The Automotive Leaders Podcast

Last week we explored leadership insights from that elite group of warriors known as the Navy SEALS, well trained for combat in extreme, uncertain and unstable times. This week we take a different perspective, still very much within the scope of leading through a crisis, dealing with an enemy, riding the emotional roller coaster of our entirely changed lives but this time through the lens of a war...

It's Sunday, March 29th, 2020 and we are in the midst of a global crisis, the COVID 19 crisis.  Leaders are challenged with an unprecedented situation where there is no corporate playbook to follow and very little evidence of contingency planning. Where can we look for guidance? for leadership insight in this time of crisis, this time of uncertainty - who is ever really trained for this? The...

How was your week? Adjusting to life with the new norm? Do you have the new work routine set up and your teams all charging ahead? Working from home all figured out? My answer is - NO, not even close, I wasn't nearly as productive as I wanted to be, I struggled to get out of bed, keep my energy up and focus on anything for more than 5 minutes. I was angry, scared, emotional and at times a bit craz...

These are troubling times indeed yet they open up an opportunity to connect with people on a deep and meaningful level like never before. It's time to step up and embrace one of the most rewarding leadership experiences of our lifetime. Are you ready? In this episode, we cover exactly what it takes to lead through this crisis. Staying positive Providing meaning Galvanizing the team Fears of leadin...

Download the 21 traits of authentic leadership e book (Recorded when Heather was Global Vice President Logistics & Lean Manufacturing – Delphi) Meet Heather Klish, Heather is the daughter of a GM tool & die maker on a mission to positively impact American manufacturing and she’s rocking it. Tune in to hear how she prioritizes family, faith, career, and fitness and how her leadership compas...

(Recorded when Kristy was President of mortgage at Flagstar bank) Meet Kristy Fercho, the daughter of a track coach from Compton CA on a mission to help people achieve the American dream of homeownership and she’s rocking it! a leader with GRAVITAS exuding warmth, competency, and connection. Three words describe Kristy – Energy, Light, and Grace, you’ll know exactly what that means after you tune...

Meet Nick Skislak, Nick comes from the small town of Sparta, Michigan and learned very quickly how to rock Google ad words like Gary Vaynerchuck. Nick made the bold decision to launch his business in 2008 in the metro Detroit area and he’s never looked back. Nick is a Millennial leading a company of multi-generational employees and he embodies all the traits of leadership we need for the future. I...

Download the 21 traits of authentic leadership e book Meet Jeneanne Hanley, a leader with over 25 years’ experience in the automotive industry culminating in her position as President of the E Systems division at Lear Corp, a business with revenues over $5B, 50 sites and 70,000 people. It’s clear that her mission is to match “people with purpose”, she leads with a firm belief in “modeling behavior...

Meet Kevin Browett, Kevin comes from a one red light town in Pennsylvania he rose through the corporate ranks to head up an $18 Billion P&L  and then……..the pivot, a magazine? tune in to hear his story it covers toys, drugs, start-ups, martial arts and more. In this episode you can expect to hear about a man who was born to serve, it’s in his DNA, it started with the community he grew up...

Meet Renee Harmon, they call her “coach”  and they acknowledge her with a slight tip of the head as they pass her by in the hallways and wide open spaces at United Wholesale Mortgage and you can feel the level of respect and warmth toward her servant leadership approach. In this episode you can expect to hear more about the coaching culture at UWM and the training program that supports over 5...

Meet Laura Lawson, an authentic leader who takes her skills and creativity from her Hollywood job on the Ellen show and becomes the “chief architect of culture” for a mortgage company in Michigan hiring over 3,000 people in 2019.  Laura exemplifies the servant leadership model of leadership and practices it every-day at UWM.  Tune in to hear what this culture is all about and how they ma...

Meet Don Akery, a man who walks the talk when it comes to authentic leadership, a man who knows what it takes to take care of all of his stakeholders, customers, suppliers, owners, and most importantly, employees. We will explore today exactly how he does that and stays true to himself. When people come to work at TTI they tend to stay.  The values statement at TTI talks about providing a hom...

In this episode, Jan provides the background on her transformation from farm girl to Automotive executive and her passion for authentic leadership. You’ll hear about the questions that will be asked and answered during the podcast series and the type of guests we can expect to hear from as we launch the quest to find GRAVITAS 00:27  Jan’s background 02:45 Moving to America 04:04 Dial it back,...

Welcome to the Automotive Leaders Podcast, where we help you prepare for the future by sharing insights, stories, and skills from leading voices in the automotive world. I’m your host, Jan Griffiths — that passionate, rebellious farmer’s daughter from Wales with over 35 years of experience in the auto industry.  I’m on a mission to create a more authentic leadership culture, one in which peop...