The People Dividend Podcast

In this week's episode, host Mike Horne talks with Dr. Rebecca Homkes about how leaders and organizations can better adapt to ongoing volatility. She emphasizes the importance of redefining how we view uncertainty, shifting from reactive to proactive strategies, and building resilience through continual learning and flexible planning.   Key Points: Embracing uncertainty as a permanent state helps...

In this week's episode of The People Dividend, host Mike Horne sits down with Andy Fried, CEO of Virtual Inc, to explore the core principles of effective leadership communication and how intention and clarity drive organizational performance. Andy shares practical frameworks and real-world insights on how leaders can improve their communication to engage teams and align efforts.   Key Points: The...

In this episode of The People Dividend, Mike Horne speaks with Anya Cheng, former product leader at Target, Meta, eBay, and McDonald's, and founder/CEO of Tailor AI. They explore why execution gets harder as organizations scale, how clarity breaks down in large companies, and why leaders often confuse data, metrics, and alignment with true decision-making.   Key Points: Execution becomes harder as...

In this episode, Mike Horne hosts Daniel Doerksen to explore why leadership advice often doesn't translate into organizational performance. They discuss the psychological and cultural barriers to effective leadership, the importance of self-awareness, and practical strategies for closing the gap between knowing and doing to drive sustainable success.   Key Points: Knowing what to do is not enough;...

In this week's episode, host Mike Horne sits down with Monique Kelley to explore how modern career success is shaped by relationships, trust, and intentional networking. They discuss why authentic connection-building can open doors that credentials alone may not. The conversation also highlights practical ways to strengthen your network in a hybrid and AI-influenced workplace.   Key Points: Opport...

In this episode, host Mike Horne talks with Fleet Maull, founder of the HeartMind Institute, who shares insights on how leaders can harness radical responsibility and self-regulation to excel under stress. Discover practical tools to improve decision-making, reduce drama, and lead with clarity and compassion. Key Points: Leaders must regulate their nervous systems to respond effectively under pres...

In this week's episode, host Mike Horne sits down with returning guest Marilee Adams to explore how the quality of questions leaders ask can transform thinking, relationships, and organizational culture. The discussion delves into practical insights from her book Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, revealing the mental models, mindsets, and strategies leaders need for greater influence and in...

In this episode, host Mike Horne talks with sales leader and leadership coach John Donnelly about the true drivers of performance in organizations. They explore how mindset, grit, clear vision, and intentional leadership foster execution and resilience through market shifts and personal challenges—culminating in actionable tips for immediate impact.   Key Points: Mindset and grit play crucial role...

In this week's episode, host Mike Horne sits down with Founder & CEO of Miller Advisory Partners, Jason Miller, to explore how organizational success hinges not on strategy alone, but on effective execution. Jason shares practical insights, system designs, and leadership behaviors that drive consistent performance and sustainable results. Key Points: Many organizations mistakenly believe they have...

In this week's episode, host Mike Horne explores how leaders can thrive amidst rapid change, ambiguity, and emotional turbulence. He emphasizes the importance of "calm authority"—a leadership style grounded in judgment, steadiness, and humanity—to create environments where people can perform their best despite uncertainty.   Key Points: Leadership is shifting from a focus on activity to a focus on...

In this week's episode, we're revisiting the inaugural episode of Season 10 of People Dividend Podcast as well as the 100th episode of the show, Episode 100: 2026 Trends Unlocking the People Dividend in Leadership and Culture. The topics discussed by host Mike Horne such as the critical role of people in driving growth, innovation, and success are still extremely relevant as we approach the end of...

This week, we're revisiting Episode 91: From Struggle to Strength: Lessons in Leadership with leadership development expert Therese Miclot. Host Mike Horne sat down with Therese to uncover what it really takes to lead with authenticity in today's fast-changing world.   Their discussions on how today's most effective leaders navigate self-doubt, embrace empathy, and develop the emotional intelligen...

In this week's episode of The People Dividend podcast, we're revisiting Episode 93: Lessons from the Congo Basin: Transforming Leadership with Maria Brinck. Leadership is often discussed in terms of tools and techniques, but this conversation reminds us that perspective matters just as much. Maria shares lessons from her work and travels that challenge conventional leadership thinking, exploring t...

In this week's episode, we're revisiting Episode 86: Feeling Unfulfilled at Work? Here's What to Do with career coach Michelle Schafer. This conversation remains as relevant as ever. We often think fulfillment is a personal issue, but it is also shaped by the organizations we work in. Leadership, culture, growth opportunities, and purpose all play a role in how fulfilled we feel at work. Whether y...

In this episode, host Mike Horne reflects on recurring themes that shape effective leadership and organizational performance. Drawing from conversations with diverse industry leaders, he highlights critical insights on organizational drift, the importance of trust, and managing growth in complex environments, emphasizing practical takeaways for leaders aiming to foster resilient, high-performing t...

In this episode, host Mike Horne talks with returning guest Norm Jones, CEO of Integrated Diversity, about how organizations can move beyond surface-level diversity metrics to create truly inclusive cultures that drive performance and sustainability. Discover actionable strategies to embed DEI into core business processes and decision-making.   Key Points: Organizations often misunderstand diversi...

In this episode, host Mike Horne talks with leadership expert Liane Davey about how organizations can overcome common team dysfunctions such as conflict avoidance, misalignment, and the impact of thought load on performance. Discover practical strategies for fostering healthy conflict, clear decision-making, and achieving true alignment within teams.   Key Points: Most organizational issues stem f...

In this episode, host Mike Horne is joined by psychologist and human behavior expert Pete Sacco to explore how understanding behavior unlocks organizational performance. They dive into the importance of self-awareness, emotional regulation, and aligning culture with authentic actions to foster a thriving workplace.   Key Points: Control perceptions significantly shape leadership and organizational...

In this episode, host Mike Horne talks with Curtis Sprouse, founder and CEO of Eureka Connect, who shares insights on building high-performance teams, leadership development, and the social skills necessary for organizational success. Discover practical strategies and the importance of wellness in leadership effectiveness.   Key Points: Curtis explains the difference between high functioning and h...

In this episode, host Mike Horne talks with John Ulsh, who shares his remarkable story of recovery and resilience after a tragic car accident with only a 3% survival chance. His journey from near-death to becoming a leadership coach and keynote speaker offers profound lessons on discipline, perseverance, and mental toughness.   Key Points: John Ulsh details the devastating 2007 car accident and it...

In this week's episode, host Mike Horne welcomes culture strategist Greg Hawks to explore the transformative power of ownership in the workplace. They discuss how the metaphor of house ownership applies to organizational culture, introducing the archetypes of owners, renters, and vandals. Greg shares insights on how mindset shifts can enhance employee engagement and productivity. The episode also...

In this week's episode, host Mike Horne sits down with Kelly McGinnis, CEO of Incredible Family, to explore how embracing true work-life integration can transform organizational performance and employee retention. Kelly shares practical insights on supporting working parents and fostering trust within teams.   Key Points: Working parents are constantly forced to make decisions that significantly i...

In this week's episode, host Mike Horne sits down with Louisa Loran to explore the realities of leadership within complex organizations. Louisa highlights the importance of adaptive behaviors such as envisioning, expanding, steering, and embodying. She shares practical strategies for leaders to effectively navigate organizational complexity, foster collective intelligence, and drive meaningful cha...

In this episode, host Mike Horne sits down with executive coach Chris March to explore what really distinguishes effective leaders today. They delve into the myths of executive presence, the importance of continuous learning, and practical strategies for removing decision bottlenecks. Whether you're a seasoned leader or aspiring to move into executive roles, this conversation provides valuable ins...

In this episode, host Mike Horne sits down with Miles Spencer, founder of Reflekt AI, to explore how AI technology is transforming personal memories, intergenerational storytelling, and human connection. They discuss the ethical considerations, emotional impact, and future possibilities of digital memories and AI companionship.   Key Points: AI can recreate conversations and memories of loved ones...