Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

DescriptionHow do you help people feel valued in a huge organization like Amazon? Omar Halabieh shares what he does on an ongoing basis to connect with his team members and help them understand the contribution they’re making. You’ll enjoy Omar’s enthusiasm as he describes his commitment to being a true servant leader to others.   Omar is Director of Technology at Amazon Payment Services. In this role he’s responsible for delivering simple, trusted, and affordable payment solutions for customers and merchants across the Middle East and North Africa.  Omar is based in Dubai and has been in this role since 2019. Prior to this, he led technology teams within Amazon’s Supply Chain Optimization Technologies organization, based in Seattle, for four years.   Overall, Omar has 20+ years of technology experience where he has delivered transformational initiatives that have created competitive advantage, enabled business growth, exceeded customer expectations, and transformed global organizations. You’ll discover: How Omar uses LinkedIn to share valuable content to people throughout Amazon The distinction he makes between mentoring and coachingWhat Omar does to help people feel valued in such a huge organizationThe communication skills he considers most critical for success as a leaderStrategies Omar uses to help team members prioritize and focus their timeCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Do you consider yourself a nonlinear thinker…or do you know someone who is? Perry Knoppert, aka Dr. Octopus, shares important insights that all of us need to hear in order to better understand these individuals. They are often seen as “curious misfits,” and many of their talents are overlooked in the workplace.  This is a must-listen episode for everyone. We have all been guilty of judging or even cancelling others because they don’t think and act the way 80% of the rest of us do. Perry is an artist of life, driven by his non-conformist spirit and a passion for empowering non-linear thinkers. He was born in the free-spirited Netherlands and was exposed to the diversity of the market while selling lampshades with his father. But Perry yearned for more, and he discovered the beauty of unexpected possibilities in living abroad in places like Beijing, China. After a huge shift in his life, he founded The Octopus Movement, a global network that has become a mycelium of nonlinear thinkers. Perry embraces his ADHD energy, dyslexic learning style, and multi-tasking brain. He’s found his true calling as a visionary, a trailblazer, and a true-life artist. His movement is on a mission to get the world to recognize and harness the gifts of non-linear thinkers. The Octopus Movement has grown to include more than 2,600 members from over 63 countries. What they have in common is this: They approach problem-solving in unconventional ways, often bringing unique creativity to entrepreneurship, the arts, and other careers. You’ll discover: What distinguishes nonlinear thinkers from those who think in a more linear wayStrengths and gifts these individuals bring to the workplaceHow to structure a conversation between a nonlinear thinker and their managerReasons why people tend to judge or cancel nonlinear thinkersWhat it looks like to be a nonlinear leaderCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

The Command & Control approach to leadership is obsolete, and there’s a powerful replacement for it: Trust & Inspire. Steven M. R. Covey is passionate about helping leaders adopt this far more effective way of leading others, and he brought this enthusiasm to our conversation. You will be inspired as he describes all the benefits of a leadership model that’s focused on helping people grow even as they are held accountable for results. Stephen is the New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Speed of Trust, which has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.  His new book, Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others, is also a Wall Street Journal bestseller. It immediately became one of my favorite books for leaders and parents. Stephen brings to his writings the perspective of a practitioner, as he is the former President & CEO of the Covey Leadership Center, where he increased shareholder value by 67 times and grew the company to become the largest leadership development firm in the world. Stephen co-founded and currently leads FranklinCovey’s Global Speed of Trust Practice.  You’ll discover: The limitations of Enlightened Command & ControlHow the best leaders extend trust to othersWhat’s involved in inspiring someone to perform at the highest levelFundamental beliefs that Trust & Inspire leaders have about peopleThe elements of Stewardship Agreements that clarify expectations and define accountabilityCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

As a college freshman, Marcus Engel was blinded and nearly killed after being struck by a drunk driver. Through hundreds of hours of reconstructive surgery, months of rehab, and adapting to a completely new world, Marcus remained committed to his goals: return to college and recapture life. Marcus accepted and embraced the challenge. The life lessons he learned on this unexpected journey are now the guiding forces that inspire hundreds of thousands every day. He is the co-founder of the I’m Here Movement, a 501(c)3, which is changing the culture of care with two simple words. Marcus has authored four books, including I’m Here and The Other End of the Stethoscope. He holds a B.S. in Sociology and a Masters in Narrative Medicine. In 2017, Marcus was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Notre Dame where he teaches pre-med students the art of “being with.”  You’ll discover: What happened to Marcus and how he’s used that experience to serve othersThe two words spoken to Marcus by a caregiver, giving him hope and comfort during his initial hours in the hospital What is means to truly “be with” another human beingHow leaders can bring more caring and compassion into conversations with those they serveCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

What if Human Resources served as a critical business partner, where the team functioned as a revenue center? Amy Dufrane describes examples of companies where this is happening and the resources HRCI provides to help HR professionals gain a seat at the table.Amy is the CEO of two important organizations tied to human resources. The first is HRCI, which is the world’s premier credentialing and learning organization for the human resources profession. Amy is responsible for guiding this multi-million-dollar enterprise as it provides training that helps companies and their employees navigate the demands of the modern day workplace—and its future. Almost every Fortune 500 company has HRCI-certified professionals among their leadership ranks. Amy is also CEO of HRSI, a subsidiary of HRCI. It’s the world’s premier standards and credentialing institute for private and publicly traded organizations. She’s the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including 2021 and 2022 Top 100 HR Tech Influencers and 2021 Stevie Awards Female Executive of the Year.You’ll discover: The vision Amy had for HRCI when she came on as CEO and how she got buy-in for itThe benefits of hiring a CIO with expertise in Agile when designing and implementing new programsWhy testing is critical if you’re focused on growing fastWhat’s required to instill a culture of experimentationAmy’s perspective on the evolution of Human Resources as a professionCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Do you expend energy trying to make others wrong so you can be right? Rich Habets is a master of facilitating powerful discussions 1-1 and with teams by asking questions and not making anyone wrong. In this conversation, he shares what he does to guide clients to look within and listen for the gold in what others say. Rich is the founder and lead coach at Insight, Inc. Over the past 14 years, he’s dedicated himself to empowering more than 6,000 individuals and collaborating with more than 30 world-class companies, helping them break through barriers and achieve unparalleled performance.  What’s interesting is that Rich’s clients are already a force to be reckoned with, but his expertise serves as the catalyst that propels them to even greater heights. He’s operated behind the scenes for years as a silent but powerful ally in their journeys.  His mission is to help others harness their untapped potential so they transform their lives into a beacon of success, growth, and personal accomplishment.   You’ll discover: The benefits of being open and vulnerable with othersWhy Rich focuses on who he is BEING when he works with clientsHow Rich helps leaders raise their awareness about their own behaviorsThe powerful questions Rich uses to help leaders discover the blind spots and gapsWays to make meetings more productiveCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Is there something you’d love to have but think it’s impossible for you to achieve? Listen to this inspiring conversation with Kimberly Wiefling, and you’ll likely see ways that you can, in fact, create what you want. Along the way, you’ll discover how the best leaders build trust with their teams through vulnerability. Kimberly is the founder of Wiefling Consulting, and cofounder of Silicon Valley Alliances. She’s also the author of the globally popular book Scrappy Project Management: The 12 Predictable & Avoidable Pitfalls Every Project Faces. Her latest book, Turning Ideas Into Impact, is an anthology with 15 other Silicon Valley consultants.  Kimberly’s superpower is turning managers into leaders and groups into true teams who can achieve together what seems “impossible” but is merely difficult. She’s been described as a “force of nature,” and she’s determined to use that force to make a significant positive impact on our world. You’ll discover: The key differences between managers and leadersWhat Kimberly did wrong when she managed teams early in her careerDifferences in the cultures of a typical Silicon Valley company compared to one in JapanHow Kimberly helps leaders and teams believe the impossible is actually possibleThe importance of structuring the work environment to reinforce the cultureCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

A big complaint in most companies is the amount of time wasted in meetings. If that’s been your experience, too, this episode is a must-listen. Amy Casciotti, Vice President of Human Resources at TechSmith Corporation, explains how they’ve created an innovative approach that’s eliminated the need for people to meet at the same time. You’ll learn how their Async-First environment has saved time and increased productivity.TechSmith is a software company with a mission to empower people to create remarkable videos and images that help share knowledge and information. Amy is focused on being an advocate for both the company and its employees to ensure TechSmith and its staff have the skills needed to continue to move the company and employee engagement forward.  Meredith and her team have used their products, Camtasia and SnagIt, for more than 15 years and are huge fans! You’ll discover: TechSmith’s top 4 values and how they are practiced by everyone, starting with the CEOThe difference between synchronous and asynchronous meetingsWhat Amy and her team did to move people to a “No Meetings” mindsetHow people now use videos to convey information that use to be presented in meetingsHow the company practices “Put People First” with employees and customers alikeCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

When high achievers get promoted, they actually need to learn to be leaders in four different areas: Up, Across, Team and Self. Mark J. Silverman describes how he works with Rising Leaders to raise their awareness—and effectiveness—in each of these situations. You’ll get practical tips on what to say and do to achieve the results you and the other person want. When he was working for fast-growing tech startups, Mark generated more than $90,000,000 in sales. He achieved this by bringing together teams of executives and technical leaders to close complex multimillion-dollar sales. Mark has experienced, first hand, the pressure of the 'hustle and grind' culture along with the unique challenges of the "C-Suite." This experience, together with his years of training as a coach and facilitator, helps his coaching clients create sustainable and lasting success in all areas of their lives. You’ll discover: The 4 areas of responsibility that Mark coaches leaders aroundWhy Mark starts with Leading Up instead of Leading Self when coaching his clientsHow to respond to a visionary boss without using the word “No”The power of creating an Empathy Map to better understand your boss, a colleague or a member of your teamHow to adopt a “coopetition” attitude when working with peersCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

A positive culture where people feel valued and empowered doesn’t happen by accident. Tim Lupinacci, CEO and Chair at Baker Donelson, has been intentional about creating one by developing a five-year vision, then getting buy-in and commitment from everyone in the law firm.Tim Lupinacci leads more than 1,300 individuals in 22 law offices across the Southeastern US. Tim is presently leading the firm’s five-year BakerVision 2028 strategy and its Diversity & Inclusion Compact. A life-long leadership student, Tim recently launched a nonprofit called Everybody Leads, focused on empowering individuals in underserved communities with basic leadership skills and confidence to better lead themselves, lead others, and lead in the community.You’ll discover: How Tim built buy-in and support for his vision and strategyEfforts Tim has made to open pathways and leadership opportunities for women and marginalized groupsHow The Women’s Equity Program has enabled more women to become equity shareholders in the firmWhat’s behind Tim’s creation of his nonprofit and the impact he wants it to have Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn