Leadership Huddle with Geoff Welch

In this episode, I sit down with Amy Nordrum, Executive Editor at MIT Technology Review and one of the sharpest minds working at the intersection of journalism, technology, and leadership. Amy shares what it’s like to lead a newsroom that covers emerging tech while producing some of MIT Tech Review’s most influential projects — including the “10 Breakthrough Technologies” list and “35 Innovators U...

I recently saw a video of a guy learning to surf. He was clearly very new to the sport and spent the majority of the video in the ocean instead of on his surfboard. Every attempt to stand was a battle between his body, his board, and a massive uncaring ocean. Stiff arms and wobbly knees, fighting for balance and control. Meanwhile his instructor was gliding around on the same ocean, on the same wa...

What do Michael Phelps, Pearl Jam, and Arctic engineering have in common? This conversation with Dr. Brock Anundson, Athletic Director at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, weaves them all together in the most delightful way. Brock shares stories from his early days working with Olympic athletes (including a great Phelps anecdote), playing in garage bands, and climbing the ranks of college athlet...

On a recent camper adventure, Nicole and I were talking about what we enjoyed most about camping. My answer: having the explicit license to not be productive. I am often so compelled to be working on something that spending AN ENTIRE WEEKEND without a project is a rarity. It’s not that I can’t find a way to kill a rainy afternoon on the couch watching movies, but that in the back of my mind I usua...

In this episode, I sit down with Tara Landes, founder of Bellrock Benchmarking and a master of making leadership development feel both human and doable. We talk about the hidden costs of not delegating, the difference between delegation and dumping, and why most leaders accidentally train their teams to depend on them. Tara shares a framework for understanding growth stages—from blissful ignorance...

In a recent 10 day span I attended 4 graduations. From a 3-hour marathon, to a crisp 60-minute sprint, I saw four people I love graduate from four different schools with one common denominator: everything. I’m sure this is going to sound a little cynical and act as the perfect reminder that I am aging rapidly, but when you hear half a dozen speakers say the same thing with the complete convic...

Some of you will think I’m crazy, but focusing your effort on creating an environment in which mistakes never happen is impractical. It’s like trying to go for a swim without getting wet. Here’s a better alternative: create an environment in which no mistakes are wasted. Mistakes are inevitable. Growth is optional. The worst kind of mistake is one that gets repeated because no one learned from it....

Charlie Leonelli, the Chief Administrative Officer for MAC Federal Credit Union joins the podcast to talk about leading with consistency, building trust through failure, and why he treats volleyball games like real-world social media. We explore the art of growing people at their own pace, embracing mistakes as data, and creating a culture where taking smart risks is safe—and expected. Also: an im...

When I was growing up – back in the dark ages before you could skip commercials – there were a series of ads on TV encouraging people to become foster parents. The message was simple: you don’t have to be a perfect parent to become a foster parent, you just have to care. It seems that a major impediment to recruiting people to take in a child in the foster care system was that people didn’t believ...

In this episode of Leadership Huddle, we’re joined by Elena Sudduth, General Manager of Interior Gas Utility, to talk about what it means to lead with curiosity, courage, and a deep belief in others. Originally from Moldova and now raising three boys in Fairbanks, Alaska, Elena shares how growing up in a different culture shaped her leadership lens—and how blending those perspectives has helped he...

In this episode of Leadership Huddle, I share some reflections on the complicated joy of birthdays and dive into a leadership truth that’s easy to miss: helping your people grow doesn’t have to eat up your whole calendar. With just a little intentionality and a few minutes each week, you can create real momentum for your team—and yourself. If you want a simple way to make your one-on-one meetings...

In this episode, I sit down with Travis Million, President and CEO of Golden Valley Electric Association, to talk about leadership that actually serves people — not just machines. Travis shares insights from his 25+ years in the utility industry, how growing up on a farm shaped his leadership approach, and why breaking down complex ideas into plain English is one of his secret superpowers. We expl...

I’ve been sitting here for a while now, trying to write this essay. Not procrastinating. Not distracted. Just…stuck. I have plenty of other things to do today, and every time I look at the clock it seems to have changed time zones. I’ve jotted half-thoughts, re-read old notes, written half an essay 3 times....but nothing is quite clicking. And then I thought, maybe this experience is what I need t...

What does it really take to create a culture where people feel safe enough to speak up—and bold enough to do it? In this insightful and laugh-filled episode, I sit down with Stephen “Shed” Shedletzky, author of Speak-Up Culture and longtime collaborator of Simon Sinek, to explore the nuances of what makes or breaks psychological safety at work. We unpack common leadership misconceptions, like thin...

The one glaring problem with assuming a posture of growth and forward motion is that it can be easy to focus exclusively on what is lacking without taking time to acknowledge the progress you’ve already made. You certainly have room to grow. We all do. But this is your friendly reminder that you’re doing better than you think. How do I know? It’s a paradox, but the fact that you are concerned abou...

In this episode of Leadership Huddle, I chat with Lael Oldmixon, Executive Director of the Education Trust of Alaska, to explore what it means to lead with clarity, community, and just the right amount of cardio. Lael shares lessons from her leadership journey and we talk about the mindset shift from doing it all yourself to truly leveraging your team, and how embracing the idea of completion over...

The elevator in my hotel is incredibly noisy. The elevator shaft constitutes the center of the tower, with each room wrapping around it, relatively equidistant. Which means every room, on every floor, is the worst room in the joint. The first night here I thought it was going to make me lose my mind. On night two I was much less aware of it. I expect I won’t notice it at all by the...

Have you ever intersected with an idea that instantly and fundamentally changed how you operate? They are likely few and far between, but I can say with complete certainty that the song “Grudges” by Paramore changed my marriage for the better. In the first verse, singer Hayley Williams poses a couple fascinating questions to someone in her life:“Are you recounting all my faults? And are you rackin...

I wonder if this might sound familiar to you:I love the idea of delegating until something breaks or things get really stressful. For example, I was recently navigating a particularly difficult circumstance in my printing company and was overwhelmed by the desire to swoop in and just fix all the things. But swooping in and fixing all the things doesn’t give my team an opportunity to 1. learn...

It’s fascinating to me that most of us think we are unique and that our problems are special, but we’re all wrestling with the same handful of issues. Coaching leaders for nearly a decade has really driven home that the names and places change, but the challenges are mostly the same. One of the issues that has vexed almost every client I’ve worked with is a tendency to avoid uncomfortable conversa...

Some of my favorite people spend most of their workdays in meetings. Meeting after meeting after meeting. End to end for eternity, with some overlapping meetings thrown into the mix for good measure. Perhaps you can relate. So, when I came across a sign recently that said, “THIS MEETING COULD HAVE BEEN A FISTFIGHT,” I said a quick prayer for these folks. Stay strong. My life couldn’t be more...

A Proverb was referenced in church recently that I can’t stop thinking about.(FYI: This essay has nothing to do with religion)Proverbs 3:6 says, “Submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.”That last part sounds like something a good leader would prioritize, doesn’t it? And yet, through the years I’ve worked with so many exasperated professionals who felt like their leaders were actively w...

NASCAR drivers – athletes with the stated purpose of beating all the other racers to the finish line – do the strangest thing during their races: they stop. Instead of pressing forward relentlessly, they take a moment to refuel and swap tires – a pit stop – so they can be most effective in the remaining laps. Driving on worn tires impedes their performance and can result in catastrophic accidents....

Have you ever seen the master score an orchestra conductor uses? It is an overwhelming document that contains the music for every instrument in the orchestra and is usually covered in handwritten notes. It’s the conductor's job to know the inner workings of every part being played and to fully understand how they interact as the piece unfolds. This is very different from the score handed out...

A few years ago my dad and I built a shed on my property in the west hills of Fairbanks. I got a few quotes from contractors but decided it would be a fun project to tackle with my dad, and I could use the money I’d save to pick up some new tools that would serve me on dozens of projects after the shed was finished. The tools we used along the way were a hit parade of devices made to speed things...