The Collective Growth Podcast: Inner Work

Most leaders are taught to manage conflict down. The healthier ones learn that the absence of conflict is usually the more expensive problem. In this Breakdown of our Inner Work conversation with Kellie Richter, Chief Operating Officer of First Command, MaryAnn Means-Dufrene and co-host Karen Finney unpack what changes when a leader stops trying to keep the peace and starts inviting the kind of sp...

Most leaders are taught to keep parts of themselves out of the room. What they don't realize is that hiding the wound is what slowly drains the leader. In this Breakdown of our Inner Work conversation with Carol Klocek, CEO of Center for Transforming Lives, MaryAnn Means-Dufrene and co-host Karen Finn unpack what it actually means to lead from a self-concept you can see clearly — and what shame, s...

There’s a moment in every founder’s life when someone holds up a mirror they didn’t ask for. Sometimes it’s a coach. Sometimes it’s a spouse. Sometimes — the moment Dave Munson is most honest about — it’s an employee saying something you didn’t see coming. In Part 2 of our conversation with Dave Munson, founder and CEO of Saddleback Leather Co., MaryAnn Means-Dufrene continues the discussion that...

Most leaders hit a moment when the business they built can’t keep growing through them alone. Not because the work changes. Because they have to. In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with Dave Munson, founder and CEO of Saddleback Leather Co., for an honest conversation about confidence, control, and what it actually takes to lead a company you’ve outgrown. Dave built Sad...

You can be talented, driven, and deeply capable — and still spend years choosing paths that are easier than the one you were meant for. This is the episode about what happens when you stop choosing comfort, and start trusting yourself to do the thing you actually love. In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn sits down with Emily McAnelly — VP of Strategic Growth at Collective Growth — for an honest...

You can be high-performing, and still feel completely unprepared for what leadership demands next. This is the side of leadership development no one prepares you for. In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn sits down with Emily McAnelly, for a raw conversation about what it really takes to step into leadership when the stakes are real. Emily didn’t just change roles, she chose to walk away from the...

Most leaders are trained to manage strategy, performance, and results. Very few are taught how unresolved trauma quietly shapes the way they lead. In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with Carol Klocek, CEO of the Center for Transforming Lives, for an honest conversation about the deeper side of leadership development, the inner work that shapes how leaders show up for th...

High-performing leaders spend years mastering achievement; hitting targets, earning promotions, and pushing through pressure. But eventually many reach a moment where the strategy that built their success stops sustaining them. In this episode of Inner Work , MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with Kellie Richter, Chief Operating Officer of First Command, to explore the deeper leadership development...

Leadership development isn’t forged in comfort;  it’s shaped in crisis, transition, and the quiet moments of self-reflection that redefine who we are as leaders. In this episode of Inner Work , MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with TD Smyers, CEO of BoardBuild and retired Navy Captain, for a deeply grounded conversation about governance, growth, and the evolution of identity across seasons of...

What happens when a high-performing entrepreneur hits a wall he can’t outwork? Justin Mink helped scale companies to billion-dollar valuations, until chronic illness forced him to stop everything. In this episode of Inner Work, Justin shares the hidden reckoning behind his public success: the burnout he ignored, the pain he endured, and the radical mindset shift that transformed how he leads today...

What happens when a leader built on calm presence steps into chaos, and still delivers record-breaking results? In this powerful episode of Inner Work , Bob Jameson, President & CEO of Visit Fort Worth, opens up about his leadership evolution, from running a hotel to navigating public responsibility and shaping the identity of a growing city. Bob shares how he manages complexity without losing...

What does true leadership development look like during relentless change? In this raw, honest conversation, Jennifer Limas, CEO of Girls Inc. of Tarrant County, opens up about the breaking point that transformed her leadership, from running the day-to-day to becoming the vision keeper her organization desperately needed. Through deep reflection and vulnerable storytelling, Jennifer shares the hard...

What if the cost of “success” is your health, your joy, or your identity? This raw and powerful episode dives deep into the emotional journey behind leadership development and what it takes to come back to yourself. Executive coach and former Google Chief of Staff Eric Nehrlich sits down with MaryAnn Means-Dufrene for a vulnerable conversation about burnout, parenting, trauma, and the inner reckon...

Leadership development isn’t always bold, sometimes it’s quiet, personal, and fiercely compassionate. In this conversation, we meet a leader who left nothing on the table. In this raw and uplifting episode of Inner Work , host MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with Lindsey Garner, CEO of Communities In Schools of Greater Tarrant County. For over a decade, Lindsey has carried a bold vision to serve s...

Is leadership about rising through the ranks or rising to who you truly are? In this episode of the Inner Work series, The Breakdown , MaryAnn Means-Dufrene and Karen Finney revisit MaryAnn’s powerful conversation with Dr. Ashley Elgin Barnes, CEO of Lena Pope. Together, they reflect on Ashley’s unique leadership journey, from counselor to executive, and what it means to lead with service, depth,...

What if your leadership was costing your team more than you realize? Underneath the metrics and meetings lies a truth most leaders ignore: burnout isn’t a badge of honor, it’s a warning signal. This episode takes you into the heart of that tension. In this episode of the Inner Work series, The Breakdown , MaryAnn Means-Dufrene and Karen Finney revisit a powerful conversation with Brad Wallace. Tog...

What if your greatest trials became the blueprint for your deepest impact? From battling severe acne to becoming a global skincare innovator and cultural advocate, Myong Chong’s leadership journey is a masterclass in faith, purpose, and resilience. In this powerful episode of Inner Work: The Collective Growth Podcast , host MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with Myong Chong, founder of Hanna Isul® a...

Leadership isn’t about knowing everything, it’s about knowing when to ask for help. In this episode of  the Inner Work series, The Breakdown , Karen and MaryAnn unpack the raw, behind-the-scenes growth journey of Ashton Theiss, a top-producing real estate broker who learned that doing it all alone wasn’t the path to real impact. From confronting her own perfectionism to redefining what leader...

Great leadership doesn’t mean avoiding criticism, it means using it to grow. In this episode of the Inner Work series, The Breakdown , MaryAnn Means-Dufrene and Karen Finney reflect on Paul Coury’s interview, and how a tough team survey became the catalyst for culture transformation.   Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:21 Introduction and Opening Remarks     00:39 Discu...

What if the key to better leadership isn’t more strategy but more inner work ? In this episode of the Inner Work series, The Breakdown , MaryAnn Means-Dufrene and Karen Finney revisit powerful conversations from the Inner Work podcast. This time, unpacking their discussion with Dr. Julie Kennedy. Together, they explore how conscious choice, trusting your gut, and letting go of control can transfor...

You don’t need to be fixed. You need to be honest. Most leadership programs teach strategy. This one starts with surrender. In this riveting episode, author and psychotherapist Bruce Tift joins MaryAnn Means-Dufrene to explore the messy, unspoken truth behind high-achieving leaders: the drive to succeed often masks a deep avoidance of discomfort. Drawing on insights from his book Already Free , Br...

Most leaders chase clarity. But what if your confusion is the key? In this episode, we explore the surprising power of ambivalence as a tool for leadership development. Executive coach and author Paul Wyman joins MaryAnn to unpack his radical approach to inner leadership. After years in corporate coaching roles, Paul walked away from stability to launch Inner Team Dialogue, a transformational fram...

What if your most painful experience became the doorway to your purpose?  In this raw and soul-nourishing episode of Inner Work , host MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with Corinne King, mom, community leader, and now author of Shine On , to explore how writing through her mother’s illness and death transformed her identity and leadership. Corinne opens up about navigating grief, rediscovering...

What do you do when a $2.5 million deal collapses days before launch? In this episode of Inner Work, Toan Luong shares the raw truth behind building Ampersand from rock bottom to award-winning success, including a $2.5M investor withdrawal weeks before opening at DFW Airport. Discover what it really takes to lead under pressure, build a resilient team, and create a community that won’t quit. &nbsp...

What if the best leaders aren’t the loudest in the room but the calmest? Dr. Ashley Elgin-Barnes never chased a title. A lifelong introvert and clinician, she found herself repeatedly called into leadership, not because she asked for it, but because people trusted her presence. In this deeply vulnerable episode of Inner Work , Ashley reveals how her early experiences shaped a leadership style root...