In this engaging episode, Andy Lopata, a renowned relationship strategist, hall-of-fame speaker, and author of six influential books, shares his transformative approach to networking, mentorship, and leadership. With over 25 years of experience, Andy has become a trusted advisor to global organizations like Google and the BBC and continues to shape conversations on professional relationships.Andy reflects on key themes in his work, from the evolution of networking strategy to his groundbreaking "Curiosity Cycle," a framework that ties active listening to authenticity, vulnerability, and trust. A firm believer in the idea that to be a thought leader, you first need to be a thought listener and learner, Andy challenges the traditional image of leadership as command and control, advocating instead for humility, collaboration, and creating space for diverse voices.The conversation emphasizes the value of engaging with curiosity—asking questions and seeking understanding—rather than simply broadcasting ideas, a crucial skill for Catalysts aiming to build meaningful relationships with those who may think differently. Andy offers practical advice for leaders: to shut up and listen, create inclusive environments, and seek constant feedback from mentors or mastermind groups. Whether you're a fixer, a strategist, or a leader navigating organizational change, Andy's wisdom will inspire you to lead from among, not above.Tune in to hear how Andy's insights can help you cultivate meaningful relationships and foster trust that drives impactful change.If you want to learn more, check out Andy's The Connected Leadership Podcast Specially, this episode: 'Move Fast, Break (the Right) Things' with Shannon Lucas & Tracey Lovejoy And follow up with Andy's book: The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring: A Complete Guide to Effective Mentoring (The FT Guides) by Dr. Ruth Gotian and Andy LopataOriginal music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Abby Kearns, CTO of Alembic Technologies, shares how embracing her identity as a Catalyst—and its superpowers—empowered her to shed the "pain in the ass" label she’d been given along the way. Abby discusses the keys to success for Catalyst executives, from embracing the possibility of being wrong and leaning into risk, to identifying environments where there is strong executive and board buy-in. She calls out that as Catalyst leaders, we have to be open to having candid conversations with the CEO or senior leaders about how our success at driving change will be supported by the organization – hitting head on the classic Innovator's Dilemma. Abby also opens up about one of her toughest challenges: bringing people along on the journey by clarifying vision, roles, and outcomes.Her advice for sustaining energy amidst the demands of transformative leadership? "Find your tribe!"Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this engaging episode, Sandeep Mehta, former Chief Technology Officer at The Hartford, shares transformative lessons from his journey as a Catalyst executive. He highlights the importance of clarity in Purpose—aligning your vision with organizational goals and solving the right first problem to gain stakeholder buy-in. Sandeep underscores the necessity of strong Sponsorship, where leaders show their commitment to your vision of change through tangible investment. Finally, he emphasizes the power of Humanity—the ability to accelerate adoption and success of your vision by engaging people early and often, while recognizing their personal relationship with change. Sandeep also candidly discusses the challenges of being a Catalyst, offering strategies to stay centered amidst the demands of leading change. Tune in for a compelling conversation filled with actionable insights for driving innovation and creating meaningful impact.Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Dr. Patti Fletcher, an expert in disruption and author of Disrupters, dives into the importance of Catalysts in leadership. She challenges traditional concepts of empowerment, urging a shift to transformational leadership that removes obstacles for change. Patti discusses decision interruption as a method to combat unconscious bias, emphasizing the need to understand perspectives for meaningful impact. She shares personal anecdotes about her journey to authentic leadership, advocating for a supportive community in driving change, especially for women.

In this insightful episode, we delve into the unique journey of Dan Ward, a Senior Principal Systems Engineer at MITRE, former Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, and author of four books, including The Simplicity Cycle and Fire. Dan reflects on his innovative career, spanning military service, systems engineering, and prolific writing, sharing lessons on catalyzing change and simplifying complexity.Dan’s anecdotes illuminate key ideas: the transformative power of collaboration—“a catalyst by themselves is just powder in a jar”—and the importance of fostering a culture that celebrates learning from failure. He introduces the concept of “failure cake,” a practice his team developed to destigmatize failure by celebrating attempts and extracting lessons with humor and camaraderie.A firm believer in the power of writing, Dan calls on professionals to contribute to their fields, using his own journey as a guidepost. With practical insights and humor, he explains how writing a book is not just achievable but transformative, offering “book math” as a framework for aspiring authors.Whether it's through his viral article Build Droids, Not Death Stars, his “Green Pen Squad” initiative, or MITRE's free innovation toolkit, Dan exemplifies how leaders can simplify, inspire, and innovate. Tune in for actionable wisdom on leadership, storytelling, and building teams that thrive on collaboration and resilience.Check out "Build Droids Not Death Stars", an articule that Dan wrote that went viral and led to his first book, was inspired by his daughters.Check out The MITRE Innovation Toolkit to support innovation created by a group of Catalysts that Dan brought together.Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Cynthia Hansen, Managing Director of the Innovation Foundation at Adecco Group, delves into the non-linear career journeys of Catalysts. She reflects on her own leap from a civil society domain expert to leading a financial services practice at the World Economic Forum. She shares how the hiring manager was drawn to, what she articulates as, her Catalyst superpowers: identifying opportunities, setting a clear north star, establishing guardrails for exploration, and creating a sandbox for innovation.Cynthia highlights the ambidextrous skillset required of Catalyst executives—balancing quick wins using existing organizational building blocks while driving long-term vision execution. She also shares her secret to reducing friction in transitions: honoring the legacy work and its impact.Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this dynamic episode,Shellery Ebron, Senior Director of Corporate Innovation at RTI International, shares her journey of fostering innovation and leading transformative change. Known for her tagline, “dreamers that do,” Shellery emphasizes the importance of moving forward even in the absence of perfect information, inspiring teams to turn vision into action.Shellery shares her methodology for driving innovation: building a structured yet flexible roadmap with clear milestones to guide progress while allowing room for pivots. She highlights the power of co-creation, taking a vision to 70% and then inviting diverse perspectives to refine and strengthen it. By understanding and leveraging different change styles—conserver, pragmatist, and originator—she crafts approaches tailored to align with team dynamics and organizational needs.A true originator herself, Shellery sheds light on balancing bold, transformative ideas with practical steps to gain buy-in and traction. She also underscores the importance of building trust and relationships, dedicating time to collaborative dialogues that bring people along on the innovation journey.Tune in to learn actionable strategies for navigating ambiguity, fostering collaboration, and turning visionary dreams into reality—all while celebrating the art of adaptation and resilience.Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of changemaking withHeather Jerrehian, VP of Product Management at ServiceNow and author of Sail to Scale. Heather, who describes herself as a “hexagon” rather than a square peg in a round hole, embraces her multifaceted nature as a Catalyst. She shares insights on why Catalysts are vital for organizations to navigate today's accelerated pace of change and how, as a leader, she prefers paving new roads over following old paths.Heather's wisdom on articulating the value of Catalysts is both practical and powerful: don’t just say what you bring—show it. Building trust, leveraging empathy, and delivering quick wins are key. As a futurist, she identifies “360 mentoring” as a crucial trend Catalysts should watch—bridging generations to foster mutual learning and innovation.Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this inspiring episode, Shannon Schuyler, Chief Purpose and Inclusion Officer at PwC, talks about the art of crafting a fulfilling and impactful career. Shannon, a trailblazer who has shaped her own roles multiple times, shares her insights on aligning your work with your purpose while simultaneously understanding and supporting the goals of key stakeholders to drive meaningful change. Shannon highlights the power of intellectual curiosity as a cornerstone of her success. This mindset has enabled her to identify untapped opportunities, deepen her listening skills to better understand colleagues, adapt her communication style to resonate with diverse audiences, and activate the right business levers at pivotal moments. Whether you’re navigating career transitions, driving innovation, or seeking alignment between purpose and professional impact, Shannon’s wisdom offers actionable guidance for every Catalyst. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, we sit down with Amit Sidhpura to explore the transformative power of self-discovery. Amit recounts his own journey, from climbing the corporate ladder and relocating to Singapore to confronting feelings of isolation and disconnection. This pivotal moment launched him into a quest to uncover his true self and personal purpose. Amit shares invaluable insights on aligning work with your vision of happiness and fulfillment. He emphasizes that true success isn’t defined by external achievements but by doing what genuinely brings you joy and focusing on the elements of life within your control. Listen in, as Amit’s story reminds us of the importance of self-awareness, resilience, and the courage to pursue a life true to who we are. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.