Unpacked with Ron Harvey

On this episode of Unpacked with Ron Harvey, behavioral scientist and serial entrepreneur Curtis Sprouse joins Ron for a candid conversation about why most leadership development fails and what it actually takes to build teams that perform without burning out. Drawing on a behavioral data set of more than 4,500 people and decades inside the biopharma, device, and healthcare industries, Curtis unpa...

When disaster strikes, what separates the leaders who rise from the ones who freeze? In this episode of Unpacked with Ron Harvey, crisis management expert Keith Erwood draws on decades on the front lines of emergencies, from his years as a New York City EMT to advising organizations on business continuity and disaster recovery. Keith makes a sharp case that the plan itself is never the real test o...

What does it really take to build a business that outlasts you? In this episode of Unpacked with Ron Harvey, host Ron Harvey sits down with Ty Givens, MBA, a customer experience consultant, operator, and founder with 26 years in the CX space. Ty pulls the curtain back on the unglamorous realities of entrepreneurship and the mindset shifts that kept her in the game when quitting felt like the easie...

We break down why the first 90 days in a new executive role matter more than most leaders expect, and how earned authority is built through visible, consistent behavior. We share practical ways to start strong, win trust fast, and avoid misreading the moment when everyone is watching.  • why getting the right leader hired is only half the battle  • using intentionality to set tone and expectations...

We break down why leadership is the real growth engine in business and why results only scale when trust does too. Chip Higgins shares a momentum model for small business owners and the people-first habits that keep culture strong under pressure. • Chip’s path from banking to small business coaching and consulting • Business momentum as mass times velocity and how leaders influence both • The lead...

In this episode of Unpacked with Ron Harvey, host Ron Harvey sits down with Stephanie Vera, Supplier Development and Engagement Operational Lead at BMW Manufacturing, to talk about the leadership it takes to build something authentic from the ground up. Stephanie owns the concept, approvals, and execution of the BMW Supplier Exchange, and she pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to bring...

In Episode 177 of Unpacked with Ron Harvey, host Ron Harvey of Global Core Strategies and Consulting sits down with David Fung — executive coach, founder of Coach Full Coaching, and 23-year veteran of the tech industry, including a leadership tenure at Salesforce. Based in Toronto, Canada, David now works with executives and teams navigating major transitions and chaos, helping them find clarity w...

We talk with Hanna Hasl-Kelchner about why fairness at work is a leadership issue that shapes trust, health, and performance. We break down the hidden “unwritten rules” that drag down engagement and share practical ways leaders can build a fairer culture without treating work like a transaction.  • fairness as a social contract that drives results  • why power shifts can make good leaders less cur...

In this episode of Unpacked with Ron Harvey, Ron sits down with Sebastian Page, money manager, marathon runner, and author of The Psychology of Leadership , for a candid conversation about what actually separates good leaders from great ones. After 25 years in finance and after publishing scientific research in quantitative finance, Sebastian turned his attention to a different kind of question: w...

What does it take to walk away from a stable, high-paying career and bet everything on yourself? In this episode of Unpacked, host Ron Harvey sits down with Giuseppe Grammatico, franchise consultant, author, and host of the Franchise Freedom podcast, to unpack the real story behind leaving Wall Street to become a business owner. Just three days after launching his first business, Giuseppe found ou...

What if the reason your strategy keeps failing has nothing to do with the strategy itself? On this episode of Unpacked with Ron Harvey, Ron sits down with Brooke Dukes, CEO and founder of BMB Consulting, international bestselling author, and a leader with over 24 years of experience in behavioral science, neuroscience, and human design. Brooke has worked with billion-dollar companies, fortune 500...

We sit down with entrepreneur and speaker Ken Miller to talk about identity, truth, and the hard work of rebuilding a life after addiction, incarceration, and years of being stuck. We unpack what leadership really requires when you are scaling a business, earning trust, and trying to stay resilient in public and in private.  • Ken’s background from foster care to Ivy League to incarceration and en...

Ron Harvey sits down with Kenneth Givens II, Senior Project Manager at Miller Valentine Construction and published author, for a candid conversation about the leadership habits that separate good managers from truly great ones. Kenneth shares the moment he realized he was building robots instead of leaders — and the mindset shift that changed everything. Key topics and takeaways from this episode:...

In this episode of Unpacked with Ron Harvey , Ron sits down with George Pesansky, author of Super Performance and president of My Blended Learning, a consulting firm he's led for 17 years. George brings a rare blend of military service, corporate leadership, and entrepreneurship to a conversation that challenges everything most organizations believe about performance, feedback, and growth. He...

We sit down with Kimberely D. Brown to talk about the kind of leadership that’s forged through high standards, hard pivots, and showing up with character. She shares how self-awareness, trust, and relationships shape her path from banking and affordable housing to CDFI lending and community impact. • tough leaders with high expectations shaping long-term excellence  • learning yourself through 20s...

Natasha Kehimkar, CEO and founder of Malida Advisors, joins Ron Harvey to challenge common leadership assumptions and share what actually moves organizations forward. In this episode: The 5-year plan myth: The real strategic horizon has always been 18–24 months — organizations just never fully committed to five years. Vision and mission provide stability; strategy must stay nimble. Leaders are fre...

Ron Harvey explores people-first leadership with advisor and entrepreneur Diana Barbiani, tracing her journey from Croatia to San Diego and the lessons that shaped her approach to business, trust, and community. She shares why relationships—not tools—fuel team performance and customer loyalty, and offers practical guidance for founders: leveraging SBDCs, anticipating business phases, hiring for va...

In this episode of Unpacked with Ron Harvey, Ron sits down with Bency Beals, founder of Ignite Leadership Solutions, for an honest and energizing conversation about what it truly means to lead — starting with yourself. Bency breaks down why self-awareness is the foundation of every leadership role, whether you're in corporate America, running your own business, or serving your community. They...

We talk with Brad about shifting from command and control to caring, values‑driven leadership that scales through relationships, mentors, and clear expectations. From cloud migrations and crisis drills to vendor turnarounds and weekly check‑ins, the tools are simple and the results are durable. • career path from Accenture partner to higher‑ed CIO • relationships and mentoring as the engine of cha...

We explore how integrity, empathy, and accountability turn promotions into real leadership. Jim shares his six pillars, the nightly question that keeps him honest, and tactics that earn trust at work and at home. • moving from contributor to leader without a roadmap • why integrity is non negotiable and how to live it • direct truth paired with compassion in feedback • authoritarian past versus co...

We explore why teams stall when they judge new ideas through old failures and how leaders turn resistance into ownership with role clarity, questions, and communication. We share practical ways to scale beyond hero culture, use AI for insight, and lead through ambiguity without losing the team. • naming the trap of forward-looking through the past • reframing change vs transition to lower friction...

We explore how leadership is a disposition, not a position, and show practical ways to build trust, empower teams, and use AI without losing judgment. Ash shares tools for developing new leaders, designing inclusive meetings, and growing through small daily risks. • redefining leadership beyond titles and org charts • everyday habits for trust through clean agreements • empowering with curiosity o...

We explore how leadership lives beyond titles and why stoic principles like amor fati help convert setbacks into action. Becky shares practical tools to build trust, define integrity, and value process over short-term wins while keeping communication clear and useful. • Leadership as a lifestyle not a title • Difference between authority, power and leadership • Amor fati as action under pressure •...

We explore how character and competence turn titles into true leadership, why trust is built on observable behaviors, and how humility accelerates growth across five generations at work. Todd Davis shares practical ways to measure integrity, make feedback safe, and lead for results without clinging to old rules. • leadership as a choice grounded in character and competence • four cores of credibil...

We explore how AI can shift leaders from reacting to burnout to preventing it, using clear data that makes coaching measurable and culture more humane. Oli Johnson shares a candid burnout story, then breaks down practical tools that help leaders protect performance. • AI’s impact on preventative health and performance  • The real cost of burnout to teams and the bottom line  • Early warning signs...