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Visual Thinking… And Why CEOs Should Care About It

What is a powerful way to create shared commitment to a vision?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 176 TranscriptFind out by listening to Episode 178. Scott and I speak with Todd Cherches, CEO and Cofounder of BigBlueGumball, a New York City-based consulting firm specializing in leadership development, public speaking, and executive coaching. He is also the author of VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life.

Todd is a three-time award-winning Adjunct Assistant Professor of leadership at the New York University School of Professional Studies, in the Division of Programs in Business, where he had been teaching his popular “Leadership and Team Building” graduate course in their Human Capital Management master’s program for the past 10 years. (read more about Todd Cherches below)

You’ll find out:

  • How thinking visually (“VisuaLeadership”) can help people transform visions into reality
  • Four approaches to visual thinking, and how to choose the best approach for your particular purpose
  • Three immediately actionable steps for leveraging the power of visual thinking

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What Will Separate Top CEOs From The Rest in a Post-Pandemic World?

 What are the 3 greatest leadership challenges CEOs face in the years ahead?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 179 TranscriptCongratulations to Adam Bryant and Kevin Sharer on the publication of their new book “THE CEO TEST: Mastering the Challenges that Make or Break All Leaders” (Harvard Business Review Press). To mark this event we’re revisiting our summer 2020 conversation with Adam, when we previewed some of the highlights of  this book.

Adam Bryant is Managing Director of Merryck & Co.  He joined them in 2017 after a 30-year career in journalism, including 18 years at The New York Times. In addition to his many roles there as a reporter and editor, he created the popular weekly “Corner Office” column in 2009, interviewing 525 CEOs and other leaders over a decade.  (Read more about Adam below).

In our conversation we discuss:

    • How top CEOs are navigating emerging leadership challenges in the post-pandemic world
    • The most critical attribute that will separate the top CEOs from the rest in meeting these challenges
    • Three immediately useful tips for successfully leading through tests CEOs face when there are no clear answers

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Why Top Leadership Needs to Embrace “Holistic Insight”

A thought-leading CEO shares stories of how holistic insight can be transformative for a company

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 152 Transcript Listen to Episode 189. Scott and I speak with Lawrence “Larry” Siff, CEO of Neptune Advisors and the C Level Community. We discuss the key to developing broader and deeper perspectives for boards and management to optimize a company’s growth and create long-term value.

Larry has advised hundreds of CEOs and boards on maximizing corporate value. He holds a wide range of leadership positions in multiple organizations and boards. This includes being a National Association of Corporate Directors board leadership fellow, an independent board member of Mason Companies Incorporated, and being an industry advisor for Silverwood Partners, a boutique investment bank. (read more about Larry Siff below)

You’ll gain insights on:

  • The key benefits for boards and for management teams who gain and act upon holistic insight
  • Stories of the game-changing power of holistic leadership in action
  • Three immediately useful ideas for boards and management to develop holistic insight 

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Live a Life of Meaning – Every Day


Find out the secret of consistently creating a legacy of good in the world

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 176 TranscriptAlthough this is not an easy time for anyone, it’s more important than ever to focus on giving thanks for what we do have. Living a life of meaning helps us give thanks by creating even more good in the world. But what is the secret of doing this more consistently when so much is demanded of us in both our business and personal lives?

Find out by listening to Episode 177 – a “fan favorite” episode featuring our conversation with “Dr. Jann” Freed, Ph.D. She shares what she has discovered about the secret to living a life of meaning using a concept she developed, called  The Breadcrumb Legacy.™

Dr. Jann is a leadership development consultant, author, and speaker, and a Professor of Business Management Emerita at Central College, Pella, Iowa, an adjunct professor for the University of Iowa, and a Director for the Bank Iowa Board. She is the author or co-author of five books. In her most recent book, Leading with Wisdom: Sage Advice from 100 Experts, she interviews prominent leadership gurus such as Jim Autry, Marshall Goldsmith, Sally Helgeson, Dan Pink, and Margaret Wheatley. (read Dr. Jann Freed’s bio below)

You’ll find out:

  • The mindset that can help you consciously shape the words and actions that build the legacy you leave in the world, every day
  • The surprising truth about what creates real meaning in our lives and those around us, even when we’re not thinking about it
  • Three immediately actionable steps for living a life of meaning and creating a positive legacy

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Aim High: Chart Your Course and Find Success as a Leader

Leadership lessons from the 23rd Secretary of the U.S. Air Force 

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 162 Transcript In this Fan Favorite podcast, Scott and I speak with Deborah Lee (“Debbie”) James, who served as the 23rd Secretary of the United States Air Force, with responsibility for 660,000 military and civilian personnel and a budget of nearly $140 billion.

Debbie has a three-decade track record of leading, transforming, and driving lasting results in both the Legislative and Executive branches of Government. She is the author of the highly acclaimed 2019 book Aim High: Chart Your Course and Find Success. (see more about Deborah James below)

You’ll gain insights from:

  • The three critical elements of Debbie’s Aim High philosophy
  • A story about the most valuable leadership lesson Debbie learned for navigating extremely high stakes situations
  • Three immediately useful ideas for mentoring others

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The Pressure Is Rising — The Keys To Beating C-Suite Burnout

How do you stay balanced under conditions of constant crises and extreme ambiguity?  
Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 181 TranscriptFind out by listening on-the-go to Episode 181.  Scott and I discuss the difference between leading through “ordinary crises” and the avalanche of major crises happening in today’s environment. We also discuss why the ability to beat burnout in the C-Suite has gone from “important” to “essential” in order to be an effective leader when navigating extreme ambiguity.

With this in mind, we revisit a conversation we had with Tina Greenbaum, LCSW, about beating burnout in the C-Suite. She is an optimal performance specialist, holistic psychotherapist, speaker, and author of the book Mastery Under Pressure: How To Achieve An Unstoppable Mindset.  (read more about Tina below)

Gain insights on:

  • The differences between healthy and unhealthy stress, and how to distinguish between them
  • The psychology and physiology behind C-Suite burnout
  • Immediately actionable ideas for anticipating and beating executive burnout

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Find Silver Linings to Lead Your Company Through the Crisis — and Beyond

How has a game-changing CEO discovered new opportunities in the midst of a pandemic?
Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 173 Transcript

Find out by listening to Episode 173. Scott and I speak with returning guest Shari Spiro, CEO and Founder of AdMagic Games and Breaking Games, about how she and her company have found ways to change for the better during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

Ad Magic Games is one of the largest independent printers of tabletop games in the US, including the wildly popular Cards Against Humanity and Exploding Kittens, and other customized playing cards and board games.

Breaking Games is an award-winning game publisher and manufacturer. Since its 2015 launch, Breaking Games has substantially grown and has games on the shelves of Target and Walmart, games that are recognized by Mensa International, and is also responsible for the launch of dozens of other critically acclaimed tabletop games. (read more about Shari below)

You’ll find out:

  • The biggest impacts of the COVID-19 crisis upon Shari’s companies, and how they innovated in response, including launching their new non-profit “Puzzles for the Pandemic”
  • How Shari leads her teams to discover “Silver Linings” despite major challenges
  • Three immediately useful ideas for leading to find your own “silver linings” under the toughest circumstances

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Keeping Balance in Your Life During the Holidays

Jen Slaw

For many CEOs and C-Suite executives, holidays can be particularly stressful. Many people tell us that although they may be on vacation at some point during this time, they never feel like they can completely go offline and relax.

Yes, we all know that it’s important to shut off devices and tune out so you can restore your mental and spiritual reserves. But there are always competing demands for time and attention. You don’t want to miss out on opportunities, but burning out is not a good option either.

So how do you balance everything and truly refresh over the holidays? One way that we’ve found to juggle all the “balls” of our lives, including downtime, is to… Read More

The Most Valuable Leadership Lesson I Ever Learned – Jeffrey J. Kaney Sr.

How did Officer Training help this CEO become a game-changing leader?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 166 TranscriptFind out by listening on-the-go to Episode 166.  We speak with Jeffrey J. Kaney, Sr, Founder & CEO of the Kaney Group, LLC., a collection of inter-related companies in the aerospace industry.

His background includes being a combat military veteran; he served as a USAF pilot for 10 years, including combat in Desert Storm, attaining the rank of Captain.  He also served as a pilot for a major international airline. (read more about Jeff Kaney and the Kaney Group LLC below)

You’ll gain insights on:

  • The fundamental lesson about leaders and followers that Jeff learned in Officer Training that has informed his leadership style throughout his entrepreneurial career
  • How leadership by alignment has strengthened his organization’s ability to quickly respond to the changing business environment
  • Three immediately useful ideas for adapting this leadership lesson for your organization

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“The Most Valuable Leadership Lesson I Ever Learned”: Tanya Hall

What was the key for this CEO to successfully bring her vision to life?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 162 TranscriptDownload and listen-on-the-go to Episode 163. Scott and I speak with Tanya Hall, CEO of Greenleaf Book Group, one of the fastest growing publishing and distribution businesses in the industry.

Not only does Tanya drive the company’s growth efforts and foster a culture built around serving authors, she is also the author of the 2018 book, Ideas, Influence, and Income: Write a Book, Build Your Brand, and Lead Your Industry. (see more about Tanya Hall below)

You’ll gain insights about:

  • The most valuable leadership lesson Tanya ever learned, and how it has benefitted her and Greenleaf Book Group
  • The four vision principles that Tanya and her team have developed
  • Three immediately useful ideas for creating your own vision principles

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