Strengths On Fire

🎙️ Strengths on Fire — Season 2 Finale: Reflection, Highlights & The Episodes That Lit Us Up In this season-closing conversation, Bill and Sarah celebrate the end of Season 2 with a reflective, funny, heartfelt recap of the most memorable episodes, biggest surprises, standout guests, and the lessons that reshaped their coaching work. From maximizers vs. perfectionism, competition, parenting th...

Ever wondered how a “no, thanks” can turn into a “heck yes” for culture transformation? In this high-energy, laugh-filled episode, Bill and Sarah sit down with Jon Sexton of Vibrant Credit Union — a former higher-ed pro turned culture architect — to talk about how he built a thriving CliftonStrengths culture that actually sticks. From early haircuts and harmony to friendship at work and fiery WOO...

This week, Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel take us on a transcontinental strengths journey — all the way to South Africa — to chat with the dynamic and insightful Simon Hurry . From the moment Simon joins the conversation, it’s clear this isn’t your typical strengths talk. He brings the fire of a scientist, the heart of a teacher, and the conviction of a true influencer. Together, the trio digs into...

When inspiration strikes, some people grab a notebook. Others start a podcast. (Looking at you, Sarah and Bill.) This week, the Strengths on Fire crew dives headfirst into the buzzing, brilliant, and sometimes overwhelming world of Ideation —joined by HR Director and CliftonStrengths enthusiast Carrie Chandler . Carrie brings a powerful mix of Learner, Futuristic, Woo, and Ideation to the mic as s...

Harmony gets a bad rap as the “peacekeeper” theme—the one that avoids conflict, smooths things over, and keeps everyone rowing in the same direction. But is that the whole story?  This week, Sarah and Bill welcome Maggie Meylor, executive coach, Gallup-certified strengths facilitator, and positivity powerhouse, for an honest and surprisingly funny conversation about what happens when Harmony meets...

What happens when you bring heart into the highest levels of leadership? This week, Sarah and Bill welcome Pamela Nelson —Gallup-certified coach, counselor, podcaster, grandmother of six, and author of the Sticky Stories children’s book series—for a rich and heartfelt conversation about empathy in leadership. From Star Trek metaphors to sticky mantras like “I made a mistake. I’m not a mistake. If...

If you had to pick just one CliftonStrengths theme to change the world, which would it be? That’s the impossible—and surprisingly hilarious—question Sarah and Bill debate this week with Megan Baker , strengths enthusiast, leader, and unapologetic Achiever. From “petty hills to die on” to tall-people problems to soapbox moments (yes, Sarah drops an f-bomb), this episode proves that a big question c...

What happens when Context is your #1 strength—or your dead-last #34? In this episode, Sarah and Bill sit down with Olivia Leigh , data analyst, coach, and co-founder of Tradewinds Leadership, to explore how Context shows up in work, relationships, and decision-making. From constipation jokes to car shows, from systems trauma to six-hour road trips filled with ideation, this conversation proves tha...

If you’ve ever wondered whether certain strengths are “must-haves” for entrepreneurs, this episode challenges that assumption and flips it on its head. Serial entrepreneur and women’s health innovator Stasi Grenfell joins Sarah and Bill for a candid, energizing conversation about building businesses, leading franchises, and the strengths that fuel it all. From Achiever grit to Competition resilien...

What happens when three Activators get together for a podcast? You pivot mid-show, toss the script, and dive into a whole new debate. 🎙️ This week, Sarah and Bill are joined by Melissa Ortiz , founder of Activate Human Capital Group, longtime strengths coach, and all-around powerhouse of influence. Together, they tackle one of the most common questions in the coaching world: Should you retake Clif...

If you’ve ever wondered whether your optimism is a superpower or something others dismiss as naive, this episode will reframe everything. Gallup-certified coach Samantha Kennelly joins Sarah and Bill to explore the CliftonStrengths theme of Positivity—not just as cheerfulness, but as an energy source, an influence strategy, and a form of quiet resilience. Together, they explore how positivity oper...

If you’ve ever pushed yourself—or others—to make something “just a little better” until it became overwhelming, this episode is your invitation to step back, breathe, and rethink what better actually means. Gallup-certified coach and all-around dynamic human Jamal Cornelious joins Sarah and Bill for a refreshingly honest and often hilarious deep dive into the difference between Maximizer and Perfe...

Do you love setting long-term goals—or do you just want to survive the week? In this insightful and refreshingly real conversation, Gallup-certified coach and educator Kay Markovic joins Sarah and Bill to unpack the Futuristic strength and how it plays out in the classroom, at home, and in everyday decision-making. If you’ve ever struggled with staying present while planning for the future—or you...

Ever wondered why some people thrive in big, bubbly social circles while others guard their inner circle like it’s VIP only? This episode brings the debate (and laughs) as Sarah (high Woo), Bill (both Woo + Relator), and guest Anna Pressler (high Relator) unpack what it really means to connect—quickly, deeply, or both. Whether you’re someone who thrives on new connections or prefers to go deep wit...

If you’ve ever wondered whether CliftonStrengths is just a feel-good tool that avoids hard conversations, this episode delivers a resounding—and nuanced—response. Coaches Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel are joined by Tara Gronhovd, leadership development expert and founder of the Shift Leadership Event, to explore how strengths-based work can actually deepen conflict resolution, not bypass it. This...

Ever worked somewhere that felt like a leaderboard instead of a team? If you’ve ever felt tension around competitiveness at work—or wondered how some teams manage to make it energizing instead of exhausting—this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Sarah and Bill welcome Jessica Novich, COO of Full Tilt Logistics, a fast-growing family-run company where three of the five leadership team me...

In this bold and hilarious episode, Sarah and Bill are joined by guest Rachel Kagay—a coach, speaker, and unapologetic Woo—to ask the question so many have wondered: Can Woo be annoying? Together, they dig into the reputation, realities, and power of the CliftonStrengths theme Woo (Winning Others Over). Rachel brings humor, heart, and hard-won wisdom as she shares what it’s like to lead with Woo i...

What does it really take to start something new? In this lively and thoughtful episode, Sarah, Bill, and guest Natalie Becerra explore how different CliftonStrengths can help you move from idea to action—and why there’s no “best” strength, only the best one for you. Natalie opens up about her love of Ideation and Strategic, and how they create both brilliance and tension when starting something ne...

In this honest, energizing, and sometimes hilariously relatable episode, Sarah and Bill ask the question so many CliftonStrengths coaches secretly wonder: Are we overhyping Achiever? They dive into the complexity of this popular strength—why it’s often praised, where it can get toxic, and how to coach it toward something more sustainable. From LinkedIn poll results to personal confessions of burno...

In this heartfelt and humorous episode, Sarah and Bill welcome Dr. Kelly Dries to explore the question: Can your strengths make you a better parent or partner? With two young kids and a coaching career built around helping women lead with confidence, Kelly shares real-life moments of joy, overwhelm, and self-awareness that will resonate with anyone who’s ever tried to keep their cool during a todd...

Is your sense of duty lifting you—or crushing you? If you’ve ever felt the weight of always being the one people count on, this episode is your permission slip to pause. We’re diving into the CliftonStrengths theme of Responsibility, especially when it shows up in overdrive. Sarah and Bill welcome Becky Murway—Director of Operations, former business owner, and all-around executing powerhouse—whose...

Ever worked with someone so driven to win it feels inspiring… or maybe exhausting? Brandon, whose top 10 strengths include a power-packed stack of influencing themes (including Competition, Command, and Woo), makes a compelling case for why Competition, when coached well, can elevate an entire team’s performance. In this episode of Strengths on Fire, Sarah and Bill dive into a bold, energizing deb...

Ever looked at your CliftonStrengths results and thought, “Ugh, I don’t like these?” You’re not alone. In this honest and energizing episode, Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel sit down with special guest Jen Werner to explore what it really takes to embrace your strengths—especially when they don’t show up the way you expected. Jen shares her personal journey from resisting her strengths to recognizin...

You believe in strengths. You’ve done the workshops. You’re bought in. So… why does your team still hit roadblocks? In this episode, Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel tackle the messy middle of strengths-based development—the part where good intentions meet real-world team dynamics. They dig into bold truths about why teams struggle even when they’ve embraced CliftonStrengths, and what it actually tak...

Season 2 is here—and we’re starting with a spark. In this kickoff episode, Strengths on Fire hosts Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel take you behind the scenes of what worked (and what didn’t) in Season 1, and unveil an all-new format packed with bold questions, real talk, and more audience interaction than ever. The big question on the table: Is the strengths movement helping people grow—or giving th...