The Path To Leadership

Send us Fan Mail Growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it happens on messy days, under tight deadlines, and in the middle of real emotion. We’re unpacking growth, fixed, and neutral mindsets with honest stories about fear, feedback, and the quiet work of choosing action when your brain begs for safety. No slogans. Just practical ways to lead yourself when the stakes feel high. We start by separating...

Send us Fan Mail Start 2026 with a steadier compass, not a louder calendar. When the world feels heavy and noisy, we dig into how leaders can stay grounded by pairing a real growth mindset with practical, intentional choices that cut through uncertainty. Instead of sugarcoating hardship, we redefine growth mindset as curiosity over judgment—asking what can be learned, where grace belongs, and how...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like celebration is something you’ll “get to” after the next deadline? We flip that script and show how pausing to celebrate is a leadership competency that fuels momentum, creativity, and culture. Katie and Rhonda break down why so many of us skip recognition—productivity myths, minimizing mindsets, and unhelpful cultural norms—and how the brain reads constant urgency a...

Send us Fan Mail Clarity gets easier when you can name what you stand for. We’re launching our Leader Briefs with a fast, practical guide to defining three to five personal values and turning them into simple behaviors you can practice when stakes are high and time is short. Instead of vague aspirations, we walk through a concrete flow: capture peak moments across your life, translate the feelings...

Send us Fan Mail Burnout doesn’t fade because we work harder; it eases when we design our lives around values, play, and small, compounding wins. We unpack a realistic blueprint for thriving that starts with identity: not “What should I do this year?” but “Who do I want to become?” From there we map daily rhythms that honor sleep, movement, and connection—and we show why creative experiences lower...

Send us Fan Mail Success isn’t a finish line you cross; it’s a practice you live. We dig into what it really means to create your own path—beyond titles, paychecks, and other people’s expectations—and share the tools that make it doable day after day. Katie and Rhonda compare goals‑driven hustle with a values‑driven approach, showing how acceptance, integrity, relationships, legacy, and creativity...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like your inbox is a novel and your day is a string of tiny decisions that drain the joy out of leading? We dig into a practical way forward: using AI to cut noise, spark ideas, and protect your judgment. Not to replace your voice—only to amplify it. From summarizing walls of text into crisp actions to turning messy thoughts into structured plans, we share specific promp...

Send us Fan Mail A messy, beautiful October turned into a bigger move: adding Rhonda as our new co‑host and doubling down on leadership that feels human, not performative. We open the door to our coffee-table conversations and invite you into a space where creativity, neuroscience, and lived experience meet practical tools you can use right away. Rhonda brings a joy-driven approach to transformati...

Send us Fan Mail The way we finish the year decides how we start the next. Instead of coasting through December and losing a month of momentum, we walk through a clear, practical strategy for treating quarter four as the bridge to a stronger quarter one. We share the leadership moves that matter most right now: set a focused rallying cry, narrow your must-do list, celebrate wins early and often, a...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what happens when a leader intentionally designs workplace culture instead of letting it evolve by chance? Mark Stewart, President and CEO of Agriculture Future of America (AFA), reveals the transformative power of "culture by design, not by default" in this enlightening conversation. Mark's leadership journey began with closed doors that ultimately guid...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Season 3 of the Path to Leadership! After an extended summer break filled with family transitions, academic pursuits, and professional growth, we're excited to dive into new leadership insights. • Moving into the "wonderful chaos era" as empty nesters while both children pursue their educational journeys • Returning to school at 49 to pursue an MBA w...

Send us Fan Mail Summer often calls us to pause and realign our priorities, which is exactly why I'm announcing a brief hiatus from "The Path to Leadership" podcast. Despite the momentum from recent episodes on authenticity and overnight success that sparked meaningful conversations, this intentional break allows me to focus on significant personal and professional developments. Fam...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever watched someone seemingly burst onto the scene out of nowhere and wondered, "How did they get so successful so fast?" The truth is far more complex and fascinating than what meets the eye. Success isn't a sudden event but a culmination of years—sometimes decades—of consistent work, learning, failures, and resilience that happened quietly behind the sce...

Send us Fan Mail "Fake it till you make it" might be one of the most damaging pieces of advice ever offered to aspiring leaders. This simple phrase sets us up for imposter syndrome, erodes our authenticity, and creates an exhausting façade that eventually crumbles under pressure. But what's the alternative? Drawing from years of leadership experience, I offer a powerful reframe: &qu...

Send us Fan Mail When May arrives with its blooming flowers and lengthening days, most of us face a paradox: excitement for new possibilities alongside the overwhelm of jam-packed calendars. This tension creates the perfect opportunity to revisit our approach to leadership, priorities, and self-care. The concept of cultivation offers a powerful framework for navigating busy seasons. Just as a gard...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder why some people always seem to have a dark cloud over their head at work? Rather than avoiding them, I've made it my mission to sit next to the grumpiest person in every room. What I've discovered might surprise you. Behind almost every scowl and crossed arm lies a story—of being overlooked, having ideas dismissed, feeling powerless, or experiencing workplace...

Send us Fan Mail Feeling stuck in a linear career path or struggling to see yourself as creative? In this illuminating conversation, Rhonda Jolyean Hale , founder of Jolyean Creative, overturns conventional thinking about creativity, career progression, and personal transformation. Rhonda's journey took her from changing college majors seven times to nonprofit work, executive coaching, and ev...

Send us Fan Mail Leadership isn't about following a straight line—it's about navigating unexpected turns while keeping your vision clear. Jason Smith, President and CEO of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, exemplifies this journey, having transformed from an aspiring sports journalist to an economic development leader guiding communities across multiple states. During our conversat...

Send us Fan Mail From hourly employee to C-suite executive, Kristen Hoffman's leadership journey at Delta Dental of Kansas defies conventional career paths. As Chief Operating and Experience Officer, she oversees critical business functions while driving innovation that recently earned her "Innovator of the Year" recognition in Wichita. What makes Kristen's approach to leadersh...

Send us Fan Mail Chuck Knapp's journey from aspiring late-night talk show host to President and CEO of Jobs for America's Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) reveals how powerful leadership can transform lives. After 23 different jobs and years in public service, Chuck found his purpose helping students overcome barriers and reach their full potential through an evidence-based model that delivers e...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to carry your professional identity everywhere you go? Judge Courtney Boehm of Kansas's 8th Judicial District pulls back the curtain on her journey from public defender to the bench, revealing the surprising reality that she's "never not a judge" – even during routine trips to Walmart. Throughout our candid conversation, Judge Boehm shares vul...

Send us Fan Mail Jim Bramlett never expected to find his calling helping other business leaders navigate their challenges. After four decades in transportation and logistics, followed by entrepreneurial ventures that taught him hard-earned lessons about leadership, Jim discovered that what leaders need most is meaningful connection with peers who understand their unique challenges. "It is lon...

Send us Fan Mail Are you feeling unmotivated at work? You're not alone, and this episode of Path to Leadership dives into the deeper truths about employee satisfaction and the common pitfalls that can lead to demotivation. In a world where workplace culture is evolving more rapidly than ever, understanding what truly motivates employees is crucial.  The discussion reveals that satisfaction is...

Send us Fan Mail Ever felt overwhelmed by factors beyond your control, especially in leadership roles? Discover how to transform anxiety into growth by mastering what you can actually control. In our latest episode, we promise to equip you with the tools to redirect your energy and reactions towards productive pursuits. Drawing inspiration from thought leaders like Carol Dweck and Stephen Covey, w...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the remarkable journey of Heath Horyna, whose career path took an unexpected turn from biologist to the Manager of Distribution Project Management at Evergy. Heath shares how a personal tragedy inspired him to seek new horizons, leading him from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to the electrical utility industry. His story is one of resilience, adaptability...