Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

What wisdom could you extract from someone who’s had over 40 years of experience as a leader? An amazing amount, if that leader is Oakland McCulloch. You’ll hear practical ideas and stories that will inspire you to elevate your own leadership. Better known as Oak, our guest’s 40-plus years of leadership experience includes 23 in the U.S. Army, followed by various civilian positions. While in the Army, he was deployed overseas multiple times. Oak’s last position in the Army was a three-year tour as Professor of Military Science at the University of South Alabama, where he led the training and commissioning of Lieutenants and tripled the size of the program. Oak is the author of an excellent book, Your Leadership Legacy: Becoming the Leader You Were Meant to Be, and he’s now an internationally recognized keynote speaker on leadership and success. As you listen to this conversation, you’ll see that Oak is a true servant leader.You’ll discover: What two high school mentors taught Oak about leadershipHow Oak defines leadershipWhat’s required to build a culture of trustWhy Oak says, “Becoming a micromanager is the #1 mistake a leader can make.” The importance of preparing young people for leadership roles—and what to focus onCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Have you ever noticed how two people can experience the same event but walk away with entirely different perspectives?  In this episode, I share a striking contrast between two individuals on a birdwatching trip.  Their reactions caused me to reflect on how our attitudes shape our experiences and the energy we bring to those around us. 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 your words and reactions influence those around youThe key mindset shift that leads to greater joy and connectionHow to become more intentional about the perspective you bring to every situationA simple yet powerful way to enhance your leadership and relationshipsCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Change can be daunting, no matter what size your organization is. Our guest Dr. Mary Lippitt sheds light on the common fears—fear of the future, fear of the process, and fear of unintended consequences—that often accompany new initiatives.  Mary shares how organizations can address complexity through holistic strategies that emphasize listening, collaboration, and adaptability. We also discuss the power of asking the right questions to surface hidden concerns and ensure buy-in from all levels of an organization. Mary is a renowned thought leader in the field of organizational development. She’s an award-winning author, speaker, and consultant. As President and Founder of Enterprise Management, Mary has more than 30 years of experience implementing change, delivering results, and boosting strategic thinking. As a researcher, Mary has studied the strategic and critical thinking patterns of 6,000 leaders. She is proud to be a second generation Organizational Development professional, following in the footsteps of her father Gordon and uncle Ron. Her new book Leadersheep: Saving the Herd offers a fable about successfully executing change along with the steps necessary to make change stick.  You’ll discover: Why top-down approaches often fail and how leaders can stay engaged to create lasting changeHow to achieve a clear and actionable vision by leveraging situational awareness and data-driven decision-makingWhat you can do to identify gaps, monitor progress, and make necessary course corrections when implementing changeThe benefits of adopting a situational mindset to enhance leadership flexibilityCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Not everyone has equal access to mentoring and sponsorship opportunities. Ayana Carroll is on a mission to change that for Black mid-level managers. In her work with clients and in our conversation for this interview, Ayana shares valuable tips that can help those managers as well as those who make decisions around promotions. Ayana is the Founder of ARC Consulting, and she’s dedicated to elevating Black mid-level professionals into transformative leaders. With over 25 years of HR leadership and DEI expertise, Ayana specializes in breaking down barriers to leadership, including limited access to high-visibility projects, mentorship gaps, and challenges in self-advocacy. As the first Black professional to rise to the level of Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Fluence, Ayana created and led the company’s first DEI department. This pioneering initiative established pathways for diverse hires, increased representation in leadership, and drove inclusion at all levels. Ayana has extensive experience coaching C-suite leaders as well as mid-level managers, creating tailored learning paths to accelerate their development. She also volunteers with various homeless organizations to support individuals on their journey to stability and success. You’ll discover: Why Ayana focuses her work on mid-level managersThe current narrative around Black talent…and how Ayana is reshaping itWhat mentors and sponsors can doWhy STAY interviews are vital to retaining talentHow Ayana helps managers create a plan for career developmentCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

What causes companies to experience rapid top-line revenue growth? Philippe Bouissou, PhD, provides the answer in this impactful conversation. His framework is brilliantly simple. Identify the four possible areas of misalignment between the company and the customer, then make changes to create alignment. Philippe outlines the four areas and provides concrete examples of each. He also describes one of the world’s most successful companies that excels in aligning all four.Philippe has been in Silicon Valley for 33 years. He launched and scaled Apple’s eCommerce business from zero to $350 million, working closely with Steve Jobs. Since leaving Apple, he’s had success as a CEO, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist, and he’s served on the board of 23 companies. He is a growth expert, a TEDx speaker with over one million views, and the author of the bestseller book Aligning the Dots. Today, Philippe is Managing Partner at Blue Dots Partners LLC, a Palo Alto-based advisory firm he founded. The firm is dedicated to solving one problem: helping companies grow faster.  If you’re responsible for any part of top-line revenue growth in your company, this episode is a must-listen. And you’ll want to pick up a copy of Aligning the Dots, too! You’ll discover: Why Philippe said Steve Jobs was the best leader he ever worked withKey lessons Philippe has learned in his leadership journeyThe one question he asks CEOs about their business (and it’s not, “What do you do?”)The four axes of alignment required to grow a businessWhy there’s a 5th axis that determines the execution of the other fourCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Over the course of his career, Ethan Evans reviewed 10,000+ resumes, conducted over 2,500 interviews, and made more than 1,000 hires. He knows a thing or two about finding, onboarding, AND developing the right people. In this high-energy conversation, Ethan shares the qualities he looked for and the aspects of character he believes are most important for leaders. You’ll find great value in reflecting on the lessons he learned from a big mistake he made at Amazon that got him in trouble with CEO Jeff Bezos. Ethan is a former Vice President at Amazon. During his 15 years there, he helped invent many of the offerings that we take for granted today, like Prime Video, Amazon Video, and the Amazon App Store. Prior to Amazon, Ethan spent 12 years at 3 startups.  In September of 2020, Ethan retired from Amazon and made the decision to pay it forward. He devotes time to teaching leaders to become true executives through courses he offers and the free content he provides on LinkedIn and his website. You’ll discover: How Ethan added to the Amazon Leadership Principle of OwnershipWhat Ethan looks for when interviewing a candidate or considering someone for a promotionThe five steps in Ethan’s Magic Loop for managing upWhat leaders can do to build trust quicklyA big mistake Ethan made at Amazon and the lessons he learned from itCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Have you ever taken on a project that you thought would be straightforward…and then discovered it wasn’t? Sometimes that occurs because of the expectations we put on ourselves to perform at a certain level. That’s what happened to me when I tried to record a headshot video. In this solo episode I describe the situation, how I handled the setbacks, and what I learned from the experience that might be helpful for you, too. 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: The challenge I was given in a LinkedIn courseHow I define perfectionismWhy I struggled initially to complete this assignmentWhat slowing down and reflecting helped me realize3 insights that allowed me to relax and enjoy the processCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Have you thought about how your words create you and your world? No matter what you answer, Trevor Timbeck will help you gain a better understanding of this power we all have if we choose to use it well.  Trevor co-authored The Power of Systems with Steve Chandler. You’ll recognize the book and Steve’s name from episode 300 of the podcast. In this episode, we discussed the book and how it ties in with who you are BEING and what you’re CREATING in the world.  Trevor is an absolutely remarkable human being, with important insights not just on the power of systems, but on life itself. You’re going to want to give this your full attention because you’ll hear many valuable ideas to reflect on. Trevor has a deep technical background and started his career as a software engineer. He was promoted to leadership roles and eventually became head of Sales and then Chief Talent Officer with a large IT company. Today Trevor is a very successful leadership coach.  You’ll discover: Significant lessons Trevor learned in his leadership journeyHow Trevor weaves together love, language, and leadership when coaching his clientsWhat he learned from his first coach that transformed the way he ledThe difference between language as coordinating behavior and language as communicating informationWhy Trevor says our words create our worldCheck 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 ever have thoughts that could be called “head trash”? Very likely, you’ve experienced them, and those thoughts may even keep you awake at night. In this conversation, Dr. Robyn Odegaard provides a concrete, practical tip for getting back to sleep if you wake up at 3:00 am. She also shares her approach to questions and conversations with her clients that you can use yourself for your long-term happiness and success. Dr. Robyn is a former competitive beach volleyball player turned business psychologist and professional confidante. She did her graduate work in business psychology with a concentration in high performance and sport. She’s been working in the space between executive coach, therapist and best friend for more than fifteen years and has designed her business to support ultra-busy clients who live excessively fast-paced lives.  Dr. Robyn’s expertise has been showcased through her TEDx talk, Creating Success Out of Chaos, the seven books she has authored, co-authored or contributed to, her Five-Point Paradigm for Creating Success Out of Chaos™, and her signature talk: Take Out the Head Trash: How to fight the demons keeping you awake at 3am.You’ll discover: Dr. Robyn’s personal journey as a young adult and what she learned along the wayWhy she had self-doubts about her ability to succeed in collegeA 5-point paradigm for creating success out of chaosThe #1 question she asks her clients to help them identify what’s holding them backHow Dr. Robyn learned to make Big Asks in quoting fees to potential clientsCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Leading people who aren’t like you can be challenging. In this episode, Stephanie Chung provides important insights and tips to help you be more effective in this critical area. You will love the passion and stories she brings to our conversation. For the past 30 years, Stephanie has been a force of strategic innovation, a beacon of change, and a titan in the world of business growth and human capital management.   Stephanie blazed trails as the first African American to serve as President at a private jet company. Under her visionary leadership, JetSuite evolved from a mere service provider to a symbol of luxury and excellence. During her tenure, JetSuite was named one of the Best Places To Work by the Human Rights Campaign and one of the 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies by the Dallas Business Journal. From there, she became Chief Growth Officer and Global Brand Ambassador at Wheels Up.  Stephanie's impact extends far beyond the boardroom. She serves on the Make-A-Wish Board and the Advisory Council for the National Business Aviation Association. Stephanie is also a #1 international best-selling author with her excellent book, Ally Leadership: How to Lead People Who Are Not Like You. You’ll discover: What the acronym ALLY stands forHow to meet people where they areWhat to do if you don’t like someone on your team Why the most effective leaders are “culturally intelligent”The various kinds of privilege that exist and how to leverage yoursCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro