The Rooted Leadership Podcast

Carlos Ruiz is one of the assistant principals at North Salem High School and one of the first graduates of the Groundwork Leadership Institute. In this episode, Carlos shares how a lot of his inspiration and motivation as a leader comes from his grandfather. He also discusses the role of a leader and how it can change over time. 

Chris Moore, a school district psychologist, joins the show and dives deep into the underpinnings of being human--in other words, our "humanness" and how we can be more intentional in creating environments where that is cultivated. Chris is an eloquent speaker and authentic in his delivery; he will have you on the edge of your seat.

Joining us this episode is Kay Hazen--owner of a strategic marketing and communications firm in Palm Springs and a recent presenter at our leadership institute. Kay has a breadth of experience in marketing and communications and provides a broad, rich perspective on leadership. In this episode, we discuss leadership brand, trust, telling the truth, listening, and more.

Chad Ford, author of "Dangerous Love," shares deeply-seated components of leadership and what it means for leaders to see potential--even when all seems lost. Chad has traveled the world and been involved in dozens of high-stakes conflict where he has had to rely on the fact that there is always potential for transformation.

Local business leader and CEO of Neighborly Ventures Brian Moore visits the show. Together with Chris and Salam, he discusses implications of leadership in his organization, church, and family. Brian’s focus on authenticity is contagious and underlines his point that ordinary leaders and people can accomplish extraordinary things.

In this episode, Chris and Salam welcome Christy Perry, Superintendent of Salem-Keizer Public Schools. The Salem-Keizer School District is the second-largest of its kind in Oregon. Christy was recently recognized as the Oregon Superintendent of the Year—and her thoughtful responses here demonstrate why. Christy and the team discuss several components of effective leading, including the importance of organization, while relating it back to our Rooted Leadership framework.

Chris welcomes a dear friend and former teammate, Colby Bauer, to the show. Colby, CEO of Thread Wallets, propelled his company to the Inc. 5000 list within just a few short years. In this episode, Chris and Colby share personal and intimate stories that highlight aspects of humility, leadership, grit . . . and more humility.

Special guest and well-known author Melissa Schilling joins Chris and Salam in this episode as they discuss Melissa's expertise on innovation. With intriguing examples of real-life leadership, Melissa makes innovation tangible. And a bonus? There’s plenty of overlap with the Rooted framework, too.

Chris and Salam take on the heavy question, "What is leadership?" From accountability, collaboration, authenticity, transparency, and more—they discuss what they believe to be among some of the most important aspects of leadership. If you are a leader of any kind, you will want to listen as the two of them think through this question.

Guest Jason Davey, a clinical social worker, draws a powerful connection between our work within the Institute and his work as a daily practitioner. A rising awareness of mental health and social-emotional well-being makes this conversation particularly relevant.