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Season 10 Episode 29

Guest: Michael Morrow-Fox, Organizational Development & Leadership Consultant

They say talk is cheap, but not listening can be very expensive. Yet many leaders don’t listen to their teams, especially in today’s climate of disagreements and divisiveness. So how can you have these difficult conversations, and keep your team running smoothly?

Our guest, Mike Morrow-Fox, has the answer: conversational receptiveness. It’s a four-step technique that moves the needle on workplace dialogue, so the leader hears important information, and the speaker knows their voice has been heard and respected. Mike gives the details in this episode.

Here’s what Mike and Maureen cover:

1. The four distinct steps to conversational receptiveness;
2. How this can be used for any difficult conversation, from mild disagreements to full conflict resolution; and
3. The critical role your own mood and mindset play in getting positive results in any conversation.

For more expert insights on communication and conflict resolution, check these episodes:

• Empathy, Dialogue, & A Good Mood: An Ambassador Reveals What Leaders Need in Crisis with Ambassador Thomas Greminger & Peter Cunningham
• Effectively Addressing Values Conflicts with John Heiser
• Finding Peace in Conflict: Northern Ireland & Beyond with John, Lord Alderdice

Season 8 Episode 7

Guests: Ambassador Thomas Greminger & Peter Cunningham of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)

War in Ukraine and Gaza.  Disunity on climate change. Human trafficking. Water shortages.

The list of international crises is growing. So where is the leadership to solve these global crises?

It seems sadly lacking, but the qualities for this new kind of leader are well-studied and defined at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP).  In this episode, GCSP’s Ambassador Thomas Greminger and Peter Cunningham reveal their organisation’s mission, the state of global leadership today, and the type of leadership it will take to steer us through these crises. They’re skills that can get you through your organization’s next crisis, too!

Other episodes you’ll enjoy:

• Finding Peace in Conflict: Northern Ireland and Beyond with Lord John Alderdice
• Peace through Better Leaders with Mike Hardy
• Climate Change: Leaders in the Hot Seat with former Prime Minister Kim Campbell
• Nurturing Peace from the Ashes of Violence with Hyppolite Ntigurirwa & Mike Hardy

Season 10 Episode 28

Guests: Chris Nolan, Director/Writer & Mike Schindler, Writer/Exec. Producer, It’s VUCA documentary

Do you face uncertainty with fear…or with confidence?

In the 1980s, the US military began developing the concept of VUCA: ways to deal with Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. Today, as change happens at an exponentially accelerating pace, anti-fragility is a key concept in not just surviving, but thriving through the chaos.

VUCA experts and documentarians Chris Nolan and Mike Schindler join host Maureen Metcalf in this episode to discuss the details of anti-fragility, and the ways you can adopt this mindset for your own success.

Here’s what Chris, Mike, and Maureen cover:

1. Why it’s natural to react to all this volatility with anxiety…and how you can choose not to;
2. The three anti-fragile disciplines you can employ right now; and
3. The BRING IT ON tool, and why it works so effectively!

Binge listen to our VUCA miniseries:

• Facing Uncertainty: It’s VUCA with Chris Nolan
• Expecting the Unexpected: VUCA in Action at Red Roof with George Limbert
• Using Storytelling to Elevate (VUCA) Leadership with Chris Nolan
• The Rise of Humanness (The Role of People in an AI World) with Chris Nolan & Michael Schindler

Season 8 Episode 14

Guests: Faris Alami, CEO of International Strategic Management, & Christopher Washington, Provost & EVP for Academic Affairs at Franklin University

You already know the workplace has changed. But have workers changed?

Some have, but not enough. That’s where leaders come in. With AI, WFH, and more, work will continue changing at an ever faster pace, so leaders must provide ways for their teams to mentally retool, too. It’s called being future-fit: the ability to constantly learn new skills and certifications, and unlearn old habits and traditions.

Guests Christopher Washington and Faris Alami join host Maureen Metcalf in a robust discussion on how we can grow future-fit employees – and why it can hurt your company to wait.

Produced in conjunction with the International Leadership Association. Learn more at https://ilaglobalnetwork.org.

Other episodes for the future-fit leader include:

• The Future-Ready Board Member with Helle Bank Jorgensen
• Coming Soon to a Business Climate Near You with Matthew Griffin
• Back to the Future…of Work with Jim Ritchie-Dunham, Suzie Lewis, & David Dinwoodie
• Prepare for the Future with Foresight with Dr. Ciela Hartanov

Season 10 Episode 27

Guest: Shruti Gandhi Buckley, SVP of Hampton by Hilton & Spark by Hilton

How do you survive a disaster? Or, like Hilton, how do you thrive after one?

The answer is: great leadership. The COVID pandemic devastated the hospitality industry, but Hilton’s leadership adapted to this new world. As guest Shruti Gandhi Buckley reveals, the hotelier’s leadership resiliently embraced change, risk, and diversity to emerge stronger than ever.

Here’s what Shruti and Maureen cover:

1. Why connecting people – your staff and your customers – is critical to success in the hospitality industry;
2. How promoting from within and other career growth opportunities benefit the company as well as the staff; and
3. Shruti’s own professional journey, despite potential barriers as a woman and child of immigrants.

Other episodes you’ll enjoy:

• Thrive at Hilton: Relentlessly Improving the Workplace with Laura Fuentes
• Leadership Is Relationships with Kvon Tucker
• Red Roof: Revisioning the Future with George Limbert

Season 8 Episode 15

Guests: Cynthia Cherrey (CEO) & Mike Hardy (board chair), International Leadership Association

Leadership theory is one thing; real-world leadership practice is another. But, the International Leadership Association does both: taking cutting-edge leadership research from academics and incorporating them in the ILA’s daily operations.

Their goal is to identify and find solutions for the global challenges today’s leaders face.  They chose Geneva, Switzerland, for their 2021 international conference; the city has the largest number of multi-lateral organizations in the world.  The conference theme: Reimagining Leadership. ILA’s president/CEO, Cynthia Cherrey, joins board chair Mike Hardy for an overview of the conference results…and how the Association is a living laboratory for reimagining leadership.

Season 10 Episode 26

Guest: Steve Robinson, former Chief Marketing Officer, Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A — and their cows — are now an iconic fast food brand. That type of brand recognition doesn’t happen by accident: it requires great leadership creating a culture of innovation. What can you learn from their success?

Steve Robinson unfolds the layers of leadership principles with real stories from Chick-fil-A’s history to demonstrate each one. Like other major brands, they’ve had PR bumps along the way, but worked through to continued success. Steve’s insights explain why — and it all wraps around leaders’ unique view of their stakeholders.

Here’s what Steve and Maureen cover:

1. The four layers of Chick-fil-A’s “onion” of success;
2. Why simple hospitality is a huge differentiator in business today; and
3. The moment the beef industry started feeling chicken about this restaurant chain.

Other episodes you’ll enjoy:

• Why Rare Leadership Is Well Done at Omaha Steaks with Nate Rempe
• Love at First Slice: Pizza & Passionate Leadership with Tom Krouse
• A Dozen Lessons Learned Running Dunkin’ Donuts with Robert Rosenberg

Season 8 Episode 13

Guest: Leah Lizarondo, Entrepreneur-in-Residence (Carnegie Mellon University) & Co-Founder of 412 Food Rescue

When an organization truly understands a problem and an innovative solution is implemented, people get behind it and true change happens. That’s the story of 412 Food Rescue.

Leah Lizarondo saw massive food insecurity, and food waste recovery was the solution. Moreover, she reimagined food recovery as an organization that solves multiple problems.

Leah joins host Maureen Metcalf to discuss food insecurity, entrepreneurism, and leading an NPO to such success.

Produced in association with the International Leadership Association: https://ilaglobalnetwork.org.

Other episodes you’ll enjoy:

• Noodling Solutions for Food Insecurity with Dr. Reza Soltanzadeh
• Do No Harm: Ethics for Leaders with Terri O’Fallon
• Women’s Leadership Journeys with Lisa DeFrank Cole & Sherylle J. Tan

Season 10 Episode 25

Guest: Dave Levy, Vice President of Amazon Web Services (AWS) Worldwide Public Sector (WWPS)

AI is all the buzz – but how do you lead your team through all the noise to find what works for you?

Dave Levy clears the noise in this episode. By helping governments discern the best AI tools to serve their communities, he sees the qualities any leader needs to look for…and security is right at the top of the list. So is education, including growing the talent pool to meet demand!

Here’s what Dave and Maureen cover:

1. Why “inventing” your own AI apps can be better in the long run than using a popular off-the-shelf system;
2. Why Amazon is willing to invest heavily in free AI and IT training and education programs for the public; and
3. The importance of having at least one leader on your board or in your C-suite who knows enough to safely spearhead your AI (and tech) efforts.

Other episodes you’ll enjoy:

• How Moonshots & Robots Put Packages on Your Porch with Steve Armato
• Humans in the Loop: AI’s New Business Models with Suchi Srinivasan
• Leading with an Eye on AI with Neil Sahota

Season 10 Episode 24

Guest: Sander van ‘t Noordende, CEO, Randstad

The world is becoming talent-led. The talent pool is shrinking, which means leaders must radically shift their thinking on how to recruit – and retain – top performers.

Fortunately, Sander van ‘t Noordende sees a number of solid solutions arising from his vantage as CEO of multinational HR firm Ranstad. He shares them with host Maureen Metcalf in this episode.

Here’s what Sander and Maureen cover:

1. The Big Three issues nearly all corporations and governments will soon be facing (if they aren’t already);
2. Who the Assertive Third are in your team, and how quickly your competitors might scoop them up; and
3. Why DEI bashing, though politically popular, is a red flag to top talent.

Other episodes you’ll enjoy:

• Relentlessly Improving the Workplace with Laura Fuentes
• Hiring in the Great Resignation with Michelle Sanchez-Bickley
• Hiring for Keeps: The Rise of Recruiter.com with Evan Sohn