Leadership & Learning w/Dr. JBT

🎙️ Episode Title: Advocacy in Action: Turning Words into Movement Podcast: Leadership & Learning with Dr. JBT Episode Summary: In this episode, Dr. Jamie J. Brownlee-Turgeon explores what real advocacy looks like in the workplace, and why saying there's a need isn't enough. Too often, "advocacy" stops at awareness or conversation, when true advocacy requires evidence, effort, and follow-through. D...

Snorkel and Goggles — Learning to Lead When You're Underwater In this episode, Dr. JBT shares a deeply personal leadership story about a season in her career when she felt completely underwater. The story begins with a moment in her office — a team member sighs, "I need a snorkel." That simple statement sparks a memory from over a decade ago, when Jamie herself was newly promoted into a role that...

Have you ever worked hard, looked around, and thought,  "Wait… this doesn't feel fair"? That reaction is more than frustration; it's a human response rooted in Equity Theory . In this episode of Leadership & Learning with Dr. JBT , we dig into why fairness matters so deeply and what leaders can do about it. I unpack the ways employees respond when work feels inequitable — from pulling back effort...

In this second conversation with Dr. Ian Slater, we go deeper into what it means to lead with care and why doing the foundational work early matters so much. Dr. Slater shares how intentionally investing in relationships and trust on the front end equips leaders to navigate the harder, more honest conversations that inevitably come. We explore: Building Trust Before It's Tested — why investing in...

🎙️ Episode Title: Caring Leadership: Casting More Light Than Shadows – A Conversation with Dr. Ian Slater In this episode of  Leadership & Learning , Dr. Ian Slater shares his perspective on caring leadership—a style of leading that is deeply relational, self-aware, and committed to the growth of others. He reminds us that leadership is not static; it is dynamic, evolving, and episodic, shaped by...

🎙️ Episode Title: Leading Change is About the People – A Conversation with Dr. Ava Jones (Part 2) Episode Summary In this second part of my conversation with Dr. Ava Jones, we dive deep into the heart of leading change. Dr. Jones reminds us that effective change leadership isn't about systems, strategies, or checklists first; it's about people. At the foundation of it all is trust: leaders must ge...

🎙️ Episode 23: Authentic Leadership with Dr. Ava Jones (Part 1) Welcome back to Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT. In today's episode, I sit down with Dr. Ava Jones , a Senior Workforce Transformation Consultant whose career spans over 25 years of leading large-scale change across healthcare, higher education, banking, non-profits, and federal systems—including the Department of Defense, Navy M...

In this episode of Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT , we dig into one of the trickiest skills for leaders to master: delegation. Handing off tasks isn't enough. True delegation is about empowering people with clarity, structure, and trust. But as I learned the hard way, how we provide feedback after delegating can make or break the process. I share a personal story about what one of my team me...

In this episode of  Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT , we explore one of the most overlooked but critical parts of leadership: how to manage participation in meetings. Too often, leaders walk away from meetings wondering: Why did only a few people speak? Were others disengaged? Did the louder voices dominate while others stayed silent? Here's the truth: people want to participate. But not ever...

In this episode of Leadership and Learning , I explore a challenge every leader faces: balancing the urgent demands of working in the business with the strategic responsibility of working on the business . Too often, leaders get caught in "firefighter mode", constantly putting out emergencies, solving day-to-day problems, and reacting to what's right in front of them. While necessary at times, thi...

In Part 2 of my conversation with Alby Salsa , Founder & CEO of Raven Eye Consulting, we dive deeper into what it means to lead boldly in today's world of higher education and beyond. Alby challenges us to embrace unconstrained thinking by breaking free from self-imposed limits and imagining what's truly possible when we remove the barriers we place on ourselves and our teams. He also unpacks the...

Failing Fast, Putting People First, and Unlocking Hidden Strengths with Alby Salsa In this episode of Leadership and Learning , I sit down with Alby Salsa , Founder and CEO of Raven Eye, and a thought leader in higher education enrollment and student success. Alby brings more than 20 years of experience guiding institutions in building enrollment teams, designing large-scale student coaching progr...

In this episode of  Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT , I sit down with Tyler Maskiewicz, a leader who thrives in a matrix structure where influence, collaboration, and vision are essential. Unlike traditional vertical leadership, Tyler leads horizontally, working across teams and functions to align people toward shared goals. Tyler shares how he: Builds rapport and trust to gain momentum when...

🎙️ Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT Episode 16: Spokesperson, Disseminator, Liaison Communication is one of the most vital skills for any leader, yet one of the most challenging. In this episode, Dr. JBT explores three essential dimensions of leadership communication: downward, upward, and across. Disseminator (Downward): As a leader, your team depends on you to share information that helps th...

Episode 15: Facing Your Fears In this episode of Leadership and Learning , Dr. JBT gets personal and shares her own massive fear of heights, and what it taught her about leadership. Leadership isn't about avoiding discomfort; it's about moving forward even when fear is present. Whether it's making tough decisions, stepping into new responsibilities, or leading change, we all face moments that feel...

In this second conversation with leadership scholar and practitioner Dr. Scott, we dive into the power of Stay Interviews, and why embracing the reality that your team members may not always be with you is not only okay, but healthy. Dr. Scott shares how great leaders see their role as helping people prepare for their next step, even if that journey takes them beyond your organization. We explore...

Episode 13: Building a Leadership Philosophy & Earning Trust – with Dr. Scott In this episode of Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT , I'm joined by Dr. Scott, a respected leadership practitioner and scholar, for an inspiring conversation about what it really takes to lead with authenticity and integrity. We explore: Why every leader needs a personal leadership philosophy, and how to build one th...

As leaders, we're constantly making decisions, but are we making them the  right way? In this episode, Dr. JBT introduces a practical framework for making smarter, more inclusive decisions using the Vroom-Jago-Yetten decision-making model. You'll learn how to assess when to decide on your own, when to consult a few trusted voices, and when to fully engage or even delegate to your team. From quick...

In this episode, Dr. JBT explores a leadership essential: transparency. While transparency builds trust and respect, sharing information without the right context can create confusion, frustration, and even resistance. Through two real-life examples, one that caused misalignment and another that led to team buy-in, Dr. JBT breaks down the importance of timing, communication method, and stakeholder...

In this episode of Leadership and Learning , I talk about the value of stepping away from daily routines to invest in your team. Whether it's a two-day retreat or a two-hour off-site, intentional time together can strengthen relationships, spark growth, and create space for strategy. I share how I structure our annual leadership retreat around three goals: education, team building, and strategic p...

In this episode of Leadership and Learning , I'm talking about something I'm deeply passionate about— inspiring your team . Inspiration is one of those leadership buzzwords that's often talked about but rarely broken down into something practical. So I take a step back and ask: When was the last time you were inspired by a leader? What did they do? What did they say? I walk you through how reflect...

In this episode of Leadership and Learning , I unpack one of the most critical dynamics leaders face during times of change: understanding how your team feels about what you're asking them to do. I introduce a simple but powerful framework, a mindset continuum:  Committed, Compliant, and Resistant . Each group requires a different approach, and as a leader, your job is to identify where your team...

In this special episode, I share a tribute to my father, who passed away suddenly last month. I had always hoped to have him as a guest on this podcast, and while that moment never came, I wanted to honor him by sharing the three core lessons he lived by—lessons that shaped who I am as a leader and a person. My dad wasn't a leader by title, but he led through quiet influence. He believed deeply in...

In this episode, I explore the concept of the invisible door —when a leader's body language, tone, or reactions unintentionally shut down communication, even if their physical door is open. An open-door policy only works if people truly feel safe walking through it. Through personal stories from the workplace, the classroom, and even my own home, I share how small moments and everyday responses ca...

In this episode, I dive into the concept of emotional contagion—specifically, how emotions can spread in the workplace, often without us even realizing it. I explore how the emotions of just one person, especially a leader, can deeply influence the emotional state of others, for better or worse. That's why self-awareness isn't just a nice-to-have for leaders anymore—it's essential. Today, being an...