Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

What’s required for a person with technical expertise to develop Emotional Intelligence (EI)? Susan Schwartz provides excellent insights and examples in this interview. As a high tech professional and leader, Susan learned the importance of developing EI in order to work effectively with her team. And now she coaches professionals in technical fields on how to become more effective as leaders of p...

Do you ever get nervous when you need to speak in public, whether your audience is one person or a large group of 100 or 1,000? You’re not alone! Shelley Goldstein and Mark Bossert are experts in helping people calm down and relax. You’ll want to take notes as you listen to the many valuable ideas they share for becoming a confident, compelling speaker. Shelley and Mark are international speaking...

Have you ever gone on a Listening Tour? That’s what Hillary Miller did in her first 3 months at Penn State Health in her role as Chief Learning Officer. What she learned in her conversations with hundreds of people allowed her and her team to design programs that were relevant and well received. Hillary has also set up a Learning Council across the organization that enables people in all types of...

Does “lead from the heart” imply touchy-feely or weakness? Not according to Mark C. Crowley, who used this approach successfully throughout his 25 years in the financial services industry, an industry known for being highly competitive. Mark shares the science and research that backs up the value of this approach.  Mark is the author of what’s become one of Meredith’s favorite business books ever,...

How can we reconcile the different (and often conflicting) perspectives that employers and employees have? You’ll get important insights in the lively conversation I had with Tony Carnesi and Brian Gorman. They work closely with both groups, and they share important steps business owners and leaders can take to open the door to understanding and trust.   Tony Carnesi and Brian Gorman are the co-fo...

What happens if you refer to new initiatives in scientific terms like “experiment” and “test”? That’s exactly what Mark Kaestner, Ed. D., does at Ball Corporation. You’ll be fascinated to learn how that approach ensures success later, when scaling the program. Mark also explains why continuous feedback is a critical piece of the process.  Mark is Vice President of Talent Development, Learning and...

What happens when a major university partners with a huge corporation to offer a program that helps employees earn college degrees? You get University of Memphis (UofM) Global’s LIFE: Learning Inspired by FedEx.  Dr. Richard Irwin and Courtney Brafford, both of UofM Global, describe how the two organizations worked together to create a program that requires no out-of-pocket payments by employees a...

What’s wrong with the term, Human Resources? In this enlightening conversation, Eugene Whitlock explains why he prefers People and Culture. He also describes the valuable work his DEI team has done to put in place an Equity Training Series and an Inclusive Leadership Academy for faculty and staff.  Eugene is Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and the Chief People & Culture Officer a...

In many organizations, those who supervise individual contributors are often neglected when it comes to development opportunities. Not at WM. Phil Rhodes describes how they are providing a transformative program for all 3,600 of these leaders, which has led to 90%+ retention rate for those who complete the program. You’ll want to take notes to capture all the fantastic strategies Phil shares. Phil...

Do you know of a company that’s created 12 powerful mindsets that are used daily by all employees? You do now, because Moderna is that company. And in this powerful interview, the team of April Eldred (VP, Talent Acquisition) and Noah Rabinowitz (VP, Learning & Development) describe with great enthusiasm what the Moderna Mindset looks like in action.  As VP and Global Head of Learning and Deve...

What does it take to create leadership training programs that result in real behavior change? Billy Martin has the answer because he’s done this successfully with sales leaders in two global companies—Salesforce and Dassault Systems. He describes all the elements built into their process, including teaching leaders how to ask powerful questions that draw out the native genius of their team members...

How do you help leaders take on the role of “coach” in addition to their other responsibilities? Arin Bryan is making that happen at Redfin with excellent results. You’ll love her enthusiasm for what she’s doing and the outstanding results they’re experiencing! Arin is the Senior Director for Learning and Organizational Development with Redfin, and prior to that, she led Learning and Development t...

Are you committed to achieving what you want in life #NoMatterWhat? Sterling Hawkins is on a mission to help more people do just that. In his interview, we talk about the five practices you can adopt to get results regardless of the circumstances you may be facing.  Sterling serves as CEO and founder of the Sterling Hawkins Group, a research, training, and development company focused on unlocking...

What does it take to transform learning and development in a big pharmaceutical company? Johann Laville shares the three gaps that existed at Merck and what they’re doing to build a powerful learning culture. You’ll love hearing Johann’s passion and enthusiasm for all aspects of this undertaking…and you’ll gain important insights about what’s possible when everyone from the executive suite on down...

What thoughts come to mind when you hear the word “networking”? If any of them are negative—or if you wish you could build a stronger network yourself—this episode is for you. My guest Frank Agin is a masterful networker, and he has invested decades in showing others how to do it right. You’ll hear valuable tips around making introductions, the benefits of being a Giver and not a Taker, and what t...

What do CEO peer advisory groups and high-performing teams in organizations have in common? Leo Bottary has worked closely with both, and he’s identified 5 Factors that are essential to their ultimate success. You’ll enjoy learning from his expertise combined with his passion to have a positive impact! Leo is the founder and managing partner of Peernovation, LLC. He’s a sought-after thought leader...

Have you ever invested in technology, only to find yourself frustrated when trying to learn how to use it? Tom Studdert and his team at ZoomInfo have created a new customer experience that ensures their success. Tom shares lots of nuggets you can apply to the onboarding of new clients and employees. Tom Studdert is the Vice President of Customer Onboarding & Education at ZoomInfo where he over...

What if you could change the way you look at fear? Jacqueline Wales has a deep understanding of what’s behind fear…and the questions you can ask yourself to break through limiting beliefs and stories that may be causing you to play small in life. You’ll discover how to reframe your ideas about fear and failure so they serve you instead of hold you back.  Jacqueline developed a fearless approach he...

What would you predict the future to be for a boy who was the son of a Black pimp father and a white single mother on welfare? If you answered “pretty bleak,” you would be wrong in the case of JeVon McCormick. JeVon took all the adversity he faced and turned it into a highly successful life and career.  Today, JeVon is the CEO of Scribe Media, a multi-million-dollar publishing company that was rec...

Have you ever been told, “You’re the best leader I’ve ever had”? Michelle Braden has. She lives and breathes every day the behaviors that both challenge and support the people on her team. In this gold nugget-filled conversation, you’ll hear about the journey that led Michelle to learn about, adopt, and apply the key leadership skills that bring out the best in others.  Michelle is the Vice Presid...

How do you create a leadership development program from scratch? Will Leahy explains how he did just that at GoDaddy as Senior Director of Learning and Talent. You’ll feel his unbridled enthusiasm for his work, and you’ll learn how he’s still refining that program after two years. Throughout Will’s career at companies like Virgin Orbit, Hulu, and LinkedIn, there’s a common thread that’s near and d...

Did you know that Lean Six Sigma extends way beyond the world of manufacturing? Paul Stamper is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, and he’s done a magnificent job bringing this process to the County of Ventura in California. You’ll enjoy Paul’s passion for this topic and the practical ways the principles are applied across all departments in the County. You’re sure to get ideas of how you can inc...

What’s it like to be bullied and abused as a kid, end up in jail for beating up someone, and later decide to create a Legendary Life Movement? That’s just a slice of Tommy Breedlove’s life. Tommy emerged from those early experiences stronger and determined to change his life. He went on to have a 20-year corporate career at one of the largest financial consulting firms in the world. And then…at th...

What leaders in your life have had the greatest impact on your thinking and behavior? Anton Gunn can name five different U.S. Presidents who’ve personally influenced him. These interactions form the basis of the seven principles in his bestselling book, The Presidential Principles . Anton served as a senior advisor for healthcare in the Obama Administration, and that President inspired him to find...

What’s it like to discover your true calling? Laura Coons, Ph. D., began her career teaching at the college level and then transitioned to the corporate world…and that’s where she found true joy. Laura bubbles over with enthusiasm when talking about her work, and you’ll hear that in our conversation.  Laura is the Senior Director of Learning at Frontdoor, a company that’s on a mission to make home...