Guest: Chris Henderson, President of Lumos Clean Energy Advisors Indigenous voices are often left out of conversations on clean energy and climate change. Yet, their generations of environmental stewardship make them pivotal players in our energy future.   Chris Henderson, a Canadian eco-entrepreneur and community leader, discusses the role of Indigenous communities in Canada's shift towards clean energy. In the process, renewable energy is enhancing social equity and fostering economic...

Guest: Paul F. Austin, CEO of Third Wave Why are C-suites adopting psychedelics? Some leaders say it gives them a competitive edge in innovation and thinking; others use psychedelics for stress relief and general mental health.   Paul F. Austin reviews the science and the trends behind this movement. He joins host Maureen Metcalf to discuss both how and why senior executives are moving these substances from taboo to corporate practice…and he provides important guidelines and limits on their...

Guest: Mike Gerbis, CEO of Delphi Politics and megaweather get all the attention on climate change, but the impacts on business are profound. The liabilities for business may rise faster than the temperature! So why are so many business leaders so far behind in dealing with it?   As Oz’s Lion would say, it boils down to courage. The climate issue means challenging the status quo, which upsets stockholders focused on short-term profit. Mike Gerbis, a CEO who HAS challenged the status quo,...

Guest: Amiel Handelsman, Elite Executive Coach We all know communication is key for leadership. But HOW we communicate is tougher. And one simple misunderstanding can make the difference between success and disaster.   Guest Amiel Handelsman has observed and codified eleven concepts that will move your communications from good to great. He shares them with host Maureen Metcalf in this episode. Here's what Amiel and Maureen cover: The ways changing your conversation style can change people’s...

Guest: Steve Armato, VP of Middle Mile & Tech at Amazon Whether leaders accept or ignore new tech makes the difference between it disrupting their organizations – and transforming them.   Amazon’s use of new technology is a clear and major component of its success. It’s a big part of what puts packages on your porch. And, as Steve Armato reveals, Amazon wants to share that tech with others. Steve is their VP of Middle Mile and Tech. In this episode, he talks about the ways Amazon shares...

Guests: Lynn Shollen & Sam Wilson, researchers at Christopher Newport University and Swinburne University of Technology Odds are good you aren’t happy with our leaders. Less than 1/3 of Americans believe their leaders are effective.   That’s according to the Leadership Attitudes Survey. Dr. Lynn Shollen joins us to share more of the results. Dr. Sam Wilson chimes in to reveal insights from the Australian Leadership Index. The two studies had remarkably similar findings.   The bottom line:...

Guest: Nate Rempe, CEO of Omaha Steaks It’s an iconic success story with a menu of leadership lessons: Born from a family escaping oppression in 1917, Omaha Steaks transformed from a small butcher shop into a global brand synonymous with the finest steaks. They’ve stayed at the top because of their long history of leaders driven to innovate. CEO Nate Rempe joins host Maureen Metcalf to unpack the leadership methods that foster such long-lasting success – methods you can adopt, too. Here's...

Guest: Dr. Mary Crossan, Distinguished University Professor at Western University You say you want to hire people with good character – but what does “character” mean?   In this rediscovered episode, Dr. Mary Crossan of Ivey University defines exactly what leader character is, why it matters, and how to develop it. She’s found leader character is not just an add-on, but a foundational element that propels organizations towards sustained excellence. And it’s a win-win: the cultivation of...

Guest: Greg Moran, Executive-in-Residence, Former Sr. Executive at Ford, Chase, Nationwide, and more Should you, or shouldn’t you?   All ethics boil down to this simple question, but getting to the answer can be enormously difficult, especially when deciding for your business. But guest Greg Moran – a long-time C-suite resident – says you can ease those ethical questions by establishing basic principles for your firm…even before you create your pitch deck for potential investors!   Greg...

Guest: Mike Hardy, Founding Director of CTPSR In this rediscovered episode, guest Mike Hardy delivers an insightful update on the founding principles and advancements at the Centre for Trust, Peace, & Social Relations at Coventry University. He delves into his own transformative journey towards embodying peace, serving as a beacon of inspiration. The episode highlights the Centre's remarkable evolution into a hub of outstanding research, playing a pivotal role in shaping contemporary...

Guest: Brian Richardson, Founder/CEO of Richardson Consulting Group How talented is your team?   Without a skills-based system, you may never know…and never tap into the full potential your organization has. But companies that look at skills know who has the talent to best get the job done – and who can develop and grow to obtain those skills.   That’s the message guest Brian Richardson, the founder and CEO of RSG, brings to host Maureen Metcalf in this episode. He shares tips and cases of...

Guests: WE Empower Challenge winners Hadeel Anabtawi & Habiba Ali with Amanda Ellis While female entrepreneurs have made great strides in some countries, in the U.S. and other nations women still face significant barriers that just aren’t there for male-headed start-ups. Despite that, women leaders are making a difference by promoting positive change in their local communities – changes that can have a global impact.   The United Nations recognizes several entrepreneurial women every year...

Guest: Dr. Tanvi Gautam, Senior Faculty at Singapore Management University How do you lead: with your head or heart? Left-brain or right? For the best leaders, the answer is “All of the above.”   From the art of conversation to discovering (and sharing) your organization’s story, guest Dr. Tanvi Gautam talks with host Maureen Metcalf about her head-and-heart-based approach to leadership development – and why adding creative “right brain” thinking to business’ usual analytical “left brain”...

Guest: John Heiser, former CEO of LabVantage We hear a lot about family values and personal values…but what about business values? And what happens when your company’s and personal values conflict?   Values conflicts arise frequently in the workplace. Addressing them leads to a more engaged and satisfied workforce (who also drive superior performance). Guest John Heiser explains how, and shares details on the “Giving Voice to Values” (GVV) program, which provides a proven framework for...

Guest: Dr. Reza Soltanzadeh (CEO & Founder of Borealis Foods) Solving a major crisis sometimes requires reframing it. For Reza Soltanzadeh, working with Doctors Without Borders exposed him to global hunger—but he saw one solution by reframing the problem as global malnutrition.   That set him on a path of high innovation, resulting in a ramen noodle that can, quite literally, nourish the world.   Reza shares how his company, Borealis Foods, has learned to innovate so supremely...

Guests: Marlene Janzen Le Ber and Lynne E. Devnew (Researchers at Brescia University College & University of Phoenix) We judge female leaders differently than men; we’ll decry a woman exec displaying the exact same behavior as a male. The challenges keeping women from the C-suite and board room are systemic and complex – but the process really starts at the very beginning: how women aspire to and define leadership itself!   We’re making progress: women held just over 30% of Fortune 500...

Guest: Brian Ahearn, Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE Employee engagement at work continues to nosedive. So how can you motivate your team?   Show them you care! That’s just one tool in the influence toolkit guest Brian Ahearn shares with Maureen Metcalf in this episode. Influencing people is a critical art in motivating people to engage in their work—and forge success for your entire team. It’s not about manipulation; that’s for poor leaders. It’s about very transparent...

Guests: Allan Bird & Joyce Osland It’s hard enough leading a small local team; imagine running a team that stretches across continents!   That’s exactly what global leaders must do. But from what motivates people to varying labor laws, cultures vary wildly around the planet, so leadership styles must adapt with them. How can a global leader do it all?   Guests Allan Bird and Joyce Osland have some answers. They’re specialists in researching global leadership, and their insights may...

Guest: Helle Bank Jorgensen Does your board of directors have the slightest clue what to do with AI?   As AI creeps into your organization, your board has a fiduciary duty to determine its parameters in the workplace AND in the boardroom…such as figuring out how much information is relevant, and whether it’s trustworthy, misinformation, or just way more than you need. There are ethical considerations, too.   Fortunately, guest Helle Bank Jorgensen has tips to help. She’s the founder and CEO...

Are leaders letting democracy die?   Less than half of the world’s nations are full-fledged democracies today. That’s down from just 20 years ago.   Part of the problem is a nation’s democratic death usually isn’t dramatic or sudden; it’s often a series of subtler, slower moves such as only appointing loyalists to cabinet posts and judgeships, or threatening the press if coverage isn’t towing the party line.   How does this happen in leadership? In this episode, three international thought...

Guest: Tom Krouse Lots of leaders claim their products are made with love. Donatos Pizza means it: they practice Agape Capitalism.   As CEO Tom Krouse explains in this episode, Agape Capitalism puts a love of humanity at the center of their company processes and revenue generation. Its origins are rooted in founder Jim Grote’s observations as a teen working in a pizzeria with two owners: one a frugal bean counter, the other a passionate people-person. Sales soared higher the nights the...

Guest: Ron Riggio Are great leaders born, or forged?   Ron Riggio followed up on the four-decade-long Fullerton Longitudinal Study to uncover the childhood characteristics that indicated later leadership qualities. Those results further informed his work on transformational leadership. He discusses his findings with host Maureen Metcalf…as well as the interplay between transformational leadership and ethics.   Produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association:...

Guest: John Driscoll What’s the surest way people will follow you into battle? Show you care — about them and their families.   That’s a major lesson John Driscoll learned in the Army…and it’s served him well in the private sector, including his current role at Walgreens, where he’s focused on improving service to patients in the healthcare industry. John shares his leadership insights, and the need to focus on healthcare leadership, in this episode. Here's what John and Maureen cover: Why...

Guest: Parminder Vir At the 4th Women and Leadership Conference, participants spent three days discussing and debating ways women’s leadership potential can be unleashed: developed, energized, and liberated in the workspace. Parminder Vir took part, and discusses the results…along with her own experiences as a female leader through four decades of work and across cultures and continents. Her tips and wisdom can be a hammer in helping break through your own glass ceiling.   Produced in...