Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

Think back to a time when you were anxious about addressing an issue with someone at work. How long did you put it off? My guest Roberta Matuson has written a powerful book to help you prepare for and have those challenging conversations. In her interview, we discussed the important, practical guidance she provides in her latest book, Can We Talk? Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work. We took a deep dive into the topics of confidence, clarity of preparation, compassion, and curiosity. You are sure to pick up tips that you can use next time you need to have one of those difficult discussions. Roberta is president of Matuson Consulting. For more than 25 years, she’s been helping organizations like General Motors and Microsoft achieve dramatic growth through the maximization of talent. And that’s why she’s known worldwide as The Talent Maximizer. She’s the author of six commercially published books and an executive coach who leads her clients to reduce the time and stress often associated with speaking up to a boss, coworker or direct report.You’ll discover: The impact that the Great Resignation has had on open, honest communicationsHow to plan for the worst and expect the bestThe kinds of conversations people avoid having with each other…and whyQuestions you can ask yourself to gain clarity about the purpose and desired outcomes for a conversationWhy empathy and compassion are key elements in building trust in work relationshipsCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

How can you combine a service orientation with marketing to build strong relationships? My guest Janice Porter has a winning approach that works really well for her and for her clients. Janice is all about relationships! She’s passionate about helping people build their businesses through relationship marketing and networking, using both online and offline strategies. I loved her focus on giving first, and so will you.During our conversation, Janice shares specific strategies she recommends for making your presence on LinkedIn more powerful and effective. She also describes how she uses SendOutCards to stay in touch with people she’s met, to provide the kind of mail that always gets opened. Janice is also the host of the Relationships Rule Podcast, where she interviews people who share her passion for building strong business relationships. I highly recommend her show.You’ll discover: How Janice defines Relationship Marketing and what it means for youThe 4 H’s in your LinkedIn profile that matter mostHow to send connection requests that get acceptedWhat most people do wrong in LinkedIn messaging…and what you can do that worksWays that Janice uses SendOutCards to send personalized cards that don’t get thrown awayCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

How do you become a thought leader and then leverage that position for increased influence and income? My guest Peter Winick knows how. For that past 20 years, Peter has worked with a variety of thought leaders—including authors, speakers, CEOs, and academics—to build their brands. And his results are impressive. In our conversation he shares important do’s and don’ts for achieving such an esteemed position. Peter is the founder and CEO of Thought Leadership Leverage, a consulting firm that helps thought leaders leverage their expertise. He applies these same processes to an organization that wants to differentiate and grow its business. Peter is also the host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership Podcast, where he interviews, not surprisingly, thought leaders. I highly recommend his show! You’ll discover: What thought leadership is and how it differs from subject matter expertisePeter’s advice for those who want to develop a reputation as a thought leaderWhy it’s a mistake to claim you’re a thought leaderHow Peter’s company helps clients use leverage to scale their influence and revenueThe impact COVID had on speaking as a thought leader’s key strategy Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Do you know the factors that most influence your career advancement? My guest Amii Barnard-Bahn is an expert in this area; and in our conversation she reveals the five key elements that impact promotability. Amii and I discuss the one that most leaders underestimate—external awareness—and what you can do to make sure this is not a blind spot for you. Her stories about executives she’s helped are sure to inspire you! Amii is a former Fortune Global 50 executive and now a consultant to the C-Suite at global companies like Adobe and The Gap. She’s recognized by Forbes as one of the top coaches for legal and compliance executives, and she’s a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches. Her latest creations are an assessment called The Promotability Index® and the companion book, The PI Guidebook: How the Promotability Index Can Help You Get Ahead in Your Career.You’ll discover: The 5 key elements of promotabilityWhy so many leaders lack external awareness—and what to do about itHow to build a better relationship with your manager and others who could influence your advancement Practical ideas for requesting feedback to help eliminate your blind spotsWhy relationships are the foundation for getting support for a promotionCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Do you ever struggle with overwhelm and feel stressed? My guest Fran Keogh understands those feelings. She helps clients reduce those negative states by simplifying their decisions and their lives. Fran also “gets” the perfectionism and procrastination that keep someone from achieving the results they seek. In fact, her coaching practice focuses on assisting busy professionals to build a better life in order to have more time, fun, and freedom. Over the years, Fran has reinvented herself multiple times—from radio host, voice-over talent, “domestic goddess” (aka at-home mother of four), alpaca farmer, yoga teacher, health coach, to business life coach and speaker. This is a lively conversation with a very special human being who’s learned many lessons from her varied experiences.You’ll discover: How Fran helps clients identify and work through overwhelmWhat’s behind the fear that often drives usHow to practice mindfulness in your daily lifeWhy Fran does not hesitate to ASK for what she wantsCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Have you known anyone who went from millionaire to bankrupt to multi-millionaire? That describes the journey of my guest, David Meltzer, Co-founder and CEO of Sports 1 Marketing. We discuss what he’s learned along the way, and why his company today is committed to teaching others to make a lot of money, help a lot of people, and have a lot of fun. You’ll learn about the five daily practices that can assist you in accomplishing these three things on an ongoing basis.Before founding his company, David served as CEO of the renowned Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment Agency, which was the inspiration for the movie Jerry Maguire. David has been recognized by Variety Magazine as their Sports Humanitarian of the Year. He’s the author of Connected to Goodness, Compassionate Capitalism with Blaine Bartlett, and his latest, Game-time Decision Making. David’s mission in life is to empower OVER 1 BILLION people to be happy! This simple yet powerful mission has led him on an incredible journey to provide one thing…VALUE. In all his content and communication, that’s exactly what you’ll receive, as you’ll see in our conversation.You’ll discover: Why those who love you most aren’t always the best ones to give you career or business adviceThe distinction David makes between things happening to or for him vs through himThe perspective David has about the word “NO” that allows him to welcome each one he getsWhat it means for a leader to be an intelligent followerWhy gratitude is the secret sauce for happiness in lifeCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

How can you work through the inevitable pain that you experience in life…and emerge stronger and more powerful? Dr. Bridget Cooper knows a thing or two about that. She endured unthinkable physical, emotional and sexual abuse from infancy and throughout her teen years. She overcame incredible odds to become a powerful voice for living life fully, no matter what adversity you’ve had in your past. Dr. B is the bestselling author of six books including Little Landslides, which is her personal memoir of rising up through trauma. She’s created a proven process for being a Pain Rebel, empowering clients around the world to reclaim their power…and peace. Our conversation centered around this process, which she describes in her latest book, Pain Rebel: How We Take Our Power Back. You’ll discover: Why Dr. B refers to herself as a cage rattlerThe importance of eliminating “should” from your thoughts and wordsHow to identify and eliminate old “contracts” so you can enter into new, healthier ones The roles that Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors have in forming new contractsThe important distinction Dr. B makes between wounds and scarsCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

What if the purpose of business were to “uplift the experience of being alive on the planet?” My guest Blaine Bartlett proposes this definition after 30+ years of working with all kinds of organizations. Blaine makes the point that potential customers will want to buy from a company that takes this approach because they’ll feel good about themselves when they do. There are lots of thought-provoking moments in my conversation with this very remarkable human being.Blaine is President and CEO of Avatar Resources, Inc., a consulting firm he founded in 1987. He coaches and consults worldwide with leaders, executives, companies and governments. He’s also the Founder of the Institute for Compassionate Capitalism and a longtime member of the Transformational Leadership Council. Blaine is the author of 5 books, and we talked about his two latest ones: Compassionate Capitalism: A Journey to the Soul of Business and The Leadership Mindset Weekly.You’ll discover: What’s broken about capitalism and what Blaine sees as the solutionHow Blaine defines compassion in the context of businessA 3-word definition of leadership that’s right on targetHow the “reality distortion field” can help you accelerate achievement of your goalsWhat companies that adopt compassionate capitalism do differentlyCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Is it really possible to transform a company’s culture? Tom Willis not only knows it’s possible, he facilitates these kinds of changes on a regular basis. Tom’s experiences as a CEO and Superintendent of Cornerstone Education Group, as a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and as an engineer with the Intel Corporation prepared him well for the work he does today. He’s committed to helping senior leaders become conscious of behaviors they can change that positively impact culture. You’ll love Tom’s passion for his work and the specific skills he brings to ensure real changes happen. Tom is the co-founder and Partner of Phoenix Performance Partners, a firm that works with school superintendents and CEOs to create cultures that foster the growth of each person and the organization as a whole. Tom is also the host of the Culture Eats Everything Podcast, where he interviews CEOs and Superintendents who’ve created positive cultures.You’ll discover: How Tom defines cultureWhat prevents many organizations from making changes to their existing cultureWhy Tom’s team avoids labels like “dysfunctional” when describing issues or behaviors that cause problems within an organizationThe types of up-front analysis tools Tom and his team use to identify the root cause issuesWhat’s required to create a high-performing, coaching cultureCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Are you feeling stressed or in danger of burning out? My guest Janice Litvin shares valuable tips that can help you regain calmness, inner peace and joy. Janice has invested years in developing and applying unique strategies to her own life and to the lives of her clients. We discuss her stress management methodology, which is not only practical, it really works! You’ll love Janice’s passion for her work and the success stories she shares.Janice is on a mission to help leaders and teams banish burnout in their organizations. She does this through keynotes, workshops, and accountability groups. Janice wants to help as many people as possible take care of their physical and mental health, and that includes teaching them to manage stress to prevent burnout, to eat healthfully, and to fall in love with fitness. She’s the author of the Banish Burnout Toolkit, and we took a deep dive into her book during our conversation.You’ll discover: Where stress comes from…and how to recognize itWhy awareness is the first of the 6 tools Janice covers in her bookThe role that music plays in preventing burnoutWhat leaders can do to help workers avoid burnoutHow an accountability buddy contributes to well-beingCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn