Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

Black women are under-represented in the C-suite. That’s a reality that Dr. Mechelle Roberthon has seen first-hand, and she’s on a mission to turn that around. This is a must-listen interview if your organization is committed to ensuring diversity at all levels, including top executive positions.  Michelle shares important insights from her dissertation research and describes specific actions organizations can take to ensure opportunities for diverse representation at top leadership levels. Mentorship and Sponsorship are key elements of this process. Mechelle is a Certified Professional in Talent Development. Her background includes training delivery, performance improvement, and managing learning programs. She received her Doctor of Education degree from Baylor University and holds a Master of Science in Education with a specialization in Training and Performance Improvement.  Mechelle is an experienced career and professional development instructor. She’s taught over 500 corporate courses and receives consistently high evaluations. Her dynamic teaching style has become a favorite amongst learners. You’ll understand why when you listen to our conversation! You’ll discover: The event that inspired Mechelle to choose her dissertation topicWhat she learned from interviewing Black women already in, or aspiring to, positions in the C-suite4 specific actions you can take to ensure opportunities for diverse representation at top leadership levelsWhat organizations do wrong when someone leaves voluntarilyWhat effective Offboarding looks likeCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Do you faithfully hold weekly 1-1 meetings with each member of your team? Jeremy Barr explains why this is the most important thing you can do as a leader. In this fast-paced conversation, Jeremy shares lots of nuggets about leadership that he’s learned from his various executive roles and now teaches to company founders, business owners, and leaders. He’s on a mission to have a positive impact on 3 billion people, and you’ll be fascinated to learn the approach he’s taking to reach that audacious goal. Jeremy has been CTO, COO, CEO and VC investor. As a leader, he has managed teams of teams of people. He is currently building the world’s largest investor and founder network. He created his company Rocket Mindset to rapidly uplevel the skills of founders and leaders. Jeremy is unique among the guests on this show because of the size of the positive impact he intends to have. Everything Jeremy does is to impact 3 billion people…and have a lot of fun while doing it. To achieve this audacious goal, Jeremy is working with his global team of investors and founders to run, invest in, and advise a ton of companies with the intention of growing them and the humans inside them rapidly.  His favorite things are to find and create high quality, highly evolved humans. You’ll discover: What you should learn during the interview process to ensure you hire the right personHow to make an effective pitch, no matter what idea you’re trying to sellA winning approach when you want to help two people resolve a conflictWhy daily stand-ups with your team create greater clarity, focus, and productivityThe kinds of questions to ask that help your team become autonomousCheck 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 happen if everyone in an organization adopted a collaborative approach to working together? Lloyd Fickett has facilitated such transformations scores of times over the past 20+ years with a set of 5 practices he created called The Collaborative Way. In this powerful conversation, Lloyd explains each one and describes the benefits that individuals, teams, and entire companies experience as a result of living these practices. Lloyd founded Lloyd Fickett & Associates, Inc. in 1983, a management consulting firm initially focused on leadership, team building and extraordinary performance. In 1990 he developed The Collaborative Way® while working with Rodel, one of his clients. Since then, Lloyd has helped his clients adopt The Collaborative Way® in order to build the futures they envision while navigating challenges like rapid growth, mergers, acquisitions, and other market pressures.  Lloyd is co-author of two books, The Collaborative Way®: A Story About Engaging the Mind and Spirit of a Company and Leading the Collaborative Way: Overcoming the Seven Most Common Pitfalls. You’ll discover: What led Lloyd to create The Collaborative Way while working with Rodel, one of his clientsWhy Listening Generously is the #1 practiceThat Honoring Commitments is not just about making themThe distinction Lloyd makes between Acknowledgement and AppreciationThe benefits one company has experienced by practicing the 5 commitments for 25 yearsCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Do the words “Compassion” and “Accountability” seem like opposites to you? My guest Dr. Nate Regier views them as such an important pairing that his new book, Compassionate Accountability: How Leaders Build Connection and Get Results, as well as his work with clients, focus on addressing them together. In this interview we discuss the three elements that bring these words together. Be ready to take notes, or even better, buy the book because Nate shares so many practical strategies in it. Nate is the CEO and founding owner of Next Element Consulting, a global leadership firm dedicated to bringing compassion into the workplace. He’s brilliant in creating models that foster positive relationships and workplaces…and then teaching clients how to use them to transform their organizations.  You’ll discover: The evolution of Compassion as a term and as a practice in the workplaceThe two extremes on the Pendulum of CompassionHow three fundamental components of Compassionate Accountability apply to how leaders see themselves and their teamsPractical ways that leaders can bring these elements to lifeCase studies of organizations that have operationalized these componentsCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

DescriptionHow do you help people feel valued in a huge organization like Amazon? Omar Halabieh shares what he does on an ongoing basis to connect with his team members and help them understand the contribution they’re making. You’ll enjoy Omar’s enthusiasm as he describes his commitment to being a true servant leader to others.   Omar is Director of Technology at Amazon Payment Services. In this role he’s responsible for delivering simple, trusted, and affordable payment solutions for customers and merchants across the Middle East and North Africa.  Omar is based in Dubai and has been in this role since 2019. Prior to this, he led technology teams within Amazon’s Supply Chain Optimization Technologies organization, based in Seattle, for four years.   Overall, Omar has 20+ years of technology experience where he has delivered transformational initiatives that have created competitive advantage, enabled business growth, exceeded customer expectations, and transformed global organizations. You’ll discover: How Omar uses LinkedIn to share valuable content to people throughout Amazon The distinction he makes between mentoring and coachingWhat Omar does to help people feel valued in such a huge organizationThe communication skills he considers most critical for success as a leaderStrategies Omar uses to help team members prioritize and focus their timeCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Do you consider yourself a nonlinear thinker…or do you know someone who is? Perry Knoppert, aka Dr. Octopus, shares important insights that all of us need to hear in order to better understand these individuals. They are often seen as “curious misfits,” and many of their talents are overlooked in the workplace.  This is a must-listen episode for everyone. We have all been guilty of judging or even cancelling others because they don’t think and act the way 80% of the rest of us do. Perry is an artist of life, driven by his non-conformist spirit and a passion for empowering non-linear thinkers. He was born in the free-spirited Netherlands and was exposed to the diversity of the market while selling lampshades with his father. But Perry yearned for more, and he discovered the beauty of unexpected possibilities in living abroad in places like Beijing, China. After a huge shift in his life, he founded The Octopus Movement, a global network that has become a mycelium of nonlinear thinkers. Perry embraces his ADHD energy, dyslexic learning style, and multi-tasking brain. He’s found his true calling as a visionary, a trailblazer, and a true-life artist. His movement is on a mission to get the world to recognize and harness the gifts of non-linear thinkers. The Octopus Movement has grown to include more than 2,600 members from over 63 countries. What they have in common is this: They approach problem-solving in unconventional ways, often bringing unique creativity to entrepreneurship, the arts, and other careers. You’ll discover: What distinguishes nonlinear thinkers from those who think in a more linear wayStrengths and gifts these individuals bring to the workplaceHow to structure a conversation between a nonlinear thinker and their managerReasons why people tend to judge or cancel nonlinear thinkersWhat it looks like to be a nonlinear leaderCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

The Command & Control approach to leadership is obsolete, and there’s a powerful replacement for it: Trust & Inspire. Steven M. R. Covey is passionate about helping leaders adopt this far more effective way of leading others, and he brought this enthusiasm to our conversation. You will be inspired as he describes all the benefits of a leadership model that’s focused on helping people grow even as they are held accountable for results. Stephen is the New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Speed of Trust, which has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.  His new book, Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others, is also a Wall Street Journal bestseller. It immediately became one of my favorite books for leaders and parents. Stephen brings to his writings the perspective of a practitioner, as he is the former President & CEO of the Covey Leadership Center, where he increased shareholder value by 67 times and grew the company to become the largest leadership development firm in the world. Stephen co-founded and currently leads FranklinCovey’s Global Speed of Trust Practice.  You’ll discover: The limitations of Enlightened Command & ControlHow the best leaders extend trust to othersWhat’s involved in inspiring someone to perform at the highest levelFundamental beliefs that Trust & Inspire leaders have about peopleThe elements of Stewardship Agreements that clarify expectations and define accountabilityCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

As a college freshman, Marcus Engel was blinded and nearly killed after being struck by a drunk driver. Through hundreds of hours of reconstructive surgery, months of rehab, and adapting to a completely new world, Marcus remained committed to his goals: return to college and recapture life. Marcus accepted and embraced the challenge. The life lessons he learned on this unexpected journey are now the guiding forces that inspire hundreds of thousands every day. He is the co-founder of the I’m Here Movement, a 501(c)3, which is changing the culture of care with two simple words. Marcus has authored four books, including I’m Here and The Other End of the Stethoscope. He holds a B.S. in Sociology and a Masters in Narrative Medicine. In 2017, Marcus was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Notre Dame where he teaches pre-med students the art of “being with.”  You’ll discover: What happened to Marcus and how he’s used that experience to serve othersThe two words spoken to Marcus by a caregiver, giving him hope and comfort during his initial hours in the hospital What is means to truly “be with” another human beingHow leaders can bring more caring and compassion into conversations with those they serveCheck 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 Human Resources served as a critical business partner, where the team functioned as a revenue center? Amy Dufrane describes examples of companies where this is happening and the resources HRCI provides to help HR professionals gain a seat at the table.Amy is the CEO of two important organizations tied to human resources. The first is HRCI, which is the world’s premier credentialing and learning organization for the human resources profession. Amy is responsible for guiding this multi-million-dollar enterprise as it provides training that helps companies and their employees navigate the demands of the modern day workplace—and its future. Almost every Fortune 500 company has HRCI-certified professionals among their leadership ranks. Amy is also CEO of HRSI, a subsidiary of HRCI. It’s the world’s premier standards and credentialing institute for private and publicly traded organizations. She’s the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including 2021 and 2022 Top 100 HR Tech Influencers and 2021 Stevie Awards Female Executive of the Year.You’ll discover: The vision Amy had for HRCI when she came on as CEO and how she got buy-in for itThe benefits of hiring a CIO with expertise in Agile when designing and implementing new programsWhy testing is critical if you’re focused on growing fastWhat’s required to instill a culture of experimentationAmy’s perspective on the evolution of Human Resources as a professionCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Do you expend energy trying to make others wrong so you can be right? Rich Habets is a master of facilitating powerful discussions 1-1 and with teams by asking questions and not making anyone wrong. In this conversation, he shares what he does to guide clients to look within and listen for the gold in what others say. Rich is the founder and lead coach at Insight, Inc. Over the past 14 years, he’s dedicated himself to empowering more than 6,000 individuals and collaborating with more than 30 world-class companies, helping them break through barriers and achieve unparalleled performance.  What’s interesting is that Rich’s clients are already a force to be reckoned with, but his expertise serves as the catalyst that propels them to even greater heights. He’s operated behind the scenes for years as a silent but powerful ally in their journeys.  His mission is to help others harness their untapped potential so they transform their lives into a beacon of success, growth, and personal accomplishment.   You’ll discover: The benefits of being open and vulnerable with othersWhy Rich focuses on who he is BEING when he works with clientsHow Rich helps leaders raise their awareness about their own behaviorsThe powerful questions Rich uses to help leaders discover the blind spots and gapsWays to make meetings more productiveCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro