Mission First People Always's podcast

According to the 2020 census, there are 62.1 million Hispanics in the United States or 18.7 percent of the population. It's also the fastest growing ethnic group in the country. Yet even with the strength in numbers these data may suggest, many young Hispanics are still struggling to find success in higher education and the workplace. This episode is dedicated to better understanding how one unive...

You've heard it a thousand times: "I hate all of the politics at work." You may have even said it a few times or at least carried the sentiment. And since it's such a ubiquitous topic of conversation, more than a few of us have likely commiserated with colleagues about office politics over drinks at a happy hour or a plate of food in the company cafeteria (just for clarification, that's a place wh...

You have likely been on some really good teams where everyone enjoyed working together and together, you accomplished some pretty exciting things. And…you had fun doing it. And on the rough days, you picked each other up and addressed the challenges together. Like me, you've probably also been on some teams where everyone seemed to be pulling in opposite directions, where no one seemed to want to...

On today's episode, we're talking about what it takes to lead yourself well into retirement–and how to make that season of life filled with meaning and purpose. We've also included several great resources to consider here in the show notes, so take a look!   Guest Bio My guest today is Sheryl Roy,  a Leadership and Transition Coach, an expert in Organizational Effectiveness and has a passion for D...

There is an ancient Chinese proverb that states: "When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills." On this episode, we're going to build some windmills!   Innovation has been called the survival skill of our time. If we don't innovate, we don't survive. As a result, it seems that everyone is talking about innovation and how important it is, but relatively few peo...

Everyone wants to be treated with dignity and feel safe. Unfortunately, some workplace paradigms--and individual leaders--do a poor job of promoting this kind of peace… Welcome back to the Mission First People Always Podcast! On today's episode, we talk to Dr. Robyn Short, an expert on "dignity intelligence," who will explain what it takes to create organizational cultures where people can thrive...

Grief is both a very individual experience as well as a universal reality. At some point in our lives, we will all lose something or someone that we hold dear to us. It will make a significant impact on who we are, how we understand the world, and how we do our work, but the thing to know about grief is that, while painful, it can ultimately lead to a deeper appreciation for life and living. In th...

Welcome back to the Mission First, People Always Podcast! We are back again with Dr. David Burkus for part two of our conversation about remote teams and remote leadership. Before you hit play, be sure to catch last week's episode for part one so you are caught up to speed. If you are a leader who has found yourself "working from anywhere," these two episodes are a game changer! We hope you enjoy...

Welcome back to the Mission First People Always Podcast! In today's episode, I'm offering my conversation with author, Dr. David Burkus, in two parts because it is so good I didn't want to try to stuff it all in one episode. In fact, I believe everything we talk about has practical implications for nearly every manager, so make sure to come back next week for part two of this conversation.  David...

Resilience is the capacity to deal with difficulty, adapt, and come back stronger. It's something today's guest argues is critically important for teams--especially if there is going to be meaningful development and learning. But this requires an intentional approach that engages all of the key components of resilience.  Welcome back to the Mission First People Always Podcast! In this episode, we...

Welcome back to the Mission First People Always Podcast! Did you know? According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), about 60% of employees are asked to take an assessment of some sort, with 22% of employers using assessments to screen job applicants. It's no surprise then to learn that the growing assessment market is now estimated to represent $500 million in annual sales with...

One of the goals of this podcast is to inspire you with stories of people who overcame adversity, worked hard, played fair, made good decisions, learned from bad decisions, and found a way to succeed. I'm confident that today's guest will do just that–inspire you to keep pushing forward even when it seems impossible.  Welcome back to Mission First People Always! Today's episode is a fascinating st...

Welcome back to Mission First People Always! Today's guests are two guys who are doing it RIGHT !  They are entrepreneurs who are taking an old, stale, stuffy industry and turning it onto its head by creating a people-centered culture for their clients and for their employees.  How old, stale, and stuffy is their industry you ask?  Well, the origins of the title insurance industry date back to 187...

How do you define kindness? Selfless acts that make someone else's life better would probably be part of your definition. You might even offer examples of kind behavior like compassion, generosity, or genuine concern for others. In today's episode, we hear from a kindness ambassador who not only defines kindness in a very precise way, but teaches organizations how to build kindness into their cult...

Welcome back to the Mission First People Always Podcast! Any organization that wants to upgrade its workplace environment is familiar with the terms diversity, equity, and inclusion. That's because they are essential when it comes to bringing out the best in people and elevating performance.  Let's begin with some simple definitions, so we're all on the same page: Diversity means that differences...

Welcome back to the Mission First People Always Podcast! Today's episode is all about teamwork. Teamwork is a term we initially hear at a very early age. It usually happens at 5-, 6-, or 7-years old, or whenever you step onto a sports field or court for your first attempt at sports.  Whether it was t-ball, soccer, basketball, or something else, there was probably a group of kids who didn't fully u...

Over 100 years ago, Henry Ford was reputed to have said, "You can have a car painted any color you want--as long as it's black." It was the beginning of mass production and the assembly line, and "once-size-fits-all" was necessary to make it all work. For many years, we have treated employees pretty much the same way. We hired people for their hands and their ability to perform certain tasks with...

Welcome back to the Mission First People Always Podcast! Today,  we gain a new perspective on organizational change from change expert, Karen Simmons! Karen Simmons is CEO and founder of The Change Executive, an organizational development agency, based out of Sydney, Australia. She is a complex change specialist (and enthusiast!) working across the UK, Europe, USA, Asia Pacific, and Australia for...

What's the right time to become intentional about developing the relational skills of young people? Today, we discuss how one psychology professor has become very intentional about building interpersonal skills with his students. Welcome back to Mission First People Always!  My guest today is Pete Gleason, Ph. D. Pete began his career as an educator at Loma Linda University, teaching doctoral cour...

Welcome back to the Mission First People Always podcast! On today's episode, we invite you to carefully consider an important personal and professional question: Do I need a coach? Your answer could change the trajectory of your career and greatly benefit those around you. In order to answer this question, you need to understand what coaching is, how a coaching relationship works, and whether ther...

Welcome back to Mission First People Always! Dr. Mike here, today I talk with speaker and executive coach, Art Jackson. Join us as we discuss the reason why we have lousy leaders in organizations and what we should do about it when we get one.    We'll learn from Art the importance of caring about your leader and using a tactful approach to influence them toward success.  In fact, everyone has a r...

Welcome back to Mission First People Always! In this episode, Dr. Mike interviews Jodi Orgill Brown about what it takes to build an antifragile team.  "Antifragile" is a term coined by mathematical statistician Nissim Taleb whose work is focused on dealing with randomness, probability, and uncertainty. It suggests a property of systems that increase their capability to thrive amidst stressors, att...

Welcome back to Mission First People Always! Today, Dr. Mike interviews Dr. Jenn Guignard about the benefits and practices of mindful leadership.  During the course of our conversation, Jenn reveals the three key aspects of mindful leadership: Metacognition (taking a step back to objectively observe what's happening) Reflection without judgment/criticism Inquisitiveness (increasing curiosity).  Li...

In this episode, Dr. Mike reconnects with a former team member, Ernie Cason, to discover powerful lessons about creating a healthy marriage even in the face of the most extreme challenges.  After meeting on a blind date and quickly becoming engaged, Ernie's heart was pierced...not by Cupid's arrow, but by a serrated steak knife wielded by his fiance, Ronna's, enraged ex-boyfriend after he attacked...

In this episode, Dr. Mike interviews documentary filmmaker and television personality, Dr. Angela Sadler Williamson, who is a cousin of civil rights icon, Rosa Parks.  Through family interactions with "Cousin Rosie" and her deep research in support of her award-winning documentary, Angela offers reflections and insights on Rosa Parks as a leader, supporter of leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, J...