Lead at the Top of Your Game

IN THIS EPISODE... Tinna Jackson shares her journey from Capitol Hill to executive coaching, focusing on building leadership skills through self-awareness, resilience, and the power of taking intentional pauses. She offers advice on recognizing team needs, managing burnout, and aligning personal values with professional achievement. Her company, the Jackson Consulting Group, provides executive coa...

IN THIS EPISODE... Bahari Harris, Senior Vice President and Director of Financial Inclusion Initiatives at Truist Financial Corporation, discusses his journey from founding Urban Hope to leading financial inclusion programs at Truist. Bahari discusses the importance of financial literacy and the Start, Save, Win initiative, which incentivized new savers to save $25 each month, leading to over 25,0...

IN THIS EPISODE... Josh Bersin, founder and CEO of the Josh Bersin Company, discusses the transformative impact of AI on leadership and organizational development. He highlights the current experimentation phase in AI adoption, emphasizing the need for strategic focus and internal development. Bersin shares insights on leveraging AI to enhance productivity, drive revenue growth, and streamline pro...

IN THIS EPISODE... Carrie Stokes, CEO and President of Barge Design Solutions, discusses her journey from intern to CEO, emphasizing the importance of advocating for oneself, continuous learning, and strategic decision-making. She highlights Barge's new five-year strategic plan and the need for innovation, particularly in cybersecurity and work processes. Carrie also shares her experience of balan...

IN THIS EPISODE... Dr. Rhonda Anderson discusses her path from being a first-generation college graduate to founding Silver Hawk Coaching and Consulting after years of experience in talent development across various industries. She shares how her personal journey and expertise inspired her to help leaders and organizations grow. She highlights her book, The Influential Leader Blueprint, which offe...

IN THIS EPISODE... Karan interviews Andy Allaway, CEO of Empire Flippers, delving into his professional journey, leadership philosophy, and the challenges he faced steering the company through industry changes. Andy shares insights from his early career in IT sales, his transition into online business, and his eventual rise to CEO, highlighting the importance of adaptability, team culture, and sit...

IN THIS EPISODE... Dr. Sherry Yellin, president of The Yellin Group, is the author of several books on leadership and is driven by a passion for understanding how the brain learns and how this knowledge can transform leadership and organizational culture. She shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, recounting pivotal moments that shaped her career, including her early work in workpla...

IN THIS EPISODE... Brandon Sawalich, President and CEO of Starkey, discusses his 31-year journey at the company. He shares insights into his personal and professional journey, describing how he began as an intern and went on to lead the only American-owned hearing technology manufacturer. Brandon explores his leadership philosophy of servant leadership, building a strong, trust-based culture, and...

IN THIS EPISODE... Kevin Knieriem, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Clari discusses his career journey, emphasizing his role in driving revenue growth and leveraging AI to enhance sales processes. Knieriem highlights the importance of trust in revenue data, noting that 67% of enterprise leaders lack confidence in their data. He stresses the evolving role of AI in automating tasks, providing...

IN THIS EPISODE... Stephane Akoki, CEO of Elevate Côte d'Ivoire, shares how he overcame significant challenges in Côte d'Ivoire, including civil wars and economic instability, by pursuing education abroad and eventually founding Elevate Côte d'Ivoire. His nonprofit now operates across six African countries, providing educational and job opportunities that help professionals dramatically increase t...

IN THIS EPISODE... Yuriy Boyechko, CEO of Hope for Ukraine, shares the inspiring journey behind founding the nonprofit and its rapid scale-up in response to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The organization partners with over 100 local groups to deliver food, solar energy, and vital aid. Yuriy highlights the role of impact in driving volunteer motivation and donor engagement, emphasizing the power of...

IN THIS EPISODE... Joseph Landes, Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Nerdio, shares insights into the company's mission, culture, and growth. He explains how Nerdio simplifies Microsoft Cloud technologies for businesses of all sizes, emphasizing their commitment to remote work through programs like the "Mayor Program" and the "Nerdio Break Room." Joseph discusses transitioning from Microsoft...

IN THIS EPISODE... Jennifer Langton is a dynamic speaker and accomplished executive recognized for her expertise in innovation, finance, and sports safety. With leadership roles at Atari and the NFL, she pioneered advanced financial systems and spearheaded groundbreaking health initiatives. In this conversation, she opens up about her personal journey, highlighting the importance of rest, reflecti...

IN THIS EPISODE... Tyrone Farmer, the Senior Director of Corporate Safety at Dycom Industries Inc., shares insights on building a strong safety culture in the telecom construction industry. He explains Dycom's mission to connect underserved communities, emphasizing that safety is a key driver of operational excellence. He also highlights the importance of aligning safety leadership with business s...

IN THIS EPISODE... Stephen Paskoff, founder, president, and CEO of Employment Learning Innovations, Inc. (ELI), discusses the importance of creating civil, respectful workplaces. He shares real-life examples from high-stakes environments where fear of speaking up led to serious consequences. Stephen emphasizes the need for open communication, addressing implicit bias, and fostering a culture that...

IN THIS EPISODE... Meet Marilyn Rosa-Green, an executive leadership coach and psychotherapist with deep expertise in guiding leaders in the manufacturing industry. In this conversation, Marilyn explores leadership challenges in manufacturing. She stresses the need for careful talent selection and a supportive environment to combat burnout, identifying behavioral changes and emotional responses as...

IN THIS EPISODE... ------------ Full show notes, guest bio, links to resources mentioned, and other compelling episodes can be found at http://LeadYourGamePodcast.com. (Click the magnifying icon at the top right and type “[NAME]”) Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Learn more about us! https://shockinglydifferent.com/ ------------- WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: Meet Dr. Tajiri Brackens, a re...

IN THIS EPISODE... Andrew Oxley is the founder and CEO of the Oxley Group, an executive and leadership coaching firm. In this episode, Andrew shares insights on leadership and training trends. He highlights how COVID-19 accelerated shifts from traditional workshops to more impactful leadership development. Andrew discusses rising employee expectations, particularly among younger generations, and t...

IN THIS EPISODE... Kristen Brun Sharkey, Founder and Executive Coach of Emboldify, highlights how improv transformed her confidence, creativity, and collaboration skills—key elements in Emboldify's AdLib Leader Model, which includes presence, authenticity, vulnerability, resilience, creativity, and supportiveness. Kristen explains how improv combats impostor syndrome, sharpens decision-making, and...

IN THIS EPISODE... In this episode, we discuss the complexities of pricing in the business world and Pascal Yammine’s approaches to leadership. He emphasizes the importance of agility in pricing strategies in today's volatile market. Pascal shares his leadership insights, focusing on authenticity, the significance of people, and learning from mistakes. He also highlights the balance between data a...

IN THIS EPISODE... Norman Wolfe, founder and CEO of Quantum Leaders, Inc., shares insights on transforming businesses through his concept of the "living organization." He explains that 70% of organizations fail to meet strategic goals despite abundant leadership wisdom. Instead of viewing organizations as machines, Norman emphasizes treating them as living systems focused on relationships and beli...

IN THIS EPISODE... Meet Sheena Yap Chan, a bestselling author, keynote speaker, strategist, and award-winning podcaster known for using media platforms to help others strengthen leadership and self-confidence. In this conversation, Sheena discusses the challenges women face in building confidence, including societal pressures, cultural traditions, and personal traumas. She emphasizes the importanc...

IN THIS EPISODE... Naama Zalzman, founder and CEO of Effective Leadership Across Cultures, discusses the challenges and strategies for leading in multicultural environments. She highlights the need for leaders to adapt their communication styles and be aware of cultural nuances to avoid misunderstandings. Naama shares insights on navigating cultural gaps, emphasizing curiosity and non-judgmental a...

IN THIS EPISODE... Tracy LaLonde, founder of Joychiever and author of "Trust Me" and "The Joychiever Journey," joins today to discuss the complexities of trust in professional environments. She explores whether trust should be earned or given, emphasizing small, intentional steps to build it, especially in remote work settings. Tracy outlines six key elements of trust and six common pitfalls that...

IN THIS EPISODE... Heather Conklin, CEO of Torch, discusses her journey from Salesforce to Torch, emphasizing the importance of executive coaching and leadership development. She highlights Torch's unique approach, which pairs former leaders as coaches with employees, providing context-specific coaching. Heather shares insights on the current challenges leaders face, such as balancing results and...