Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future

Recorded live at the International Leadership Association global conference in Washington, DC!
"It's not just about the the betterment of you and your family. It's about the betterment of the community."
That is one of the core values that helped guide Reta Jo Lewis through an eventful leadership journey, culminating in her current role as president and chair of the board of the Export Import Bank of the United States — the first African American to accomplish this. She is a passionate advocate for women in entrepreneurship and has a long history of working in politics and law.
 
In this episode, she shares more about her amazing leadership path (including time with Nelson Mandela), and how that can help you in your own career journey. 
 
Here's what Reta Jo and host Maureen Metcalf cover:
The importance of feeling you’re working for something bigger than just yourself;
Having confidence that the skills and knowledge you have now prepared you for your next career opportunity; and
Why forging a network and relationships with peers, mentors, and role models is so important to developing as a leader.
 
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- ShEquity: A Refugee’s Path to Empowering Women & Their Businesses – with Pauline Koelbl
- Empowering Women for the Prosperity of Nations – with Amanda Ellise & Augusto Lopez-Claros
- Winning in the Face of Adversity: Overcoming Challenge with Grace – with Joyce Beatty & Doug McCollough
 
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn .
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
You can learn more about Reta Jo’s agency and her work there at www.exim.gov.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0.
 
Books we’re reading for fun or personal development right now include:
Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned by Walter Mosley
This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley
Adventureman II: A Fairy Tale of New York by Matt Fraction and Terry & Rachel Dodson
 
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Their Podcast Journey Is Just Beginning: Luigi Morelli, Jenna Reik, & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
Ms. Lewis is a senior executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in international affairs, legal, public policy, business and regulatory affairs, and subnational diplomacy. 
 
On February 9, 2022, the U.S. Senate confirmed Reta Jo Lewis as EXIM’s President and Chair of the Board of Directors. Ms. Lewis was most recently a Senior Fellow and Director of Congressional Affairs at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Prior to her time at GMF, she served as the first-ever Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs under Secretary Hillary Clinton at the U.S. Department of State during the Obama-Biden Administration. As Special Representative, Lewis was the chief diplomat in charge of the international efforts to build and support strategic relationships between the federal government, state and local leaders, and their foreign counterparts. In 2013, she was awarded the Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award. 
 
Ms. Lewis was the first Black woman to serve as Vice President and Counselor to the President at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She led the Chamber’s initiatives focused on fostering strategic alliances between small businesses, especially women- and minority-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, and executives. She is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and former Member of the Board of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security. Ms. Lewis received a J.D. from Emory University School of Law, an M.S.A.J. from American University, and a B.A. from the University of Georgia. She is a native of Statesboro, Georgia.

Guest: Henry Mintzberg
There’s a lot of chaos for leaders to deal with, and it’s been pushing us out of balance for decades. Henry Mintzberg has had enough. Enough of the imbalance that is destroying our democracies, our planet, and ourselves. Enough of the pendulum politics of left and right, as well as the leadership paralysis in the political center. The world we live in needs a form of radical renewal unprecedented in the human experience.
But Henry doesn’t complain: he crafts solutions. In this episode, he presents host Maureen Metcalf with an integrative framework for a comprehensive way forward. It’s based on his book, Rebalancing Society: Radical Renewal, Beyond Left, Right and Center.
Here's what Henry and Maureen cover:
Why the internal threats to democracies and our individual self-denigrations are tied to the same root cause;
How imbalance wreaks havoc on our lives and leadership; and
What can be done to restore balance and our cultural sanity .
 
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
Building Communities within Your Business – with Alice Yoo LeClair
Courageous Followership – with Neil Grunberg & Ira Chaleff
Facing Uncertainty: It’s VUCA – with Chris Nolan
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . We're on Mastodon, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, too!  
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
Henry’s book discussed in this episode is Rebalancing Society: Radical Renewal, Beyond Left, Right and Center(https://amzn.to/3X1EU4V). He’s written extensively; some of his other books include Simply Managing, Bedtime Stories for Managers, and The Rise & Fall of Strategic Planning.
You can also learn more about Henry and his activities at CoachingOurselves.com and through his blog at Mintzberg.org.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0.
 
Books we’re reading for fun or personal development right now include:
The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson
This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley
Adventureman by Matt Fraction and Terry & Rachel Dodson
 
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Constantly Rebalancing Far Too Many Duties: Luigi Morelli, Jenna Reik, & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
Facebook: facebook.com/Innovativeleadership
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
Twitter: @IL_Institute
Mastodon: @InnoLeader
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Instagram: @innovativeleader
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
Henry Mintzberg is a writer and educator, mostly about managing originations, developing managers, and rebalancing societies, which is his current focus. Henry sits in the Cleghorn Chair of Management Studies at the Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University in Montreal. He has authored 20 books, including Simply Managing and Bedtime Stories for Managers, which have earned him 20 honorary degrees. Henry co-founded the International Masters Program for Managers as well as a venture CoachingOurselves.com, novel initiatives for managers to learn together from their own experience, the last in their own workplace. Henry may spend his professional life dealing with organizations, but he spends his private life escaping from them—mostly in a canoe, up mountains, and on a bicycle. You can find out more about his adventures on mintzberg.org, which includes his blog.

Recorded live at the International Leadership Association global conference in Washington, DC!
In this episode, Raj Sisodia and Sudhanshu Palsule explore the power of conscious leadership. With Conscious Capitalism, this can inspire a higher purpose for businesses, transcending the old Industrial Era story of profit-driven motives. The world has changed dramatically, but our leadership and business models have yet to catch up.
 
United in their belief that business can be a force of good, they share their research and personal journeys as they forged new leadership principles of purpose, wholeness, and healing.
Here's what Raj, Sudhanshu, and host Maureen Metcalf cover:
The four pillars of 21st Century leadership (and business);
The importance of evolving from a shareholder mindset to a stakeholder mindset; and
How leaders and their organizations profit by combining the best of their masculine and feminine cultural energies.
 
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- Should IT Executives Share their Soft Side? – with David White
- Joy at Work – with Roxanne Brown & Edward Cooke
- Leading with Care in a Tough World – with Bob DeKoch & Phil Clampitt
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . 
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
You’ll find more from Raj and Sudhanshu on their websites: ConsciousCapitalism.org and RajSisodia.com, or RehumanizingLeadership.com and SudhanshuPalsule.com, respectively.
Both Raj and Sudhanshu have written many books. Raj’s include the seminal Conscious Capitalism, as well as Firms of Endearment, and Shakti Leadership. Raj also blogs at ConsciousCapitalism.Typepad.com/conscious-capitalism.
Sudhanshu’s books include Rehumanizing Leadership and The Social Leader.
For Adam Smith’s thoughts on the social obligations of capitalists, read The Theory of Moral Sentiments.
Our host, Maureen Metcalf, posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here.
 
Books we’re reading for fun or personal development right now include:
The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson
This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley
Adventureman by Matt Fraction and Terry & Rachel Dodson
 
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Our Consciously Caring Colleagues: Luigi Morelli, Jenna Reik, & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
Facebook: facebook.com/Innovativeleadership
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
Twitter: @IL_Institute
Mastodon: @InnoLeader
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Instagram: @innovativeleader
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guests:  
Raj Sisodia is FEMSA Distinguished University Professor of Conscious Enterprise and Chairman of the Conscious Enterprise Center at Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico. He is also Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Conscious Capitalism Inc. Raj has a Ph. D. in Business from Columbia University. His fifteen books include Conscious Capitalism (2013), Everybody Matters (2015), Firms of Endearment and The Healing Organization. Raj has worked with numerous companies, including AT&T, Verizon, LG, BorgWarner, Kraft Foods, Whole Foods Market, Tata, Siemens, Sprint, Volvo, IBM, Walmart and McDonalds. Raj received an honorary doctorate from Johnson & Wales University and has served on the boards of Mastek and The Container Store. 
 
Sudhanshu Palsule is an award-winning educator, leadership philosopher, CEO advisor, author, and speaker. He is regarded as one of the leading thinkers in the fields of Transformative Leadership and Leading in Complexity. Author of several books, his latest book, “Rehumanizing Leadership” was published in 2020. Sudhanshu is a fellow at Cambridge University’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership. He is also an Educator and Academic Director at Duke CE (part of Duke University, USA).  He has written several books including The Social Leader, Managing in Four Worlds, The Ecology of Organizations, Personal Growth, and Science, Technology, and Social Change. 

Guest: Monique Jefferson
Are you a hybrid leader yet?
 
That’s what today’s work world demands. Most workers prefer work from home. Others prefer to be in the office. Still others like hybrid work: a combination of both. In this episode in our Connex Partners Executive Insights series, we ask—How do you lead people with such opposing preferences? And how do you accommodate the breadth of diversity in the workforce?
 
Monique Jefferson says the answer lies in being intentional. The Chief People Officer of NYC’s Community Preservation Corporation successfully guides her leaders into intentionality and inclusivity. Done well, your team will have purpose, passion, and perspective…all of which lead to greater morale and loyalty. She shares her methods with host Maureen Metcalf.
Here's what Monique and Maureen cover:
The path to being an intentional leader in today’s hybrid work environment;
Why flexibility ranks higher than compensation in importance to today’s workers; and
The Three Ps, and their importance to your team…and you .
 
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
The New Role of Leadership in a Hybrid Workplace – with Greg Moran
Five Trends to Know: Leadership in 2023 – with Christopher Washington
Recruiting & Retaining Diverse Executives – with Eric Douglas Keene
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . We're on Mastodon, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, too!  
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
Monique Jefferson is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/monique-d-jefferson-sphr-shrm-scp-8120712.  Information on Monique’s 3-P haven, the Community Preservation Corporation, is at https://communityp.com.
Information about this episode’s sponsor, Connex Partners, is at https://www.connexpartners.com.
Our host, Maureen Metcalf, posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0.
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Our Intentional Podcast Support Team: Luigi Morelli, Jenna Reik, & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Innovativeleadership
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
Twitter: @IL_Institute
Mastodon: @InnoLeader
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Instagram: @innovativeleader
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
Monique Jefferson is an expert in human capital management with an instinct for determining the impact of organizational change, particularly on marginalized groups. She is a results-oriented, proven human resources executive with over 20 years of global experience in the financial services, legal, Insurance, media, non-profit and professional services industries. Her primary areas of expertise include talent and performance management, compensation, leadership development, diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging, talent acquisition, executive coaching, cultural change, employee engagement, training, and employee and labor relations.
 
Monique currently serves as Chief People Officer of Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) (a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) within the multi family affordable housing sector) where she develops the human resources strategic plan and builds a culture that will enable CPC to attract, engage, grow and retain a high-performing, diverse workforce.  Monique previously served as the Chief Human Resources Officer of New York Public Radio, the second largest public media company in the U.S., where she led a culture transformation and implemented the first Race Equity Action plan for the organization.

Guest: James Brenza
By their very nature, emerging industries (such as EVs, private spaceships, and cannabis) present unique leadership challenges – and opportunities – rarely encountered in long-established businesses.  In addition to general entrepreneurism, you’re creating something new for the marketplace…and forging the team to shepherd it.
 
Emerging industries often lend a new twist on old businesses: they allow the opportunity to relook at established practices, sparking innovation in the business sector. James Brenza joins the show to discuss his venture into an emerging industry -- and how that provided him with new challenges as well as the possibilities of new solutions.
Here's what James and Maureen cover:
How disruptions in your personal life can spark your drive into new kinds of business;
Ways to navigate the uncertainty of cutting-edge industries when legislation isn’t consistent across the country; and
Why standards and technology remain vital components in emerging industries.
 
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
Leverage Change: Achieve Faster, Easier, Better Results - with Jake Jacobs
Opportunity in Uncertainty – with Dr. Ciela Hartanov
Building Trust in Uncertainty – with Dr. Mary Jo Burchard
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . We're on Mastodon, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, too!  
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
More about James Brenza’s agritech firm is online at https://greenest-grow.com. You can also connect on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenestgrow.
Our host, Maureen Metcalf, posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0.
Books we’re reading for fun or personal development right now include:
The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson
This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley
Adventureman by Matt Fraction and Terry & Rachel Dodson
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Emerging Podcast Pioneers: Luigi Morelli, Jenna Reik, & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Innovativeleadership
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
Twitter: @IL_Institute
Mastodon: @InnoLeader
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Instagram: @innovativeleader
Website: InnovativeLeadership.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
James Brenza is an information technology and analytics leader with 20 years of diversified experience and success in delivering analytical, functionally rich, complex solutions. He is a hands-on leader who carefully balances strategic planning, business communications and technical delivery. He has extensive experience with motivating mixed-shore teams to deliver high quality, flexible results. James’ academic foundation includes 3 degrees: Information Technology, Finance, and an MBA. He complemented his technical skills with a Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean Qualification and PMP certifications. He applies that foundation to solving problems in banking, insurance, retail, distribution, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and public service. He has also been involved in the startup community by serving on advisory boards and as CDO.

Guest: Janet Fouts
We recognize the many layers of stress we are under day-to-day. Those stresses are very real – and often increase as we move up the leadership ladder. That stress has consequences, both physical and mental. What can we do?
 
Janet Fouts has distilled some very simple tools that can help us be less reactive and more responsive to what life throws at us. They’re based on her deep dive into mindfulness as she dealt with the extreme stress of working as a full time digital marketer while caring for a dying partner. In the process, she learned that when we are aware of ourselves, we have better opportunities to understand others, making us better leaders, communicators, and partners.
Here's what Janet and Maureen cover:
How to recognize, and deal with, the triggers that can set you off;
Ways to learn mindfulness in easy microsteps; and
Why work meetings cause so much stress (and why Americans do meetings so poorly).
 
Other episodes to keep your leadership chill:
Mindfulness Benefits in the Workplace – with Rich Fernandez & Peter Weng
Mental Toughness: How to Embrace Stress for Greater Success - with Col. Deb Lewis
Integrating Integrative Medicine in Leadership - with Dr. Maryanna Klatt
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. 
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
We’re watching for her forthcoming book, Microdosed Mindfulness.  In the meantime, check out her other publications. Her prior book on self-care while caring for others is When Life Hits the Fan. She also has a batch of books on social media marketing from her earlier career, available here. To learn more about Janet, surf her website: JanetFouts.com.
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them at https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0.
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Mindfully Minding the Podcast Store: Luigi Morelli, Jenna Reik, & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadership.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
After 25 years as CEO of Tatu Digital Media, a Silicon Valley marketing agency, Janet Fouts quit and founded Nearly Mindful, where she serves as a Human Potential Facilitator, working with individuals and teams to reach their full potential through emotional intelligence and mindfulness coaching, workshops, and retreats.

Guest: Jacob Morgan
There has been a lot written about leadership for the present day, but the world is changing quickly. What worked in the past won’t work in the future – so how do we prepare leaders who can successfully navigate and guide us through the next decade and beyond?
What’s required of leaders, even the types of leaders we need, is in flux. So what can a struggling leader do now?
Jacob Morgan wondered, as well, so he interviewed over 140 CEOs, then partnered with LinkedIn to survey almost 14,000 of their members around the globe to see how those CEO insights aligned with employee perspectives. He uncovered some fascinating insights, and shares them in this episode.
Here's what Jacob and Maureen cover:
The undeniable reality that pre-pandemic leadership isn’t going to cut it in this post-pandemic decade;
Why these changes are happening; and
The four mindsets and five behaviors to develop as a leader for tomorrow.
 
Related episodes to make you a future-ready leader:
The Future Is Yours to Create – with Rebecca Ryan
Curing Corporate Short-Termism – with Gregory Milano
Red Roof: Revisioning the Future – with George Limbert
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . We're on Mastodon, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, too!  
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
Get all the details of Jacob’s findings in his book, The Future Leader. He’s also written The Employee Experience Advantage, The Future of Work, and The Collaborative Organization.
The Notable Nine PDF Jacob referenced is available at TheLeadershipDigest.com . Or learn about his other forward-searching work at TheFutureOrganization.com .
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here .
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0 .
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
The Future of Podcast Humanity Rests in Their Hands: Luigi Morelli, Jenna Reik, & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Innovativeleadership
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
Twitter: @IL_Institute
Mastodon: @InnoLeader
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Instagram: @innovativeleader
Website: InnovativeLeadership.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
Jacob Morgan is a four-time bestselling author, keynote speaker, and futurist who explores leadership, employee experience, and the future of work. He is the founder of FutureofWorkUniversity.com, an online education and training platform that helps future proof individuals and organizations by teaching them the skills they need to succeed in the future of work. Jacob also hosts the Future of Work podcast, a weekly show where he speaks with senior executives, business leaders, and bestselling authors about how the world of work is changing. He is regularly featured in publications such as Forbes, Fortune, HBR, Fast Company, the BBC, and others.

Guest: Greg Moran
When young companies scale their business, there are many challenges…some obvious, and some no one talks about. Greg Moran joins the show for a discussion about the topics that are often avoided.  Some have even been considered taboo!  We’ll learn about back-office processes and tooling, hiring and diversity, space: culture and people, keeping the value chain in balance, pricing and value creation, establishing ESG processes, and minimizing distraction. It’s a primer for entrepreneurs on the threshold of growth!
Here's what Greg and Maureen cover:
The struggles that happened before the start-up success stories everyone publicizes;
Why scaling the back office is just as important as scaling your product or service; and
How truth with your growing staff is critical to continued success.
 
More episodes with Greg Moran for binge-listening:
The New Role of Leadership in a Hybrid Workplace
Evolving Leadership to Navigate Disruption
What Your Team REALLY Thinks…in Real Time!
 
 For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . We're on Mastodon, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, too!  
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
To learn more about Greg’s company, surf over to https://www.awarehq.com/ .
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here .
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0 .
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Pod People Leaders WILL Talk About: Luigi Morelli, Jenna Reik, & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Innovativeleadership
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
Twitter: @IL_Institute
Mastodon: @InnoLeader
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Instagram: @innovativeleader
Website: InnovativeLeadership.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
Greg Moran is a C-level digital, strategy and change leadership executive with extensive global operations experience. He led corporate strategy for Ford and designed the plan that Alan Mullaly used to turn around the company. Greg held C-level IT positions in app dev, infrastructure, and core banking applications at Ford, Nationwide Insurance, and Bank One/JPMC, respectively. He began his career in consulting with Arthur Andersen Accenture, working across industries with 100 companies over the course of a decade. He is passionate about leadership and culture, and teaches part time on the topic at Ohio University.

Recorded live at the International Leadership Association global conference in Washington, DC!
“He who cannot be a good follower, cannot be a good leader.”
 
Aristotle shared that wisdom over 2,000 years ago, but today we chafe at being labeled a follower. Yet, as Ira Chaleff and Neil Grunberg point out, if no one is following, then no one can be leading, either!
 
Followership is critical in any organization. Think of followership and leadership as a yin and yang: each of us needs to be good at both of them, and each of us needs to know when to play which role.  It all depends on the context. Most critically, be a courageous follower: one with the values and integrity to let your leader know when things are amiss. Enron is a classic warning about what happens when an organization doesn’t have courageous followers!
Here's what Ira, Neil, and Maureen cover:
The importance of standing up to and for your leader (even at the same time);
How strict hierarchies distort the flow between follower and leader, slowing down the organization; and
Why a lack of courageous followership leads to catastrophes at work (such as Enron) and in our personal lives (such as Uvalde and other mass tragedies).
 
Other episodes for further learning:
The New Rules of Work – with Gary Bolles
Employees – Empowered! – with Rod Lacey
Do No Harm: Ethics for Leaders – with Terri O’Fallon
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . 
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
Ira Chaleff is a prolific writer. His books include The Courageous Follower, Intelligent Disobedience, The Limits of Violence (with Elan Le Vieux), The Art of Followership, and Setting Course: A Congressional Management Guide. Information on Ira’s consulting firm is at https://exe-coach.com; his own website is https://IraChaleff.com.
Neil Grunberg has a multitude of research papers and articles in leadership journals. He also co-wrote Innovative Leadership for Health Care with Maureen and others, and edited A Distinctive Approach to Psychological Research.
Our host, Maureen Metcalf, posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can follow her there at https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenmetcalf.
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them at https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0.
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Leaders of Fine Followership: Luigi Morelli & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Innovativeleadership
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
Twitter: @IL_Institute
Mastodon: @InnoLeader
InstaGram: @innovativeleader
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativeleadershipinsitute/
Website: InnovativeLeadership.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
Ira Chaleff is an author, speaker, and innovative thinker. His latest work, Intelligent Disobedience, is now available on Amazon. He is founder and president of Executive Coaching and Consulting Associates. As a coach, Ira provides a stimulating and safe environment for executives and their teams to examine, evaluate and significantly improve their management styles, skills and processes. Through targeted interviews, work-climate surveys, and multi-viewpoint feedback instruments, he involves all those who have a stake in the change process, analyzes their input and provides frank, constructive feedback sessions.
 
Neil Grunberg is a professor of Military & Emergency Medicine, Medical & Clinical Psychology, and Neuroscience in the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland.  He is also a professor in the Graduate School of Nursing, Director of Research and Development in the USU Leadership Education and Development program, and Director of Faculty Development for Military and Emergency Medicine. He is a medical and social psychologist who has been on faculty at USU since 1979.

Guest: Alice Yoo LeClair
Contrary to old-school management beliefs, having a work-best-friend boosts productivity.  Having an entire work community?  That boosts a lot of people’s productivity, morale, even longevity with the organization.  Best of all, the communities you foster at work don’t need to be work-related to have these effects:  gamers, Trekkies, and football fanatics in your workplace all benefit.So how does an HR leader drive community building within their organization?  Does remote work make it more difficult? How does it fit with the CHRO’s other responsibilities?  And how do you focus on this when managers so often dump their personnel responsibilities on the HR department instead of taking their own leadership reins? Alice Yoo LeClair knows the world of Human Resources well, with experience in organizations of all sizes.  With her deep experience and eyes on the future, she shares her wisdom and observations with host Maureen Metcalf.
This is the first of several episodes which view innovative leadership from the perspective of the CHRO and other human resources leaders:  the Connex Executive Insights Series.
Here's what Alice and Maureen cover:
What a community is, and why having work communities is so important for your team;
How workplace communities benefit the broader business; and
Why Gallup research shows that having good friends at work substantially boosts productivity.
 
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
Joy at Work – with Roxanne Brown and Edward Cook
Achieving Employee-Centric Leadership – with Heather Krentler
Workforce Demographics & an Inclusive Culture – with Nadia Younes, Gamiel Yafai, & Louise Carvalho
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . We're on Mastodon, Facebook, and Twitter, too!  
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
For a deeper dive on all things HR, check https://www.connexpartners.com/ .
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here .
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0 .
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Citizenry of our Podcast Community: Luigi Morelli & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Innovativeleadership
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
Twitter: @IL_Institute
Mastodon: @InnoLeader
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Instagram: @innovativeleader
Website: InnovativeLeadership.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
Alice Yoo LeClair is the Head of Talent, Culture, & Performance at Ascendion. At the time of recording, she was Chief Human Resources Officer for Euromoney PLC’s Financial & Professional Services (FPS) division. Before joining Euromoney, Alice was the Head of HR for the Americas GTM region and multiple product verticals at Refinitiv, an LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) business. Previously, she held global people strategy and commercial program management roles at IPC Systems, IntelePeer and Level 3 Communications (now Lumen Technologies). Alice has a bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Hartford where she double majored in Piano Performance and English. She also has a certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from eCornell, Cornell University’s external education unit.

Guest: Rebecca Heiss
From our archives, a special show about our hidden biases.
 
We all have bias. In various forms, it’s built into our brains. But implicit bias creates a disadvantage for leaders and their organizations. Dr. Rebecca Heiss has studied bias extensively, and shares what implicit bias is and how it impacts each of us. As leaders, we need to understand and manage implicit biases because they impact our hiring choices, promotion and succession decisions, company policies—even how closely we pay attention to someone in a presentation. To truly ensure we hire and retain top talent, we need to remove bias from our decision making process as much as possible. During this show, Rebecca shares her research…and what it reveals about the ways we can beat the bias in our business, and our lives.
Here's what Rebecca and Maureen cover:
What, exactly, implicit bias is – and how it taints your decision-making without you realizing;
How implicit bias goes beyond major strokes like race and religion, such as the seemingly subtle bias of “Blondes have more fun” which has deep effects in the workplace; and
The ways bias actually impedes how efficiently (and profitably) your company is achieving its goals.
 
Other episodes for deeper learning:
The Blindspots Between Us: How to Overcome Unconscious Cognitive Bias with Gleb Tsipursky
Reimagining American Identity with Amiel Handelsman & Jewel Kinch-Thomas
DEI: Needed Conversations & Understanding with Laura Morgan Roberts & Courtney McCluney
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. 
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
Dr. Heiss has a fascinating book on dealing with stress and boosting productivity. Instinct is available here.
Her equally fascinating TEDx talk on Ghostbusting Our Evolutionary “Other” is on YouTube here.
There’s more on her website at www.RebeccaHeiss.com.
 
Our host, Maureen Metcalf, posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0.
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Producer: Dan Mushalko
Editor: Connor Carson
Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Podbean Patroller: Luigi Morelli
CONNECT WITH US:
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadership.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
Dr. Rebecca Heiss is an evolutionary biologist focusing on human behavior and physiology. She’s the founder and CEO of a measurable stress reduction company, Instinctive Cognition. As a speaker and consultant, Rebecca has developed a passion for helping others overcome blind spots to become their best biological selves.
After earning a PhD with research designated as “transformative” by the National Science Foundation, Rebecca went on to hold multiple appointments in academia, applying her research to solve practical problems in overcoming what she refers to as “biological ghosts”—subconscious behaviors that haunt modern life. A creative thought leader, she delivered a TEDx talk on a portion of her work, and has built her career on helping others break through their evolutionary ethical “blind spots.” Having conquered the business of biology, Dr. Heiss has turned her focus to revolutionizing the biology of business.

Guest: Michelle Sanchez-Bickley
Amidst the Great Resignation, exceptional organizations are still retaining their top employees, and recruiting new staff.  Renown Health is one of them.
 
In the second of our Connex Executive Insights series, Michelle Sanchez-Bickley of Renown Health joins Maureen Metcalf to discuss the challenges of the Great Resignation for HR departments.  It’s particularly challenging in the health care sector; the strains of COVID on our medical system put particular pressure on doctors, nurses, and hospital support staff.  That’s led to 30% or more turnover.
 
Using a combination of developing internal culture, open communications, hybrid and remote working, and a modern innovation on apprenticeship, Renown Health is a bright spot emerging above the crisis.
Here's what Michelle and Maureen cover:
Why taking a hard look at your company culture is key to losing staff;
How Michelle maintained a hiring pipeline even though COVID hit the healthcare industry so hard; and
Why you lose good employees when they don’t see a path for growth, development, or simply learning.
 
Related episodes:
Innovative Leadership for the Healthcare Industry – with Neil Grunberg
High Performance Medicine: Healthcare & Innovation – with Brian Ferguson
Integrating Integrative Medicine in Leadership – with Dr. Maryanna Klatt
 
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . We're on Mastodon, Facebook, and Twitter, too!  
----------------------  
RESOURCES:  
Further information on Michelle’s healthcare system is online at Renown.org .
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here .
She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0 .
-----------------------  
OUR PODCAST TEAM:  
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Purveyors of Podbean Podcast Perfection: Luigi Morelli & Connor Carson
CONNECT WITH US:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Innovativeleadership
YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership
Twitter: @IL_Institute
Mastodon: @InnoLeader
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadership.com
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!
-----------------------  
About Our Guest:  
Michelle Sanchez-Bickley is Chief HR Officer for Renown Health, the largest not for profit health system in Northern Nevada. In this role, Michelle is responsible for overall strategic and HR operational functions for the enterprise. She has over 25 years of HR leadership experience, with the majority of her career spent in healthcare. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science and justice studies from Frostburg State University in Maryland, and earned her Master’s degree in human resource development from Georgia State University. She is a certified senior professional in human resources (SPHR) and a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). She serves on several local not for profit boards, including Education Alliance, Nevada Works, and Nevada Employer Association. She loves to mentor others and is passionate about the community in which she serves.