The Vision Architect

Cybersecurity leaders face a paradox: the pace of technological change accelerates daily, yet teams need stable direction to perform. In this episode, Trent Hein, three-time founder and co-author of the Unix and Linux System Administration Handbook, explains how organizations can set a clear vision without constantly pivoting toward every new trend. The core framework Hein advocates is design thin...

Leaders at every level feel the crush of constant demands, overflowing calendars, and the pressure to push harder. The problem isn't a lack of ambition—it's a lack of presence. When you're trapped in chronic fight-or-flight mode, judgment erodes, relationships become purely transactional, and the very behaviors that made you successful start to hold you and your team back. This episode delivers a...

When your calendar is packed, your team is firefighting, and every decision has to be justified by a spreadsheet, “inspiration” can sound like a nice-to-have. The real cost of that mindset shows up in predictable places: stagnant strategy, burned-out leaders, teams that comply but don’t create, and cultures where people wait to be told what to do instead of taking initiative. This episode breaks i...

Decision-makers, leaders, and high-performers often rely on data, analysis, and willpower to navigate complexity. Yet there's a quieter, faster signal that many overlook: intuition. Intuitive counselor Jackie Valdez joins the show to demystify this innate capacity—explaining that intuition is not a mystical gift reserved for a few, but a practical skill made of only two components: deep listening...

Many leaders feel trapped in the daily grind of problem-solving, leaving them overwhelmed and disconnected from the larger purpose that once drove them. The result? Misaligned teams, organizational friction, and a career that crowds out a fulfilling personal life. This episode features Brad Lee, a former CEO of a leading orthopedic company and now a CEO coach who uses the **Scaling Up** methodolog...

Most business leaders approach organizational problems through traditional business lenses—marketing strategies, financial models, and operational efficiencies. Yet executive coach Tom Adams reveals that the most persistent business challenges often stem from personal issues masquerading as corporate problems. Through 25 years of coaching experience, Adams has developed a counterintuitive approach...

When stress hijacks your decision-making and creativity feels blocked, the solution may lie in regulating your heart's rhythm rather than just managing your thoughts. This episode reveals how heart coherence—the smooth, efficient pattern of heartbeats associated with positive emotions—serves as a physiological foundation for peak performance, creative insight, and emotional resilience. Through dec...

Organizations often struggle with vague cultural definitions, misaligned values, and broken trust that undermine performance and employee retention. The fundamental problem isn't a lack of desire for strong culture, but rather missing frameworks for creating intentional, high-trust environments where people thrive and business objectives are consistently met. Culture begins as a feeling—that immed...

Endurance performance presents a compelling challenge that feels out of reach for most people, yet the strategies used by elite athletes offer powerful lessons for sustained leadership and peak performance. The key distinction lies between goal management and vision-driven motivation—while goals focus on execution and accountability, vision provides the purpose and intrinsic motivation needed to p...

In this powerful conversation, leadership expert Mike Richardson reveals how intentional vision and strategic agility can transform careers and organizations. Drawing from over three decades of experience as a CEO advisor and thought leader, Richardson shares his journey of purposeful pivots—from petroleum engineer to aerospace CEO to portfolio professional—demonstrating how clear vision creates c...

That is a quote from today’s guest, Azim Khamisa. His personal life experiences taught him the practice of compassion, forgiveness, and peacemaking – something we and our world need more of. Azim became a peace activist after losing his 20-year-old son Tariq to a tragic, gang-related murder in 1995. Out of unspeakable grief and despair, Azim chose the path of forgiveness and compassion rather than...

High-stress situations pushes people to the edge. Some people rise the occasion, others fail. What makes the difference? Hostage negotiation tactics may at first seem a little too extreme, or intense, to be utilized at work. It’s exactly those situations that can teach us how to deal with tough and highly demanding situations. My guest, Geroge Kohlrieser, a leadership expert and a former hostage n...

How do we build a team culture in which teammates feel safe for risk-taking in the face of being seen as ignorant, incompetent, negative, or disruptive? In a workplace with high psychological safety, everyone is confident that no one on the team will embarrass or punish anyone else for admitting a mistake, asking a question, or offering a new idea. Today I’m talking with Maya Hu-Chan about the fun...

According to a recent survey, 78% of people stated that the pandemic had a negative effect on their work life. 56% said it had a negative effect on their family life. The 2020 pandemic has forced people to reflect on our “do” culture and has raised the awareness and importance of health, balance, and overall well-being. Our discussion today is centered on WELL-BEING: what is it, how do you maintai...

Carlos Paulet’s LinkedIn profile reads: “I am a nerd, with social skills, that help people get results & enjoy their lives! Executive Coach, VR Pioneer, philanthropist & most important job in the world; Dad!” Carlos is a multi-cultural international management consultant, and an expert in leadership metrics, technology, and team alignment. His focus is on supporting successful people to id...

Creative design is a universal, success-critical process in many organizations and businesses: invent a new product; design a new kitchen; plan your office space; craft a new drink; make a movie; design a new wardrobe; build a house, road, or airport. Design a complex approach requires vision, collaboration, execution, and an inspired team. This episode features an expert on “Creative Design Proce...

How are you leading a team of amazing individuals?  If your team ranks at 9 on the 10 scale, what does 12 look like?  What does it take to help a strong, effective team get even better? Join our discussion on how executive teams transform and move from good to great. My guest today is my good friend Larry Levin, a sought-after executive team facilitator, advisor, and leadership coach.  Larry is th...

How do you build a brand that captures people’s emotions? What can you do to lead organizational change? What does the wine-making process consist of? If you like to drink wine, you’ll love this episode.  Chris Fehrnstrom is the CEO of White Barn Consulting Group, LLC. He has a deep background in the wine industry and has served as the Chairman of the Wine Institute and the Chairman of the Wine Ma...

How can today’s best leaders thrive in the face of challenges? How can you reframe that internal negative self-talk and harness the power of encouragement?  We’re going to find out in this episode. My guest today is a licensed psychologist, a successful Iron(woman) athlete, and a contributing author to “Voices for Leadership” who has applied her methods in her own life and has translated them to c...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Teaming Up Conversations podcast.  I am your host, Simon Vetter.  My guest today is Carolyn Maue, author of the new book, “Gourmet Leadership: Turn Up the Heat on Your Secret Sauce.” A fellow executive coach, Carolyn is the founder of The Maue Center, where she transforms teams, organizations and industry sectors by coaching them on innovative and inspiring...