Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

What can you do to stand out among 100s of applicants for college or a job? Anthony Berryhill shares brilliant insights for making sure your application is compelling. His strategies worked in his own life, helping him get admitted to prestigious universities like Stanford and Yale and land a high-level position in one of the country’s largest investment firms. This is a man who started life as a resident of New Orleans’ 9th Ward, a neighborhood wiped out by Hurricane Katrina. You’ll be inspired by the story of a first-generation, low-income student who figured out how to write his essay in such a moving way that members of the admissions committee cried.Anthony is the owner of Elite College Hacker, a consulting firm that specializes in helping students of color (both in the US and in Asian countries) gain admission to America's top undergraduate, medical, and business schools. Anthony is also an award-winning competitive debate coach, and he’s coached 3 national champions, one at the college level and two at the high school level.You’ll discover: How Anthony acquired a Hustle Mindset to move out of his adverse circumstancesThe life experiences Anthony shared in his college admission essay that grabbed the attention and emotions of the committeeHow job applicants can apply ethical hacking to land their ideal positionThought-provoking questions Anthony asks his clients to draw out their unique experiencesCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Imagine if your manager said this to you at your annual performance review: “I just don’t think you belong here.” Dr. Beth Kaplan heard those words, and that one sentence shattered her confidence in the moment. It also led her to pursue deep work in the area of belonging in the workplace. This conversation will give you a greater appreciation for the need that each of us have to belong, and what leaders can do to create that environment.Beth is currently the global head of leader development and enablement at Dassault Systemes. And through her Rebel Research Group, Beth works with organizations committed to building a culture that nurtures the sense of belonging in every employee.You’ll discover: Beth’s unique definition of belongingThe person who has the greatest impact on a person's sense of belonging at workThe #1 thing people have told Beth they want at workWhy Beth recommends organizations focus on POLICIES first before designing and implementing PROGRAMS related to DEI and belongingWhat leaders can do to minimize or eliminate workplace traumaCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

What does it look like when you “Put People First?” My guest Mark McNally describes what how it works in his company, and it starts with listening to learn from the people around him. He’s a leader who isn’t afraid to say he loves the people he works with.Mark is the Founder and Chief Nobody at Nobody Studios. He’s been involved in 15 start-ups over the course of his career, so he knows a thing or two about what it takes to create and maintain a successful business. I love the emphasis he puts on the PEOPLE side, and during our conversation you’ll see why and how he does that.You’ll discover: The story behind the founding and the name of Nobody StudiosWhy Mark says communication is the keyThe kind of culture Mark is creating in his companyThe distinction Mark makes between leadership and cultureWhat he learned in the Army Special Ops that serves him well todayCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

What can an organization do to make sure Wellbeing is an integral part of the culture and not a stand-alone program? Mari Ryan describes exactly what she does with clients to help them achieve this goal. She shares important, practical strategies along with the “why” behind them. Mari’s definition of Wellbeing is the best, most inclusive I’ve ever heard. Our conversation is a “must listen” for any leader committed to creating a workplace where people thrive. Mari is a workplace well-being strategist, speaker, and author. She works with organizations to create workplaces where both the people and the business thrive. Mari is the author of the award-winning book, The Thriving Hive: How People-Centric Workplaces Ignite Engagement and Fuel Results. She’s also the President of the National Speakers Association New England Chapter. You’ll discover: How Mari defines “wellbeing” – and why it matters in the workplaceThe biggest obstacles to creating a people-centric culturePolicies that organizations can put in place to support employee wellbeingWhy many leaders overlook taking care of themselves…and the downsides of neglecting to do soSpecific actions leaders can take to show they care about their team membersCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

What does it take to become a truly effective leader, one people want to follow? Pat Lattore has thought deeply about this question and has been involved in developing strong leaders for the past 45 years. In this conversation, he shares brilliant insights about the roles that influence, emotional intelligence, and culture play in the shaping of leaders. Pat served in various leadership roles inside organizations and then founded his consulting company P.A.L. Leadership, LLC, in 1992 to: provide leadership development and executive coaching; improve collaboration and teamwork; and facilitate organizational change. His years of experience in so many fields have given him a unique perspective that you’re sure to enjoy and appreciate.You’ll discover: How Pat defines leadershipWhy Pat says real leadership is not positionalThe skills and traits required to be an effective leaderWhat leaders must do to build currency in order to have influence Why Pat says the most profound leadership exchange happens between mother and childCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Would you have the courage to make the necessary changes if you realized your company or team was no longer working the way you’d hoped? Jonathan Keyser faced that challenge in his company, and he had the awareness and courage to tackle it head-on.  In this riveting conversation, Jonathan shares the struggles he experienced in identifying the changes that were needed, acknowledging his contributions to the situation, and the three core lessons he learned. You’ll connect with his transparency and vulnerability as he shares the process of transitioning from Keyser 1.0 to Keyser 2.0.Jonathan is the founder of Keyser, one of the most innovative and trustworthy commercial real estate firms in the country. Along with their international partners, they have more than 560 people on their team worldwide. Jonathan's efforts to change the business world through selfless service are reflected in his content, thought leadership, and the level of excellence he holds his team to within Keyser. You’ll discover: What caused Jonathan to realize he needed to make changes in his companyWhy key problem areas were all based on misalignmentThe key question he asked himself to determine which employees should stay…and which should move onHow Jonathan learned how to “do less and receive more.”Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

How does a company with 100,000+ employees worldwide create a culture that everyone buys into…and more importantly, lives by? Marie-France Lechasseur explains how Michelin’s ICARE Model provides a common ground for the way people treat each other across the organization. You can feel her passion around these shared values and behaviors throughout our conversation! ICARE is an acronym for Inspiring, Create Trust, Awareness, Results, and Empowerment.Marie-France is a Human Resources Business Partner and also a competency Director in Learning & Development at Michelin. She’s been on the team that’s helped bring ICARE to life within Michelin and with companies they’re acquired.You’ll discover: The importance of customizing content delivery for training programsDifferences in the preferred learning modes of different generationsWhy employees in an acquired company quickly embraced the ICARE modelHow the ICARE model provides a common set of values for having more productive conversationsHow Marie-France applied the model with her future bossCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

What if a company prepared upcoming leaders for their new roles and set them up for success on Day 1? That’s just one of many ways FedEx takes care of its people. My guest Tamera Maresh-Carver describes with great enthusiasm the programs and benefits in place to ensure everyone has an opportunity to advance their career.Tamera is the Managing Director of Employee Development, Innovation, and Organizational Strategy at FedEx Express. Her responsibilities include global leadership development, employee development, and organizational effectiveness.  She’s been with the company since 1998 when she started as a courier and advanced into leadership roles in 2003. Tamera has won the most prestigious award that FedEx bestows three times. She truly is a superstar as you’ll see in our conversation! You’ll discover: The alternative approach FedEx has taken to replace a Hustle CultureWhat leaders are doing to create psychological safety for everyoneWhy the On Deck Management Training includes mentoring and coachingBenefits that reduce turnover and create opportunities for employee advancementThe partnership with University of Memphis that results in employee retentionCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Did you know that 91% of employees report that their manager doesn’t listen to them? Janine Hamner Holman shares this startling statistic along with many others in a conversation that will convince you why listening should be the #1 skill that’s taught, practiced, and mastered in the workplace.Janine is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and expert on conscious leadership, DE&I, organizational development, neurobiology, and what it takes to attract and retain world-class talent. As CEO of the J&J Consulting Group, she brings more than 30 years’ experience to her work with purpose driven CEOs and executive teams to help them create courageous, high-performance organizations. Janine is also the host of an outstanding podcast, The Cost of Not Paying Attention.You’ll discover: How Janine helps clients integrate DEI into their culture so it’s not viewed or experienced as a “program”The shared challenges that all organizations face, no matter what the sizeWhat Janine has learned about brain science…and ways she applies that knowledge in her work with clientsThe top 3 reasons people give for leaving their employerAdvice for attracting and retaining superior talentCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

What if you could reduce turnover to 5% or less? My guest Jaime Jay has done that in his own company because he makes sure he hires the right people. Jaime is the founder and managing director of Bottleneck Distant Assistants. Since 2006 his company has been sourcing Distant Assistants from the Philippines. They support entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, C-level executives, founders, and other professionals who are doing the wrong things so they can focus on their best work instead.Jaime is a U.S. Army veteran and the author of the book, Quit Repeating Yourself. His life has been quite the adventure, and you’ll be inspired by the values he’s built into his company and that he and his team live by every day.You’ll discover: How Jaime went from being homeless 3 times to running a successful multi-million dollar businessThe #1 question Jaime asks a candidate and why he does itThe 4 questions Jaime asks people on his team that prepare them to make sound decisionsThe one word Jaime’s team is studying this year…and what they’re doing to make it part of their cultureWhy Jaime likes to create a Ripple EffectCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn