Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

What if you realized you’re already creating every moment of your life—yourself, others, and the world around you? In this milestone 350th episode, I reflect on what it truly means to be a creator in all three areas. Drawing inspiration from master coaches Steve Hardison and Steve Chandler, I explore how daily intentions, conscious thoughts, and deliberate actions shape who we become and how we experience others. You’ll be inspired to see every encounter and circumstance as an opportunity to create something meaningful—with kindness, awareness, and purpose. I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders. We’ve created online resources that help leaders strengthen their character and communication skills to build strong relationships and inspire others to perform at the highest level.  You’ll discover: How to consciously create the person you want to be each day.Why your thoughts and beliefs “create” how others show up for you.A powerful way to bring intention to every interaction.How to transform challenges by asking, “What do I want to create?”The liberating truth that you are already a powerful creator.Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

What does it take to lead with both speed and heart? Danielle Fette shares how her leadership in regenerative medicine is shaped by trust, courage, and a relentless focus on impact. She reveals why running a lean company allows for faster decisions, more agility, and better outcomes—and how these same principles apply to anyone leading a team or organization. You’ll hear how she built a culture that clears roadblocks quickly and puts people first, while staying laser-focused on purpose.  Danielle also opens up about the leadership skills that matter most: hiring for curiosity and energy, creating safe spaces for honest dialogue, and approaching tough conversations with empathy. She emphasizes the role of self-awareness, intuition, and listening deeply to guide decisions and strengthen relationships. Her story offers powerful lessons for every leader who wants to combine courage, clarity, and compassion to achieve meaningful results. Danielle is Co-founder and CEO of FetTech. She’s deeply passionate about transforming lives through groundbreaking advancements in regenerative medicine. She’s dedicated her career to developing innovative, FDA-cleared medical devices that empower the body to heal naturally—and to address some of the world’s most catastrophic injuries, diseases, and viruses. You’ll discover: How lean leadership accelerates decisions and outcomes.Practical ways leaders can hire for curiosity and energy.Why trust and transparency are vital to team success.How empathy transforms difficult leadership conversations.The role of self-awareness in effective leadership.Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

What’s the real difference between managing and leading? Mark Hinderliter, former C-suite executive, business owner, and consultant, explains how shifting from managing processes to inspiring people can transform both your leadership and your organization. Drawing from his book From Manager to Leader: 6 Practices that Accelerate Transformation and his own journey, he shares practical lessons on growing through mistakes and focusing on what matters most. You’ll also hear why trust is the foundation of strong teams and how leaders can show character, competence, connection, and consistency. Mark shares practical insights on balancing accountability with support, giving clear feedback, and creating clarity through active listening. His stories and strategies will help you reflect on your own leadership and take steps to strengthen both relationships and results. Mark is the creator of Diamond Quality Leadership©, a workshop designed to help managers lead today’s workforce. As a senior leader in the corporate arena, Mark has taught and coached hundreds of leaders at all levels in eight countries. In his own business, Mark has coached leaders from the Director level up to the CEO.  You’ll discover: The key distinction between managing tasks and leading peopleHow trust impacts culture, engagement, and performanceWhy accountability is a vital part of servant leadershipWays to improve clarity in giving feedback and instructionsSix practices that accelerate your growth as a leaderCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

What would change if you paused before reacting? In this conversation, you’ll discover how mindfulness can transform both your leadership and your daily life. Anita Barbero shares her journey from running a fitness business to leading wellness initiatives at ESPN, where she partnered with senior executives to embed wellbeing practices across the organization. She explains how listening deeply to employees and integrating mindfulness into corporate culture created lasting positive results for both individuals and the company. Anita also brings mindfulness down to earth with practical strategies leaders can use every day. From mindful eating to noticing tension in your body, she shows how small moments of awareness can make a big difference in resilience, compassion, and decision-making. You’ll hear how leaders can prevent burnout, foster empathy, and create supportive environments when wellbeing is prioritized. Anita is the CEO of Renew Your Health, where she helps companies like ESPN and Disney embed sustainable wellbeing into their culture. She creates tailored, high-impact programs that address stress, burnout, and disengagement and turn them into energy, resilience, and renewed purpose. This is a woman who is using her gifts to foster environments where leaders lead with empathy, teams perform with clarity, and health becomes the foundation of success. You’ll discover: Why mindfulness is different from meditation and easier to apply at work.How leaders can pause and respond instead of reacting under stress.Practical strategies for integrating wellbeing into your daily routine.The benefits of mindful eating and taking true breaks during the day.How embedding wellness into leadership training builds stronger cultures.Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

What does it look like when leadership is rooted in genuine care for people? In this conversation, you’ll hear how Peter Bissonnette’s experiences in a monastery and in the corporate world shaped a philosophy of service, humility, and trust. His journey shows that caring isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation for lasting impact with employees and customers alike. With stories, Peter illustrates how leaders can bring humanity into business while still driving growth and innovation. From customer service initiatives that prioritize connection to employee engagement practices that value feedback, you’ll discover how an organization can thrive when its culture is built on compassion, humility, and treating people like family. Peter is the former president of Shaw Communications Inc., one of Canada’s leading telecommunications companies. With more than three decades of experience in the cable, internet, and media industries, Peter played a pivotal role in transforming how Canadians connect and communicate. Peter has recently published a very inspiring memoir, Count on Me: My Life, Lessons, and Legacy as Former President of Shaw Communications. Peter is not just an exceptional leader, he’s also a remarkable human being. You’re sure to be inspired by a man who experienced unbelievable adversity and trauma as a boy, then created a life that’s grounded in integrity, empathy, and trust. You’ll discover: Peter’s early life experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy.The values that run through Peter’s book, Count On Me.Why vulnerability and humility strengthen leadership impact.Practical ways Shaw Communications fosters customer loyalty and trust.How employee engagement and customer feedback transformed company culture.Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Keith brings these concepts to life with stories, tested practices, and simple tools you can start using right away. He explains how methods like “stress testing,” candor breaks, and energy checks transform group dynamics, helping teams shift from avoidance and silence to openness and trust. This episode is full of strategies that don’t just improve collaboration—they create lasting bonds and higher performance. Keith is the best-selling author of books you’re probably familiar with, like Never Eat Alone, Who’s Got Your Back, and Leading Without Authority. This interview focused on his latest book, Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship. You’ll discover: Why “never lead alone” is more than a slogan—it’s a new way of working.A proven method for giving and receiving feedback that strengthens relationships.How vulnerability and energy checks foster deeper trust and empathy.Ways to move from conflict avoidance to courageous conversations.Practical strategies for enhancing collaboration, both in real-time and asynchronously.Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

What if the most powerful thing you could do as a leader is to see greatness in others that they can’t see in themselves? That’s the philosophy that has guided Ken Crenshaw, longtime Director of Sports Medicine and Performance for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Drawing on values learned from his small-town ranch upbringing and a pivotal mentor in high school, Ken has built a leadership approach centered on service, humility, and love. His stories remind you that even the simplest principles, when applied consistently, can transform lives and teams. In this conversation, you’ll hear how Ken integrates self-awareness, vulnerability, and authentic listening into his work with athletes and staff. He explains how culture is a living, breathing force that requires daily care, and why crucial conversations rooted in love are essential for growth. Whether you lead a business, a sports team, or a family, Ken’s wisdom will inspire you to slow down, listen deeply, and commit to helping others reach their full potential. You’ll discover: How a high school coach’s tough love shaped Ken’s leadership philosophy.Why self-awareness and feedback are game-changers for leaders.The role vulnerability plays in accelerating personal and professional growth.Practical ways to build a culture rooted in love, trust, and shared purpose.How to recognize and call out the hidden potential in others.Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

What does it take to lead in a world where the odds are stacked against you? Jennifer Langton’s remarkable journey from being the only girl on an all-boys lacrosse team to becoming the NFL’s first Vice President of Player Health and Safety is filled with lessons on courage, authenticity, and strategic visibility.  Her early sports experiences taught her the value of letting your work speak for itself and knowing when to step forward—or step back—to build trust and credibility. Those lessons became the foundation for her “Connect, Trust, Grow” leadership model, which she’s applied at the highest levels of professional sports and business. Jennifer shares stories of resilience, innovation, and determination, from overcoming personal loss and career-ending injuries to pioneering concussion prevention initiatives that transformed the NFL’s approach to player safety. You’ll hear how she’s led groundbreaking projects, navigated male-dominated environments with confidence, and inspired teams to embrace change—even when resistance was high. Her insights will challenge you to rethink how you lead, influence, and create lasting impact. Jenny is an award-winning strategic executive who’s known for her ability to drive innovation and positive change. She was an executive with the NFL for 15 years, where she spearheaded initiatives that revolutionized sports safety, including the development of an AI platform to predict injuries, impacting not only football but all sports and several other industries. She’s now focused on delivering keynote speeches and providing advisory services to companies.  You’ll discover: Why authenticity can build trust quicklyHow “strategic visibility” can accelerate your influenceJennifer’s three-part model for leadershipWays to overcome resistance and inspire innovation in any settingHow to turn adversity into a catalyst for growth and successCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

What do you do when one person’s behavior is quietly eroding the trust and teamwork of your group—and no one wants to speak up? In this episode, I share a true story from my own leadership journey where I faced that exact challenge. You’ll hear how I guided four frustrated team members through a structured, respectful process to share their concerns directly with a colleague—and how that meeting became one of the most transformative moments of my career. You’ll discover the simple 4-step feedback model we used, why it’s so effective in preventing defensiveness, and how it can turn even the most difficult conversations into opportunities for connection. You’ll also hear an unexpected twist that shifted the entire dynamic in the room and led to deeper trust, openness, and collaboration than the team had ever experienced before. I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders. We’ve created online resources that help leaders strengthen their character and communication skills to build strong relationships and inspire others to perform at the highest level.  You’ll discover: Why waiting too long to address an issue can backfireA 4-step framework for giving feedback with clarity and careHow to prepare people so emotions don’t derail the messageThe surprising moment that turned confrontation into connectionCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Are you holding back in ways you don’t even realize? In this candid and inspiring conversation, Dr. Tom Olson invites you to take a hard look at how fear of change and a need for safety can quietly run your life. He shares powerful stories from his own journey, including the leap that led to his PhD, and offers practical ways to shift from playing it safe to making bold, intentional choices. We talk about what it really means to lead—at work, at home, and in your own life. Tom explains how to stop giving away your power, how to support others without fixing them, and why emotional intelligence makes all the difference in leadership. You’ll walk away thinking differently about risk, responsibility, and what’s truly possible when you take the helmet off. With over 30 years of global experience, Tom is a highly sought-after coach, trainer, and researcher who has transformed lives through his dynamic, innovative approach to personal and professional development. He's affectionately known as Dr. Tom by his clients throughout the world, with a stellar reputation for providing impactful coaching and training to leaders and teams. His work empowers clients to unlock their potential and overcome their greatest challenges. Tom is the author of the acclaimed book, Don't Die With Your Helmet On, which has inspired leaders and professionals to embrace purpose, resilience, and action.  You’ll discover: What Tom means by “don’t die with your helmet on” (and why it matters)Why fear often shows up looking “reasonable”The questions that help you take back controlA healthy way to challenge team members stuck in victim thinkingHow strong leaders build engagement through shared powerCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro