Move Fast. Break Shit. Burn Out.

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.

In this insightful episode, we sit down with David O'Malley, Principal at Stay Lean, Go Fast and former SVP of Product Strategy & Innovation at VNS Health, to unpack the essentials of leading change in large organizations. Drawing a brilliant parallel to Newton’s First Law of Motion, David reveals how overcoming inertia in organizational transformation begins with one crucial role: the Catalyst. He emphasizes that to get the rock rolling, leaders must build trust, identify a burning platform, rally a coalition of the willing, and avoid wasting energy on resisters. David also delves into the importance of culture as the bedrock of sustainable change and highlights the skills needed to excel as a Catalyst at the executive level, including networking and storytelling. Whether you're navigating the complexities of corporate strategy or looking to lead transformative initiatives, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom for driving impactful and enduring change. Show notes: https://youtu.be/BiN_OoAyt_w?si=l0Pe5Ay-LBfxFI97 Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this inspiring episode, we speak with Ruth Gotian, Chief Learning Officer at Weill Cornell Medicine, who has spent years studying the world’s most successful individuals, including Nobel laureates, astronauts, and Olympic champions in order to understand what they do when the world isn't watching. Ruth shares her key insight: the value of choosing the more interesting path in life and balancing it with her mentor’s advice to “Do something important, not just interesting.” Ruth also tackles imposter syndrome with a provacative perspective from her article, "Why You Earned the Right to Have Imposter Syndrome." She reframes it as a signal of growth, explaining, “If you’re feeling imposter syndrome, it’s not because you’re a fraud—it’s because your efforts are finally being noticed.” Join us as Ruth inspires Catalysts to embrace discomfort as a marker of impactful change and offers actionable wisdom for navigating the interesting and important road to success. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Dr. Ebrahim Patel, Future Markets and Sustainability executive at RMB Bank, South Africa, introduces Innovative Empathy—a transformative approach for Catalysts driving change. He emphasizes the power of understanding stakeholder realities, including their constraints and resources, to foster trust and dismantle resistance. Drawing from his karate practice, Dr. Patel shares the importance of meeting resistance with humility and self-awareness, rather than force, offering a fresh perspective on navigating change. To sustain energy and prevent burnout, he suggests maintaining a portfolio of projects, ensuring at least one initiative provides momentum and inspiration during challenging times. Tune in for actionable insights on empathy, systems thinking, and personal sustainability to drive impactful change in a complex world. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Katie Blum, Associate Vice President for Strategic Innovation at the University of Illinois Foundation, shares valuable insights into the challenges she’s faced as a Catalyst executive. She explores three key hurdles: the need to balance visibility and influence, managing objection burnout, and cultivating a supportive community of “yes and” peers.. She emphasizes the power of amplifying other innovators’ work to gain visibility and understanding when it’s culturally appropriate to spotlight your own contributions. On overcoming objections, Kathryn reframes “no” as often being a “not yet” and highlights the insights objections can provide when we listen deeply. Finally, she underscores the importance of peer communities, like the Catalyst Leadership Trust, in providing energy and momentum to drive change. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.