Leaders in the Arena

In this special episode of ⁠Leaders in the Arena, hear from Jenny Whitener (CEO of Bridge Innovate®) as she discusses Power Moves by Adam Grant. The New York Times best-selling author of Think Again is back with Power Moves—an audiobook with insights from the world's corporate leaders. Adam Grant attended the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss the transformative role of power in society—and...

Join us for this episode of our podcast, ⁠ Leaders in the Arena ⁠ , and hear from Rachel Gammon, a seasoned Nonprofit Executive Director and Bridge Innovate’s Principal of Nonprofit Consulting. Rachel shares practical tips and firsthand experiences on strategic planning, offering invaluable insights into overcoming common challenges and engaging your nonprofit community for more effective outcome...

Join us for this episode of our podcast, Leaders in the Arena , and hear from Natalie Patric (Director of Community Engagement at United Way of Greater Chattanooga) and Abigail Sebesta (Vice President of Products and Strategic Initiatives) as they discuss the impact of “Exemplary Leaders: A Foundational Leadership Program” for nonprofit organizations. The importance of leadership development cann...

In this episode of ⁠Leaders in the Arena⁠, hear from Jenny Whitener (CEO of Bridge Innovate®) as we discuss Decisive by Chip & Dan Heath. Decisive answers the following question: "How can we do better?" Chip and Dan Heath, the bestselling authors of Switch and Made to Stick, are back with their next book — an investigation into our biases, irrationalities, and overall decision-maki...

In this episode of ⁠ Leaders in the Arena ⁠ , hear from Torrance Ford (Vice President of Information Technology at Shaw Industries) as he discusses the significance of our work on the Speed & Agility Sprint — and the resulting shift(s) in the organizational culture. An effective leader has the responsibility to research best practices and emerging trends within the organization. What are the c...

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena , hear from Bob Culkeen, President & CEO at WTCI PBS, and Shaun Townley, Vice President of Production & Distribution at WTCI PBS, as they discuss how public broadcasting has changed to reflect the modern era. The role of public broadcasting has shifted with the advent of new technologies. The widespread use of streaming services, digital AI, and more...

Leaders in the Arena • March 20th, 2024 In this episode of Leaders in the Arena , hear from Jenny Whitener (CEO of Bridge Innovate®) as she discusses Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works by Roger Martin & Alan G. Lafley. Written by A.G. Lafley, Former Chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble, in collaboration with strategic advisor Roger L. Martin—Playing to Win outlines the strategic app...

Leaders in the Arena • March 26th, 2024 In this episode of ⁠ Leaders in the Arena ⁠ , hear from Carrie Harper (Sustainable Sourcing & Supplier Diversity Manager at Shaw Industries) as she discusses how D&I impacts her both personally and professionally. An effective leader recognizes the importance that diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives hold within our lives. How does one get inv...

Leaders in the Arena • February 22nd, 2024 In this episode of Leaders in the Arena , hear from Vicki Gordan as she discusses her experience in leading an organizational initiative to create growth opportunities for women. She championed the genesis of the Women’s Professional Network for a large multinational financial services company. Join us as Vicki shares how to start the conversation at the...

Leaders in the Arena • February 6th, 2024 In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from our panel of Bright Spark® judges as they discuss the importance of nurturing student creativity. Our Bright Spark® judges are consistently impressed with the level of student creativity they see during Bright Spark® challenges. We are inspired by the students’ imagination, as they help us to expand our pe...

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena , hear from Florence Bromfield (Director, Learning & Development at Unum®) as we discuss Dare to Un-Lead: The Art of Relational Leadership in a Fragmented World by Céline Schillinger. Dare to Un-Lead challenges us to reconsider the traditional hierarchical approach to leadership. In her research, Céline Schillinger dismantles our preconceived notions of...

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena , hear from Jessica Whatley (CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chattanooga) as she discusses strategic planning for nonprofits. An effective nonprofit strategy design values different perspectives and necessitates buy-in. Need some recommendations and tips for getting board involvement on a strategic project? Looking for tips for engaging the leadersh...

In this special bonus episode of Leaders in the Arena , hear Jenny Whitener (CEO, Bridge Innovate®) discuss "What's New" for 2024. Leaders in the Arena will inevitably deal with conflict management—it’s an unavoidable challenge in the workplace. However, leadership can also work to recognize their bad habits, and ultimately ensure that conflict resolution is productive for the entire...

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Florence Bromfield (Director, Learning & Development at Unum®) as she discusses the role of daring leadership in the modern context of Brené Brown’s leadership teaching and Céline Schillinger’s Dare to Un-Lead. Assuming the role of an effective leader requires an examination of leadership in the modern era. What constitutes a daring leader? Ho...

In this bonus episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Hannah Lancaster (Director of Nonprofit Support & Innovation, @unitedwaycha) as she discusses essential leadership skills for nonprofits and Jenny Whitener shares an overview of The Leadership Challenge® program offered by Bridge Innovate® for nonprofits. An effective leader has the opportunity to make a longstanding, significant impact....

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Robert Hughes (Adjunct Professor of Executive Education, Kellogg School of Management; Founder, NL2 Executive Coaching; U.S Army, Retired) as he discusses the relationship between self-awareness and great leadership. An effective leader has the opportunity to make a longstanding, significant impact with the power of self-awareness. How can leader...

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Sean Tanner, Technology Program Management Executive, as he discusses the best practices for an effective digital transformation by way of innovation and change management. Guiding an effective digital transformation can feel somewhat risky—how do you connect the best practices for innovation and change management? Furthermore, how do you enable...

Leaders in the Arena • August 16th, 2023 In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Bo Drake, VP of Economic & Workforce Development at Chattanooga State Community College, as he discusses the challenges of and potential solutions for a skill-deficient workforce. There is an opportunity to develop a skills-based workforce with those our society has left behind. By investing in paid, sh...

In this special bonus episode of Leaders in the Arena, Jenny Whitener briefly provides why business leaders should invest in human-centered design and the impacts of becoming personally acquainted with the process. Gain insight on putting your customers at the heart of your business growth at our upcoming Skills Simulation on Human-Centered Design on August 29th. Register here . bridgeinnovate.com

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Lauren Hall, President & CEO at First Things First, as she discusses their aim to serve at-risk families while expanding their reach to a global impact. First Things First has served the Chattanooga area since 1997 by providing resources to people that helps them build healthy relationships. As a nonprofit focused on strengthening families and...

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Jaclyn Mothupi, Director of Social Innovation at The Wond'ry, as she discusses the importance of inclusive climate innovation. As the co-creator of the Climate Innovation Accelerator in Nashville, TN—learn from Jaclyn on what it looks like to co-create with a community using the frameworks and mindsets of social innovation. Fostering a climate...

In this episode of Leaders In the Arena, hear from Carlene Blanding, VP of Human Resources / Integrated Supply Chain at Shaw Industries, as she chronicles her journey toward becoming an empathetic leader. Learn how her experience through the COVID-19 pandemic shaped her leadership ability by walking alongside those in hard circumstances. Empathy is the ability to understand another person's t...

Hear from Jeana Lee, Chief of Staff to the CFO at Unum, as she discusses how to create engagement and sustain collaboration across multiple teams in an institution. Learn more from Jeana about the intricacies, challenges, and successes of implementing strategic change in a corporation.  Championing strategy and change across a corporate organization is no simple task. To have hundreds or even thou...

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Tom White, former Senior VP of Investor Relations at Unum, as he shares how and why to implement an ESG strategy in a consistent, measurable way in a business landscape that demands more than maximizing profits. Success in business is no longer simply the amount of revenue. Today's “stakeholder” expands far beyond the shareholders to encompas...

The need for human-centered healthcare has never felt more vital than it does now. Personal experiences lead and shape healthcare professionals in their work, fostering empathy with their patients and driving administrators to implement human-focused systems. In this episode, hear from Nicole Brown, Manager of Community Benefits and Diversity at CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, TN, as she chr...