Inspirational Leadership for People Managers, Executives & HR Leaders

The Most Trusted Leaders Aren't the Smartest — They're the Safest

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 08:32:49 -0500

What makes people trust a leader?

Many leaders believe trust is built through expertise, intelligence, or having all the answers. But in reality, trust is often built through something far more powerful: emotional safety.

In this episode of Inspirational Leadership, Kristen Harcourt explores why the most trusted leaders create environments where people feel safe to speak up, make mistakes, share ideas, and have honest conversations. She discusses the connection between emotional safety, trust, culture, and performance, and why emotional regulation is one of the most important leadership skills today.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why leadership is an emotional experience
• Common behaviors that unintentionally erode trust
• The difference between being nice and creating safety
• How emotionally safe leaders foster accountability and high performance
• Reflection questions to help you assess your own leadership impact

Whether you're leading a team, an organization, or simply looking to strengthen your influence, this episode will challenge you to think differently about what it truly means to earn trust as a leader.

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟱-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗧𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗻-𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗸𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁: www.kristenharcourt.com

Resilient Leadership: Staying Grounded Through Change with Jay Abassi

Mon, 25 May 2026 08:18:43 -0500

In this powerful episode of Inspirational Leadership, Kristen sits down with speaker, coach, and mindfulness expert Jay Abassi for a deeply honest conversation about resilience, burnout, emotional intelligence, and what it truly means to lead with humanity.

After the sudden loss of his father in 2014, Jay experienced a profound wake-up call that transformed every area of his life. From burnout, stress, and feeling disconnected in a high-pressure corporate environment to leading national training programs at Tesla, Jay shares the personal journey that inspired his mission to help leaders thrive through change and uncertainty.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why high performers often suppress emotions — and how emotional intelligence transforms leadership
Practical tools for preventing burnout and building resilience in high-pressure environments
How mindfulness and meditation help leaders become more self-aware and intentional
The balance between empathy, accountability, and creating psychologically safe teams
Why leading from love, compassion, and vulnerability creates stronger workplace cultures

About the Guest

Jay Abassi is a speaker, coach, and trainer specializing in mindfulness, resilience, and leadership development. He has worked with leaders from organizations including Google, Amazon, and Wells Fargo, helping individuals and teams thrive in high-performance environments.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JayAbassi

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Scaling Culture Without Losing Humanity with Amanda Small

Mon, 04 May 2026 07:26:42 -0500

In this episode, Kristen Harcourt sits down with Amanda Small, VP of People & Culture, to explore how organizations can scale without losing what makes them human.

Amanda shares her unique journey from artist to executive, and how creativity, curiosity, and operational discipline shape strong leadership. They discuss what truly drives a thriving culture—highlighting the power of transparency, trust, and clear communication.

If you're navigating growth, change, or team overwhelm, this episode offers practical insights to help you lead with clarity and intention.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why culture is co-created—not owned by HR
How transparency and communication build trust
The role of curiosity in effective leadership
How focusing on top priorities reduces overwhelm
Why defining “done” matters for execution
What actually creates a strong, sustainable culture

About the Guest

Amanda Small is a People & Culture executive with experience in high-growth tech and fintech, helping organizations scale while staying human-centered.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/AmandaSmall

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Rethinking Leadership & Neuroinclusion with Dr. Ludmila Praslova

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:15:01 -0500

In this episode of Inspirational Leadership, Kristen sits down with Dr. Ludmila Praslova to explore how neurodiversity can reshape the way we lead, hire, and build workplace cultures.

They unpack the concept behind The Canary Code, why traditional hiring practices often miss great talent, and how designing for neurodivergent individuals creates better environments for everyone.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that inclusive, human-centered leadership isn’t just the right thing to do—it leads to stronger, more effective organizations.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

What neurodiversity really means in the workplace
Why interviews often fail to assess true capability
How to create more inclusive hiring and onboarding practices
The importance of transparent career paths beyond people management
What great leadership looks like in a neurodiverse world

About the Guest
Dr. Ludmila Praslova is an organizational psychologist, Thinkers50 Radar honoree, and author of The Canary Code. She helps organizations build more inclusive, human-centered workplaces.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/LudmilaPraslova

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Leadership & Connection: Courageous Communication with Sage Hobbs

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:46:09 -0500

In this episode of Inspirational Leadership, host Kristen Harcourt sits down with leadership coach and author Sage Hobbs to explore how leaders can build stronger relationships and healthier team cultures through more intentional communication.

Sage shares insights from her book Naked Communication and introduces her framework Communication for Connection—a leadership approach centered on compassion, clarity, courage, and curiosity.

Together they discuss how leaders can create psychological safety, navigate difficult conversations, and build trust through more thoughtful communication.

In this episode:

What “communication for connection” means for leaders
Why curiosity is a leadership superpower
The importance of clarity in leadership communication
How courageous conversations build stronger teams
Simple steps to improve your communication today

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/SageHobbs

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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The Leadership Capacity Gap

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:53:05 -0500

Have you ever felt like nothing is technically wrong in your leadership role… and yet it feels heavier than it used to?

You’re performing. You’re respected. The results are there.
But the complexity is harder to hold. The meetings drain you more. Your reactions surprise you.

In this solo episode of Inspirational Leadership, Kristen explores The Leadership Capacity Gap — the space between what your role now requires and what your current internal capacity can sustainably hold.

This isn’t about competence.
It’s about expansion.

You’ll discover:

The four types of leadership capacity: emotional, cognitive, nervous system, and identity
Why working harder won’t close the gap
How high performers quietly outgrow their internal wiring
What expanding your capacity looks like in real leadership moments

If you’re a high-achieving leader who feels stretched, reactive, or quietly exhausted, this episode will give you language — and a path forward.

Because leadership growth at this level isn’t about adding more tools.

It’s about expanding who you are able to be in the room.

If this episode resonated, it may be a sign you’re at your next leadership edge.

Kristen partners with leaders who are ready to expand their capacity — not just their results.

If you’re ready to explore what that next level looks like for you, connect with her on LinkedIn or visit https://kristenharcourt.com/ to start the conversation.

How to Make Meetings Work (and Why Most Fail) with Rebecca Hinds

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:34:12 -0500

Too many meetings. Too little impact.

In this episode of Inspirational Leadership, Kristen Harcourt is joined by Rebecca Hinds, organizational behavior expert and author of Your Best Meeting Ever, to unpack why meetings feel broken — and how leaders can fix them.

Rebecca shares a practical framework for deciding which meetings should exist, how to design meetings that actually drive decisions and alignment, and why collaboration — not busyness — is the real driver of performance.

This conversation is a must-listen for leaders, managers, and professionals who want fewer meetings, better collaboration, and more meaningful work.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why most meetings fail before they even start
The 4D + CEO Test to decide if a meeting is necessary
When meetings should be async instead
How collaboration culture impacts performance
Why one-on-one meetings matter more than ever
Practical ways to reclaim your calendar

About the guest:
Rebecca Hinds is a leading expert on organizational behavior and the future of work. She holds a PhD from Stanford, founded Asana’s Work Innovation Lab, and leads the Work AI Institute at Glean.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.rebeccahinds.com/

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/RebeccaHinds

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Travel as a Catalyst for Purpose and Leadership with Jill Valentine

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:15:57 -0500

In this episode of Inspirational Leadership, host Kristen Harcourt is joined by transformational travel coach Jill Valentine to explore how travel, service, and self-discovery can become powerful catalysts for purpose-driven leadership.

Jill shares how stepping outside routine and into meaningful travel experiences creates perspective, expands awareness, and helps leaders reconnect with what truly matters. Together, we discuss why success without purpose can feel empty — and how service, reflection, and self-knowledge lead to more grounded, emotionally intelligent leadership.

What you’ll learn:

Why travel accelerates self-discovery and clarity
How service deepens meaning and fulfillment
The difference between self-discovery and constant personal growth
Why knowing yourself is the foundation of effective leadership
How leaders can integrate insight without burning everything down

About the Guest:

Jill Valentine is a transformational travel coach and founder of UGO Impact, creating immersive coaching and volunteer experiences around the world that support personal growth, community partnership, and sustainable impact.

🔗 Learn more: UGO Impact

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastJillValentine

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Coaching Skills Every Leader Needs (But Most Don’t Use)

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 09:20:15 -0500

Many leaders think they’re coaching their people — but more often than not, they’re giving advice, solving problems, or jumping in to fix things. While those intentions come from a good place, they can actually limit your team’s growth, creativity, and accountability.

In this solo episode of Inspirational Leadership, I’m diving into the coaching skills every leader needs, but most don’t use — and how you can start applying them right away.

You don’t need to be a certified coach to use these skills. You just need to slow down, be curious, and make small, intentional shifts in how you lead conversations.

What You’ll Learn:

The difference between coaching and advising — and why most leaders confuse the two
Four simple coaching skills that instantly strengthen trust and engagement
A practical framework (GROW) you can use in any one-on-one conversation
Powerful coaching questions that help your team think for themselves
How to create a culture of ownership and accountability through coaching

When leaders shift from telling to asking, they unlock potential, deepen trust, and create teams that thrive.

🎧 Tune in to learn how small coaching moments can lead to big transformation — for you, your people, and your culture.

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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From Accidental to Intentional: Leading with Curiosity, Courage & Fun with Joel Hilchey

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 08:20:24 -0500

Have you ever wondered if you became a leader intentionally or if you stumbled into it one day and never looked back? What if leadership wasn’t about having all the answers, but about learning how to play again?

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Joel Hilchey about what it really means to lead like a human. In addition to leading the Beanstalk Creative team, Joel maintains a busy schedule as a keynote speaker, creating unforgettable spectacles on stage. He's the father of 3 kids, and he attempts to be a good husband. Joel has authored 4 books (2 of them with Brandon Love), his latest one is called: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 6½ 𝘏𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘺 𝘋𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴. He taught engineering for over a decade at McMaster University, where he was named one of the Top 150+ Alumni. He’s a seasoned barbershop quartet singer, he formerly chaired the board of the world-renowned Hamilton Children’s Choir, and he's a semi-competitive joggler (that's right... juggling whilst jogging).

Listen in to learn about the accidental manager problem and how a lack of training creates a ripple effect in organizations. You will also learn the many faces of poor leadership — feedback fumbling, credit stealing, finger-pointing, inconsistency, and mediocrity mongering.

Key Takeaways:

How to blend meaning and play to create stronger workplace cultures to avoid killing creativity.
The concept of the accidental manager, why it’s so widespread, and the four key leadership functions.
The difference between task-focused and people-focused leadership, and how to balance them.
The importance of intentional calendar design and unstructured time for reflection and long-term thinking.
How to focus on only three main priorities to prevent divided attention and achieve true productivity.
The three ways leaders mishandle feedback and how to build a culture of real-time, conversational feedback.
The importance of balancing flexibility with predictability in leadership decisions.

Standout Quotes:

“We need enough predictability for people to feel stable and do good work, but we need enough flexibility to actually adapt to what’s happening around us.”- Joel [33:11]
“Bosses need to have a philosophy about how to handle differences in performance in the team.”- Joel [49:12]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JoelHilchey

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Closing the Leadership Gap with Tanveer Naseer

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 08:27:42 -0500

What if the biggest gap in leadership isn’t about strategy, but about how leaders see themselves versus how their teams experience them? Even well-intentioned leaders can miss the mark when it comes to empathy, trust, and connection.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Tanveer Naseer about his unconventional journey, reflections on leadership, empathy, and purpose. Tanveer is an internationally acclaimed keynote speaker and award-winning leadership writer. He is also the Founder and CEO of Tanveer Naseer Leadership, a leadership corporate training and consulting firm that works with executives and managers to help them develop practical leadership and team-building competencies to drive organizational growth and development. He is the recipient of several awards and recognitions as one of the world's top thinkers in the leadership sphere, including being recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the Top 100 Leadership and Management Experts.

Listen in to learn how nonverbal cues and unspoken truths can reveal cracks in leadership that words alone never will. You will also learn why leadership isn’t about holding on to employees forever, but about helping them grow so much that they eventually outgrow their role.

Key Takeaways:

How reflecting on peak experiences and storytelling reveals where to find energy and purpose.
The role of emotional intelligence, empathy, and compassion in effective leadership.
How leaders can validate, listen, and recognize employees without always having solutions.
Why leaders must first learn before practicing leadership skills, beginning with honest self-awareness.
How small, consistent efforts in listening and asking better questions change team dynamics.
Why recognizing employees’ strengths and passions fuels long-term engagement.

Standout Quotes:

“The latest studies have shown that on average, it takes 10 years for someone who's just started a formal leadership role to get any kind of leadership training.”- Tanveer Naseer [21:48]
“When you really treat people well and invest in them, your reputation speaks for itself out there in the marketplace as well.”- Kristen Harcourt [41:30]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/TanveerNaseer

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Burnout to Purpose: A New Way to Lead with Martina Kelades

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 08:34:00 -0500

Are you hiding behind perfectionism, afraid to show your true self? What would happen if you gave yourself permission to slow down, unplug, and embrace your authentic story? There’s a transformative power in vulnerability and self-compassion – slowing down and creating stillness in life allows us to hear our own truth.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Martina Kelades about dismantling the stigma around mental health, leading with courage, and redefining success on your own terms. Martina is a professional storyteller and a multi-passionate artist – an actor, public speaker and podcast host dedicated to dismantling mental and emotional health stigma. Drawing on her acting background, she leverages the art of storytelling to inspire others to live an intentional and courageous life. Martina founded “Life Out Loud Mental Health Consulting & Creatives,” a mental health promotion company and a platform that shares unfiltered stories supporting those experiencing mental health challenges and those who dare to live a life on purpose.

Listen in to learn the importance of creating space for real conversations and redefining success beyond the hustle culture. You will also learn that success isn’t about hustling harder but living more intentionally, creating community, and honoring the heart.

Key Takeaways:

The hidden toll of supporting others and carrying unspoken emotional burdens.
The importance of shifting from hustle culture to intentional, heart-centered living.
The importance of checking in with yourself and managing energy from a place of overflow.
The power of unplugging from social media and news to reduce anxiety and improve mental health.
Understanding leadership as an individual responsibility and the importance of self-awareness.
How to use authenticity and vulnerability as tools for building connection and belonging.

Standout Quotes:

“It’s in the stillness that we are able to hear the answers, and that’s what we need to get back to.”- Martina [26:34]
“When we’re supporting others, it's important to have compassion and grace, and we also need that for ourselves as well.”- Martina [33:28]
“We’re designed as human beings to be in community and to feel a sense of belonging; that is part of our genetic makeup.”- Martina [39:41]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/MartinaKelades

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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The Courage to Accept Yourself

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 08:23:26 -0500

In this solo episode of Inspirational Leadership, I’m diving into one of the most powerful—and often most challenging—aspects of personal and professional growth: self-acceptance.

We hear so much about building confidence, resilience, and leadership presence. But underneath all of that is a deeper question I want to explore with you:
Can you accept yourself fully, just as you are, even when you fall short of perfection?

I’ll be sharing how self-acceptance shows up at work—allowing us to make mistakes, admit we don’t have all the answers, and embrace both our strengths and our limitations. And I’ll also talk about how this plays out in life outside of work: the body image struggles, the “never enough” thinking, and the ways we chase material success to try to fill a deeper void.

This episode is an invitation to stop looking for wholeness in all the wrong places—and start recognizing that you’re already enough.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

Why self-acceptance is essential for authentic leadership
How perfectionism shows up in the workplace and damages culture
The connection between self-worth, materialism, and overachievement
Why women, in particular, struggle with body acceptance and "never enough" thinking
Reflective questions to help you practice radical self-acceptance
How embracing your whole self leads to greater confidence, resilience, and heart-centered leadership

Loved This Episode?

Please consider sharing it with a colleague or friend who’s walking their own leadership journey. And if you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Modern HR: Where Humanity Meets High Performance with Joey Walters

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 07:57:25 -0500

What does it really mean to lead with heart? What does it take to lead with empathy, intention, and impact? Can HR drive business results and create deeply human workplaces? Modern HR is not about people programs; it's about strategic business acceleration rooted in empathy and values.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Joey Walters about how human-centric leadership transforms organizations from the inside out. Joey is an accomplished strategic business executive with more than 25 years of experience in Human Resources across the United States and Canada. His expertise ranges from organizational and leadership agility, talent acquisition, performance management, talent development, succession planning, employee engagement, health benefits, compensation, and mergers & acquisitions. He’s currently the VP of HR at Schneider Electric. Joey believes the true value of HR is in creating and executing a people strategy that aligns with the business, focused on engaging team members to perform at their highest level to deliver business success and growth.

Listen in to learn why inspirational leadership doesn’t come from perfection but from empathy, communication, and modeling what it means to be human. You will also learn the importance of creating psychological safety, asking the hard questions, showing up authentically, and prioritizing wellness to sustain impact.

Key Takeaways:

The evolving role of HR: from grassroots support to strategic business driver.
How to live company values authentically, not just display them on walls.
The importance of having a clear and compelling vision to drive teams forward effectively.
How to foster trust and psychological safety within teams by asking thoughtful and open-ended questions.
How leadership is revealed during moments of uncertainty and ambiguity.
How vulnerability in leadership builds authentic relationships and strengthens trust and transparency.

Standout Quotes:

“When creating a vision, you have to bring your employees and your customers as part of the solution to really understand what type of culture you're trying to build.”- Joey Walters [06:24]
“We don't know how much we can affect other people in their development, in the feedback that we give them, so be very cognizant of how you give and receive feedback.”- Joey Walters [29:48]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JoeyWalters

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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The Quiet Discipline of Self-Leadership

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 08:38:39 -0500

In today’s solo episode, I’m diving into a foundational yet often overlooked concept: self-leadership - and more specifically, the quiet discipline it requires.

This isn’t the leadership that shows up in boardrooms or performance reviews. This is the kind of leadership that happens behind the scenes, when no one’s watching and no one is handing out gold stars.

It’s the invisible work that builds trust, resilience, and clarity - and it's the foundation for leading others well.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

What self-leadership really means beyond the buzzword
Why the hardest leadership moments are often the ones no one sees
How your private decisions shape your public impact
The subtle signs you may be out of alignment with your values
Why external performance doesn't always reflect internal leadership
A simple practice to build inner trust and consistency over time

✨ Reflection Question:

What's one small act of self-leadership you can choose today - even if no one sees it but you?

Let’s Continue the Conversation:

If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear what your version of quiet self-leadership looks like. Tag me on LinkedIn or Instagram and share your thoughts, or send me a message - I always love connecting with leaders who are doing the deep inner work.

Loved This Episode?

Please consider sharing it with a colleague or friend who’s walking their own leadership journey. And if you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Workhuman 2025: AI Meets Human-Centered Leadership

Mon, 26 May 2025 07:56:33 -0500

Did you attend Workhuman Live 2025? The conference’s theme this year put the spotlight on the fusion of AI and human intelligence. At its core, the event highlighted how artificial intelligence can be a partner in enhancing human decision-making, not a substitute for it.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership Podcast, I invite Jackye Clayton to discuss each of our individual experiences at this year’s Workhuman conference. Jackye is a strategic voice at the intersection of HR technology, AI, and talent innovation. As founder of People Puzzles™, she helps companies bridge the trust gap in HR tech, translating complex innovations into human-first, credible solutions. Known for her dynamic presence as a LinkedIn influencer, sought-after speaker, and Associate Editor at HR Gazette, Jackye’s approach blends bold insights with authentic connection, empowering leaders to drive strategic, sustainable change in the workplace.

Listen in to learn how AI should support strategy, not suppress humanity, and that modern workplaces must balance tech advancement with emotional intelligence and collaboration. You will also learn about the themes of conscious leadership, psychological safety, and the critical need to move beyond the outdated zero-sum game mindset in organizations.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of intentional AI use and employee experimentation.
The role of data ethics, aggregation, and accurate storytelling in HR.
Why there’s a reinforcement that AI should serve people, not replace purpose-driven work.
Why authentic human interaction, like appreciation and check-ins, is the true face of leadership.
Understanding the challenges of creating real change in DEI work.
The complexity of microcultures within organizations and how shifting company culture requires addressing these layers.
How the Workhuman conference experience fosters deep community and belonging.
The importance of expanding recognition beyond the workplace to family and other support systems.

Standout Quotes:

“Feedback is what we’ve already done and advice is forward-looking.”- Jackye [19:42]
“Don’t wait for confidence, action is what creates confidence, not the other way around.”- Kristen [21:32]
“Humanity is not going anywhere; the importance of human skills is not going anywhere; we just need to integrate them with the AI.”- Kristen [38:11]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/Workhuman2025

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Lead with Laughter: Why Humor Is a Leadership Superpower with Michael Kerr

Mon, 05 May 2025 08:05:17 -0500

Did you know that great leadership isn't about putting on a professional mask or striving for constant seriousness? Great leadership is about fostering a culture of psychological safety and belonging, not by being perfect, but by being human.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Michael Kerr about the urgent need for more humane, happy, and humor-driven workplace cultures. Michael is a Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame inductee, an international business speaker, a very funny motivational speaker, and workshop trainer, he’s also the author of nine books. For more than 25 years, Michael has traveled the world researching, writing, and speaking about inspiring workplace cultures, inspiring leaders, and businesses that leverage their humor resources to drive outrageous results for their employees and their customers. He has delivered his captivating keynote presentations and training workshops to more than 3,000 audiences, from Austria to Australia, from Boston to Bermuda, from Cleveland to Calgary.

Listen in to learn how positive workplace cultures and the strategic use of humor contribute to higher engagement, reduced burnout, and extraordinary business results. You will also learn about the transformative power of creating people-centered, high-accountability workplace cultures.

Key Takeaways:

How simple actions like regular check-ins can make a profound impact on engagement and culture.
The value of building workplaces that energize rather than exhaust people.
Concrete benefits of humor: improved productivity, engagement, innovation, and retention.
How making meetings fun can lead to more honest and productive conversations.
How celebrating mistakes as a leader builds psychological safety and normalizes failure as part of innovation.
The importance of leading with humanity by balancing business outcomes with emotional well-being.

Standout Quotes:

“As a leader, you’re highly contagious with your behaviors, attitudes, and emotions, so think about the mood you want to set.”- Michael Kerr [15:45]
“When we practice a healthy sense of humor as leaders, we tend to trust those leaders more because they come across as more real.”- Michael Kerr [19:11]
“Better to have no values than to trumpet your values and then do the opposite or not live up to them because all you're doing is creating mistrust and creating cynical employees.”- Michael Kerr [26:18]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastMichaelKerr

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Networking with Impact: 7 Ways Leaders Can Build Real Relationships

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0500

As a leader, how intentional are you about the people you surround yourself with? What would it look like if networking felt less transactional - and more transformational?

In this solo episode of The Inspirational Leadership Podcast, we’re unpacking what it truly means to network as a leader. Forget the business card swaps and elevator pitches - this is about building genuine, strategic, and lasting relationships that support your leadership journey.

Whether you’re a seasoned exec or stepping into your first leadership role, these 7 actionable tips will help you show up with purpose, lead through connection, and build a network that actually matters.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

Why curiosity is more powerful than credentials
How to show up to events with clear intention
The secret to nurturing - not just collecting - connections
Why having a clear point of view strengthens your presence
The importance of aligning networking with your natural leadership style
How generosity fuels trust and influence
Simple ways to make networking a habit, not a hustle

If this episode inspired you, share it with a fellow leader or tag me on LinkedIn with your biggest takeaway! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a dose of real, practical leadership wisdom.

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Leading with Purpose: How to Align Personal and Organizational Impact with Kimberly Davis

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 09:09:19 -0500

What if the most powerful leadership tool wasn’t a strategy or skill—but the courage to show up as your true self, even when it scares you? Showing up as your true self in leadership is important while bravery and self-awareness enable leaders to inspire and engage with others.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Kimberly Davis about practical strategies for measuring impact, staying values-aligned under pressure, and why bravery is the key to influential leadership. Kimberly is a TEDx speaker and her book, Brave Leadership: Unleash Your Most Confident, Authentic, and Powerful Self to Get the Results You Need, is the 2019 winner of the Benjamin Franklin Silver Award for Business and Career; an Amazon Bestseller; and was named as the number one book to read in Inc. Magazine’s “The 12 Most Impactful Books to Read in 2018”. An expert on authentic leadership, Kimberly Davis shares her inspirational message of personal power, responsibility, and impact with organizations across the country and teaches leadership programs worldwide; most notably, her program “OnStage Leadership”.

Listen in to learn why traditional definitions of success leave leaders feeling empty and how aligning actions with personal impact creates fulfillment and results. You will also learn why leaders must connect personally to their organization’s mission and create an environment where individuals see their role as part of a greater impact.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding the connection between acting techniques and authentic leadership.
How leaders can build trust and influence by showing up as their true selves.
Leadership as a transformative process that benefits both leaders and those they inspire.
The role of leadership in shaping an organization's mission beyond shareholder value.
Common mistakes leaders make when trying to enforce purpose rather than inspire it.
The shift from traditional command-and-control leadership to a more purpose-driven approach.
How emerging leaders can navigate the challenges of modern leadership.

Standout Quotes:

“When a leader stops being in alignment with their purpose they suffer and their organization suffers.”- Kimberly [25:59]
“I believe that emerging leaders are our future and if we want to see more purposeful leadership, we’ve got to start with emerging leaders.”- Kimberly [34:41]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastKimberlyDavis

Mastering Self-Regulation: How to Respond Instead of React

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 08:18:33 -0500

Do you know what triggers you and how your body responds when dysregulated? How do you master the self-regulation skill? While you can’t control everything that happens to you, you can control how you respond—and that’s where growth and freedom lie.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, Kristen discusses the power of self-regulation and how taking responsibility for how you show up can change your life and relationships. She shares practical tools like deep breathing, self-compassion, and self-soothing techniques to help regain control when triggered.

Listen in to learn how to create new neural pathways by intentionally choosing new responses, even if old patterns feel deeply ingrained. You will also learn the importance of modeling vulnerability and repairing relationships when you don’t show up as your best self.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of self-regulation, especially in high-stress situations where triggers can lead to dysregulation.
Understanding fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses in high-stress situations.
How self-regulation can help you choose a more compassionate and intentional approach to responding.
How apologizing and taking responsibility can repair and strengthen relationships.
Understanding that emotions only last 90 seconds in the body, and how to break free from emotional spirals.

Standout Quotes:

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." – Charles R. Swindoll
“What triggers you is a mirror to show you where you're not free." – Peter Crone
“Emotions are moved through very quickly—within 90 seconds. After that, any remaining emotional response is a choice to stay in that emotional cycle." – Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor
“The most difficult people in your life are your biggest teachers." – Kristen Harcourt

Leading with Heart: How Emotional Intelligence Transforms Leadership with Angela Payne

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 10:27:03 -0500

What makes emotional intelligence in leaders so powerful? What would leadership look like if we all embraced emotional intelligence and authenticity as our guiding principles? Emotional intelligence is paramount in not only building authentic connections but also in navigating the complexities of leadership in high-stress environments.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Angela Payne about how leaders can harness their strengths while addressing their blind spots to become more effective. Angela is the co-founder of LeedHR, where she’s responsible for both development and delivery of client programs, ultimately creating better organizational leaders. Everyone who knows her recognizes her ability to make authentic and long-lasting connections. This “superpower” has enabled Angela to not only build and grow successful teams but also become a strategic coach for many other leaders inside and outside of her organization. Her recent engagement as the National Board President for Lean In Canada, a not-for-profit organization and community of professional women, which empower each other to build purposeful and fulfilling careers, empowered her to set the vision, develop the strategy, and enable the growth for their nationwide chapters and circles initiatives.

Listen in to learn about the nuances of emotional intelligence and the importance of being human and authentic in leadership. You will also learn the unique challenges female leaders face and how to be unapologetic when pursuing your ambitions and embracing your desires.

Key Takeaways:

The role of emotional intelligence in leadership and how leaders can recognize and regulate their emotions to show up more effectively.
The power of vulnerability and authenticity in leadership rather than striving for perfection.
How mentors and sponsors can help women find their voice and succeed in leadership roles.
Why women should stop apologizing for their ambitions and embrace their desires unapologetically.
The value of community and sisterhood in helping women recognize and overcome self-limiting behaviors.
The role of vulnerability in building trust and inspiring others, and embracing imperfection as a leader.

Standout Quotes:

“If I think about the leaders that I appreciated the most in my career, they were leaders who were far from perfection, but were actually human and helped me appreciate the fact that I could also make mistakes and it would be okay.”- Angela Payne [19:55]
“Everybody's just on a journey of working on themselves and being the best version of themselves; we're all just working towards that together”- Angela Payne [35:33]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/AngelaPayne

Meaningful Work and Inclusive Leadership with Justin Jones-Fosu

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 09:14:02 -0500

What does it mean to truly see people—not just acknowledge them, but deeply understand and value their perspectives? How can leaders create environments where diverse voices are not only heard but embraced?

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Justin Jones-Fosu about how to build inclusive workplaces and meaningful connections with curiosity and intentionality. Justin is a husband and full-time daddy of 4 high-energy kids, and he also recently summited one of the 7 Summits (the tallest mountain on each continent). He is a highly sought-after business speaker, social entrepreneur, and meaningful work researcher. He is the founder and CEO of Work. Meaningful. where he speaks 50-60 times per year to companies, organizations, and associations in the US and Internationally on meaningful work and diversity/inclusion. He is the author of Your WHY Matters NOW, The Inclusive Mindset, and his latest book: I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World.

Listen in to learn why curiosity is key to inclusion and transforming our perspectives and relationships in the workplace. You will also learn how to model, reward, and reinforce healthy disagreements in your organization to cultivate a culture of innovation and trust.

Key Takeaways:

The psychological biases that shape our views and how curiosity can help us challenge them.
The role of curiosity in leadership, personal growth, and parenting—how we can all cultivate a more open mindset.
How leaders can foster a culture of appreciation and purpose in overlooked roles to bring meaning to work.
The importance of creating spaces for respectful disagreement by modeling, rewarding, and reinforcing open dialogue.
How simple acknowledgments can make a significant impact on dialogue and workplace culture.

Standout Quotes:

“The only way to not take the exit is to be curious, to choose to hear people's stories, to get closer to people, and to put ourselves in positions of understanding and ways that we can challenge our perspective.”- Justin [11:39]
“Growth-based mindset is that your only competition is yourself and failure is just another data point for learning and if you don't know something, you just don't know it yet.”- Justin [15:07]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JustinJonesFosu

Conquering The Five Frustrations of Leadership with Corina Walsh

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 09:42:02 -0500

What steps can you take to create an environment where your team feels empowered and valued every day? Although today’s managers face a lot of frustrations in the workplace, there are actionable strategies you can take to strike the right balance and foster trust and growth within teams.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Corina Walsh as she shares a guide for leaders navigating the complexities of today’s workplaces. Corina Walsh is an Executive Leadership Coach, speaker, podcaster, author, and owner of Shift People Development Inc. She’s on a mission to revolutionize the way we feel about work. With her extraordinary coaching and advising skills, Corina works with companies and associations to build cultures of excellence and trust. Her innovative approaches to leadership development have garnered her accolades including being recognized as a Top 50 Leader Under 40 in Atlantic Canada and receiving a YWCA Woman of Distinction Award in Business.

Listen in to learn the value of proper delegation and delivering constructive feedback in a way that inspires growth in your team. You will also learn why organizations should provide diverse career pathways and understand that not every career path needs to lead to management.

Key Takeaways:

How to equip managers with tools to engage employees and prevent burnout.
The micromanagement misunderstanding and its impact on workplace culture.
How poor delegation practices can lead to managers taking back tasks rather than empowering their teams.
The benefits of constructive feedback, why leaders avoid it, and how it can be delivered to inspire growth.
The importance of understanding your role as a manager to maintain resilience and avoid undermanaging and overmanaging.
The impact of preparing new managers with realistic expectations and proper training.

Standout Quotes:

“It’s easy to feel powerless at work, but you have to remember you’re responsible for your experience at work every single day.”- Corina [06:18]
“Understanding your role as a manager is critical to success and critical to maintaining resilience so you don’t undermanage or overmanage.”- Corina [22:43]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/CorinaWalsh

Make 2025 Your Best Year Ever!

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 11:13:37 -0500

Happy New Year! What are your fresh beginnings? How are you setting the pace for the year ahead? If you desire to transform your 2025 to be a great year, you must start it with intentionality and the right mindset.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, Kristen discusses the value of celebrating wins and setting the right pace for the year ahead. She explains the power of choosing a “Word of the Year” to start the year with purpose.

Listen in to learn the importance of having ongoing reflection and building habits around daily, weekly, and monthly reviews. You will also learn about journal prompts to help you stay in alignment with your goals and identify beliefs that might be holding you back.

Key Takeaways:

The purpose and benefits of intentionally setting a "Word of the Year" to guide your focus and set the pace for the year ahead.
The importance of reflection as a regular habit and its role in personal and professional growth.
How to evaluate your current alignment with your ideal day and make adjustments to bridge the gap.
How to overcome your fear of failure to embrace new challenges and opportunities.
The importance of aligning your daily actions with your ideal vision for a balanced and purposeful life.

Standout Quotes:

“Unless you’re clear about your desires and what you want more of, you cannot make any changes to have more of whatever that is.”- Kristen [12:56]
“When you’re using your gifts and talents, it is contagious, people love to be around that energy and you’re giving others the permission to do the same.”- Kristen [17:03]
“When you’re standing in your truth, showing up authentically, and using your gifts and talents in a way that feels true to you, it’s magnetizing.”- Kristen [17:22]

The Neuroscience of Mindfulness and Meditation with Dorsey Standish

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 09:17:07 -0500

How often do you pause to embrace the simple joys of the present moment? Could you integrate mindfulness into activities you already enjoy? Mindfulness is simply paying attention to the present moment with kindness and curiosity.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Dorsey Standish about the power of incorporating mindfulness and meditation into our daily lives. Dorsey is a mechanical engineer, neuroscientist, and wellness expert who brings evidence-based mindfulness and emotional intelligence to clients worldwide through her company Mastermind. Her personal mission is to help Type A people like herself slow down, de-stress, and optimize their performance through research-backed brain health training.

Listen in to learn how meditation strengthens the brain’s executive networks, helping us stay present, less reactive, and more focused. You will also learn how to start with small and consistent mindfulness habits to build mental resilience.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding mindfulness as a simple way of paying attention and common mindfulness practices that people unknowingly engage in.
Start mindfulness and meditation small to build consistency, strengthen focus, and regulate the nervous system.
How emotional intelligence (EQ) supports stress management, enhances relationships, and improves workplace dynamics.
The importance of giving yourself grace during mindfulness practices and finding coping mechanisms that suit your needs.
The power of committing to small, consistent practices like a one-minute daily and the 30-day mindfulness challenge.
How mindfulness can help you become an expert on yourself, leading to intentional living.

Standout Quotes:

“When we practice mindfulness, we’re paying attention to the present moment with flexibility, kindness, and curiosity.”– Dorsey [08:52]
“It’s your birthright. You’re here to create the time and space to get to know yourself better, what serves you, and what helps you through things.”– Kristen [35:20]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/DorseyStandish

Healing Toxic Work Cultures Through People-First Leadership with Hamza Khan

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 10:02:09 -0500

Can leadership, grounded in authenticity and care, replace fear with collaboration? Are we ready to rethink what a healthy workplace truly looks like? While traditional leadership focuses on competition, we need love and compassion to create thriving workplaces.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Hamza Khan about his experience with toxic leadership and workplace abuse and how to create healthy workplace environments. Hamza is a best-selling author, award-winning entrepreneur, and world-renowned keynote speaker whose TEDx talk “Stop Managing, Start Leading” has been viewed over two million times. He challenges audiences and organizations to rehumanize their workplaces to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth. He is a visiting scholar, top-ranked university educator, and respected thought leader with actionable insights featured by the likes of Inc., VICE, and Business Insider.

Listen in to learn about the toxic triangle concept, where a leader’s dark traits, collusion, and unstable work environment reinforce a negative culture. You will also learn how to create spaces of healing, growth, respect, and a humanized work environment with emotional intelligence and compassion.

Key Takeaways:

The traits of toxic leaders and how colluding colleagues and complacent bystanders sustain toxic environments.
How the toxic culture affects work performance and personal life, making employees miserable in all areas.
Understanding how leadership traits, conformity, and an unstable environment reinforce toxic cultures.
The challenges of maintaining authenticity and emotional health in dysfunctional work environments.
How organizations can create spaces of healing and growth with emotional intelligence and compassion.
The importance of creating a respectful and humanized work environment where everyone can thrive.

Standout Quotes:

“Any good leader is able to create systems that last and voluntary replication of leadership and culture. If you’re a dark core leader, you do the exact opposite because you made it all about yourself the minute you leave; it collapses overnight.”– Hamza Khan [19:34]
“Leaders who occupy a higher social status in an organization and are much more comfortable, secure, and able to engender influence among their followers use a lot more group pronouns. Leaders who are more fearful and insecure use a lot more personal pronouns.”– Hamza Khan [40:50]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastHamzaKhan

Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 08:38:24 -0500

What one thing can you do today to boost your energy? It doesn’t matter how perfectly you plan your schedule; if your energy is drained, everything feels like a mountain to climb. Managing energy is about cultivating habits that recharge and sustain you.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, Kristen discusses powerful habits you can cultivate to boost and maintain your energy. She explains the importance of unplugging from technology, creating sleep rituals, and moving your body in ways you enjoy.

Listen in to learn how to redefine self-care for yourself and incorporate daily practices that nourish you instead of waiting for major events like vacations. You will also learn the importance of taking small breaks and creating white space during workdays to create a healthy balance and boost energy.

Key Takeaways:

How to self-regulate and make conscious choices that protect your energy.
The importance of sleep, exercise, movement, nutrition, and natural sunlight in energy management.
The power of daily practices to nourish yourself without waiting for a vacation to recharge.
How to set clear and healthy boundaries with your phone and screen time to protect your mental and emotional energy.
How to do quick energy audits to rate your energy level, make adjustments and create white space for productivity.

Standout Quotes:

“It is a component of emotional intelligence to be able to manage your stress, self-regulate, and be conscious of the choices you make.”- Kristen [01:20]
“Your body is so good at getting your attention and letting you know if you listen, it will tell you what it needs.”- Kristen [25:04]

Building Leadership Skills for Modern Workplaces with Jevon Wooden

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 08:03:48 -0500

Are you ready to lead with empathetic leadership, collaborate, and build a workplace community? Modern workplace leadership requires more than just technical expertise; it calls for emotional intelligence, trust-building, and encouraging open feedback.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Jevon Wooden about his leadership journey and the evolving role of leadership in modern workplaces. Jevon helps leaders and organizations unlock their full potential through empathetic leadership and strategic insights. His background spans military service, business leadership, and experience with top global organizations; he blends data-driven strategies with empathy to transform leadership and team dynamics. His personal journey, from facing significant adversity as a teen to earning the Bronze Star for leadership under pressure, shapes the authentic guidance he offers.

Listen in to learn the importance of diversity, collaboration, and stepping away from micromanagement to encourage team growth. You will also learn how to empower employees with flexible work environments to boost productivity and job satisfaction.

Key Takeaways:

The value of diversity, collaboration, vulnerability, community, and feedback for leadership success.
How to create boundaries in the workplace by embracing the power of community rather than labeling teams as family.
How to balance empathy, assertiveness, and accountability in leadership and create high-performing teams.
The benefits of hybrid work arrangements and remote work to avoid employee burnout.
The necessity of ongoing leadership development and training to prepare emerging leaders for leadership roles.

Standout Quotes:

“Collaboration allows you to expedite success and get this force multiplier on things you’re not necessarily well versed in. But to do that, you have to be open, and that means you have to be vulnerable.”– Jevon [08:29]
“If you allow people to naturally select their thing, you’ll find that you’ll still get what you want as a leader, but you cannot just force people.”– Jevon [24:41]
“We can teach a lot of technical components of leadership roles, but we cannot teach culture and behaviors.”– Jevon [32:50]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JevonWooden

Transforming Leadership and Fostering Collaborative Success with Glain Roberts-McCabe

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 08:58:36 -0500

How empowered is your team, and do they feel supported by you and each other as a collective? Leadership is evolving, so shifting from a heroic leadership mindset and fostering collective impact through peer-based support is important. To become a strong leader, you must create space for peer support, collaboration, and growth.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Glain Roberts-McCabe about leadership shifts in today’s workplace and managing burnout for leaders. Glain is the Founder and President of The Roundtable, a company that helps leaders navigate change, disruption, and growth by building the mindsets and behaviors that matter most. A sought-after expert in group coaching, Glain works with executive teams and high-potential fast-trackers to move from heroic leadership to making a bigger collective impact. With over 30 years of leadership, business, and coaching experience, Glain combines an evidence-based approach with pragmatism.

Listen in to learn how to avoid impostor syndrome and burnout as an ambitious leader by focusing on the motivation to be your best. You will also learn the difference between Gen X and Gen Z’s workplace challenges and how the latter is shifting leadership dynamics.

Key Takeaways:

How to manage high-performing leaders and prevent burnout and impostor syndrome in ambitious leaders.
How to navigate the post-COIVD complexities and uncertainty of hybrid work environments.
Gen Z’s approach to work and leadership, plus the psychological impact of social media on Gen Z’s.
The benefits of taking time away from work to boost creativity and leadership quality.
The importance of being open to recalibrating your methods as an experienced leader to suit changing environments.

Standout Quotes:

“Sometimes we don’t make the right investments, and we don’t put our money where our mouth is around the importance of investing in people.”– Glain [27:09]
“If I cannot leave my team for three weeks on vacation, I do not have a great team, and I am not a great leader.”– Glain [34:49]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/GlainRobertsMcCabe

Unlocking Unicorn Leadership for High-Performing Teams with Fahd Alhattab

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 08:54:27 -0500

What sets exceptional leaders apart in today’s fast-paced work environment? How do they inspire high-performing teams while balancing individual growth with collective success? Unicorn leaders are leaders who prioritize team success over individual achievements.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Fahd Alhattab about his early leadership and entrepreneurial experiences and the concept of unicorn leaders. Fahd Alhattab is a millennial workplace expert who teaches new managers how to lead multi-generational teams. He specializes in transformative leadership and team dynamics training for high-growth startups. He has spoken to +70K people across North America on leadership. Through his thirteen years of experience building successful teams, he’s identified the tried and true ingredient that set high-performing teams apart from competitors — they had leaders who prioritized team performance over individual success. He calls them Unicorn Leaders.

Listen in to learn how to create collaborative environments that prioritize psychological safety, empowerment, and effective communication within teams.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of prioritizing team success over individual achievements.
The significance of building psychological safety, empowerment, and effective communication within teams.
How to balance between short-term returns and long-term investments in business growth.
The impact of psychological safety and healthy conflict on team dynamics.
How leaders can support self-regulation and emotional intelligence in their teams.
The importance of dedicating time and resources to innovation within teams.

Standout Quotes:

“If you’re in a big company, often, leadership is about putting out fires; when you’re an entrepreneur, and you’ve got this entrepreneurial leadership, it’s about starting fires.”– Fahd [08:02]
“High-performing teams, while they look smooth on the top, is that they’ve dealt with the core tensions on the bottom.”– Fahd [27:44]
“If you want your leadership teams to innovate, then you’ve got to support them in the day-to-day management so that they can create enough space.”– Fahd [44:16]
“If you want your leadership teams to get more out of their team, then it’s not about squeezing out pressure and efficiency. It’s about giving them the necessary tools to allow people to raise their standards and raise the performance of the team.”– Fahd [44:16]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/FahdAlhattab

Ensuring Every Voice is Heard and Valued in Your Workplace with Sara Dean

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 10:01:05 -0500

What steps can you take to ensure every voice is heard and valued in your workplace? Imagine walking into a room and knowing that no matter who you are, your ideas matter, your experiences are recognized, and your contributions are celebrated.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Sara Dean about the importance of creating environments where every voice is heard and everyone feels valued. Sara is a Seattle-based keynote speaker, executive coach, business consultant, and trainer for leaders and teams. She supports women in leadership who want to become more courageous in their thoughts, actions, and conversations. From women’s empowerment events to corporate training series to long-term resiliency and creating custom talent development curriculum, Sara teaches folks how to identify and own their greatest strengths in order to show up and shine in the areas they most want to grow and evolve.

Listen in to learn how to create space as a leader for people to process, practice, and engage with new skills and not just deliver volumes of information. You will also learn about the common struggle with confidence across all genders and the importance of leaders recognizing and addressing this issue.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of helping women take up space and use their voices in powerful ways.
How to effectively lead, cultivate, and empower other leaders by creating space for people to process, practice, and engage with new skills.
The importance of providing resources and engaging in dialogues to foster learning and growth within organizations.
The value of regular, open dialogues and personal sharing to build trust and connection in the workplace.

Standout Quotes:

“It’s been really cool to see men step into allyship and advocacy for women and trying to unravel some of the ways that they’ve been socialized can be just as harmful as the way that women are socialized.”– Sara [05:04]
“If we aren’t creating space for people to process the information or to practice using new skills, we’re missing a huge aspect of leadership that allows us to cultivate and empower other leaders.”– Sara [13:31]
“If you give people the opportunity to share, demonstrate a little bit of vulnerability, and then connect around that, that experience makes them feel seen, heard, held, and valued in the moment, and then they also want more.”– Sara [17:02]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/SaraDeanPodcast

Embracing Personal Growth for Organizational Success with Ashley Sardjoe

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:24:26 -0500

How can your personal transformation serve as a catalyst for the overall organizational change? Continually challenging yourself and preparing for inevitable changes will help you embrace discomfort, build resilience, and foster a growth mindset in your personal and professional life.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Ashley Sardjoe about the importance of personal transformation as a foundation for organizational change. Ashley is a global People & Organization leader with a passion for driving transformative change that enhances organizational performance and drives sustainable business growth. With over 15 years of experience in the field of HR, Ashley is renowned for his ability to develop and execute human capital strategies that enable organizations to achieve their strategic objectives. He is currently the VP, Country People & Organization Head for Novartis in Canada. He is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion and is committed to creating work environments that foster innovation, accountability, and engagement.

Listen in to learn how creating a supportive environment and setting unnegotiable standards can help individuals thrive amid uncertainty. You will also learn the significance of having a well-prepared change management strategy while being adaptable and patient.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding the power of individual change as the foundation of organizational transformation.
How to build resilience to cope with change through exposure to discomfort and personal challenges.
The importance of enjoying the discomfort through your growth process in your personal and professional life.
The importance of transparency and direct conversations in understanding individual struggles and fostering stronger team connections.
The power of authenticity, humor, and vulnerability in leadership to connect with teams on a human level.

Standout Quotes:

“It is essential to recognize that organizational change involves multiple individuals basically coming together to collectively adapt and transform an entire system.”– Ashley [07:03]
“Continuously exposing yourself to a certain level of discomfort and in a disciplined manner, it will ultimately impact the way you’re capable of dealing with change.”– Ashley [14:28]
“You need to have the flexibility and agility for the fact that transformation involves people and not everybody is on the same page of this infamous change journey.”– Ashley [28:25]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/AshleySardjoe

Finding Happiness Within Yourself

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 08:02:34 -0500

Do you often find yourself thinking, "I'll be happy when...?" What if you discovered that's a trap many of us fall into? Waiting for external achievements to bring happiness is a never-ending cycle leading to unhappiness.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, Kristen discusses the “I’ll be happy when” syndrome and how to find happiness within yourself. She explains why true happiness is always available from within, even with relentless societal and cultural pressures that make us feel inadequate.

Listen in to learn practical tips to break free from the illusion that external changes are necessary to find happiness. You will also learn the importance of remembering to pursue your goals with the understanding that happiness is already within.

Key Takeaways:

How to avoid the Illusion of external happiness and instead embrace internal sources of joy and contentment.
How to be aware of unhelpful thought patterns that lead to unhappiness and stay present and grounded.
Mindful and gratitude practices to help you enhance contentment and joy within yourself.
How to pursue your goals with the understanding that happiness is already within you for a more fulfilling and joyful journey.

Standout Quotes:

"The reason why you will never have happiness come from any of those things is because you are looking for something external to give you that sense of happiness, that sense of contentment, and that sense of bliss."- Kristen [01:57]
“The good news is happiness, bliss, and contentment are available to you 24/7, but a lot of time we are looking in the wrong place.”- Kristen [02:17]
“There is nothing that you have to attain; you’re already whole, enough, worthy, and complete. When you start to recognize a voice telling you that you're not, this is when you can do some things to bring yourself back to your truth.”- Kristen [12:23]

Achieve Your Big Gorgeous Goals with Julie Ellis

Mon, 27 May 2024 08:31:33 -0500

Are you ready to achieve your ambitious goals and elevate your leadership skills? How do you pursue your big gorgeous goals confidently and clearly and approach life with intention and joy? Achieving personal and professional growth as a female leader involves setting ambitious goals, pushing beyond your comfort zone, embracing creativity, and planning rest.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Julie Ellis about her unexpected transition into finance and eventually into the world of entrepreneurship. Julie is a professional speaker, author, and executive coach for corporate leaders and scaling entrepreneurs. She provides unique experience and expertise to her clients, which she gained through working in the corporate world and then as a leading Canadian entrepreneur. Julie co-founded award-winning Mabel’s Labels, one of Canada’s greatest small business success stories. She has developed keynotes and workshops for private companies, corporations, and associations, is the author of Big Gorgeous Goals: How Bold Women Achieve Great Things, and hosts the Figure 8 Podcast.

Listen in to learn how to improve your delegation processes with effective communication and setting clear expectations. You will also learn the importance of creating white space by intentionally clearing out the busywork to make room for dreaming and creativity.

Key Takeaways:

How to effectively delegate as a leader by getting clear on tasks, setting expectations, and communicating effectively.
The importance of pushing boundaries and stepping into the unknown to achieve big goals.
The power of creating white space in your schedule free from busywork and distractions to dream, reflect, and think creatively.
How to build support systems at work and home to relieve your burdens and free up time and energy for career goals.

Standout Quotes:

“So often you get to a point in your career where you’ve achieved that level because of the things you have individually done, but to go beyond that, you have to do the next round through other people, and that is a very different way of working than achieving your own personal success.”– Julie [10:03]
“If you’re constantly in autopilot and constantly doing it in action, there isn’t that space to allow you to tune in and to hear some of those bigger dreams and bigger insights.”– Kristen [23:49]
“We don’t have to grind it out all the time; if we can learn the right skills that will help us make it feel easier and with them, we can have more fun while we’re on the journey, then that’s what life is about.”– Julie [39:14]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastJulieEllis

The 2024 Workhuman Conference Highlights: Insights, Inspiration & Impact

Mon, 13 May 2024 08:51:28 -0500

Did you attend the 2024 Workhuman Live conference? The conference was brimming with meaningful conversations and impactful sessions. It was also a whirlwind of insights, laughter, and profound moments.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I invite Angela Champ on the show to discuss our individual experiences at the Workhuman conference. Workhuman is committed to the intentional curation of sessions for deep dives into key issues without overwhelming attendees, creating space for genuine connections. It also fosters a community of like-hearted individuals dedicated to reshaping work into a place of purpose and value.

Listen in to learn the importance of understanding cultural differences in communication and leadership styles to encourage collaboration and prevent conflicts in diverse workplaces. You will also learn about AI governance, updating language to empower employees, the Queen Bee Syndrome, and more.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of understanding cultural differences in communication and leadership styles.
The value of in-person interactions for building community amidst a technology-dominated era.
The Queen Bee Syndrome, the scarcity mindset that causes it, and how women can thrive at work without competition.
The importance of governing the impact of AI decisions to prevent irreversible harm in the workplace.
How modern leadership emphasizes compassion, curiosity, and co-creation to support employee growth and well-being.

Standout Quotes:

“If you’re feeling dysregulated and exhausted, how are you going to have the mental energy to address AI and where it’s coming from? So, it’s important to start to look for ways to be regulated.”– Kristen [13:23]
“We, HR, are the ones to direct how people will use technology and not let technology dictate how it will use us.”– Angela [14:32]
“With this whole AI environment, what we need right now are not the knowers in the room; we need the learners in the room, we need people who are going to listen and be open and ask different questions.”– Kristen [17:03]
“The beauty of a conference like Workhuman or any conference or session you attend is that there’s no point in going if you’re not going to take something away and apply it to your work or life because otherwise, you’ve just gone for a good time.”– Angela [27:30]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/Workhuman2024

Empowering Workplace Diversity with Systemic Change – Viva Asmelash

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 09:56:10 -0500

How do you foster diversity and inclusion to drive positive organizational change? Imagine a workplace where every voice is celebrated, and everyone feels a sense of belonging. In an empowered workplace, everyone can take ownership of their journey toward equity and inclusion and feel supported.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Viva Asmelash (she/her) about creating psychological safety in the workplace, plus the systemic change needed in organizations. Viva is a passionate workplace consultant and certified inclusion strategist specializing in forward-thinking employee engagement, equity-centered strategic planning, values-driven branding, and critical team conversations. Viva’s professional purpose is to create environments where people feel truly seen and are inspired to be their best and most authentic selves. As the co-founder of Liberation Labs, she proudly co-designed the first-of-its-kind Culturally-Aware Feedback Training™. She also co-authored the viral 2023 Harvard Business Review article, Creating Psychological Safety for Black Women at Your Company.

Listen in to learn the importance of understanding how individuals’ past experiences influence their behaviors and interactions at work. You will also learn the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion work on everyone in your organization.

Key Takeaways:

The need for organizations to invest in culture-building for equitable workplaces.
The importance of shifting from individual actions to systemic changes to create psychological safety in the workplace.
The importance of manager training and development for creating inclusive leadership.
The role of HR departments in advocating for employees’ best interests within organizations.
The qualities of an inspiring leader include commitment to self-growth and developing others.

Standout Quotes:

“It’s understanding historical context and having an awareness around it, and unless you’re willing to do that, you shouldn’t be calling yourself a leader unless you’re willing to approach it with a sense of cultural humility.”– Viva [18:33]
“When you’re paying more attention to improving your policies with the most marginalized in mind, you inevitably make things better for everybody else at the same time.”– Viva [23:41]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/VivaAsmelash

How to Reach Your Full Potential and Uplevel Your Life

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 07:58:47 -0500

What are your important goals, and are you willing to take the time to achieve them? Reaching your full potential requires an investment, but most of us are stuck in an instant gratification mindset. The truth is, it is through the process of working towards your goals that you feel meaning, purpose, and satisfaction.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, Kristen discusses how to identify what’s important to you and take the necessary action steps to achieve those goals. She explains the importance of understanding that big goals take time, persistence, commitment, and dedication, not solely focusing on instant gratification.

Listen in to learn how to stop self-sabotaging by allowing self-limiting beliefs to take over when good things happen, plus how to overcome the upper limit problem.

Key Takeaways:

How the process of working towards your goals gives you meaning, purpose, and satisfaction.
How to identify what’s important to the lifestyle you want to create and stop limiting yourself in terms of what’s possible.
How to change old patterns of self-sabotage by lasting longer in the uncomfortable to develop new patterns.
How to take small steps towards achieving your goals and becoming who you want to be.

Standout Quotes:

“Success comes from a lot of consistent hard work, focus, and commitment that a lot of times is happening in the background.”– Kristen [00:56]
“If you can get really clear about what those dreams are and start to challenge yourself, you’ll realize how often your mind and thoughts can hold you back from achieving amazing things you never thought possible.”– Kristen [03:44]

Healing Past Traumas for Better Leadership with Kelly L. Campbell

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 08:19:36 -0500

Are you aware that your leadership style is rooted in your past traumatic experiences? Many leaders are operating from a place of distracting themselves from experiencing the full spectrum of human emotions. But to become a more centered, rooted, grounded, and well-resourced leader, you must do the work needed to heal your trauma experiences.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Kelly L. Campbell (they/she) about healing traumatic experiences to become a better leader. Kelly speaks and writes about trauma, leadership, and consciousness— “The New TLC.” The author of Heal to Lead (Wiley, April 2024), Kelly, is a Trauma-Informed Leadership Coach to emerging and established leaders who know they are meant for more. Kelly’s vision is to empower more than half of humanity to heal its childhood trauma so that we may reimagine and rebuild the world together.

Listen in to learn the importance of curiosity and exploring different practices to help you find what works to heal and integrate your trauma. You will also learn how, as a leader or organization, you can support your team by doing things that positively impact their health.

Key Takeaways:

How addressing and healing your past traumatic experiences can lead to conscious leadership.
The importance of experimenting with different practices to find what works for you to integrate your trauma.
How to do the healing work to become a centered, rooted, grounded, and well-resourced leader.
How to support your team in ways that will impact their emotional, physical, mental, and psychological health.

Standout Quotes:

“The more centered, more grounded, and the more resourced we are, we can show up in a way that might influence the people who haven’t done healing work.”– Kelly [19:22]
“When it comes to healing and integrating trauma, you don’t know what’s going to work for you until you try it.”– Kelly [25:23]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/KellyLCampbell

How To Ditch the Drama and Improve Productivity with Cy Wakeman

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:00:15 -0500

Are you ready to let go of the drama and restore sanity in the workplace? Drama in the workplace is a time and emotional waste, but with tools like self-reflection and accountability, it can be eliminated.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Cy Wakeman about how the ego works, embracing self-reflection, and diffusing drama in organizations. Cy is a drama researcher, New York Times best-selling author, and 2023 World’s #1 Leadership Guru who is recognized for her Reality-Based approach to leadership. Backed by over 25 years of unparalleled experience partnering with top brands spanning all industries, Cy’s philosophy offers a modern approach to leadership in which employees and managers alike can deliver better results with less drama, higher engagement without entitlement, and more happiness in even the most challenging workplace realities. Cy’s avid fanbase online has surpassed 250,000 followers.

Listen in to learn about drama in the workplace, the five sources of drama, and how to clear up drama in an organization. You will also learn the difference between self-reflection and venting and how to evolve and give opportunities for self-reflection.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of questioning your thoughts to stop your ego from controlling your life.
How to clear up drama in an organization by getting out of verbal communication and self-reflecting.
How to get into a place of neutrality by naming whatever comes your way as an unpreferred reality and changing the story.
The importance of understanding and articulating your needs as a leader to avoid working on the wrong thing.
The power of doing profound inner work to be able to lead with love and be a great leader and or team member.

Standout Quotes:

“Surrendering is as simple as naming whatever came your way as neutrally as possible as an unpreferred reality.”– Cy Wakeman [24:30]
“I am convinced that very little needs to change in my world for my world to change; all of what needs to change is my thinking.”– Cy Wakeman [29:08]
“It takes a lot of evolution to move through the world lovingly because you can’t move through the world lovingly if you haven’t done your inner work.”– Cy Wakeman [42:37]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastCyWakeman

How To Build a Results-Only Work Environment with Julie Cole

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 09:03:35 -0500

How do you lead with empathy and build a team of people that align with your core values? When you support and add value to your team without micromanaging them, you enhance their efficiency and productivity, and they become your best brand ambassadors.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Julie Cole about her entrepreneurship journey and the effectiveness of the results-only work environment (ROWE) culture. Julie is a recovered lawyer, a mom of six, and co-founder of Mabel’s Labels. She is also a published author, keynote speaker, engaged community member, and winner of countless entrepreneur awards. In Julie’s latest book, Like a Mother, she shares her inspirational stories and lessons learned through parenting her lively crew of kids and building a multi-million-dollar business with her co-founders.

Listen in to learn how leading with empathy while still holding boundaries can help you hire right and retain employees. You will also learn how to integrate your work and life by knowing your needs, asking for help confidently, and owning your boundaries.

Key Takeaways:

How to build a results-only work environment that gives people the freedom to be effective managers.
The power of having an empathetic leader who holds boundaries in retaining employees.
How to understand and establish your boundaries and respect your time as a leader for work-life integration.
The importance of knowing your needs, getting clear about your boundaries, being confident when asking for help, and being less of a people-pleaser.
How to make giving back part of your core values, plus how powerful it can be for your brand.

Standout Quotes:

“You have to get uncomfortable being comfortable because as soon as you think you know what you’re doing, you experience growth.”– Julie [08:36]
“Everything about business is personal, particularly your team, and if you create support and build an incredible team of people who align with your core values and lead with empathy, then they will stick with you and be your best brand ambassadors.”– Julie [35:50]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JulieCole

The Power of a Speak-Up Culture with Stephen Shedletzky

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 09:55:17 -0500

Have you established a speak-up culture as a leader in your organization? For teams and organizations to thrive, it’s crucial to create a speak-up culture where everyone feels psychologically safe to share their ideas, concerns, feedback, and vulnerabilities.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Stephen Shedletzky, or “Shed,” about the positive impact of speak-up culture on teams and organizations. Shed is a sought-after speaker, coach, and advisor and has led hundreds of keynote presentations, workshops, and leadership development programs around the world. He helps leaders listen and nurture the voice of others and supports humble leaders who put their people and purpose first, all while knowing they are both a part of the problems they experience and part of the solutions they seek to create. As a thought-leader on psychological safety in the workplace, he works with leaders in all industries where human beings work. His latest book is called Speak-Up Culture: When Leaders Truly Listen, People Step Up.

Listen in to learn about the hard work that goes into psychological safety and its importance for safety, performance, and innovation in organizations. You will also learn how to be a better leader by studying leadership behaviors, getting constant feedback, and committing to leadership practice.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding why leaders aren’t born or made but chosen based on the way they behave.
The importance of the speak-up culture and how leaders can create a speak-up culture through encouraging and rewarding.
How to provide coaching and feedback on behavior and the impact of speak-up culture even as you reward the intent.
How to stay committed to your leadership practice and search and find leaders you’d want to follow and work for.

Standout Quotes:

“Leadership cannot be claimed, it must be earned; culture cannot be declared, it must be lived.”- Shed [13:27]
“Wherever you are in your leadership development journey, the fact that you’re committing to a leadership development journey, that’s good news.”- Shed [32:21]
“Oftentimes, leaders display toxic deleterious behaviors because they don’t know better and they’re struggling really badly.”- Shed [35:07]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/StephenShedletzky

Less Doing, More Being: Making Space for What Matters Most

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 09:17:29 -0500

Is your never-ending busyness a way to avoid reflecting and hearing answers to your big questions? Slowing down forces you to get clarity on whether the choices you’re making are aligned with what you say is important to you.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, Kristen discusses the power of intentionally slowing down and focusing on what truly matters. She explains bigger questions you need to ask yourself to understand what you’re avoiding by not slowing down, plus how to use the holidays to reflect on your 2023 wins, struggles, and learnings.

Listen in to learn how slowing down allows you to hear your intuition, identify what truly matters to you, and get your habits aligned.

Key Takeaways:

How to de-prioritize and give yourself permission to slow down and connect.
How slowing down forces you to get clarity and answers on what’s important in your life.
How to use the holidays to reflect on your wins, struggles, and learnings and visualize your future goals.
How to get intentional about growth opportunities that will result in more fulfillment, joy, purpose, and connection with yourself and others.
How slowing down allows you to hear your intuition and identify what truly matters to you.

Standout Quotes:

“We all need rest; we need that time and rest where we’re not doing anything.”- Kristen [07:07]
“It’s important as you start to think about your vision and goals for 2024 that you’re very clear this is not something you’re doing on your own but something you can do with others and have support in order to feel less alone working on them.”- Kristen [16:04]
“As you slow down, it is much easier to hear your intuition; it is much easier to hear your most resourceful self.”- Kristen [16:48]

How to Increase Efficiency and Achieve High Performance in Teams with Liane Davey

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 09:51:56 -0500

What are some of the things you can do as a leader to make your teams more effective? The major reasons why teams fail to be high-performing are alignment-related and dynamic-related issues.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Liane Davey about her experience working with teams and what leaders need to do to improve their team performance. For the past 25 years, Liane has researched and advised teams on how to achieve high performance. Known as the “teamwork doctor,” she’s worked with teams from the frontlines to the boardroom, across a variety of industries, and around the globe from Boston to Bangkok. In working with hundreds of teams, including 26 Global Fortune 500 companies (and counting), she has developed a unique perspective on the challenges teams face – and how to solve them.

Listen in to learn about the layers of trust and the critical role of trust in teams to make things easier. You will also learn the difference between tension and friction in conflict and the importance of being aware of healthy tension.

Key Takeaways:

How to eliminate inefficiency by getting better at time management and creating boundaries.
How to be a vulnerable and accountable leader to earn confidence and connection from your team.
How to be aware of healthy tension and properly recognize friction and shut it down.
How productive conflict enhances psychological safety and strengthens team relationships.

Standout Quotes:

“We need to address meetings and email problems so that we can create space for focus and flow.”- Liane Davey [16:29]
“The more productive conflict we have, the higher the psychological safety gets because people learn that they can come out the other side and the relationship will be stronger.”- Liane Davey [33:01]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastLianeDavey

Adopting a Growth Mindset

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 09:48:41 -0500

Are you in a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? A fixed mindset is when you have scarcity thinking, while a growth mindset is thinking from a place of possibilities. You can shift from a fixed mindset at any point; it’s just a matter of choosing and allowing yourself to create new patterns.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I discuss the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset and how to adopt a growth mindset. I explain why we need to show ourselves compassion, patience, understanding, and grace as we work through new things and create space for emotions when they arise.

Listen in to learn the importance of having a growth mindset to be creative, innovative, and create new things. You will also learn how to challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone and reach your full potential.

Key Takeaways:

Why you must have a growth mindset to be creative, innovative, and create new things.
How to allow yourself to be in the process of practice by showing yourself self-compassion and grace.
How to show up from a place of curiosity in order to adopt a growth mindset.
How you can challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone and reach your full potential.
How getting feedback from others can help you shift from a fixed mindset and into a growth mindset.

Standout Quotes:

“Anyone who’s thinking about doing innovation or creativity and trying to create new things cannot do that if they’re staying in a fixed mindset; it has to come from a place of a growth mindset.”- Kristen [04:46]
“If you’re not consistently setting goals for yourself and having stretch goals, you’re not going to feel much meaning and fulfillment in your life.”- Kristen [19:10]

The Power of Knowing and Owning Who You Are with Paru Radia

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 10:09:33 -0500

Do you know who you truly are deep inside? Knowing who you are deep inside and your experiences will guide you to your why, and it will stop you from settling with what you think your why is or what other people tempt you to think it is.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Paru Radia about relationship-building with senior decision-makers and owning who you are. Paru is a rare commodity! Most people fall into one camp as either left-brained or right-brained. Paru, however, has always mixed her logical side with her creative side to thrive while navigating challenging environments, whether in the corporate world or as a founder and entrepreneur. Becoming a C-Suite Whisperer® and Execution Ninja was a natural path for Paru as she has a keen understanding of the corporate world, having been both an employee and a consultant.

Listen in to learn how to build interpersonal relationships with senior leaders and develop the confidence to make it about them. You will also learn the importance of highlighting the challenges behind success when inspiring others.

Key Takeaways:

How to build relationships with senior leaders to get their buy-in before you’re in the room.
How to develop interpersonal relationships by taking time to analyze others and learning what’s important to them.
The power of knowing and owning who you are to have the confidence to make it about the other person.

Standout Quotes:

“The only way you can feel confident in yourself in order to make it about them is owning who you are, but you can’t own who you are until you know who you are.”- Paru Radia [27:56]
“You won’t know your why until you know who you are deep down inside.”- Paru Radia [31:45]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/ParuRadia

Setting Healthy Boundaries

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 08:10:08 -0500

How strong are your boundaries at work and in your personal life? Setting healthy boundaries is something most people struggle with due to self-limiting beliefs and patterns you can unlearn. To reap the fruits of setting healthy boundaries, you have to get clear about your needs and stay committed to them.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, Kristen discusses the power of learning to set healthy boundaries by getting clear about your needs at work and in life. She explains how self-limiting beliefs such as people pleasing, hyper-achieving, peacemaking, controlling behaviors, avoidant personality, perfectionism, and victim mentality negatively impact setting healthy boundaries.

Listen in to learn the importance of having compassion for yourself when setting boundaries because there are systems set up for you to stay within the unhealthy boundaries.

Key Takeaways:

How people pleasing negatively impacts setting healthy boundaries.
How hyper-achieving can impact your relationship with others and your well-being.
Why being a peacemaker in family and work dynamics can lead to being there for others and not yourself.
Have compassion for yourself because there are systems set up for you to stay within the unhealthy boundaries.
Learning how to set boundaries at work from an empowered place without it always being a yes.

Standout Quote:

“When it comes to boundaries, this is something that’s constantly evolving, shifting, and it is a journey, not a destination.”- Kristen [01:11]
“The clearer you are on what you’d like commitment to look like, the easier it is to recognize when you’re in alignment and out of alignment because you’re really clear on what that commitment is.”- Kristen [13:00]

How To Navigate Good Awkward to Grow Purposefully with Henna Pryor

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 10:22:53 -0500

When you feel awkward, do you allow it to keep you stuck or to grow? The difference between good and bad awkward is that good awkward allows you to grow when experiencing uncertainty. To start navigating the good awkward, it’s important to understand how you experience it and reframe its role by naming it.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Henna Pryor, a highly sought-after Workplace Performance Expert and an award-winning 2x TEDx and global keynote speaker, virtual presenter, team facilitator, and professional executive coach. Her clients call her their “secret weapon for impossible change,” an honor she wears proudly. She’s also a lifelong learner – she’s been studying human behavior and performance for over 2 decades and loves to bring a fresh energy to business practices and conversations. Her highly anticipated book, Good Awkward, publishes in September and is available for pre-order now.

Listen in to learn the importance of owning awkwardness as an individual and normalizing awkward feelings as a team to create deeper connections. You will also learn how to create intentional moments as a leader to rebuild social skills for the desired communication culture in your organization.

Key Takeaways:

How to navigate good awkward to grow when experiencing uncertainty.
The benefits of reframing the role of awkwardness in your life and naming it in those moments.
How expressing awkwardness implies confidence and authenticity in the workplace.
The importance of owning awkwardness as an individual and normalizing awkward feelings as a team.

Standout Quotes:

“Confident people feel awkward just as much if not more than people who don’t describe themselves as confident because to avoid awkwardness implies avoiding uncertainty, which is never happening”- Henna [16:19]
“When a confident person expresses awkward discomfort, it actually comes across as more confident because their lack of perfection puts other people at ease.”- Henna [16:55]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/HennaPryor

Roadmap to Trauma-Informed Leadership with Carolyn Swora

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 08:34:30 -0500

Do you utilize your head, heart, and body as centers of intelligence when showing up as a leader? How do you allow people to show up? Do you create safe spaces where people can evolve despite their traumas?

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Carolyn Swora, a certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator, as well as a Trauma-Informed Leadership Consultant. She works with small, medium and large organizations across Canada and the United States on becoming more compassionate, human and empathetic places for members of staff. Carolyn uses the Enneagram Personality System to help clients deepen self- awareness into their behavioral patterns. She has a Master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and has studied Resilience and Workplace Culture Transformation. She has also developed her own transformational leadership development methodologies, which she breaks down in her second book Evolve: The Path to Trauma-Informed Leadership.

Listen in to learn about the three centers of intelligence and the importance of recognizing your dominant one as a leader. You will also learn about three types of traumas and how to be trauma-informed as a leader.

Key Takeaways:

The head, heart, and body centers of intelligence and how to recognize your dominant one.
How to be a trauma-informed leader by recognizing how to create a safe space for people to evolve.
How to invest in self-awareness, self-regulation, and co-regulation practices to become an intentional leader.
How to embody your imperfections to allow authenticity to show up and be in a space of receiving.

Standout Quotes:

“When we talk about being trauma-informed, it’s about being mindful of your own actions, how you’re showing up, and creating a space for others to be able to show up so they feel seen, heard, and valued.”- Carolyn [17:36]
“Our intention is always going to be different than our desired impact.”- Carolyn [26:08]
“The more power and privilege you have (positional or not), the more accountability you have to close this gap and welcome people into the discussion, an understanding, or sharing so that both experiences can be valued.”- Carolyn [30:55]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastCarolynSwora

Why I Stopped Drinking Alcohol

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 09:33:02 -0500

It’s been over two years now since I stopped drinking alcohol, and I’m loving it and don’t miss it at all! Are you, like me, curious about your relationship with alcohol, or are you recognizing how your unconscious choices are stopping you from showing up as the best version of yourself?

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I share what inspired me to quit alcohol, how I navigated the journey, and the lessons I’ve learned so far. I also explain the never-ending benefits of quitting alcohol and how you can approach this journey.

Listen in to learn why you need to ask yourself questions about the role of numbing habits in your life and how your life and purpose can change if you chose to quit.

Key Takeaways:

How not experiencing hangovers can shift your life and how you relate to others.
How quitting a numbing habit can enable you to build healthier habits and stay committed.
How you get curious and notice things about yourself when you quit numbing habits.
How changing your relationship with alcohol will enable you to feel a deeper connection with yourself and others and show up for your purpose.
How your unconscious choices stop you from being who you want to be and where you want to be in this world.

Standout Quotes:

“This is an invitation to be able to take a step back and ask yourself some questions and see if there are some new conscious choices you might want to make or an opportunity to perhaps shift your current relationship.”- Kristen [20:32]
“It’s about recognizing where you might be making some unconscious choices that are not serving you and not getting you to where you want to be and who you want to be in the world.”- Kristen [22:42]

How To Build Relationships with Compassionate Accountability - Marc Lesser

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 08:17:24 -0500

What steps are you taking to build your emotional intelligence and mindfulness as a leader? An inspirational and mindful leader is aware of their own feelings and their teams’ feelings and how they impact their effectiveness. To become this leader, you must intentionally build your relationships by being accountable and leading with compassion.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Marc Lesser, a CEO, executive coach, and Zen teacher known for his engaging, experiential presentations that integrate mindfulness and emotional intelligence practices and training. Before his business and coaching career, Marc was a resident of the San Francisco Zen Center for ten years, and director of Tassajara, Zen Mountain Center, the first Zen monastery in the Western world. He helped develop the world-renowned Search Inside Yourself program within Google – a mindfulness-based emotional intelligence training for leaders which teaches the art of integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and business savvy for creating great corporate cultures and a better world.

Listen in to learn how to become a better leader by building trust and connection with your team to make it easier to have difficult conversations. You will also learn the importance of bringing awareness and curiosity to your feelings and other people’s feelings to become better at solving conflict.

Key Takeaways:

How to start appreciating your sacredness to become a better human and leader.
How to understand other people’s perspectives and our shared humanity with the 3-minute listening exercise.
How to build trust and connection with your team to make it easier to have difficult conversations.
How to become more aware of your patterns with conflict to notice when you overreact or underreact.
How to create psychological safety in the workplace by bringing your vulnerability.

Standout Quotes:

“It takes some looking inward and some stopping in order to become aware of those beliefs we have beneath the surface.”- Marc [12:08]
“Beginning an advanced lesson in working with conflict is separating the impact that someone’s words or actions have on us and being curious about their motivation or intention.”- Marc [25:51]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastMarcLesser

Workhuman: A Transformative HR Conference

Mon, 22 May 2023 09:18:21 -0500

Did you attend this year’s Workhuman conference? If yes, what was your experience, and what were your major takeaways? With many speakers and topics ranging from DEIB to pivoting to workplace relationships, Workhuman Live was inspiring, thought-provoking and empowering.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Jackye Clayton and Katee Van Horn. They’re two diversity, equity, & inclusion peeps who love both what they have in common and what makes them different. During the day, they use their superpowers to block bias and end systemic racism within companies and create equitable places to work. They launched the Inclusive AF Podcast in 2020, which is a place where you get to hear real, authentic, and sometimes tough discussions on issues that are important to various communities.

Listen in to learn the power of being a professional troublemaker who advocates for others by asking tough questions and speaking up. You will also learn how giving the right energy and interactions can improve innovation in the workplace.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of being constantly ready for change in the workforce and in your career.
How to advocate by asking tough questions and speaking up to give others the space to do the same.
The importance of relational intelligence and energy in creating an innovation-driven and better workplace.
The need to develop human skills that allow you to gauge what people need and how to best help them.
How to maintain individual authenticity in the workplace while still encouraging innovation.

Standout Quotes:

“Change management isn’t something outside of your natural day job; change is just something that is always constant and happening.”- Katee Van Horn [04:10]
“Being the professional troublemaker is about you being part of the change; it’s about you being the change you want to see in the world.”- Kristen [20:06]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/Workhumanpodcast

The Critical Role of Conscious Leadership

Mon, 08 May 2023 09:28:29 -0500

Who do you want to be as a leader, and how do you want to engage with your team? Conscious leadership is about recognizing your below-the-line thinking and habits and creating new habits that allow you to lead from above-the-line and teach your team members the same patterns.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I discuss the critical role of conscious leadership in creating high-performing teams and organizations. Conscious leadership is about showing up in the world from a place of responding instead of from a place of reactivity.

Listen in to learn the difference between the below-the-line victim mentality and the above-the line creator mentality and how to develop the latter.

Key Takeaways:

The seriousness of below-the-line versus the playfulness of above-the-line leadership.
How leading above the line gives you the ability to notice patterns and create new habits.
The learning and growth that occur when you engage in healthy communication with others.
How to commit to creating new habits that lead to deeper relationships and creative problem-solving with conscious leadership.

Standout Quotes:

“Conscious leadership is the process by which a leader becomes radically responsible, self-aware, and focuses on building a culture of “we” rather than a culture of “me.”- Kristen [00:47]

“The more you can neutrally non-judgmentally notice what you’re feeling, the more you can give space for that.”- Kristen [12:23]

⇢ Let's connect! I love hearing from my community. Learn more about my programs and services at www.kristenharcourt.com

How To Advocate for Yourself and Your Team with Sabine Gedeon

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 07:16:03 -0500

What can you do to look differently at what leadership means? In today’s world, leadership is more than meeting the bottom line results or operations; it’s about keeping the pipeline of engaged talented individuals who will continue to expand and evolve the organization. Effective leadership is also the ability to support and accept support from your team without feeling the need to be part of every task.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Sabine Gedeon, the Founder of Gedeon Enterprises, an advisory and professional development firm focused on supporting organizations and leaders in transforming how they lead and approach talent strategy & development. In 2021, Sabine launched SHELeads Network, a professional development and training community for women leaders, in response to the overwhelming changes in society, calling on more women to take the lead in their homes, communities, companies, and businesses.

Listen in to learn how to effectively advocate for yourself as a leader by embracing coaching and guidance from your team. You will also learn how to build a network of supporters and your brand to strategically grow your career.

Key Takeaways:

How to shift your mindset and not let fear stop you from taking the risk to pivot your career.
How to align with what’s important for you as a leader to allow effective support from your team.
Develop the confidence to advocate for yourself and ask for help so you can lead effectively.
The importance of having a success circle to advocate and guide your career growth.

Standout Quotes:

“Start to think about how you’re spending your time, what you’re doing, and how you’re developing your team and find the thing that’s true for you to help you overcome the need to be part of it.”- Sabine [25:52]
“You have to fill your cup with whatever it is you need to be and feel whole in order for you to be effective in pouring that out.”- Sabine [27:04]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/SabineGedeon

How To Cultivate More Self-Compassion

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 09:00:48 -0500

What does the voice in your head tell you throughout your day? Is it positive and empowering or negative and critical? That inner critic was created through years of conditioning and is self-sabotaging and disempowering.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I discuss how to practice self-compassion to get rid of the negative voice in your head. I explain how to get curious and aware of that voice, ask yourself the right questions, and shift the way you speak to yourself.

Listen in to learn how practicing self-compassion allows you to prioritize self-care and achieve your goals and targets.

Key Takeaways:

How to become aware of the negative voice within and shift the way you talk to yourself.
How practicing self-compassion allows you to prioritize taking better care of yourself.
How to use journaling to get curious and introspective about your negative patterns and create new patterns.
How self-compassion gives you a sense of fulfillment and acceptance as you are.

Standout Quotes:

“If you’re going to have more self-compassion, that also has to manifest in you taking care of yourself in terms of your mind, body, and soul.”- Kristen [06:20]
“You start to be able to build your self-compassion when you create more space and stillness to reconnect with yourself.”- Kristen [07:21]

⇢ Let's connect! I love hearing from my community. Learn more about my programs and services at www.kristenharcourt.com

The Workhuman Conference Experience with Jackye Clayton & Katee Van Horn

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 09:02:37 -0500

Have you heard of or attended the Workhuman conference? Workhuman Live is the game-changer of conferences, where the world’s best minds gather to share transformative ideas and to inspire a community of thousands to create more human workplaces everywhere. It offers an exciting experience that tackles relevant DEIB topics, actionable ways to reinvent work and creates an empowering space for people to learn and be recognized.

Listen in to learn the value you can get from attending the Workhuman conference, not just as an HR leader but also as a people leader. You will also learn the importance of creating spaces where others are recognized in an authentic and genuine way.

Key Takeaways:

How the Workhuman conference is set up to humanize the individuals that attend.
The importance of creating spaces where others are recognized in an authentic and genuine way.
How the Workhuman conference allows you to create a network of peers to support you in your HR work.
How to impact your people by being human and reinforcing them as the most important piece of the organization.

Standout Quotes:

“It’s a life-changing conference to the experience not just in your knowledge but in your feeling for other people.”- Jackye Clayton [26:57]
“It is those after the conversations conversations that are so helpful to know that you’re not alone and there are folks in HR dealing with those same issues.”- Katee Van Horn [21:14]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/Workhumanexperience

How to Explore Future Thinking in Your Organization with Nikolas Badminton

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 09:03:11 -0500

What are you doing as a leader to make your organization better in the future? To continuously improve and innovate your organization, you have to explore futures thinking which is about challenging or augmenting your vision.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Nikolas Badminton, a world-renowned futurist speaker and foresight thought leader who mentors leaders to create more connected, curious, and creative teams that embrace futures design to drive more profit and explosive growth. He has spent 30+ years working with leadership at over 300 leading organizations at the frontline of foresight, strategy, and disruption – including NASA, United Nations, Google, Microsoft, Intel, WM, United Way, Bayer, Bank of Canada, Rolls Royce, Procter & Gamble, IDEO, UK Home Office and many more.

Listen in to learn why you have to shift your mindset from what is to what if by practicing curiosity, courage, and creativity in your organization. You will also learn the importance of letting go of your biases to build trust and empower people to invest in their mental well-being.

Key Takeaways:

How to shift your mindset from what is to what if by practicing curiosity, courage, and creativity.
The importance of thinking beyond your lifetime and how you can create a better world for generations to come.
How to create a people-first organization by making sustainable and ethical decisions.
How to let go of your biases to build trust and empower your people.

Standout Quotes:

“We have to think way beyond our lifetime, and beyond the lifetime of our children, how we can create a better world today that’s going to still be here in hundreds of years.”- Nikolas [20:50]
“Anxiety and pressure are not fuel for creativity and business.”- Nikolas [32:39]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/NikolasBadminton

How to Create More Life-Work Integration

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 10:31:04 -0500

What does life-work integration look like for you? When it comes to life-work integration, there is no one-size-fits-all. If you want to achieve your version of success and feel fulfillment and well-being, you must create space for introspection to get clear on your vision and make more aligned choices.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I discuss what life-work integration means and where ambitious, high-performing leaders can get stuck. I also explain the importance of getting clear on your values, what matters most to you, and your boundaries to have an aligned life-work integration.

Listen in to learn how to redefine what success looks like for you to make it easier to develop behaviors, habits and actions that will lead to greater meaning, purpose and self-actualization.

Key Takeaways:

How to create the space for introspection that allows you to make more aligned choices.
How to recognize what is true for you and honor your “Yes” and “No”.
How getting clear on your boundaries will help you to make better decisions around life-work integration.
How to have daring conversations and ask for what you need as a way to have healthier boundaries.

⇢ Let's connect! I love hearing from my community. Learn more about my programs and services at www.kristenharcourt.com

A Fighter Pilot’s Lessons on Leading with Courage – Kim ”KC” Campbell

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 09:51:48 -0500

How do you take action and lead with courage in the middle of fear? When you’re scared of treading tough ground with your team, that’s when you should prepare and take action to set yourself up for success.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Kim Campbell, a retired Air Force Colonel who served in the Air Force for over 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism after successfully recovering her battle-damaged airplane after an intense close air support mission in Baghdad. She has experience leading complex organizations and driving cultural change. Kim is passionate about leadership and feels strongly that leaders earn trust by leading with courage and connecting with their team.

Listen in to learn the importance of taking a step back in a critical situation and realize that you do have what it takes. You will also learn how to create a high-trust environment where people feel safe to share feedback and connect with you as a leader.

Key Takeaways:

Get your “step up voice” louder by preparing for failure and practicing some visualization techniques.
How to be vulnerable and ask for support when needed to be the best leader you can be.
How to show your team the human side of you to connect and create trust between you.
The importance of taking a step back in a critical situation and realizing that you do have what it takes.

Standout Quotes:

“When we’re vulnerable, we create an environment of trust, and people are more willing to give feedback and point out a problem.”- Kim [20:35]
“In moments when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, it’s best to take that step back, take a deep breath, and realize that you do have what it takes.”- Kim [30:48]
“It is okay to be afraid, it is okay to be scared, but you have to put yourself in a position to now take action.”- Kim [40:37]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/KImCampbell

Emotional Intelligence: What it is and Why it Matters

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 10:42:48 -0500

How do you define emotional intelligence? We talk a lot about emotional intelligence but are you really clear on what it encompasses? Emotional intelligence is a set of emotional and social skills that influence how we perceive and express ourselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information effectively and meaningfully.

In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I define the different components of Emotional Intelligence and why it matters for you as a leader. I expand on why it is valuable for success in leadership but also for who you are in your personal life connecting with those around you.

Listen in to learn more about EQ competencies and how emotional intelligence impacts you and those you interact with.

Key Takeaways:

How to understand your emotions and have more meaning and purpose personally and professionally as a leader.
How to build meaningful relationships with those around you by tapping into empathy and social consciousness.
The tools to help you improve your impulse control and be a better problem-solver.
How to avoid chronic stress by adopting habits that allow you to work through stress more effectively.

Standout Quotes:

“Assertiveness is being direct but also being compassionate with the way you’re being direct.”– Kristen [4:55]
“As you develop and grow in emotional intelligence, it impacts all of you.”– Kristen [11:41]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/EQpodcast

How to Lead Like a Girl and Humanize the Workplace with Dalia Feldheim

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 09:17:15 -0500

What does it mean to lead like a girl? To invest in wellness and humanize the workplace? Creating a workplace with more purpose and joy is about leading from a positive place and giving your people the space to achieve a high level of energy and productivity.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Dalia Feldheim, a marketing executive, the author of Dare to Lead Like a Girl, and an adjunct professor at the Singapore Management University, where she teaches The Science of Happiness. She has led some of the world’s most iconic advertising campaigns for Procter & Gamble including: Always #LikeAGirl (2014 winner of 14 Cannes awards and Forbes 2020 10 Most Influential Campaigns of the Century). She is also an organizational psychologist running heart- centered leadership development programs for some of the world’s largest tech companies. She is a co-founder, in partnership with Dr. Tal Ben Shahar, of Uppiness.

Listen in to learn about Dalia’s five Ps of building holistic elements of leadership; purpose, perseverance, power up, people/relationships, and positivity. You will also learn about the importance of taking time from work to reflect on your ideas and find a balance.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of constantly building people resources in holistic elements.
How to find your purpose, bring it into your work, and link it to team and company purpose.
How to properly invest in wellness at work to achieve a high level of energy and productivity.
The importance of resting and taking time off to be more focused and reflect on ideas.
How to turn your pain into purpose by growing from where you were to where you want to go.

Standout Quotes:

“A good leader needs to be rotating between positive feminine and positive masculine traits.”- Dalia [6:11]
“It’s magic when we manage to connect personal purpose to team purpose to company purpose.”- Dalia [16:15]
“Courage is not the absence of fear; it’s about connecting to our superpowers and going ahead anyway.”- Dalia [47:44]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/DaliaFeldheim

The Winning Mindset for Leaders with Jason Lauritsen

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 12:02:16 -0500

Do you want to positively impact your people as a manager? It’s hard to be a good manager, and it takes work, but it also makes the job more meaningful and fun. To change how you show up and treat your people, you must be committed to setting your mindset correctly.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Jason Lauritsen, who is transforming management as a keynote speaker, trainer, and author. He liberates managers from outdated and inhumane practices, so they can cultivate human potential at work and improve people’s lives. His experience ranges from startup CEO to Fortune 1000 executive. He also spent several years leading the Best Places to Work program for an HR technology company, where he gained deep insight into some of the best workplaces in the world. He has authored two books; Unlocking High Performance and Social Gravity.

Listen in to learn how to shift from the production mindset construct to the relationship, conversation, and cultivation mindset as a manager. You will also learn the power of embracing your privilege and choosing to use it for the benefit of the underprivileged.

Key Takeaways:

How to improve our leadership by enhancing our ability to have conversations that matter.
How to shift from a production mindset to relationship, conversation, and cultivation mindsets as managers.
The importance of utilizing your privilege and voice to benefit the less privileged and marginalized people.
The power of owning your faults and being accountable for how you show up as a person and a leader.

Standout Quotes:

“At the heart of all of the issues that we have around leadership and management is the fundamental lack of relationship skills and specifically our inability to have the conversations that matter.”- Jason [9:22]
“Privilege in of itself isn’t a bad thing; it’s what you do with it.”-Jason [32:44]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JasonLauritsen

How To Apply Branding Principles to Transform Your Leadership with Keka DasGupta

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 13:51:28 -0500

Have you ever thought about the brand principles of your favorite brand and how you can apply them in your own life? Brands focus on doing a lot of deep work to find a brand purpose and connect with people. Borrowing brand principles from brands you love and applying them to your life will help you tap into your emotions and connect with who you are and other people.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Keka DasGupta, a Professional Speaker, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Trainer, Marketer, and Founder of the Art of Life-ing. Keka believes in moving people from helpless to helpful through a powerful, free currency called: Gratitude. As a 20-year award-winning PR/marketing veteran, Keka has dedicated her entire working life to studying the emotional undercurrents that connect people to people, and people to brands. She runs Gratitude workshops across North America for both students (with an anti-bullying focus) and corporate audiences (with a focus on building happy corporate cultures).

Listen in to learn the power of quiet leadership in transforming individual employees, workplaces, cultures, and brands holistically. You will also learn how to help your people believe in themselves unconditionally so they can bring out the best in themselves.

Key Takeaways:

How giving ourselves permission to be our own advocate changes everything in our lives.
The importance of allowing yourself to feel all the emotions and show up authentically.
The power of quiet leadership in transforming workplaces, cultures, and brands holistically.
How as a leader you can help your people believe in themselves unconditionally.

Standout Quotes:

‘If we start with ourselves and give ourselves permission to be our own advocate, it changes everything.”- Keka [7:40]
“Quiet leadership is not just for introverts and not just for extroverts; it is a way of being.”- Keka [29:07]
“The most successful CEOs are the ones who see potential in their people before those people even see it for themselves, and then they help them rise to that occasion.”- Keka [33:45]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/KekaDasGupta

Creating Safe Spaces at Work with Farnoosh Brock

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 11:30:30 -0500

What are you doing as a leader to create a safe space for your people? It is crucial in these times for leaders to create safe spaces where their people can bring forth their feedback and concerns without fear. This helps them unload and feel heard and understood, which is, in turn, rewarding to the organization.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Farnoosh Brock, a passionate keynote speaker, high-energy trainer, published author, and the founder of the Serving Mindset. Her mission is to bring the Serving Mindset to professionals and leaders, shifting from driving our interest agendas to serving powerfully in our ecosystem. She believes this shift is key to building our future workplaces and cultures and taking care of our highest asset – our people.

Listen in to learn the importance of centering the human element in the workplace for organizations to do right by their people. You will also learn the importance of working through your impostor syndrome to step into your power and own your expertise.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of the human element in the workplace for organizations to do right by their people.
How to bring empathy and compassion into difficult conversations to create safe spaces in the workplace.
How to build a feedback culture where people air their concerns and feel heard and understood.
How to work through your impostor syndrome to step into your power and own your expertise.

Standout Quotes:

“The more successful I became in my career, the less fulfilled I was becoming on the inside.”– Farnoosh [2:06]
“You can give some difficult feedback and still be compassionate; you separate the feedback from attacking the person.”– Farnoosh [19:00]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/FarnooshBrock

How to Develop Pragmatic Optimism as a Leader with Dr. Daniel Monehin

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 08:43:18 -0500

What type of leader are you when faced with a crisis? Are you an optimist, or pessimist, or do you personalize the crisis? How you show up in a time of crisis is a strong predictor of the quality of the leadership that you have.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Dr. Daniel Monehin, a leadership keynote speaker and adjunct professor. He uniquely combines real-world global leadership experience and rigorous empirical research. Dr. Daniel has had a 30-year career where he has held various leadership roles in diverse businesses, from start-ups to global businesses across wide-ranging industries.

Listen in to learn why you can never sidestep crisis response as a leader, plus how to develop the skill of pragmatic optimism. You will also learn the importance of taking a pause and asking questions to understand a crisis in your organization instead of being dismissive.

Key Takeaways:

The power of being compelling in your message as a leader to influence people.
How to take a pause and make your emotional side conscious to be able to lead with it.
Learn to ask questions and be informed before you dismiss a crisis as a leader.
How to harness goodwill from your people during a crisis by learning to externalize your feelings about it in a believable way.

Standout Quotes:

“In leadership development, if people don’t believe you, they’re not going to take your message.”- Dr. Daniel
“You cannot delegate crisis response as a leader, actually, crisis is nothing other than a test of leadership.”- Dr. Daniel [28:14]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/DrDanielMonehin

Building An Organizational Strategy for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Tara Robertson

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 08:37:46 -0500

How are you working towards connecting people in your organization as a leader? Do you have a working strategy in place on diversity, equity, and inclusion? For DEI to work in any organization, leaders must commit to a strategy aimed at connecting people and having them work together.

In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Tara Robertson, a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant and leadership coach. She analyzes qualitative and quantitative HR data to diagnose what companies’ biggest diversity and inclusion issues are and works with internal stakeholders to co-design interventions based on research best practices and experience about what actually moves the needle.

Listen in to learn the importance of having an organizational strategy on diversity, equity, and inclusion. You will also learn how to be mindful and fully present in the way you show up as a leader to yourself and others.

Key Takeaways:

The uncomfortable conversations we need to have to establish a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy.
How to engage your body, heart, and spirit to help you notice when things are not working out.
How to achieve mindfulness and be fully present for yourself and others around you.
Learn and take action to disrupt discriminatory behavior in yourself and others.

Standout Quotes:

“We need to collectively dream the future that we want.”- Tara [19:28]
“We need to engage our hearts, spirits, and bodies; our bodies give us messages when things are not okay.”- Tara [23:22]

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastTaraRobertson

Finding and Hiring Exceptional Talent with Lou Adler

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 09:47:28 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Lou Adler who's The Sherlock Holmes of Recruitment and CEO and Founder of The Adler Group. He has over 1.4 Million followers on Linkedin and is one of the top bloggers on LinkedIn’s Influencer program writing about the latest trends in hiring, employment, and recruiting.

Lou is the author of the Amazon top-10 best-seller, Hire With Your Head and The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired. He has been featured on Fox News and his articles and posts can be found on Inc. Magazine, BusinessInsider, Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal.

Lou realized that the hiring process was broken so he invented what’s now famously known as the ‘Performance-based Hiring' model. With over 40 years in the recruiting industry, Lou's company ‘The Adler Group’ has trained over 40,000 hiring managers and placed over 1500 executives for many of the fastest-growing companies with clients including Disney, General Dynamics and Paycom.

In this episode we discuss how to focus on performance objectives when hiring, clarifying expectations, improving interview skills, assessing emotional intelligence and the most important interview question of all time.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastLouAdler

The Value of a Progressive Workplace with Sudha Dwivedi

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 10:49:43 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Sudha Dwivedi, who’s the Chief Human Resources Officer at Teranet and is responsible for leading their global HR team.

She is a passionate champion of inclusion and diversity, ensuring Teranet is a progressive workplace where everyone has a seat at the table and that all voices are heard. Sudha specializes in creating large-scale employee engagement and development programs that bring Teranet’s culture of continuous learning to life throughout the employee’s tenure with the company. Sudha implements talent management strategies that drive the achievement of their business goals.

A native Montrealer, Sudha holds an MBA from Concordia University and a Bachelor’s degree from McGill. She is also a certified Leadership and Life Skills coach. Having lived with her husband and two sons in the Toronto area for more than 20 years, she will root for the Blue Jays and Raptors, yet remains a committed Habs fan.

In this episode we discuss how to support people bringing their whole selves to work, making values and culture the operating model, creating systemic change, advancing marginalized groups, taking a grassroots approach and embracing vulnerability.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/SudhaDwivedi

How to Successfully Change Careers with Angela Champ

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 08:52:22 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Angela Champ, who's the Head of HR at Alpine Building Maintenance and has worked in various senior level HR positions over the last 20 + years. She’s passionate about lifelong learning and inspiring others to achieve their best potential. She writes, blogs and speaks on a variety of leadership, professional development and personal growth topics.

Named as one of Canada’s top 20 HR leaders on the HRD Global 100 and on The Most Inclusive HR Influencer list, Angela is a popular and a frequent conference and keynote speaker. She is a member of the University of Calgary Human Resources Management Certificate Advisory Council, and has been a frequent guest lecturer at colleges and universities including Mount Royal University, University of the Fraser Valley, and St. Clair College.

Her newest book is called - The Squiggly Line Career: How Changing Professions Can Advance a Career in Unexpected Ways. Angela is an advocate of advancing women in the workforce, founding the ICBC Women's Network, which ran for 10 years, and is currently the President of Lean In Vancouver Network.

In this episode we discuss how to find a job that energizes you and is a fit for your strengths and talents, thinking beyond your job title, questions to help you get clarity on your dream job and how to demonstrate that you're coachable, learning agile and emotionally intelligent (and how companies can expand their talent pool).

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/AngelaChamp

How Connection Drives Results with Dr. Michelle K. Johnston

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:36:09 -0500

For this month’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Dr. Michelle K. Johnston, who's a management professor, executive coach, and leadership expert helping leaders achieve results through meaningful connection. She is an award-winning professor studying leadership and business communication, and her research has shown a clear link between a team’s effective communication and its positive financial performance.

Michelle is a celebrated keynote speaker presenting at conferences and events nationwide. She received her Ph.D in Communication from Louisiana State University, and she was named to the prestigious 100 Coaches group, which consists of the top executive coaches around the world.

Michelle serves as the Gaston Chair of Business at Loyola University New Orleans where she teaches in the graduate and undergraduate programs in the College of Business. She lives in her beloved city of New Orleans, Louisiana, with her daughter, Elizabeth. The Seismic Shift in Leadership is her first book.

In this episode we discuss how to lead with compassion, let go of the mask of perfection, share your story, retain top performers and create meaningful connection.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/DrMichelleKJohnston

Principles for Sustainable Success with Alan Stein Jr.

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:29:06 -0500

For this month's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Alan Stein, Jr. who's an experienced keynote speaker and author. At his core, he’s a performance coach with a passion for helping others change behaviors. He spent 15+ years working with the highest performing basketball players on the planet (including NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Kobe Bryant). Through his customized programs, he transfers his unique expertise to maximize both individual and organizational performance.

Alan is a dynamic storyteller who delivers practical, actionable lessons that can be implemented immediately. He teaches proven principles on how to utilize the same approaches in business that elite athletes use to perform at a world-class level. His previous clients include American Express, Pepsi, Sabra, Starbucks, Charles Schwab, Penn State Football, and many more. The strategies from Alan’s books, are implemented by both corporate and sports teams around the world.

In this episode we discuss how to effectively work through stress, stagnation and burnout, honoring your core values, why companies MUST train, develop and coach their workforce and how your emotions are designed to inform you, not direct you.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastAlanSteinJr

How To Thrive as a Highly Sensitive Person with Clare Kumar

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 09:36:09 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Clare Kumar, who's a Productivity catalyst and highly sensitive executive coach. Clare helps professionals achieve sustainable performance - improving productivity and well-being while avoiding exhaustion and burnout. She draws on a diverse corporate career that took her from Toronto to Tokyo and Montreal, with equal experience as an entrepreneur. She is a sought-after media contributor to news and lifestyle shows including the Huffington Post, Fast Company, the Globe and Mail, CBC, The Social, and the Marilyn Denis Show. Whether speaking to one person or thousands, Clare loves inspiring massive shifts by inviting you to pay attention to little things that make a big difference.

Clare has become one of Canada's most renowned organizing and productivity thought leaders offering insights, inspiration, strategies, and tools to support leaders, employees, and entrepreneurs have greater efficiency, effectiveness, and... enjoyment. Yes, Clare believes in having fun while getting things done! She welcomes all highly sensitive professionals as well as those who want to love and support them to find community in the Happy Space Pod.

In this episode we discuss what it looks like to be a highly sensitive person, why we need more rest areas in workplaces, how leaders can create more autonomy for their teams, why wellbeing and sustainability need to be cornerstones of productivity and the importance of white space in calendars.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/ClareKumar

Managing Up and Mastering Assertiveness with Kim Boudreau Smith

Mon, 30 May 2022 12:04:54 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Kim Boudreau Smith who's passionate about helping women find (and use!) their bold voices. A born entrepreneur with 25-years as a leader in Corporate America, Kim rocks at showing female entrepreneurs and high-performing professional women how to develop their speaking confidence, level up their presence, and increase their profitability. Kim’s raw, slightly rebellious, and always riveting speaking style makes her a go-to speaker for women’s business and professional conferences, associations, employee resource groups, and podcasts. Prior to launching her career as a professional speaker and speaking coach, Kim was the head of a radio station and for 25+ years ran a thriving fitness business. Kim is also the co-author of several Amazon bestselling books.

In this episode we discuss how to boldly own your voice, understanding imposter syndrome, asserting from a place of confidence and compassion, how to have more impactful conversations and improving your negotiation skills.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/KimBoudreauSmith

Mental Health and Wellness with Allan Kehler

Mon, 16 May 2022 09:36:04 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Allan Kehler, who's a mental health advocate, international keynote speaker, and best-selling author of four books. His writing has been published in countless national magazines and he has been featured on several television and radio programs. He has also instructed various mental health related courses at the college level, and spent years working as an addiction counselor and clinical case manager.

Allan is one of Canada’s most sought-after speakers when it comes to the topic of mental health and wellness. He has stood on more than 500 stages and is recognized for his engaging style and captivating approach. Having persevered through his own mental health issues and substance use, Allan speaks from a place of experience. His moving stories tug on heartstrings, inspire a new perspective, and allow people to connect with themselves and others at a deeper level. He uses humor and compassion to create a safe space where people feel seen, heard and supported.

In this episode we discuss why vulnerability shows immense strength, how to surrender to the things you can't control, why expressing feelings leads to healing, the difference between existing and living and tapping into your resilience.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/AllanKehler

Amplifying Your Authentic Leadership with Roxanne Derhodge

Mon, 02 May 2022 09:29:33 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Roxanne Derhodge, who's a registered psychotherapist, corporate consultant, keynote speaker, coach, trainer and author. With over 20 years’ experience, she works with senior leadership to enhance their resilience and assists companies with their corporate mental health strategies. She has presented at national conferences to companies and associations on mental health and wellness. A BIPOC leader, Roxanne is an Amazon best-selling author. Her new book, “ROR – Return on Relationships: Amplify Your Authentic Leadership to Create More Resilient Teams“ is due to be released in May 2022. The book has strategies for authentic leaders to enhance leadership awareness and functionalities in order to create teams with more resilience.

In this episode we discuss how to understand and change core patterns that are no longer serving you, becoming more objective when receiving constructive feedback, getting more attuned to your body's physical intelligence and how to lead from your heart and embrace a more authentic leadership style.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/RoxanneDerhodge

How to Become a Human-Centered Leader with Sarah Noll Wilson

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 12:34:13 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Sarah Noll Wilson who's on a mission to help leaders build and rebuild teams. Her goal is to empower leaders to understand and honor the beautiful complexity of the humans they serve. Through her work as an Executive Coach, in-demand Keynote Speaker, Researcher, and Author, Sarah helps leaders close the gap between what they intend to do and the actual impact they make. Sarah creates a safe, honest environment, preparing people to deal with real-world conflict, have more meaningful conversations, and create purposeful relationships. Working with CEOs, Human Resources leaders, and organizations that care deeply about their employees and understand the connection between employee development, employee satisfaction and organizational success, Sarah specializes in transforming relationships from good to great.

In this episode we discuss how to create more space for vulnerable discussions at work, the difference between consciously and re-actively avoiding, what gets in the way of psychological safety, the ROI for deeply caring and empathetic workplaces and getting more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/SarahNollWilson

The Origin Story Behind Your Superpowers with Corey Blake

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 09:04:11 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with with Corey Blake who began his storytelling career as an actor, starring in one of the 50 greatest Superbowl ads of all time. In 2006, Corey created Round Table Companies (RTC), which serves CEOs, thought leaders, and organizations in helping them to unpack and share their authentic story through books, film & video, and art installations.

I changed things up in this episode and instead of having Corey "talk" about the art of storytelling I had him unearth part of my story LIVE on the podcast and he gives step by step instructions as we go so you can join in and do the exercise with us. This was a beautiful and moving experience that allowed me to show up with a lot of vulnerability and model it for all of you. It also gave me a chance to lean into my intention for 2022 which is embracing #CourageOverComfort. In this episode we also discuss how to unpack the origin story behind your unique gifts and talents, why storytelling is the most profound way to elevate trust with others and how to create the psychological safety necessary for exploring our stories.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastCoreyBlake

Elevating Your Confidence, Courage & Career with Rachel Druckenmiller

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 07:56:56 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Rachel Druckenmiller who's on a mission to humanize the workplace by igniting resilience, connection, engagement and compassion in organizations, leaders and teams. Recognized by Forbes as a Next1000 honoree in 2021, the #1 Health Promotion Professional in the U.S. by the Wellness Council of America in 2015, a 40 Under 40 Game Changer in 2019, and one of The Daily Record’s Leading Women of 2020, Rachel is a national thought leader in the field of employee engagement and wellbeing.

In this episode we discuss why you’re blind to your own dysfunction, unapologetically asking for what you need, illuminating toxic leadership behaviors and working through the pain and discomfort that comes with transformation.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/RachelDruckenmiller

From Diversity and Inclusion to Belonging with Asif Sadiq

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 09:08:17 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Asif Sadiq, who's the Senior Vice President at WarnerMedia for Equity and Inclusion, International, he was previously the Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at adidas and has a long and rich career in the diversity and inclusion space with senior executive roles at The Telegraph Media Group, EY Financial Services and the City of London Police. He is a board member for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and a member of the board of advisors for Hedley May. Over his 20-year career he has worked in Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa and Asia.

In this episode we discuss how to implement a more effective diversity and inclusion strategy, listening openly without being attached to preconceived judgments, why human-centric leadership is the future of work and how to manage imposter syndrome.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/AsifSadiq

Accelerating Your Leadership Growth with Rasie Bamigbade

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 11:48:04 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Rasie Bamigbade who's a leadership coach, bestselling author and speaker. She helps business and corporate leaders lead their teams more effectively through self leadership at RB Jumpstart Coaching. Rasie was born and raised in Sierra Leone, lived in The Gambia and moved to Canada at a young age for a better future. She has over 14 years of leadership experience working at Starbucks, McDonalds, HMShost and ISSofBC. Her new bestselling book is called, Lead in Your Truth.

In this episode we discuss why self-leadership is so important and how it impacts your success as a leader, speaking up and sharing your accomplishments, bringing your whole self to work and how to process emotions more effectively.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/RasieBamigbade

The Power of Introverts with Richard Newman

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 12:38:51 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Richard Newman, who's an award-winning expert in Leadership Communication, Storytelling and Influence, working in advanced communication since 1995. Richard specializes in showing leaders how to speak with greater impact and influence. He is regularly featured on BBC London Radio and is the author of the best selling book ‘You were Born to Speak’. Richard founded Body Talk in 2000 and began working with a well-known Formula 1 team. His team at Body Talk have now worked with over 100,000 clients from 46 countries around the world.

In this episode we discuss how Richard went from being an introverted, shy, high-functioning autistic, to teaching advanced communication skills to global business leaders, the one secret that shifts your influence in every situation, actionable ways to be a more effective storyteller and how to convince 42% more people, using small changes in every meeting.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/RichardNewmanPodcast

Transformational Change and High Performance with Michael K. Sahota

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 10:43:01 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Michael K. Sahota, who's a Thought Leader, Author, Trainer and Speaker in the Agile Industry. Michael is the founder and CEO of SHIFT314 Inc: a next-generation conscious training & consulting firm that specializes in Culture, Organizational Evolution and Evolutionary Leadership. His life’s work is a system to enable evolutionary capabilities in people and organizations, creating high performance through Business Agility. Michael's latest book “Leading Beyond Change'' is a practical guide on “How To” lead evolutionary change and unlock the success of your organization.

In this episode we discuss how to create a high-performance organization, moving from servant leadership to evolutionary leadership, the truth about company culture and why your brain is designed to keep you from learning and how to break out of it.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/MichaelKSahota

Women’s Leadership and Gender Equity with Areva Martin

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 09:39:06 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Areva Martin, who's one of America's leading voices in the media. An award-winning attorney, advocate, legal and social issues commentator, talk show host, and producer, she is a CNN/HLN legal analyst, former co-host of The Doctors and Face the Truth, and a regular contributor on Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, and Dr. Phil. A Harvard Law School graduate, Areva founded Martin & Martin, LLP, a Los Angeles–based civil rights firm, and is the CEO of Butterflly Health, Inc., a mental health technology company. A best-selling author, Areva has dedicated her fourth book, Awakening: Ladies, Leadership, and the Lies We’ve Been Told, to helping women worldwide recognize, own, and assert their limitless power.

In this episode we discuss the five lies told by society that have held women back for years, how our system actively works against women to keep them “the inferior sex", why small-scale strategies to enact change ultimately fail and simple tips to help men become powerful partners, rather than passive allies, in creating a more equitable world.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastArevaMartin

Kickstarting a Culture Revolution with S. Chris Edmonds & Mark S. Babbitt

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 10:36:56 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with S. Chris Edmonds & Mark S. Babbitt.

S. Chris Edmonds is a speaker, author, and executive consultant who helps senior leaders create and sustain purposeful, positive, productive work cultures. After leading successful teams for 15 years, Edmonds started his company, The Purposeful Culture Group, in 1990. Over the years, he has worked for clients in industries including automotive, banking and financial services, government, hospitality, insurance, manufacturing, non-profit, retail, sales, pharmaceutical, software, and technology and has been named a “Top 100 Leadership Speaker” by Inc. Magazine.

Mark S. Babbitt is the President of WorqIQ, a consultancy focused on improving leadership and developing Workplace Intelligence (WQ), and is also the Founder and CEO of YouTern, a community focused on helping young careerists get their first or next internship or job. A recovering Silicon Valley engineer, he has worked with many high-tech clients and start-ups and consulted with many healthcare and non-profit organizations. Babbitt has been named a “Top 100 Leadership Speaker” by Inc. Magazine and has contributed to Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Forbes, and more.

For decades, businesses have exhausted billions of dollars attempting to enhance company culture. They spend countless hours developing strategies to increase employee engagement, decrease burnout, increase retention, and improve productivity. And yet, most workplaces still suck. Good Comes First provides the insight and direction needed to make change happen for people who want to kickstart a culture revolution within their organization and see immediate and lasting change.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/GoodComesFirst

The Most Powerful Mindset for Success with Leslie Ehm

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 11:18:04 -0500

Why are some people magnetic, confident, comfortable in their skin, and in charge of their destinies? What’s their secret? In a word: Swagger

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Leslie Ehm, who's a former TV host and advertising Creative Director turned training guru. She’s spent decades travelling the globe with her award-winning company Combustion, working with executives and teams from top organizations like Google, Disney, Pepsico, Lenovo TD Bank, FBC, Uber, and so many more. She’s turned technologists into creative forces, bankers into storytellers, and has brought a serious dose of badass-ness to boardrooms everywhere.

Fueled by her unrelenting passion for developing human potential, Leslie is now a Swagger Coach, speaker, and the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Amazon #1 bestselling Author of Swagger – Unleash Everything You Are and Become Everything You Want. She’s also a passionate amateur boxer and fighter for good.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastLeslieEhm

Positive Psychology and Mental Resilience with Dr. Shahab Anari

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 11:02:42 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Dr. Shahab Anari who helps audiences flourish and build high performance habits with his positive-psychology-based methodology. He's also the co-founder of North Star Success Inc, a world-class personal branding agency that helps business professionals build their brand, grow their business, and make more impact. He regularly speaks on topics of high performance and personal branding where he has shared the stage with legendary speakers such as Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield, and Robert Kiyosaki. He's also the best-selling author of multiple books that have been widely read worldwide. In 2020, he was named a Top 25 Canadian Immigrant.

In this episode we discuss how to be totally engaged in a task without being attached to the outcome, developing a stronger relationship with your intuition, working through short-term discomfort in service of long-term prosperity and how to build positive psychology habits.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/DrShahabAnari

How to Speak with More Ease and Confidence | Alexia Vernon

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 10:13:14 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Alexia Vernon, who's the Founder and President of Step into Your Moxie – a WBE and DOBE that shows business leaders, and the coaches and consultants who support them, how to find their voice and master using it.

Dubbed a “Moxie Maven” by President Obama’s White House Office of Public Engagement for her unique and effective approach to communication development, Alexia is a sought-after advisor to executives, corporate teams, and fellow entrepreneurs who want to speak with an unshakeable presence, sell their ideas, navigate daring conversations, advance their thought leadership, and elevate marginalized voices. Since winning the Miss Junior America competition, Alexia has delivered transformational communication programs for Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, nonprofits, government and educational institutions, professional associations, and the United Nations. She has contributed to media such as CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, Inc.com, European Business Review, and Women’s Health Magazine.

Alexia is the author of multiple books including Step into Your Moxie: Amplify Your Voice, Visibility, and Influence in the World. Alexia is also the creator of the Step into Your Moxie® Certification Program and The Legacy Fund which provides grants to early-stage female and non-binary entrepreneurs and nonprofit founders.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/AlexiaVernonPodcast

How Mindfulness Can Change Your Life with Ofosu Jones-Quartey

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 09:54:40 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Ofosu Jones-Quartey, who's a meditation coach and musician from the Washington DC area. He has been teaching mindfulness and meditation to young people and adults since 2004. He is currently the male voice on the Balance meditation app and he teaches meditation and mindfulness classes and retreats around the country. Ofosu has taught and led retreats at the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, The Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, Brooklyn Zen Center, Cleveland Insight and more.

Ofosu is also an accomplished hip hop and electronic musician, he recently released an album this year called “In This Moment”. His children’s book “You Are Enough” is currently available on Amazon.

His philosophy is that everyone is deserving of their own love and compassion. All of the work he does in the world is meant to support this idea. Ofosu currently lives in Rockville, Maryland with his wife and their four children.

“Meditation is a form of self care that can help us learn to be more kind to ourselves and to others.“

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/OfosuJonesQuartey

Creating a Values-Driven Culture with MaryBeth Hyland

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 08:35:27 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with MaryBeth Hyland. As the Founder and Chief Visionary of SparkVision, MaryBeth knows that extraordinary success is rooted in the vision, values, and culture crafted by purpose-driven leaders and their tribe. With over 12 years of experience, built on knowledge from a BA in Social Work and MS in Nonprofit Management, she’s known for her ability to create movements across generations.

She does that with the understanding that we all have a deep desire to know and return to our most authentic selves – at work, home and within. As a certified mediator, mindfulness instructor, and values expert she engages audiences and teams all over the world with her authentic style of facilitation, coaching and empowerment.

Her recent awards include, “Circle of Excellence”, “Innovator of the Year”, “Top 100 Women”, “Civic Engagement Leader” and “Leading Women”. Her personal life’s mission is to create spaces where voices are heard, stories are released, and purpose is ignited.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/MaryBethHyland

From Top Model To Top Ultra Runner - Michele Graglia

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 14:45:38 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Michele Graglia. Michele left Italy for Miami in 2007 to expand the family business. Caught in a thunderstorm, he ducked into a Johnny Rockets, got scouted by a renowned agent, and walked out a professional model.

An elite modeling career brought expensive cars, penthouses, parties, and celebrities, but his accidental “American Dream” was never his own.

Feeling the emptiness of a shallow, dark lifestyle, Michele set out for adventure and fulfillment, finding it in the unlikeliest place—a book about ultramarathon running.

Within a few short years, his passion and dedication for ultrarunning placed him among the top endurance athletes in the world. Running hundreds of miles in the extremes of the frozen Yukon and the scorching heat of Death Valley, he pushed his body and mind beyond every limit imaginable. His new book, Ultra is not about winning. It’s not about running. It’s a means to return to nature and a journey to find your purpose, giving your all on the quest for your best self.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/MicheleGraglia

Bringing a More Human Approach to Business with Mark LeBusque

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 09:48:25 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Mark LeBusque, who’s universally known as the “Human Manager” and his proven techniques for elevating leaders and energizing employees make him an internationally sought after speaker, facilitator, mentor and coach. His books BEING HUMAN and the little book of HUMAN have challenged the way Managers and Organizations view the value of the 100- year old Management system and has sparked a more Human approach across the globe.

He has an innate ability to both speak and seek the truth, provoke humans to step into their own reality and skillfully combines practicality and simplicity with textbook theory.

Mark is Harvard Business School Trained and an accredited Practitioner in Adaptive Leadership and Instincts at Work. With experience across a wide range of areas from the floor to the boardroom in operations, customer service, sales, human resources, general management and education he believes that starting with Human Being creates better Human Doing, and Humannovation drives Innovation.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/MarkLeBusque

Preventing Burnout in Human Resources with Julie Turney

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 09:43:42 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Julie Turney who's a People Experience professional with over 15 years in the Human Resources (HR) profession. Her experience spans various companies from startups to Fortune 500’s, where she has worked in cross-functional teams to support purposeful work and meaningful cultures.

Julie is the Founder and CEO of HR@Heart Consulting Inc., a company birthed out of her second bout of HR burnout which caused her to make a conscious decision to heal and help others in her profession to do the same. Her firm focuses on coaching HR professionals to build their resilience agility and find their HR voice.

Julie is the Lead Organizer of DisruptHR Caribbean, a chapter of DisruptHR LLC based in the US. Disrupt is a speaker event series designed to impact the future of work. She is also the author of the book: Confessions of an HR Pro: Stories of Defeat & Triumph.

In this episode we discuss what prevents HR from getting support and asking for help, recognizing that you are more than your job, becoming an Impact Architect by igniting positive change in the workplace and how to advocate for yourself with more confidence.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JulieTurney

Transforming Leaders From the Inside Out

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 10:59:21 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I changed things up and instead of bringing on a guest, I was interviewed by my dear friend Pam Ross. I created this podcast to have meaningful conversations with CEOs, HR professionals and leadership experts from around the globe and I wanted to give you a chance to get to know me on a deeper level and why this work means so much.

We talked about what it means to raise consciousness both individually and collectively, how to cultivate more self-awareness and lead with head and heart, why the people who trigger you the most are your best teachers, how I coped when my husband was diagnosed with cancer and MUCH more.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/KristenHarcourt

Becoming a More Intentional Leader with Tony Martignetti

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 11:41:58 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Tony Martignetti, who's a trusted advisor, entrepreneur, idea generator, and people connector. He brings together practical experience, formal training, and extreme curiosity, to elevate leaders and equip them with the tools to navigate through change and unlock their true potential.

He loves guiding people to find clarity in their lives so they are energized, fully present, and unstoppable. When leaders unlock their potential and lead from a place of inspired purpose, they impact and inspire everyone around them. He has dedicated himself to helping people live an inspired life.

Before becoming a leadership development advisor, he was a finance and strategy executive with experience working with some of the world's leading life sciences companies. Along his journey, he also managed small businesses and ran a financial consulting company. Tony is the host of The Virtual Campfire podcast and the author of "Climbing the Right Mountain: Navigating the Journey to An Inspired Life."

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/TonyMartignettiPodcast

The Art of Caring Leadership with Heather R. Younger

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 10:10:50 -0500

Today I'm taking a moment to pause and celebrate the 50th episode of Inspirational Leadership! Thank you for being a loyal listener and for investing your time and energy to learn and grow as a leader!

This week I spoke with Heather R. Younger, who's an experienced keynote speaker, two-time author, and the CEO and Founder of Employee Fanatix, a leading employee engagement, leadership development, and DEI consulting firm, where she is on a mission to help leaders understand the power they possess to ensure people feel valued at work.

Heather’s personal Why emerged as she sought to find meaning from her difficult experience growing up in the 1970s. As the only child of an interfaith and interracial marriage, both Heather and her Black father were shunned and excluded by extended family because of the color of their skin. While the sting of exclusion left Heather with a lot of questions growing up, it also led her to develop a high level of resilience and a deeply inspired commitment to advocate for anyone who has ever felt devalued.

Today, she credits her capacity to navigate complex social dynamics and discuss identity in the workplace to those early experiences, and is dedicated to creating opportunities for organizational leaders, teams, and individuals to learn strategies for reframing adversity while empowering leaders to change their workplaces for the better.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/HeatherRYounger

How to Build Healthy Relationships with Dr Andrea and Jonathan Taylor-Cummings

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 09:10:21 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Dr Andrea and Jonathan Taylor-Cummings who are the founders of 4 Habits Consulting and Soulmates Academy Foundation. They equip people to build healthy relationships at work AND home, so they can be more resilient, more connected and more productive.

As City professionals and entrepreneurs themselves, they have first-hand experience of the inevitable relationship challenges of high-stress careers and the pressures of living and working together 24/7. Andrea and Jon are recognized authorities on the subjects of relationships and marriage, with numerous public speaking engagements, TV and Radio appearances. Their TEDx talk on 'The 4 Habits of ALL Successful Relationships’ continues to resonate very strongly with 2 million views to date and they recently published their book of the same title. They have been married for 28 years and live in the UK with their two teenage children.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/DrAndreaJonathanTaylorCummings

Unleashing the Potential of Women with Morna Haist

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 10:24:19 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Morna Haist, the CEO and Founder of Revolutionary Woman™ Global.

Morna is a global leader in designing and holding spaces for transformation and has created hundreds of transformational learning events for thousands of diverse groups of female leaders and entrepreneurs around the world. She designs powerful spaces and learning journeys that cut through the noise so women can tune into their highest purpose, fully SHOW UP, take effective, courageous and SANE action and make the difference in the world we need now.

As a pioneer in 21st Century Entrepreneurship and Leadership, Morna has learned to thrive working at the edge of what’s possible. As a serial entrepreneur and businesswoman, she has co-created multiple innovative startups and experiments in personal and social change in diverse contexts. In her own two decade transformation practice she has spoken, mentored and consulted around the world with leaders, businesses and organizations pioneering the next frontier.

Morna served as the vice-chair of the ALIA Institute, was Founding Chair of Ako Books, and chair of the former Authentic Leadership Center at Naropa University. Morna is a graduate of the ALIA Institute global leadership program, Naropa University’s Authentic Leadership program, a certified NLP Master Practitioner and MBIT (multiple brains) Coach.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/MornaHaist

The Impact of Leadership on Organizational Performance with Jeremy Laurin

Mon, 31 May 2021 09:20:04 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Jeremy Laurin, the Senior Vice President, External Relations and Business Development at Loyalist College.

Jeremy joined Loyalist College in May 2020 and is responsible for Marketing, Communications, Recruitment, Workforce Development, Applied Research, Career Services, Work Integrated Learning, Continuing Education and the College’s Foundation.

Previously he was the Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships at the Ontario Centres of Excellence, now the Ontario Centre of Innovation. There Jeremy led an experienced team of Business Development Managers to all corners of the province to find out what’s needed by industry and explore the halls and labs of academia for the latest innovations breakthroughs. Jeremy and his team helped commercialize innovations, transfer technologies and develop promising talent to grow the Ontario economy. Prior to OCE, Jeremy was the founding President and CEO of ventureLAB, an innovation hub for Central Ontario and the northern GTA that reaches more than 1.8 million Ontarians.

An entrepreneur at heart, Jeremy founded his first of three technology firms in 1997. Under his guidance, all three were born global. Jeremy’s responsibilities included opening offices in China, Europe, Japan, Korea, and the United States.

Jeremy is a featured TEDx Speaker on how his life as an entrepreneur has made an impact on people and communities, and an Adjunct Professor in York University’s Faculty of Health.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/JeremyLaurin

Conscious Leadership with Phyllis Reid-Jarvis

Mon, 17 May 2021 08:36:07 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Phyllis Reid-Jarvis, MPH, PCC, who's the Founder at Ultimate Potentials, a work-life flow business consultancy. With expertise in organizational psychometric assessments, personal and executive coaching, customized conscious leadership, diversity and inclusion training, Phyllis and her team exist to support organizations and individuals achieve their work and life goals; one employee and one family at a time.

Phyllis is a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF), International Coach Academy (ICA), and the American Society for Talent Development (ASTD), The Canadian Mental Health Commission, the Caribbean Women in Information Communication (CWIC) and CANTO. She is also a member of the Board of Governors on the Province of Manitoba's only polytechnic, Red River College.

She is the author of several books and programs. Her most current are: Pathways to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program for organizations, Essential Coaching Skills for Organizations, Strategies for Working Remotely, Managing a 21st Century Workforce and Pathways for Sustaining Healthy Families and Organizations.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/PhyllisReidJarvis

Find Your Inner Genius with Play featuring Jeff Harry

Mon, 03 May 2021 09:55:27 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Jeff Harry. Jeff shows individuals and companies how to tap into their true selves, to feel their happiest and most fulfilled — all by playing. Jeff has worked with Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, the NFL, Amazon, and Facebook, helping their staff to infuse more play into the day-to-day.

Jeff is an international speaker who has presented at conferences such as INBOUND, SXSW, and Australia’s Pausefest, showing audiences how major issues in the workplace can be solved using play. Jeff was selected by BambooHR & Engagedly as one of the Top 100 HR Influencers of 2020 for his organizational development work around dealing with toxic people in the workplace. His play work has most recently been featured in the Upworthy, Mashable, Shondaland, and the NY Times. He has also been featured on AJ+, SoulPancake, the SF Chronicle, and CNN.

While we spend most of our time pretending to be important, serious grownups, it's when we let go of that facade and just play, that the real magic happens. Fully embracing your own nerdy genius — whatever that is — gives you the power to make a difference and change lives. Jeff believes that we already have many of the answers we seek, and by simply unleashing our inner child, we can find our purpose and, in turn, help to create a better world.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/PodcastJeffHarry

The Success-Energy Equation with Michelle Cederberg

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 10:54:13 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Michelle Cederberg. For over 17 years she has captivated audiences across North America with her empowering and humorous messages about how to set worthwhile goals, get energized for success, and live a bigger life.

An in-demand speaker (both virtually and in-person), author, coach and consultant, she believes that personal and professional success is directly influenced by how well we harness the physical, mental and emotional capacity we each have within us. She helps people boost that capacity, so they gain clarity, build confidence, and get the discipline to create the life and career they want.

She holds a Masters in Kinesiology, a BA in Psychology, a specialization in Health and Exercise Psychology, is a Certified Exercise Physiologist, a Certified Professional Co-Active Life Coach, and an ORSC-Trained Team Coach. She truly combines mind, body and practicality to empower change. Michelle is the author of three books. Her new book The Success-Energy Equation, debuted as a bestseller in October 2020.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/MichelleCederberg

If You‘re Not Uncomfortable, You‘re Not Leading with Dr. Melanie Peacock

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 09:25:55 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Dr. Melanie Peacock, who has over 30 years of experience as a Human Resource Management professional, is an Associate Professor at Mount Royal University, past president of the Faculty Association and runs her own boutique firm, Double M Training & Consulting.

Melanie is a published author of various best-selling HR books including The HR Professional’s Guide to Change Management and Understanding Human Resources Management, 1st Canadian Edition. As well, Melanie is an active and sought-after local and national media commentator, having done over 150 interviews in the past few years. Melanie was presented with HRD’s 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award in the HR Industry at the Canadian HR Awards. As well, in 2021 and 2020 she was named to HRD magazine’s list of the top 100 HR global professionals and was acknowledged in HRD magazine’s 2017 Hotlist as one of the top 30, most influential HR practitioners in Canada.

Melanie obtained her Bachelor of Commerce degree (with distinction) at the University of Alberta, her MBA from Western University and her PhD from the University of Calgary.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/DrMelaniePeacock

Being a Consciously Inclusive Leader with Dr. Steve Yacovelli

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 08:54:14 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Dr. Steve Yacovelli (a.k.a. “The Gay Leadership Dude”) who is the Owner & Principal of TopDog Learning Group, LLC, a leadership, change management, and diversity and inclusion consulting firm based in Orlando, Florida, USA but with affiliates (“TopDoggers”) throughout the globe.

Steve and TopDog provide guidance and solutions in leadership and organizational development, change management, diversity and inclusion consulting, instructional design, and custom e-learning creation. Whether it be through providing keynotes and facilitating leadership development programs for Fortune 500 companies like The Walt Disney Company, Bayer AG, or accenture, to providing one-on-one coaching experiences for groups like IBM, Covestro, and The Public Library Association, or creating engaging, effective training solutions for various delivery formats for folks like Tupperware Brands Corporation, The Ohio State University, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Steve is passionate about helping others be their best selves, in and out of the workplace.

Steve holds a B.S. in Public Relations from Millersville University of Pennsylvania, an M.A. in Educational Policy & Leadership Development from The Ohio State University, and an Ed.D. in Instructional Technology & Distance Education from Nova Southeastern University. His current, award-winning and critically acclaimed book, “Pride Leadership: Strategies for LGBTQ+ Professionals to be the King or Queen of their Jungle” “came out” in June 2019.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/DrSteveYacovelli

Connecting Human-to-Human at Work with Sonya Law

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 09:55:41 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Sonya Law. Sonya is the Founder of SL Human Resources Consulting. She received her Human Resources Degree from Deakin University and completed her Teaching Degree with Monash University and recently obtained her MBA, providing opportunities to work and study abroad in Europe and Asia.

Sonya has recruited thousands of people and has a talent for getting the right people on the bus in the right seats. She has created positive, inclusive workplace cultures in Telecommunications, Government, Pharmaceutical, Water Utilities, FMCG and more recently Mining and Construction for Sullair (Hitachi Group Company) where she achieved an innovation award in 2020 for solving society's problems for social connectedness during the pandemic. In 2020 Sonya started her own business to spread her wings and pursue her passion for consulting. She now helps companies develop their human resources, achieve cultural and strategic alignment and high performing organizations.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/SonyaLaw

Own Your Company Culture with Bretton Putter

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:27:07 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Bretton Putter. Bretton is an expert in company culture development who is consulted by companies and leaders worldwide to help design, develop and build high-performing cultures. He is the CEO of CultureGene, a culture leadership software and services platform. Prior to founding CultureGene, Bretton spent 16 years as the Managing Partner of a leading executive search firm based in London working with startups and high-growth companies in the UK, Europe and USA.

Bretton has written two books on the subject of company culture. Culture Decks Decoded was published in 2018 and Own Your Culture: How to Define, Embed and Manage your Company Culture was published in September 2020. He also writes a popular blog on culture-driven companies and is a sought-after speaker.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/PodcastBrettonPutter

Increasing LGBTQ Inclusion at Work with Elena Joy Thurston

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 11:08:58 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Elena Joy Thurston. Elena is an inspirational LGBTQ speaker, trainer, and founder of the nonprofit Pride and Joy Foundation - which is dedicated to reducing the rate of suicide and homelessness in the LGBTQ community. A Mormon mom of four who lost her marriage, her church, and her community when she came out as a lesbian, Elena’s viral TEDx talk on surviving conversion therapy has been viewed 40,000+ times and landed her media and speaking opportunities with ABC, CBS, FOX, Boston’s First Event, Seacoast Wellness Series, and THRIVE.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/PodcastElenaJoyThurston

Transforming Hearts and Minds with John Baldino

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:13:24 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with John Baldino. With 29 years of human resources and leadership development experience, John’s passion for setting contributors and companies up for success is still going strong. John is a keynote for US and International Conferences where he shares content and thoughts on leadership, collaboration, and innovation, employee success, organizational design, and development as well as inclusion and diversity. John is, also, the proud dad of three amazing young adults.

John founded Humareso to strategize with companies to develop plans to manage talent, recruit for skills gaps based on employee inventories, assess markets for growth, develop long-range succession plans and influence a culture of enthusiastic buy-in.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JohnBaldino

The New Golden Rule with Emily Golden

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 07:37:58 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Emily Golden. Emily is a master certified coach who specializes in executive leadership and career coaching. She has seventeen years of corporate human resources experience; practical experience from more than 2,500 hours of coaching; and a deep understanding of the human mind, spirit, and potential. Her clients range from seasoned executives, to emerging leaders, to career changers who utilize her support to close the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

Emily's ontological approach allows individuals to clarify their goals, shift beliefs and habits, take risks, execute brilliance, and make quantum leaps rather than incremental improvements. Her patience and brilliance allow others to discover ah-ha moments that enable what once seemed impossible. As a result, her clients emerge as leaders who bring value, impact, and connection to their professional and personal lives.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/EmilyGolden

Healthy Conflict at Work with Liz Kislik

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 12:28:03 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Liz Kislik. For 30 years as a management consultant, executive coach, and facilitator, Liz has helped clients such as American Express, Orvis, The Girl Scouts, Comcast, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Highlights for Children solve their thorniest problems while strengthening their top and bottom lines. Her specialty is developing high performing leaders and workforces.

She is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Entrepreneur, a TEDx speaker on Why There’s So Much Conflict at Work and What You Can Do to Fix It, and has served as adjunct faculty at Hofstra University and New York University. She has also written for the European Financial Review and the Forward.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/LizKislikPodcast

Embracing Discomfort with Elizabeth Charles

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 14:05:08 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Elizabeth Charles, the Senior Director of People & Culture at CNIB. Elizabeth is an Educator, Writer and HR Executive who is completing her doctoral studies in Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE at UofT). For over 20 years, Elizabeth has coached executive teams within Higher Education and in the private and not-for-profit sectors and is the Founder of EHC Solutions, a company that specializes in building inclusive leadership through innovation, transformation and education.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/ElizabethCharles

Leading at a Higher Level with Ron Carucci

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 09:54:16 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Ron Carucci, the Owner and Managing Partner of Navalent. Ron has a thirty-year track record helping executives tackle challenges of strategy, organization, and leadership — from start-ups to Fortune 100s, non-profits to heads-of-state, turn-arounds to new markets and strategies, overhauling leadership and culture to re-designing for growth.

With experience in more than 25 countries on 4 continents, he helps organizations articulate strategies that lead to accelerated growth, and then designs programs to execute those strategies. The best-selling author of eight books, including the recent Amazon #1 Rising to Power, Ron is a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, where Navalent’s work on leadership was named one of 2016’s management ideas that mattered most. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes, and a two-time TEDx speaker.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/RonCarucciPodcast

Addressing Systemic Inequities with Sheliza Jamal

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 11:38:36 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Sheliza Jamal, who is the founder of Curated Leadership, a coaching firm that fosters partnerships with leadership teams, nonprofits, and corporations to develop their knowledge in the areas of equity and diversity to build inclusive communities. As an Equity and Inclusion facilitator and Ontario certified educator, Sheliza brings over a decade of experience in designing and implementing training and development programs aimed at addressing inequitable outcomes for underserved communities. She has a background in arts education and often uses theatre-based techniques to develop embodied empathy to engage participants in dialogue about oppression. Sheliza uses a calling in approach to bring people together to listen and learn with empathy.

Sheliza is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and is currently completing her PhD at OISE, University of Toronto in the Department of Social Justice Education with a research focus on anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism in Teacher Education Programs.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/ShelizaJamal

Developing a Leadership Mindset with David Taylor-Klaus

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 09:48:23 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with David Taylor-Klaus. David is a speaker, author, and leadership coach on a mission to unearth and unleash the personal mastery of entrepreneurs and senior executives. Since 2008, DTK has empowered his tribe to take an active, intentional, and dynamic role in their development and create the kind of life-work rhythm enabling them to build profitable businesses, raise thriving families, and live wildly fulfilling lives. He's also the author of the best-selling new book “Mindset Mondays with DTK: 52 Ways to REWIRE Your Thinking and Transform Your Life".

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/DavidTaylorKlaus

Social Justice in the Workplace with Dr. Sarah Saska

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 09:18:58 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Dr. Sarah Saska, the Co-Founder and CEO of Feminuity. Feminuity is a global strategy firm that partners with leading technology startups through to Fortune 500 companies to build diverse teams, develop equitable systems, and design inclusive products and company cultures.

Prior to co-founding Feminuity, Saska led pioneering doctoral research at the intersection of diversity, inclusion, and innovation. Her research highlighted the need for companies, namely those in the technology and innovation sector, to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into the core of their business. Sarah has twice been named amongst the Women’s Executive Network’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada and on Culture Amp’s list of “21 Diversity and Inclusion Leaders You Should Know.” She speaks internationally, is a TEDx speaker, and has been featured on CBC’s The National, as well as in Fast Company and The New York Times.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/DrSarahSaska

Understanding Unconscious Bias with Tina Varughese

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 08:23:30 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Tina Varughese. Named one of Canada’s 10 Notable Speakers by Ignite Magazine, audiences describe Tina as ‘dynamic, highly energetic, relevant and hilarious’. She consistently rates as the ‘the best speaker of the conference’. Her interactive approach is insightful yet practical and her delivery is highly entertaining.

Tina is an Indo-Canadian daughter of first generation East Indian parents, which allows her to find ‘the best of both worlds’ and shed light, knowledge and most importantly universal humour into the intercultural workplace. For fifteen years Tina, worked with immigrants in her roles with the Province of Alberta’s immigration office as well as running her own successful relocation and settlement firm.

Tina is a contributing writer for the Human Resource Institute of Alberta’s Network magazine, Calgary Real Estate News, Home to Home magazine and was profiled in Alberta’s Venture Magazine. Tina has been the face of diversity, literally, when she was chosen to be in Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty representing beauty in diversity.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/TinaVarughesePodcast

Leadership Starts with a Deep Understanding of Self with Eric Dillon

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 07:11:10 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I had the pleasure of speaking with Eric Dillon, the CEO of Conexus Credit Union. Eric is a leader within the cooperative finance movement in Canada and has worked extensively to shape the credit union business model. He’s a serial innovator having been involved in some of the credit union systems recent innovations such as mobile payments, social impact financing and measuring financial wellness. Eric has been recognized nationally and internationally for his work in social media, innovation and leadership and was most recently a recipient of the 2019 Governor General of Canada Innovation Award.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/EricDillon

Why HR Needs to Own Their Value with Laura Mazzullo

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 08:40:11 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Laura Mazzullo. Laura is the Founder and Owner of East Side Staffing, a boutique Recruitment Firm specializing in the placement of experienced HR professionals. East Side Staffing’s values are Kindness, Curiosity and Humility. Laura is led by those values and is committed to, and passionate about, talent acquisition by consistently creating new ways to innovate and partner with her HR network. Laura has developed a successful career in recruitment and brings an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for building relationships.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/LauraMazzullo

Everyday Legacy with Codi Shewan

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 10:57:39 -0500

For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I had a powerful discussion with Codi Shewan, the President and Founder of EverLearn Associates.

“A legacy is something you live, not what you leave behind.”

An unconventional statement that beautifully articulates Codi Shewan’s perspective on life. If you asked him to sum up what Everyday Legacy is in a sentence, he’d say that it’s about knowing what’s important in your life and making choices about who you show up as in the world, right now.

Having spent two decades working in the death-care profession, in 2014, Codi leapt from an executive position in corporate funeral services to the entrepreneurial world. As a consultant and speaker, he’s on a mission to redefine legacy. He’s boldly determined to enlighten people that a legacy is not something you leave but something you personify, each day of your life – and you can realize the power of your own positive influence while you’re still here.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/EverydayLegacy

From Surviving to Thriving with Janine Dennis

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 10:54:11 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Janine Dennis, the Owner/Chief Innovations Officer for Talent Think Innovations, LLC, a business strategy and management consulting firm. Her career spans over fifteen years in HR, Talent Acquisition, and Talent Management that has taken her through the world of pharmaceuticals, K-12 education, technology, private equity, healthcare, staffing, and R&D. Janine is a dynamic speaker, entrepreneur, and an important and respected voice bringing both a human touch and business savvy to the companies and businesses she works with.

Janine doesn’t just preach innovation-she lives it. A globally-known figure in Human Resources and Business, she is a contributor for HRD Connect and Ultimate Software. Janine is a rare professional who isn’t afraid to tackle the obstacles and issues facing us as a society and global marketplace. She has been quoted by HBR, Thrive Global, Bustle, The Cut, Atlanta BlackStar, Newsday, SHRM, USA Today and has been featured by Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Black Enterprise, and Ebony Magazines. In 2013, Janine was also named one of the Top 100 Most Social Human Resources Experts on Twitter by Huffington Post and one of 50+ Unstoppable Women in HR Tech by Clear Company. Additionally, she was a part of the first-ever IBM + Purematter VIP Futurist Project.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JanineDennis

A Better Way to Develop and Retain Top Talent with Dave Hutchinson

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 09:25:42 -0500

For this week's Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Dave Hutchinson, the President of Cause Leadership Inc. Since entering the recruitment field in 1997, Dave has successfully placed senior-level candidates with a broad spectrum of organizations in the charitable sector. He builds relationships with a long-term view for the advantage of clients and candidates alike and is sought out as a source of information for those interested in a career in the sector. His involvement in the not for profit sector manifests itself in his personal and professional life. With over a decade of experience in board governance roles, he continues to serve as a volunteer board member in the sector. He is also a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (Greater Toronto Chapter).

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/RethinkingTalentManagement

Employee First Leadership with Alysha M. Campbell

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 09:07:13 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Alysha M. Campbell. Alysha is an accomplished and respected Strategic HR Leader with a decade of experience that encompasses all facets of Human Resource Management. From executing successful multi-million dollar workforce recruitment and optimization projects to spearheading employee culture initiatives, Alysha has truly seen and done it all in the HR space. Her passion for the industry has led her to start her own HR Consultancy and Strategy agency - CultureShift HR.

As Founder of CultureShift HR, Alysha uses her business acumen to help companies utilize and engage their best talent while creating purposeful work environments that help businesses grow and thrive. Within Alysha’s business practices, she encourages companies to embrace the “Employee First” philosophy that focuses on shifting the culture dynamics and encouraging recognition of positive results and behaviours. Ultimately this leads to greater employee engagement, customer service and recurring revenue allowing clients to stay competitive in their respective industry and labour market.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/AlyshaMCampbell

The Emotionally Intelligent Leader with Jamelle Lindo

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 12:20:53 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Jamelle Lindo. Jamelle is an emotional intelligence leadership coach, trainer and speaker with over 11 years of diverse learning and development experience. He has worked with thousands of professionals across Canada to help them ‘level-up’ through the practical application of emotional intelligence and mindfulness-based strategies.

Jamelle is certified in EQ-i 2.0 - the world’s leading assessment tool for measuring emotional intelligence - and he uses this to establish a scientifically valid benchmark to begin a leader’s development journey. He has published several thought leadership pieces on Forbes.com and is an official member of the Forbes Coaches Council, an invite-only organization for successful business coaches. Jamelle is driven to empower leaders to become their best selves and in so doing, achieve the kind of business success that makes the world a better place.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/JamelleLindo

How to Make Work Awesome with Pam Ross

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 11:23:54 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Pam Ross. After more than a dozen years in HR and training leadership roles, Pam quit the corporate world with a mission to improve people’s lives by making work awesome.

As a speaker, Pam shares facts, personal stories and examples of how cutting edge leaders and organizations are pushing the boundaries on how work is managed. Pam’s contagious enthusiasm and focus on action leaves audiences ready to make positive change.

Her company, Blue Rebel Works, provides leadership and culture development for growing organizations who want to humanize work. Participants in Blue Rebel workshops leave inspired to try something new, to achieve their potential, and to make a positive impact on those around them. Their programs have a proven track record for increasing trust, communication and team effectiveness.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/MakeWorkAwesome

Leadership that Matters with Drew Dudley

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 09:34:44 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Drew Dudley. Called one of the most inspirational TED speakers in the world, Drew is on a mission to help people unlearn some dangerous lessons about leadership.

As the founder and chief catalyst of Day One Leadership, he has helped top organizations around the world increase their leadership capacity. His clients have included McDonald’s, American Express, JP Morgan Chase, the United Way, and more than 100 colleges and universities.

Prior to this, Drew spent eight years as the director of one of Canada’s largest leadership development programs at the University of Toronto. Drew is also the bestselling author of This is Day One: A Practical Guide to Leadership That Matters. It debuted at #6 on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list. As a speaker, Drew has delivered keynotes to more than 250,000 people across five continents. His TED talk “Everyday Leadership (The Lollipop Moment)” was voted “one of the 15 most inspirational TED talks of all time”.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/06/30/leadership-that-matters-with-drew-dudley/

The Importance of Empathy in Leadership with Alain Hunkins

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 11:24:11 -0500

"Leadership is not about a job title, power or control, it's about a relationship forged on connection"

► For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Alain Hunkins. Alain is a sought-after leadership speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. His recent book, CRACKING THE LEADERSHIP CODE: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders launched as the #1 Bestselling New Release in Business Communication on Amazon. Over his twenty-year career, Alain has led over 2,000 groups in 25 countries. Clients include Wal-Mart, Pfizer, Citigroup, General Electric, State Farm Insurance, IBM, General Motors, and Microsoft. Alain has designed and facilitated seminars on numerous leadership topics, including teambuilding, conflict management, communication, peak performance, innovation, engagement, and change. Alain also serves on the faculty of Duke Corporate Education and has published over 400 articles on leadership.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/06/16/the-importance-of-empathy-in-leadership-with-alain-hunkins/

Challenging the Status Quo at Work with Jane Watson

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 12:31:11 -0500

How do we improve remote work, foster organizations built on participatory leadership and prevent sexual harassment?

► For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Jane Watson. Jane is the Senior Director, People Partners at Klick, Founder of the Aperta Project, and a Master's candidate in Concordia's Human Systems Intervention program. Over the last 15 years, she's worked with companies in the private, public, and non-profit sectors, including regional and national leadership roles in Human Resources, and a role on the executive leadership team of an innovative, fully remote tech start-up. She writes about organizations, culture, and the changing nature of work at TalentVanguard.com

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/06/02/challenging-the-status-quo-at-work-with-jane-watson/

Embracing Your Rebel Soul with Shelley Paxton

Mon, 18 May 2020 11:19:21 -0500

How do you become the Chief Soul Officer of your life?

► For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Shelley Paxton. Shelley has been seen in PBS, Forbes, CBS, CW, and Thrive Global, she is an author, international speaker, & transformational coach. She can best be summed up as a burnout fighter and fire re-igniter who is rebelling for rewriting the traditional script of success starting with her new book, SOULBBATICAL: A Corporate Rebel's Guide To Finding Your Best Life.

Shelley spent 26 years as a highly regarded marketing and advertising executive, stewarding some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Harley-Davidson, Visa, McDonald’s, and AOL and walked away from it all to launch her own company, Soulbbatical and become the Chief Soul Officer of her own life. Her mission is to liberate the souls of leaders and organizations by inspiring them to realize their greatest purpose and potential.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/05/19/embracing-your-rebel-soul-with-shelley-paxton/

Increasing Your Emotional Resilience with Karlyn Percil

Mon, 04 May 2020 09:13:13 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Karlyn Percil. Karlyn is a Certified Emotional Intelligence and Neuro-Life Coach with a particular focus on Diversity, Inclusion, Workplace Wellness and Belonging. She is the CEO of of KDPM Consulting Group INC and the Founder of The SisterTalk Group Leadership and Wellness Academy. Karlyn is a former bank executive, who has dedicated her career to helping companies identify problem areas, known as "Elephant Stories," that may interfere with an organization’s inclusion and human optimization goals.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/05/05/increasing-your-emotional-resilience-with-karlyn-percil/

How to Be a Great Boss with Peter Economy

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 10:05:35 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Peter Economy. Peter is the bestselling author of Managing for Dummies (more than 600,000 copies sold globally) and is The Leadership Guy at INC.COM who averages more than 500,000 page views a month for his more than 1,500 columns published to date. He routinely works with C-level executives, executive coaches, and business consultants worldwide. His new book, Wait I’m the Boss?!? - The Essential Guide for New Managers to Succeed from Day One is a go-to guide for anyone in their first management position, those who are aspiring to lead an organization or the experienced leader who is looking to brush up on their skills.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/04/21/how-to-be-a-great-boss-with-peter-economy/

Inclusive Leadership During Times of Uncertainty with Brittany J. Harris

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:45:20 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Brittany J. Harris, the Vice President of Learning & Innovation at The Winters Group, Inc. In her role, Brittany is responsible for curating and facilitating learning experiences that shift perspectives, change hearts, and empower action in service of equity, justice, and inclusion. Brittany supports non-profit and for-profit organizations in designing high-impact learning and education programs that focus on competency building around diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural competence and “meeting people where they are” in their journey.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/04/07/inclusive-leadership-during-times-of-uncertainty-with-brittany-j-harris/

Whole-Person Focused Leadership with Jennifer Gillivan

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:14:50 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Jennifer Gillivan, the President and CEO of the IWK Foundation. The Foundation is the primary fundraising and outreach partner of the IWK Health Centre, which provides critical and specialized care to women, children, youth and families throughout the Maritimes. Jennifer is a very passionate supporter and public speaker on the rights of Women and Children in our society.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/03/24/whole-person-focused-leadership-with-jennifer-gillivan/

Championing Humanity in the Global Workplace with Sesil Pir

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 10:56:35 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Sesil Pir. Sesil serves as an active HR Functional Thought Leader, Founder and Principal Consultant of SESIL PIR Consulting GmbH, a boutique management consultancy, focusing on changing the status quo of work, and Founder of Whirling Chief, a global digital collaboration & learning platform, championing humanity into the global workplace.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/03/10/championing-humanity-in-the-global-workplace-with-sesil-pir/

Stop Trusting Your Gut with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 08:55:27 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky. Known as the Disaster Avoidance Expert, Gleb is on a mission to protect leaders from dangerous judgment errors known as cognitive biases by developing the most effective decision-making strategies. He has over two decades of consulting, coaching, and training experience as CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, and over 15 years of experience in academia as a cognitive neuroscientist and behavioral economist.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/02/27/stop-trusting-your-gut-with-dr-gleb-tsipursky/

Brave Leadership with Kimberly Davis

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 08:40:01 -0500

For this week’s episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Kimberly Davis. Kimberly is an expert on authentic leadership who shares her inspirational message of personal power, responsibility, and impact with organizations across the country and teaches leadership programs world-wide.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/02/11/brave-leadership-with-kimberly-davis/

Believership with Mike Vacanti

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 12:02:40 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Mike Vacanti who is a consultant, speaker, founder of the HumansFirst Club and the author of Believership. It was a powerful conversation.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/01/30/believership-with-mike-vacanti/

Staying Positive in Adversity with Orlando Bowen

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 12:06:53 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Orlando Bowen who is a Motivational Speaker, Executive Director of One Voice One Team and a former professional football player. Orlando’s mission is to inspire people to be GameChangers in the lives of others.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2020/01/16/staying-positive-in-adversity-with-orlando-bowen/

Bringing the Human Skills to Leadership with Mark C. Crowley

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 09:07:26 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I had the privilege of speaking with Mark C. Crowley. Mark is the author of “Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st Century,” and his mission is to fundamentally change how we lead people in workplaces around the globe.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2019/12/05/bringing-the-human-skills-to-leadership-with-mark-c-crowley/

Leadership is a Work in Progress with Heather Younger

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 08:45:40 -0500

For this week’s episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Heather Younger who is the Founder & CEO of Customer Fanatix. Heather is a best-selling author, international TEDx speaker on adversity, podcast host on leadership, facilitator and coach. She has earned the reputation as “The Employee Whisperer” because of her laser-focused clarity into what makes employees of organizations and companies – large and small – tick.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2019/11/21/leadership-is-a-work-in-progress-with-heather-younger/

Creating a Kick-Ass Culture with Tony Gareri

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 08:47:23 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with Tony Gareri, the CEO of Roma Moulding, a picture frame manufacturer that remains world-renowned for its iconic design, commitment to craftsmanship and unparalleled customer experiences. Upon being named CEO in March 2011, Tony laid the foundations for a culture shift that would profoundly reframe the way Roma Moulding would do business.Tony’s mission is simple: To help companies build happy winning teams!

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2019/11/06/creating-a-kick-ass-culture-with-tony-gareri/

The Best Leaders Are Always Learning with Liz Elting

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 07:40:37 -0500

For this week's episode of Inspirational Leadership I spoke with the lovely Liz Elting. Liz is the Founder and CEO of the Elizabeth Elting Foundation, is a New York-based philanthropist and businesswoman, recognized for her outstanding entrepreneurship and focus on developing women business leaders.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2019/10/10/the-best-leaders-are-always-learning-liz-elting/

Purpose-Driven Leadership with Steve Browne

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 07:50:23 -0500

For this week’s episode of Inspirational Leadership I had a lively discussion with Steve Browne, the Vice-President of Human Resources at LaRosa’s, Inc. – a regional pizzeria restaurant chain in Southwest Ohio with 13 locations and over 1,200 team members.

⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://kristenharcourt.com/2019/09/30/purpose-driven-leadership-steve-browne-vp-of-hr-at-larosas/