Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

What would happen if everyone in an organization adopted a collaborative approach to working together? Lloyd Fickett has facilitated such transformations scores of times over the past 20+ years with a set of 5 practices he created called The Collaborative Way. In this powerful conversation, Lloyd explains each one and describes the benefits that individuals, teams, and entire companies experience...

Do the words “Compassion” and “Accountability” seem like opposites to you? My guest Dr. Nate Regier views them as such an important pairing that his new book, Compassionate Accountability: How Leaders Build Connection and Get Results , as well as his work with clients, focus on addressing them together. In this interview we discuss the three elements that bring these words together. Be ready to ta...

Description How do you help people feel valued in a huge organization like Amazon? Omar Halabieh shares what he does on an ongoing basis to connect with his team members and help them understand the contribution they’re making. You’ll enjoy Omar’s enthusiasm as he describes his commitment to being a true servant leader to others.     Omar is Director of Technology at Amazon Payment Services. In th...

Do you consider yourself a nonlinear thinker…or do you know someone who is? Perry Knoppert, aka Dr. Octopus, shares important insights that all of us need to hear in order to better understand these individuals. They are often seen as “curious misfits,” and many of their talents are overlooked in the workplace.   This is a must-listen episode for everyone. We have all been guilty of judging or eve...

The Command & Control approach to leadership is obsolete, and there’s a powerful replacement for it: Trust & Inspire. Steven M. R. Covey is passionate about helping leaders adopt this far more effective way of leading others, and he brought this enthusiasm to our conversation. You will be inspired as he describes all the benefits of a leadership model that’s focused on helping people grow...

As a college freshman, Marcus Engel was blinded and nearly killed after being struck by a drunk driver. Through hundreds of hours of reconstructive surgery, months of rehab, and adapting to a completely new world, Marcus remained committed to his goals: return to college and recapture life.  Marcus accepted and embraced the challenge. The life lessons he learned on this unexpected journey are now...

What if Human Resources served as a critical business partner, where the team functioned as a revenue center? Amy Dufrane describes examples of companies where this is happening and the resources HRCI provides to help HR professionals gain a seat at the table. Amy is the CEO of two important organizations tied to human resources. The first is HRCI, which is the world’s premier credentialing and le...

Do you expend energy trying to make others wrong so you can be right? Rich Habets is a master of facilitating powerful discussions 1-1 and with teams by asking questions and not making anyone wrong. In this conversation, he shares what he does to guide clients to look within and listen for the gold in what others say.  Rich is the founder and lead coach at Insight, Inc. Over the past 14 years, he’...

Is there something you’d love to have but think it’s impossible for you to achieve? Listen to this inspiring conversation with Kimberly Wiefling, and you’ll likely see ways that you can, in fact, create what you want. Along the way, you’ll discover how the best leaders build trust with their teams through vulnerability.  Kimberly is the founder of Wiefling Consulting, and cofounder of Silicon Vall...

A big complaint in most companies is the amount of time wasted in meetings. If that’s been your experience, too, this episode is a must-listen. Amy Casciotti, Vice President of Human Resources at TechSmith Corporation, explains how they’ve created an innovative approach that’s eliminated the need for people to meet at the same time. You’ll learn how their Async-First environment has saved time and...

When high achievers get promoted, they actually need to learn to be leaders in four different areas: Up, Across, Team and Self. Mark J. Silverman describes how he works with Rising Leaders to raise their awareness—and effectiveness—in each of these situations. You’ll get practical tips on what to say and do to achieve the results you and the other person want.  When he was working for fast-growing...

A positive culture where people feel valued and empowered doesn’t happen by accident. Tim Lupinacci, CEO and Chair at Baker Donelson, has been intentional about creating one by developing a five-year vision, then getting buy-in and commitment from everyone in the law firm. Tim Lupinacci leads more than 1,300 individuals in 22 law offices across the Southeastern US. Tim is presently leading the fir...

How do you hire, onboard and get the best results in a virtual workplace? Dr. Ronald Beach knows it takes a combination of communication skills, setting clear expectations, and taking time to create a strong relationship with each person on the team. He shares many useful tips from his two books, The Virtual Divide and The Virtual Bridge .  Ron is an Organizational Sociologist with a Ph. D. in Org...

Do you ever struggle to find joy in your life? My guest Cordelia Gaffar is a master of guiding clients to discover the joy within, and that’s why she has the title, Ultimate Joy Goddess.  Through her own life experiences (which include many years in the corporate world followed by being a mother of 6 children and homeschooling for 18 years), Cordelia now serves as an executive transformation coach...

Description Want some inspiration and practical tips for surmounting obstacles in your life? You’ll get both from Jill Tietjen, who shares stories about the adversity faced by several of the 50 women featured in her latest book, Over, Under, Around, and Through: How Hall of Famers Surmount Obstacles .  Jill is an author, international speaker, and an electrical engineer. After more than 45 years i...

Have you ever wondered what would happen if an org chart were flipped, so it was an upside-down triangle? Meet Nick Gallo. He and his brother Giovanni are Co-CEOs at Ethico, and they’ve accomplished this by putting their clients at the top of the pyramid.  Nick Gallo is Chief Servant and Co-CEO of Ethico, a company that provides human resource, compliance and ethics solutions that serve 8 million...

Have you ever had a boss who challenged you because they saw your long-term potential? Geoffrey Roche was lucky enough to work for a CEO who led him that way, and her influence is reflected in the way he leads his own teams today. You’ll take away ideas that can help you be that kind of leader to others. Geoffrey is the son of a nurse, as well as a future of work and education expert. The combinat...

Do you know someone who struggles at work or at home because of neurodiversity or executive functioning challenges? If so, you’re going to find this interview with Michelle Raz extremely valuable! You’ll learn what you can do to support them, whether they’re an employee on your team or a family member. Michelle is a certified career coach and the owner of Raz Coaching where she works with neurodiv...

Many companies are struggling with how to structure work, and some are requiring everyone to return to the physical building. Yet remote and hybrid teams are here to stay. Kevin Eikenberry shares practical tips from his new book, The Long-Distance Team , on making these teams successful. Kevin is an expert on this subject, not only because he’s written the book, but also because he’s been leading...

In a challenging sales environment, it can be tough for leaders to stay positive—and to keep their team members seeing possibilities, too. Reggie Marable has learned how to do both in his role at Slack, where he heads a national sales organization. You’ll love Reggie’s enthusiasm for his work as well as his commitment to his ongoing growth. He’s a walking encyclopedia of inspiring quotes, and you’...

It can be devastating to lose a close family member to a disease like cancer. Carrie Verrocchio talks about the inspiration she received to use her true gifts because of messages she received from her beloved brother before and after he died. Since then, she’s been on a mission to wake others up to their true potential.  CarrieVee, as she is affectionately known to all her fans, is an internationa...

Have you ever made a hiring mistake? If you’d had guidance from Jeannette Seibly, you might have avoided that costly error. Jeannette is an expert on hiring practices, and in this conversation she shares many important tips from her excellent book, Hire Amazing Employees: How to Increase Retention, Revenues and Results! Jeannette is The Leadership Results Coach as well as an award-winning speaker,...

Are you working with a coach or have you considered hiring one? There are things you can do to maximize the experience, and my guest Karen Davis has literally written the book on it. In this enlightening conversation, you’ll find out the characteristics of being coachable and how to integrate what you learn into daily practice.  After 25 years in leadership roles in business-to-business technology...

How does a Ph. D. in Physical Chemistry translate into the corporate world of Learning and Development? Dr. Eli Bendet-Taicher brings that experience—and many others—into his role as Head of Global Learning and Development at Wix.com. It turns out that his passion for people and his love for research and experiments are the perfect combination!  Eli has more than 21 years of international experien...

Imagine if you could aggregate your collective experiences throughout your career into the ideal job. That’s what Dr. Denise Caleb has been able to do in her role as President of the Human Resource Standards Institute℠ (HRSI℠).  HRSI is the world’s premier standards and credentialing institute for private and publicly traded organizations. It’s a subsidiary of HR Certification Institute (HRCI), th...