Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future
The pace of change in the world is increasing exponentially. As COVID proved, leadership must evolve. And that gets to the heart of our mission: to bring you the latest thoughts on leadership so you can innovate, learn, and evolve...growing your team, your business, and yourself! Every week, host Maureen Metcalf interviews world leaders, global business and NPO executives, thought leaders, and researchers in a wide range of industries. It’s a breadth of perspectives unavailable anywhere else. Become an innovative leader in your own right! Download the latest episode each Tuesday night on your favorite podcast platform, or watch on YouTube at https://bit.ly/InnoYouTube .
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Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Guest: Brian Ferguson, CEO, Arena Labs
Burnout is a real and growing issue in the workplace.
The healthcare industry provides a perfect example. It demands life-and-death decisions under relentless pressure…yet doctors, nurses, and frontline teams are rarely equipped the way elite performers are in sports and the military.
In this episode, Maureen Metcalf speaks with Brian Ferguson, founder of Arena Labs and former special operations officer, about high-performance medicine, a new way of thinking about leadership, resilience, and team effectiveness in healthcare that has direct application across all workplaces. Drawing on lessons from elite military units, professional sports, and high-stakes operating rooms, Brian explains:
Why burnout is not an individual weakness but a system design problem
How firms underinvest in human performance
The role of humility, learning cultures, and after-action reviews in preventing failure
What COVID revealed about leadership, stress, and organizational fragility, and
Why resilience must be built at the individual, team, and family level.
This conversation goes beyond wellness slogans to address the real structural changes required to sustain excellence, and what leaders in any high-pressure industry can learn from it.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- Leveraging Tech to Deepen Human Performance with Brian Ferguson
- The End of Stability: Leading in a Disrupted World with Robert Bush, Jr.
- The End of Control: Leadership Trends for 2026 with Christopher Washington
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
Brian’s company, Arena Labs, has more information on their high performance work at https://arenalabs.co/.
The company Brian referenced with whom Arena Labs works to help organizations optimize is McChrystal Group: https://www.mcchrystalgroup.com/. The Santa Fe Institute, which developed the concept of consilience, has more information at https://www.santafe.edu/. And the wearables Arena Labs worked with to gather sleep and other health data on hospital staff is Whoop; learn more at https://www.whoop.com/us/en/.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 . The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
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OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Sponsorship Sales: Kristine Gross
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
Brian Ferguson has spent his career working in high-performance organizations, learning from leaders and decision-makers in national security, the military, and technology. He used those experiences to build Arena Labs, a company pioneering the field of High Performance Medicine®️. Arena Labs uses state-of-the-art training and technology solutions to bring the science of peak performance, creative mastery, and elite teams to modern healthcare and surgical teams.
Before founding Arena Labs, Brian served in the military as a Navy SEAL and as a civilian in national security working on matters of global security policy. He received an MSc from the London School of Economics.
Tuesday Jan 27, 2026
Tuesday Jan 27, 2026
Guest: Robert Bush, Jr., CEO, Mutombo Coffee
Volatility is no longer cyclical. It’s structural.
That’s one takeaway from Davos. In this episode, Maureen Metcalf speaks with global strategist, board advisor, and CEO Bob Bush Jr. about what leadership looks like when stability is no longer a realistic planning assumption. Drawing on insights from Davos, global operating models, and lived experience building businesses through disruption, Bob challenges leaders to move beyond prediction and toward preparedness.
This conversation explores why foresight matters more than forecasting, how optionality becomes a strategic discipline, and why orchestration (not optimization) is the defining leadership capability of our time. Leaders will gain practical ways to distinguish real risk from noise, rethink resilience as a growth driver, and operate effectively inside evolving global ecosystems.
If your best plans keep breaking, this episode offers a clearer way forward.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- More than Experience, More than Degrees: Leaders Need More Values with George Limbert
- The End of Control: Leadership Trends for 2026 with Christopher Washington
- Leading Smart Cities: Transforming Work & Life with Nikki Greenberg & Ugo Valenti
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
Learn more about Bob’s company at https://www.mutombocoffee.com/.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
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OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross (Kgross@innovativeleadership.com)
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
Robert Bush, Jr., is the president and CEO of Mutombo Coffee, a purpose-driven company elevating women coffee farmers. He’s a senior investment executive with experience across industries, geographies, and asset classes (venture capital, private equity, Islamic Finance).
Bob speaks frequently to corporates and governments on issues related to innovation, social impact, sustainability, global investing, and international trade. He also provides commentary on international media, including Bloomberg, CNN International, Euromoney, and Fox Business News, as well as speaking at global conferences, including the UAE’s Annual Investment Meeting (AIM), Milken Conference, Institutional Investor, Business Week CEO Forum, and GAIM.
Tuesday Jan 20, 2026
Tuesday Jan 20, 2026
Guest: Brian Ferguson, CEO & Founder of Arena Labs
Technology is accelerating faster than most leaders can adapt. But speed isn’t the real challenge. In this episode, Brian Ferguson joins host Maureen Metcalf to explore why human performance matters more, not less, in an era of exponential change.
Drawing on examples from high-stakes environments such as medicine and defense, their conversation examines technology’s true role as an amplifier of human systems. They unpack:
Why humility, learning, and disciplined execution remain the foundation of high performance,
How expertise is eroding as change outpaces learning, and
What senior leaders must do to lead effectively when tools evolve faster than organizations.
This episode offers a grounded leadership reality check for those navigating complexity, technology fatigue, and the pressure to “keep up”—without losing judgment, clarity, or purpose.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
The End of Control: The Leadership Trends of 2026 with Christopher Washington
Leading When We’ve Stopped Thinking: AI’s Red Flag with Srini Koushik
More Than Experience, More Than Degrees: Leaders Need More Values with George Limbert
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!
RESOURCES:
Arena Labs’ website is https://arenalabs.co/. You’ll find more about Brian and the company’s human potential work there.
The groundbreaking books Brian mentioned are Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast & Slow (paperback at https://amzn.to/3ZnEKIy or audiobook at https://amzn.to/4sQJ0xG) and Ray Kurzweil’s The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology (paperback at https://amzn.to/4r4Muet or audiobook at https://amzn.to/4qXFdNq).
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
-----------------------
OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross (Kgross@innovativeleadership.com)
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
Brian Ferguson has spent his career working in high-performance organizations, learning from leaders and decision-makers in national security, the military, and technology. He used those experiences to build Arena Labs, a company pioneering the field of High Performance Medicine®️. Arena Labs uses state-of-the-art training and technology solutions to bring the science of peak performance, creative mastery, and elite teams to modern healthcare and surgical teams.
Before founding Arena Labs, Brian served in the military as a Navy SEAL and as a civilian in national security working on matters of global security policy. He received an MSc from the London School of Economics.
Tuesday Jan 13, 2026
Tuesday Jan 13, 2026
Guest: George Limbert, former President, Red Roof Inns
In this time defined by AI disruption, post-COVID workforce tension, and growing leadership fatigue, trust has become the most critical (and most fragile) asset leaders hold.
In this episode, George Limbert, new president of Innovative Executive Solutions, joins host Maureen Metcalf to explore why modern leadership is no longer about control, certainty, or rigid playbooks. It’s about judgment, humility, and doing the right thing, even when it’s hard.
Drawing on his experience as a CEO, attorney, and advisor across industries, George unpacks:
Why many leadership challenges today are actually trust failures
How judicial temperament helps leaders make better decisions under pressure
The difference between what’s legally safe and what’s ethically right
Why return-to-office and AI debates often reveal management gaps, not employee problems
How leaders can find their “North Star” amid career transitions and uncertainty.
This conversation is for experienced leaders who aren’t looking for shortcuts, but for coherence, integrity, and leadership that holds up over time.
Binge-listen to George’s other episodes:
Leading with Character: A Real-Life Red Roof Report
Red Roof: Revisioning the Future
Expecting the Unexpected: VUCA in Action at Red Roof
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!
RESOURCES:
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
-----------------------
OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross (Kgross@innovativeleadership.com)
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
George B. Limbert is a visionary executive and transformational leader with a proven track record of driving organizational growth and operational excellence. As President of ILI’s Innovative Executive Solutions, George partners directly with boards and executive teams to accelerate strategic transformation, deliver measurable performance, and implement world-class leadership frameworks.
George’s executive leadership is distinguished by his tenure as President and CEO of Red Roof Franchising, where he led a dramatic financial turnaround, tripling EBITDA in just 12 months during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He has built scalable infrastructure and operational processes for multi-million-dollar organizations, consistently delivering results in complex, challenging environments.
Tuesday Jan 06, 2026
Tuesday Jan 06, 2026
Guest: Paul Smith, former Procter & Gamble VP
What if the most effective leaders didn’t need to explain more, push harder, or manage excuses?
In this episode, host Maureen Metcalf is joined by leadership storytelling expert Paul Smith for a thought-provoking conversation about how leaders can most effectively influence behavior…and why logic alone so often fail at this.
Drawing on neuroscience, leadership research, and real-world examples, Paul explains why people don’t change simply because they understand more, and how stories fill that need by helping leaders create accountability without blame, pressure, or defensiveness.
You’ll learn:
Why accountability works best when it’s chosen, not enforced;
How emotion—not logic—drives decisions and follow-through;
Why stories replace lecturing as a leadership tool;
How leaders can reduce defensiveness while raising standards; and
What the real test of leadership is when you’re not in the room.
This is not an episode about storytelling as a communication technique. It’s about storytelling as a behavior-change lever…and a more human, sustainable way to lead.
If you’re a seasoned leader who’s tired of explaining and ready to create real ownership, this episode offers a powerful reframe.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- Tales from the Top: How Leaders Use Stories with Tanvi Gautam
- Using Storytelling to Elevate Leadership with Chris Nolan
- How Great Leaders Are Made: Insights from “The Economist” with Andrew Palmer
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
To learn more about Paul and access his free resources for leading (and for parenting) using story, check his website at https://leadwithastory.com/.
Paul’s books include:
Lead with a Story (paperback at https://amzn.to/4quEDq4, audiobook at https://amzn.to/4quEDq4)
Sell with a Story (paperback at https://amzn.to/4q5MWJc, audiobook at https://amzn.to/4qFG4SN) and
Parenting with a Story (paperback at https://amzn.to/3N2HBE1, audiobook at https://amzn.to/4q3JdM9).
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
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OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Booking Producer: Jenna Reik
Sponsorship Sales: Kristine Gross (kgross@worldtreeproductions.com)
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
TikTok: @innovativeleadership
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Subscribe and leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
Paul Smith is one of the world’s leading experts in business storytelling. He’s one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers of 2018, a storytelling coach, and bestselling author of several books on the art and science of storytelling. As part of his research on the effectiveness of storytelling, Paul has personally interviewed over 300 CEOs and executives in 25 countries, and documented over 3,000 individual business stories. That has allowed him to reverse-engineer what works in storytelling and what doesn’t.
He’s a former executive at The Procter & Gamble Company and a consultant with Accenture prior to that. A 20-year veteran of P&G, Paul worked most recently as vice president of consumer and communications research for the company’s $6 billion global paper business where he led a research team across four continents. He also held leadership positions in corporate finance, and at manufacturing plants and sales offices working closely with major global retailers like Walmart, Costco, Asda, and Sam’s Club.
Paul holds bachelor’s degrees in both astrophysics and economics and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Guest: Christopher Washington, Provost Emeritus
As we look ahead to 2026, one truth is becoming impossible to ignore: the leadership models that built today’s organizations are no longer sufficient for the world we’re entering.
In this annual trends conversation, Maureen Metcalf, our usual host, is interviewed by Christopher Washington, Provost Emeritus of Franklin University, to explore the deeper forces reshaping leadership in the coming year…from AI fluency and human-centered leadership to agility, sustainability, and organizational cohesion.
What emerges is a unifying insight: power is no longer the primary currency of effective leadership. Together, they examine:
Why AI is forcing leaders to rethink how they make decisions
How human energy, not time or talent, has become the scarcest resource
Why agility is about disciplined adaptation, not speed, and
Why leaders must act as unifiers in an increasingly fragmented world.
This episode is not about trends as tactics. It’s about the evolution of leadership itself, and what it takes to lead without breaking people, organizations, or yourself. If you’re a senior leader sensing that “business as usual” no longer works (but unsure what replaces it), this conversation offers the clarity, language, and direction you need now.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- Leading When We’ve Stopped Thinking: AI’s Red Flag with Srini Koushik
- When Women Lead: Courage, Change, & Representation with Congressperson Joyce Beatty
- To Stop a Tyrant: The Power of Followers with Ira Chaleff
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
You can read Christopher’s columns for Forbes’ Nonprofit Council at https://bit.ly/ChrisOnForbes. To learn more about what Christopher and the rest of ILI’s special Executive Solutions team offer, check https://bit.ly/ExecutiveSolutions.
Maureen’s article detailing the trends discussed in this episode is available through the Forbes Coaches Council at https://bit.ly/ForbesSixTrends. The free leadership mindsets assessment she offers is at https://bit.ly/Leadership-7.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
-----------------------
OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Booking Producer: Jenna Reik
Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
Dr. Christopher Washington is a strategic leader, systems thinker, and seasoned academic executive with over three decades of experience strengthening nonprofit and educational organizations. Before joining ILI’s new Innovative Executive Solutions team, he was Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Franklin University. He’s also a long-standing contributor to the Forbes Nonprofit Council. He previously served as CEO of Urbana University and has held leadership roles on numerous national and international nonprofit boards.
Christopher has dedicated his career to helping mission-driven institutions build adaptive, high-performing systems. His work integrates resilience, organizational systems design, innovative leadership practice, and human performance and work process transformation to help leaders navigate complexity and build thriving cultures.
Tuesday Dec 23, 2025
Tuesday Dec 23, 2025
Guest: Srini Koushik, 3-time Fortune 500 CIO
What if the greatest risk of artificial intelligence isn’t that machines become too human, but that humans stop thinking?
In this episode, Maureen Metcalf sits down with veteran technology leader Srini Koushik to explore why AI represents not just a technological shift, but a fundamental change in how humans think, decide, and lead.
Drawing on decades of experience spanning IBM, large enterprises, startups, and AI-focused innovation, this conversation reframes AI as a cognitive partner, not a tool…and warns that leaders who rely on AI for answers risk drifting toward mediocrity.
The discussion explores:
Why AI fluency, not just AI literacy, is becoming a core leadership competency
How over-reliance on AI quietly erodes critical thinking and creativity
The five human capabilities leaders must actively strengthen to remain effective
How leaders can use AI to amplify human judgment rather than replace it.
This is a candid, forward-looking conversation for leaders responsible for strategy, talent, ethics, and long-term enterprise health.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- Tech with Purpose: Protecting People with Innovation at Amazon with Aaron Parness & Beryl Tomay
- What’s the Point? Why Your Leadership Needs Purpose with Ryan Gottfredson
- To Stop a Tyrant: The Power of Followers with Ira Chaleff
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
Learn more about Srini’s firm, Right Brain Labs, at https://www.rightbrainlabs.ai/.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
-----------------------
OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Booking Producer: Jenna Reik
Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross (kgross@innovativeleadership.com)
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
IWebsite: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
Srini Koushik is a 3-time Fortune 500 CIO who has led technology at IBM, Nationwide, and Magellan. Srini isn't just a technologist; he's a practitioner-coach building a "Legacy Project" to correct the failures in how companies adopt AI. He believes in "teaching people to fish" and ensuring technology serves the human spirit.
Tuesday Dec 16, 2025
Tuesday Dec 16, 2025
Guest: Doug McCollough, CEO of Color Coded Labs
What does leadership require once you have real influence? Then how do you attract top talent to your team?
In this episode, Maureen Metcalf is joined by Doug McCullough, a senior technology leader working across smart cities, workforce development, and community-based talent pipelines.Their conversation moves beyond surface-level discussions of diversity and inclusion to examine leadership as a system. Together, they explore how power changes obligation, why many talent pipelines remain broken despite high demand, and what it means for leaders to “get out of the room.”
You’ll learn:
How the power dynamic in hiring has changed
The role of reputation, sponsorship, and presence in attracting and developing talent
How leaders can extend influence beyond their organizations
What senior leaders inherit—and reinforce—when they don’t intervene.
This is a candid, practical conversation for leaders thinking seriously about talent, succession, and the long-term impact of their leadership.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- Self-Awareness: The #1 Predictor of Leadership Success with Belinda Gore
- When Women Lead: Courage, Change, & Representation with Congressperson Joyce Beatty
- What’s the Point? Why Your Leadership Needs Purpose with Ryan Gottfredson
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
For more on Doug’s organization, Color Coded Labs, check their website at https://www.colorcodedlabs.com/.
The interview Doug referenced which featured Joyce Beatty is on Podbean at https://innovatingleadership.podbean.com/e/joycebeatty/.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 . The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
-----------------------
OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Sponsorship Sales: Kristine Gross
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
Doug McCollough has established himself as an advocate for diversity in technology. With over 20 years in technical and leadership roles in state government, Smart Cities, and nonprofits, Doug now serves as CEO of coding bootcamp Color Coded Labs and Executive Director of The Beta District, where he is a thought leader on initiatives as varied as smart mobility, broadband expansion, and blockchain in government. As a cofounder of Black Tech Columbus, he is passionate about extending the many opportunities of the technology industry to the pool of under-tapped talent sitting under our noses.
Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
Guests: Sarah Mathew (VP, Delivery Experience) & Kara Hurst (Chief Sustainability Officer) of Amazon
How do you lead responsibly at scale in a world defined by complexity?
In this episode, Amazon executives Kara Hurst and Sarah Mathew share how they approach some of the most pressing challenges in global business today: climate impact, water scarcity, customer expectations, AI-driven energy demands, and improving delivery across thousands of communities.
Drawing on real examples from Amazon’s climate pledge, same-day delivery expansion, and customer-driven innovation, Kara and Sarah illuminate three capabilities every future-ready leader must master:
Innovating at scale to create real-world impact
Using customer signals to drive operational and strategic decisions
Leading with transparency to accelerate trust and cross-industry progress.
You’ll hear how Amazon uses sustainability as a strategic lever, why anecdotes often reveal enterprise-level problems, how new features reached 50+ million uses in a month, and why transparency (NOT secrecy) is becoming a defining leadership advantage.
If you’re an executive navigating transformation, ESG expectations, or large-scale systems change, this episode offers a rare inside look at leadership in a decisive decade.
Other episodes exploring Amazon:
- Logistics as Lifelines: Amazon’s Disaster Relief Programs with Bettina Stix & Andrea Fava
- Tech with Purpose: Protecting People with Innovation with Aaron Parness & Beryl Tomay
- How Moonshots & Robots Put Packages on Your Porch with Steve Armato
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
Learn more about Amazon’s sustainability initiatives at https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
-----------------------
OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Booking Producer: Jenna Reik
Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
IWebsite: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guests:
Kara Hurst is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Amazon. In this role, she leads the worldwide teams working on environmental sustainability, human rights and social impact across the company. Kara joined Amazon in 2014 to build its sustainability roadmap and led the company’s evolution toward more sustainable operations, transportation, products, and packaging. She also oversees changes in Amazon’s carbon-free energy strategy and efforts around water stewardship, reduced waste, and biodiversity. Under her leadership, Amazon announced its commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040 and co-founded The Climate Pledge, which now has over 550 signatories. Kara holds an undergraduate degree from Barnard College of Columbia University and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of California, Berkeley. She serves on the Board of Directors of Water.org and Stolen Youth.
Sarah Mathew is Amazon’s Delivery Experience Vice President, leading a worldwide product and technology organization that builds and enables products, programs, and services that make it easier for customers to control when, where, and how they receive earth’s largest selection. Her team owns all delivery-related CX throughout the customer shopping journey, including the Your Orders page and all delivery-related notifications, and leads programs like Same Day delivery, Amazon Day delivery, No-Rush shipping, and non-Prime shipping. Sarah joined Amazon in 2013 and has held a number of roles within the company, including being part of the founding team for Amazon’s first physical stores and helping launch and lead the free on-site COVID testing program for Amazon frontline employees. Prior to joining Amazon.com, Sarah spent six years in brand management at Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard College and an MBA and an MS in Environmental Science from the University of Michigan.
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Guest: Joyce Beatty, U.S. Congresswoman
Joyce Beatty joins host Maureen Metcalf for a powerful conversation on leadership, resilience, and advancing equity in a rapidly changing world.
From growing up in segregated America to becoming an influential voice in Congress, Beatty shares the defining moments that shaped her leadership, including navigating bias, breaking barriers, and pushing for systemic change across government, finance, and education. Those inspiring moments provide lessons for women leaders today.
Her candid stories of adversity and triumph include:
How early experiences with discrimination fueled her commitment to justice
What it felt like to be the only woman in rooms of power
The behind-the-scenes story of how “When women succeed, America succeeds” made its way into a State of the Union address
Why visibility, mentorship, and representation remain essential for the next generation of women leaders.
Beatty’s insights offer both inspiration and practical guidance for anyone navigating leadership challenges today. Her message is clear: your story, your courage, and your persistence can change communities…and even change a country.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- Self-Awareness: The #1 Predictor of Leadership Success with Belinda Gore
- From Stress to Strength: How to Rewire Your Brain for Resilience with Jon Wortmann
- How Inner Work Transforms Your Leadership with Jonathan Reams
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
Learn more about Congresswoman Beatty on her website: https://beatty.house.gov/.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 . The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
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OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Sponsorship Sales: Kristine Gross
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
Congresswoman Joyce Beatty is a native Ohioan with a strong history of connecting people, policy, and politics to make a difference. Since 2013, Beatty has proudly represented Ohio’s Third Congressional District.
Prior to her service in the U.S. House of Representatives, Beatty was senior vice president of outreach and engagement at The Ohio State University and a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for five terms.
Beatty received her Bachelor of Arts from Central State University, her Master of Science from Wright State University, and completed all requirements but her dissertation for a doctorate at the University of Cincinnati. In addition, she has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Ohio Dominican University, Central State University, Capital University, and The Ohio State University.
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Guests: Nikki Greenberg, Futurist, & Ugo Valenti, SCEWC Managing Director
How do we build cities—and organizations—that can thrive amid AI disruption, climate pressure, demographic shifts, and rising expectations for livability?
In this episode, futurist Nikki Greenberg and Smart City Expo World Congress managing director Ugo Valenti reveal how urban design, public–private collaboration, and visionary leadership shape the cities—and organizations—of tomorrow. From affordable housing to autonomous mobility to circularity, they share practical insights for leaders in business, government, and nonprofits navigating a fast-changing world.
Here's what Nikki, Ugo and Maureen cover:
Why cities matter for every business, not just for planners;
The edge AI gives urban infrastructure (from snowplow routing to master planning); and
The leadership traits you need to run a business in an increasingly complex urban landscape!
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- Back to the Future…of Work with Jim Ritchie-Dunham, Suzie Lewis, & David Dinwoodie
- Prepare for the Future with Foresight with Dr. Ciela Hartanov
- The Future Is Yours to Create with Rebecca Ryan
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
Find out more about Ugo’s work with Smart City at https://www.smartcityexpo.com/. You can learn more about Nikki’s work as a futurist at https://www.nikkigreenberg.com/.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
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OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
IWebsite: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guests:
Ugo Valenti is a Barcelona-based leader in the global smart-cities and urban innovation space. He currently serves as Business Unit Director for the Cities & Society portfolio at Fira Barcelona and is the Managing Director of Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), the flagship event that has become one of the world’s largest convenings for city transformation. In this role, Ugo helps connect governments, corporations, startups, and academia through large-scale events and digital platforms designed to accelerate the adoption of solutions that make cities more sustainable, inclusive, and livable.
He has directed SCEWC since 2014, overseeing its evolution into a truly global platform—drawing tens of thousands of attendees from well over 100 countries and more than a thousand exhibitors annually. His broader portfolio includes Tomorrow Mobility World Congress, Tomorrow Building World Congress, Tomorrow Blue Economy World Congress, and Tomorrow.City, reflecting a focus on the future of urban life across transportation, infrastructure, climate resilience, and digital innovation.
Nikki Greenberg is a futurist and multi-award-winning keynote speaker, focused on preparing organizations for a tech-enabled future. She helps leaders reimagine their businesses to bring them into alignment with the increasingly digitized way that people live, work, and communicate today.
She has held leadership positions with Fortune 500s, and most recently served as the Head of Technology Strategy for Real Estate at QIC, an Australian investment manager with a $70 billion portfolio of assets under management. She is the founder and global ambassador of Women in PropTech and former three-term co-chair of the Technology & Innovation Council for ULI in New York City.
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Guest: Belinda Gore, PhD
Your leadership style affects everything: your decisions, your culture, your team, your impact.But most leaders operate on autopilot, unaware of the unconscious patterns shaping their choices.
In this conversation, host Maureen Metcalf talks with psychologist and Enneagram expert Belinda Gore about the importance of self-awareness, the nine leadership personality types, and how knowing yours can dramatically upgrade how you lead.
Here's what Belinda and Maureen cover:
Why self-awareness is the strongest predictor of leadership success;
How your personality type impacts your team and strategy; and
The nine Enneagram leadership styles (and their blind spots)!
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- How Inner Work Transforms Your Leadership: Tools for Growth with Jonathan Reams
- Bringing Clarity to Confusion: Self-Awareness with Terri O’Fallon & Kim Barta
- To Stop a Tyrant: How 5 Types of Followers Make (or Brake) a Toxic Leader with Ira Chaleff
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES:
Learn more about Belinda and her Enneagram work at https://belindagore.com/.
Belinda also has a book offering a deeper understanding of personality types, Finding Freedom: Understanding Our Relationships Using Object Relations and the Enneagram. It’s available in paperback at https://amzn.to/4r5AXwh.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.
Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
-----------------------
OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.
Sponsorship Manager: Kristine Gross
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
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About Our Guest:
Belinda is an inspired teacher, author, artist and psychologist. A native of Ohio, Belinda attended university in Columbus, Ohio, and was also a student and later a staff member with World Campus Afloat, a shipboard university that traveled to Asia, Africa, and southern Europe. H
In affiliation with The Enneagram Institute,Belinda founded The Enneagram Institute of Central Ohio (EICO) in 2000 to train professionals in the use of the Enneagram system for facilitating personal and professional development. Today she is recognized as a leader in using the Enneagram in coaching.
In 2021, Belinda and Marcus Boroughs founded The Great Circle Alliance, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to offer public programs and exhibits to raise awareness of the ancient monumental indigenous sites of Ohio. Their work includes a residency for contemporary Native artists to bring an indigenous presence back to the once vibrant sophisticated culture who created these monuments.
You CAN Be a Better Leader!
In fact, the best leaders constantly seek to improve themselves. That's one trait that consistently shows up in the research.
We're here to do exactly that. This podcast is just one tool the Innovative Leadership Institute provides to bring the latest research, trends, and practices to you...free. A single episode may not change your life -- but it will introduce you to innovative leadership ideas, as well as the people and resources to pursue it further.
Check it out. You'll soon find yourself changing. For the better. And for the betterment of all!
To learn more about us, check out our website at InnovativeLeadership.com. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Mastodon.
The Innovative Leadership Institute:
Creating Future-Ready Leaders and Organizations