#training) - [INTRO TO THE IEP METHOD®](https://activechoices.com/introtoiep/) - [IEP METHOD® FOR TEAMS](https://activechoices.com/team-iep/) - [IEP METHOD® IMMERSION](https://activechoices.com/iep-performance-immersion/) - [SPEAKING](https://activechoices.com/speaking/) - [KEYNOTE SPEAKING](https://activechoices.com/speaking/) - [BOOKS & GUIDES](https://activechoices.com/writing/) - [CONTAGIOUS YOU](https://activechoices.com/contagious-you/) - [CONTAGIOUS CULTURE](https://activechoices.com/contagious-culture/) - [THE LEADER YOU WILL BE](https://activechoices.com/lywb) - [IEP SURVIVAL GUIDE](https://activechoices.com/writing/#survivalguide) - [PRESS KIT](https://activechoices.com/contact/press-kit/) - [WORK WITH US](https://activechoices.com/work-with-us/) - [PRIVATE WORK WITH ANESE](https://activechoices.com/consulting/) - [KEYNOTES & WORKSHOPS](https://activechoices.com/speaking/) - [IEP METHOD® TRAINING](https://activechoices.com/work-with-us/#training) - [MEMBERSHIPS](https://activechoices.com/memberships/) - [PRESENCE & IMPACT COMMUNITY](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/presence-subscription) - [PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP](https://community.activechoices.com/plans/1963254?bundle_token=08fde9318f4afab26ea82a9cb1ad6534&utm_source=manual) - [SHOP](https://activechoices.com/store) - [CONTACT US](https://activechoices.com/contact/) - [MEMBER LOGIN](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/community.activechoices.com) Search - [![Follow Anese on YouTube](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/hubfs/Images/youtube_2.png)](http://www.youtube.com/anesecavanaugh) - [![Follow IEP Method on Facebook](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/hubfs/Images/facebook.png)](https://www.facebook.com/IEPMethod) - [![Follow Anese on Twitter](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/hubfs/Images/twitter.png)](https://twitter.com/anesecavanaugh) # The Positive Energy Workplace ![](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/hubfs/IMG_5594.jpeg) October 31, 2020  by [Anese Cavanaugh](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/author/anese-cavanaugh) # A guide to using Contagious You & Contagious Culture during a Contagious Pandemic.   **CONTAGIOUS CULTURE, CONTAGIOUS YOU...** Who would have thought we’d be in a CONTAGIOUS PANDEMIC just four months after the release of *CONTAGIOUS YOU* (the follow on to *CONTAGIOUS CULTURE*)? Or even deeper in that pandemic -- amongst hundreds of other hard things that challenge our *energetic and leadership contagiousness* and way of being -- just eight months later. Or after I'd written a book call *THE LEADER YOU WILL BE...*   I'll write another post about the experience of this year with these books, and the divinity and gifts I can see in all of it (*now*). And in the meantime, I wanted to offer some extra guidance and support in engaging with this work right now as we navigate pandemics, politics, natural disasters, social injustices, massive tension and ambiguity, mental and physical health trauma, upcoming holidays, and more, and as our *leadership, self-care,* and *positively, usefully, and healthy contagiousness* become even more important...    I'm marking these books up a lot these days for myself as I prepare new sessions and training (in the virtual world — see below), and *also* as I navigate my own life, leadership, and changes and challenges in our organization.    CC is now almost 5 years old. CY turns ONE in 2 weeks. My intention is that these books — written to support you in managing your own IEP, self-care, resiliency, and *energetic, emotional, attitudinal* and *leadership* contagiousness — support you now (and moving forward) in ways you might not have expected (or known you needed) before COVID-19 and all that 2020 has brought us.   **Not sure where to start?** Below is a glimpse into both books so you can see what might feel most important to YOU right now. The books are BFFs, they work independently and they also make a powerful team. (After all, a *contagious culture* is simply a bunch of *contagious you’s* working together — the better the YOU's, the better the culture.) In addition, we created this [handy document](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/hubfs/Whats_in_Contagious_You.pdf) to help you discern the difference between the two books, their content, and how they work together.   *In short, if you want to work on your **team and culture and you** a bit -- start with CONTAGIOUS CULTURE. If you want to work more on **YOU and really up-level yourself** (and others), as a leader and creator of a positively (and usefully) contagious culture — start with CONTAGIOUS YOU. If **you think this doesn't apply to you,** start with pages xxix-xxxi, and Chapter 1, 2, and 10 in CY. And if you are **so overwhelmed and exhausted that you can't even think about engaging with a book,** breathe, [Bubble Up (video here)](https://youtu.be/ysHbMEMEVoY), read Chapter 6 on self-care, self-kind, and building your "immunity" in CY, and then decide.*   **For your contagious, courageous, and congruous leadership...**   [CONTAGIOUS CULTURE: *Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization That Thrives*](https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-Culture-Intentionally-Organization-Thrives/dp/1259584577/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8) (McGraw-Hill, 2015) - Foreword — Duane Bray, Head of Global Talent of IDEO, talks about this work in IDEO (they’re also in a case study in *Contagious You*) - Chapters 1-5 — Your contagiousness, leadership trifecta deep dive, IEP and what it is, how to create an intention - Chapters 6-10 — Deep dive into the Essential You and the 4 Quadrants of IEP - Chapters 11-13 — “Out-gracing” busy and burnout (7P’s of organizational burnout), growing other leaders, and proactively creating agreements and meetings that are life-giving (not soul-sucking) - Chapters 14-15 — What’s required for a HEALTHY culture and creating a culture people want to "catch" - Chapters 16-18 — Are all about hiring/firing for the energetic good of all, resources, and launching the IEP work in your organization.   [CONTAGIOUS YOU: *Unlock Your Power to Influence, Lead, and Create the Impact You Want*](https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-You-Unlock-Influence-Create/dp/126045410X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LEZ6RG9IYF7A&dchild=1&keywords=contagious+you&qid=1604098439&s=books&sprefix=contagious+you%2Cstripbooks%2C208&sr=1-1)(McGraw-Hill, 2019) - Foreword — Ari Weinzweig, CEO & cofounder of Zingerman’s, writes about IEP in the ZCOB and their journey with this work (ZCOB is also written about in *Contagious Culture*) - Chapters 1-4 — Owning your contagiousness, increasing your awareness, building credibility, and clarifying desire, impact and intention - Chapters 5-7 — Designing your personal IEP and what that means to YOU, building your “immunity” (to negativity and chaos), cultivating superpowers to lead - Chapter 8 — The science of all of this. I partnered with brilliant neurobiologist, Dr. Seonok Lee, for research and writing this chapter and she helped me connect the dots in ways I’m still revisiting and understanding more deeply THIS year - Chapter 9 — The 7P's of personal burnout, "leadership depression," and transforming “bad” things into “good” — aka reframing, finding gifts, shifting state (authentically), and taking care of your P’s so you DON’T burnout in the first place - Chapters 10-12 — Relationships!!! These chapters are all about building, healing and optimizing relationships: navigating the tough ones, working with negative energy, recognizing and lovingly managing the “lowest vibe” in the room, recognizing projections (when we give them and receive them), handling the over abundance of problems we’re dealing with (DENT!), designing for healthy relationships, and working through conflict. - Chapters 13-14 — All about leadership, bringing people with you (by invitation and inspiration, not force or obligation), and accelerating team magic (don’t empower —> enroll and elevate) - Chapters 15-16 — Are all about case studies (13 organizations), putting it all together, and up-leveling our games to be a force for good in the world.   I'm curious, have you read? If so, how are these books supporting you right now? What are you finding most useful? [Feel free to send me a note](https://www.anesecavanaugh.com/contact/), I'd love to hear. (And, if you did read, and you found them useful, please support this work by sharing it and giving these books some Amazon love: [*Contagious Culture* here,](https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-Culture-Intentionally-Organization-Business/product-reviews/1259584577/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews&sortBy=recent#R4PGKA7RTWPPA)[*Contagious You* here. ](https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-You-Unlock-Influence-Create/dp/126045410X/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?cv_ct_cx=contagious+you&dchild=1&keywords=contagious+you&pd_rd_i=126045410X&pd_rd_r=0839e7fc-9366-4850-a63d-4fceee52a1bd&pd_rd_w=XUaFO&pd_rd_wg=1SHjk&pf_rd_p=5be4970c-0256-4afe-9550-68021bd84e5b&pf_rd_r=GRW7TQB4YW7JGQGH02N6&psc=1&qid=1604158300&sr=1-1-791c2399-d602-4248-afbb-8a79de2d236f#customerReviews)Thank you!)   Curious about *The Leader You Will Be*? That sweet book is a "love note/poem" I wrote years ago and often perform(ed) on stages. It was so special to me (and requested by those who knew it) that we made it into a gift book to accompany my keynotes. You can [learn more and order here](https://www.anesecavanaugh.com/writing/leader-you-will-be/). And if you want them in bulk for holiday gifts, please give *[Porchlight Books](https://www.porchlightbooks.com/product/leader-you-will-be-an-invitation--anese-cavanaugh?variationCode=9780692140543)* some love (they have a bunch of copies and are GREAT to work with!).   I have to say that LYWB works nicely with these two big books, and also the pandemic, as this year is challenging us all to step into new stuff, be our most helpful, healthiest, and useful kind of contagious, and become the leaders we *will* be...   **Ways to learn the IEP Method® and these ideas and tools in a live training:** Want to learn core concepts and dig into exercises and conversations and experiential practice and all the good in a live training format with me? - [Our IEP Method® Workshop Webinar Series](https://www.anesecavanaugh.com/product/iep-w-an-iep-method-webinar-workshop/) (a 4-part short series) starts 11/3  (This series WILL be recorded so if LIVE does not work for you, you can work with the recordings independently.) Register for the whole series (live OR recordings) by EOD 11/2 and save $100. - [Our IEP-V Fundamentals Workshop](https://www.anesecavanaugh.com/product/iep-fundamentalsv/) is on 11/18-11/19 (3.5 hour sessions) (Space limited, not recorded) - [O](https://www.anesecavanaugh.com/product/iep-lead-an-iep-virtual-leadership-program/)[ur IEP-Leadership Workshop](https://www.anesecavanaugh.com/product/iep-lead-an-iep-virtual-leadership-program/) (with the fundamentals AND leadership/relationship skills) is on 12/9-12/11 (Space limited, not recorded) - **["Set Your 2021 Up" Special Session](https://www.anesecavanaugh.com/product/iep-w-an-iep-method-webinar-workshop/)**is a one-time live special webinar workshop on 12/21 to close out 2020 and set up 2021 using the IEP principles. (This will be recorded, so if you can't make the live, you can do it on your own later! A great way to close out the old year and bring in the new.) If live experiences, embodiment of learning, and being with other humans is your jam, please do join us for one (or all!) of these sessions.    Okay! I hope this is super helpful for you today. An invitation to lean in and I will see you "out there!"  Be safe, be well, be kind, lead...  Anese   Special announcement: I am opening up my private practice for 3 personal clients to work this content 1:1 and personally for you/your organization's needs. If you are interested in this, please [contact me](https://www.anesecavanaugh.com/contact/) ASAP. [Even better, to save a step, go straight to our EPQ right here](https://www.anesecavanaugh.com/private-work-entry-point-questionnaire/). Thanks!    in [Energy Leadership](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/topic/energy-leadership)/ [Leadership Tips](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/topic/leadership-tips)/ [Contagious](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/topic/contagious)/ [Books](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/topic/books)/ [Stress, Overwhelm and Burnout](https://blog.anesecavanaugh.com/topic/stress-overwhelm-and-burnout) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 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