Leading with Kindness with Christy Pretzinger: Lead to Succeed 163

What role does kindness play in leadership? In a world often focused on achieving results and meeting expectations, can leading with compassion create a more productive and fulfilling workplace? In this episode, Christy Pretzinger shares her perspective on the transformative power of kindness in leadership.

As the owner and CEO of WG Content, Christy has established an industry-leading company that delivers superior content and strategy to healthcare brands nationwide. She intentionally focused on building the business based on kindness. And that approach has proven to be good for people and the bottom line.

Over time, Christy discovered her true calling: to create a workplace that nurtures personal and professional growth — and help other leaders do the same. She’s a popular guest speaker for events and podcasts, always ready to guide audiences on how to grow leaders and build environments where people can thrive. Christy’s new book, Your Cultural Balance Sheet: Keys to creating an environment where people can thrive, is due out January 2025.

Embracing Vulnerability and Support with Owen Marcus: Lead to Succeed 162

In leadership, vulnerability is often seen as a weakness, but what if embracing it could make us stronger and more effective?

In this episode, Owen Marcus delves into the importance of emotional safety in the workplace, how leaders can model vulnerability, and why creating supportive environments for both personal and professional growth is crucial.

Taking a Stand Against Bullying with Jenn Johnson: Lead to Succeed 161

When faced with wrongdoings like bullying, staying silent is often the easiest choice—but it’s also the most harmful. How can we find the courage to speak out and take a stand against bad behavior?

In this episode, Jenn Johnson shares her experiences and insights on the importance of confronting bullying in the workplace.

The Power of Clarity with Alex Geesbreght: Lead to Succeed 160

A growth mindset is essential for success, but without clarity, how can we know where we’re headed or how to measure our progress?

In this episode, Alex Geesbreght explains why clarity is a fundamental building block for fostering a growth mindset and how it can unlock new possibilities for personal and leadership development.

Alex is the Founder and Partner of PRAX Leadership, Geesbreght Capital, and Geesbreght Group. He is a former Owner of Emergency Medicine Consultants, where he served in various roles including General Counsel, President, and Chief Strategy Officer for over sixteen years until the sale of the company in 2018. He is also the former Owner and CEO of PhysAssist Scribes, the nation’s first medical scribe company. Since selling PhysAssist in 2014, Alex is a full-time investor and counselor of early-stage entrepreneurs.

Simplify to Amplify with Lisa Bodell: Lead to Succeed 159

Do you ever feel like you’re busy all the time but not making real progress? What if the key to achieving more isn’t doing more, but simplifying how we work?
In this episode, Lisa Bodell unpacks the importance of cutting through the clutter to focus on what truly drives value, helping us trade busyness for meaningful impact.

Lisa, founder of FutureThink, is a globally recognized expert on simplifying work and driving innovation. She is the author of Why Simple Wins and Kill the Company, both bestsellers that emphasize replacing unnecessary complexity with simplicity to allow people to focus on impactful work. Her insights have influenced top organizations, including Google, SAP, Citigroup, and the U.S. Department of National Intelligence. A frequent Forbes contributor, Lisa’s expertise has also been featured in Fast Company, Wired, The New York Times, and Harvard Business Review. She has taught innovation at American University and Fordham University, and her TED Talk on simplification resonates with thousands each year. Through FutureThink, one of the world’s largest sources for innovation tools, Lisa’s work empowers teams to improve productivity, engagement, and well-being by shifting focus to what matters most.

Discovering What Truly Matter with Matt Shenker: Lead to Succeed 158

What does it mean to truly understand our priorities in life? In a world filled with distractions and demands, how do we uncover what genuinely matters to us? In this episode, our guest Matt Shenker shares his insights on the journey of self-discovery and the importance of aligning our lives with our core values.

As a licensed professional counselor, meditation teacher, and behavior scientist since 2016, Matt has trained thousands of therapists, educators, and managers on how to harness the greatest learnings from behavior science from the last century. Matt is the creator of Empowered Well-being Theory—a transdisciplinary biopsychosocial spiritual model for understanding human well-being. As a framework, that work serves as a foundation for the work Matt does as Chief Solutions Architect, COO, & Cofounder at MatterMore. At MatterMore, they’re working to empower the future of work—what they call Work 4.0.

Turning Conflict into Opportunity with Jose Ucar: Lead to Succeed 157

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by conflict, unsure of how to navigate the tension without sacrificing your values or relationships? What if conflict didn’t have to be a barrier, but instead, an opportunity for growth and connection?

In this episode, we dive deep into these important questions with our guest, Jose Ucar, as he shares strategies for turning conflict into a powerful tool for transformation and success.

Jose is an international communication and influence expert with over a decade of experience working with businesses such as Procter & Gamble and SEAT-CUPRA. His actionable strategies for business leaders expose hidden barriers to effective communication, bridge cultural gaps, ignite positive influence and amplify global impact. Jose is the author of bestseller book ‘Global Influence,’ a TEDx speaker and host, a professional speaker, a leadership and communication trainer, a speaking coach, and founder of Jose Ucar Ltd. His writing has been featured on Yahoo Finance and Yahoo News, Disrupt Magazine, LA Weekly and The Influencer Age.

Lead as Your True Self with Rabbi Daniel Lapin: Lead to Succeed 156

In a world that often encourages us to “fake it until we make it,” what’s the real value of leading with authenticity? How can loving what we do transform not only our work but also those we lead? In this episode, we explore the importance of embracing who we truly are in leadership with our guest, Rabbi Daniel Lapin.

Daniel Lapin, known widely as America’s Rabbi, is a noted rabbinic scholar, best-selling author and TV host. He is president of the American Alliance of Jews and Christians, author of America’s Real War, Thou Shall Prosper and other best-sellers. A frequent guest on Fox News, WallBuilders Radio, and Glenn Beck TV, he hosts his own popular radio and podcast programs with audiences world-wide. Pairing his inheritance as a descendant of a multi-generational rabbinical family with his background in science and business, he teaches ancient Jewish wisdom in an unparalleled manner.

Leading with Humanity with Richard Atherton: Lead to Succeed 155

Effective leadership demands a return to our human roots. How can leaders embrace a human-first approach to foster meaningful connections, drive organizational goals, and inspire their teams? In this episode, our guest Richard Atherton explores how leading with humanity can unlock breakthrough potential and transform our approach to leadership within organizations.

Richard is a Partner at FirstHuman, a business coaching firm that helps CEOs, leaders, and top executives achieve leadership breakthroughs and organizational goals with a human-first approach. Its clients include Adidas, Volkswagen, Heineken, PwC, UNICEF and the Olympics.

Richard has nearly 10 years of expertise in leadership development and has helped numerous clients achieve significant personal and professional breakthroughs. His own background of overcoming multiple addictions and personal traumas has been crucial in shaping his passion for humanizing the leadership culture within organizations. He was notably involved in helping leaders at the logistics company CEVA close a $400M profitability gap. He is also the host of the Being Human podcast that provides insights on leadership and well-being and reaches 11.9K subscribers.

Become a Value Setter with Andrea Feigl: Lead to Succeed 121

Being the leading voice in healthcare funding requires the courage to be the first to ask and advocate for change. It's about empowering others to realize they're not alone, encouraging them to step up, and affirming that advocating for change is not just acceptable but essential. This is exactly what our guest Andrea Feigl will empower every leader to do.

As Health Finance Institute's CEO and founder, Andrea brings extensive leadership experience in academia, the public sector, international organizations, and the global non-profit sector.

Her past work focused on the economics and policies of preventing and treating the economic burden of chronic diseases, as well as on health financing and governance, UHC, and cost-effectiveness of chronic disease interventions.

Apart from being the recipient of multiple prestigious awards, she has also authored several high-level reports, including Development Aid Flows for Chronic Diseases for the Center for Global Development and a leading WEF/Harvard report on the global economic burden of chronic diseases.

Andrea was a Visiting Scientist at Harvard from 2015 to 2020 at the School of Public Health and is a Salzburg Global Fellow.

Listen in and learn how to lead boldly in the healthcare industry.

From the Base Paths to the Boardroom with Damon Lembi: Lead to Succeed 120

In the complex landscape of professional challenges, there comes a defining juncture— a moment when setbacks and obstacles prompt a crucial question: Is it time to deepen your skills, to evolve and overcome, or is it the signal for a more profound shift, a redirection towards a new career path?

In this episode, we explore this delicate balance with our guest Damon Lembi who himself had to navigate this intricate terrain.

For nearly three decades, Damon has led Learnit through the ever-changing L&D landscape, gaining insight into what works, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competition.

Coming to business from a career in baseball, he brings an athlete’s perspective on leadership and training to my informal mentoring of executives. Damon has distilled those hard-won insights into his bestselling book, “The Learn-It-All Leader—Mindset, Traits, and Tools.”

Listen in and learn more about the Learn-It-All Leader

Make Your Business Thrive with Mosongo Moukwa: Lead to Succeed 119

In the dynamic world of commerce, cultivating profitability in untapped markets with innovative products isn't just a decision—it's the crescendo of a symphony, resonating with the commitment to prosperity and the beat of boundless possibilities. This is precisely where the expertise of Lead to Succeed guest Mosongo Moukwa shines, orchestrating success in this vibrant business symphony.

Mosongo is a seasoned executive and consultant who has dedicated his career to helping companies thrive by commercializing new technologies, diversifying their product offerings, and entering new markets. Over thirty-plus years in leadership, he has applied his unique talent for identifying leadership gaps and developing the talent and culture necessary for success.

Mosongo helps solve important innovation challenges that hold organizations back by unleashing the collective creativity of their people. This results in increased profitability and growth expansion.

Mosongo has held leadership positions in R & D and operations at some of the world’s most respected brands, including vice president, global technology at SC Johnson. He is currently President at Hathaway Advanced Materials.

Listen in and learn more about ways to help your business thrive.

Fostering a Human-Centric Workplace with James Burstall: Lead to Succeed 118

The heartbeat of a thriving company lies in its people. In this ever-evolving era, where technological advancements race ahead, it's the human element that propels innovation, fosters resilience, and ultimately fuels success. That’s what we’ll be exploring in this episode with our guest James Burstall.

James is the CEO of Argonon Group and bestselling author of 'The Flexible Method: Prepare to Prosper in the Next Global Crisis.’

Listen in and learn more about the importance of humanity in the workplace.

Lead to Succeed dives deep into personal leadership journeys, seeking to understand how leaders got to where they are today, and the challenges & successes that they experienced along the way