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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 177 TranscriptIn this ever-changing world, it’s more important than ever for all of us to focus on purpose and be mindful of our impacts on a daily basis. But what is the secret of doing this more consistently when we face so many demands in both our business and personal lives?

Find out by revisiting 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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A More Powerful Way To Shape Your Company’s Culture For Growth

How can culture remain your company’s competitive edge when you’re growing rapidly?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 124 TranscriptFind out by listening to “fan favorite” Episode 124. Even when there’s no time and you don’t have all the right people in place, there is a way to shape company culture without putting your business on hold. Scott and I share what we’ve learned from our experiences guiding leaders on this critical issue.

You’ll gain insights on

  • A practical framework for shaping company culture that enables everyone to focus on their “real work”
  • How a rapidly growing company found unexpected ways to increase the speed and quality of decisions
  • Three pieces of immediately useful advice for getting the perspectives you need to keep shaping your company’s culture as a competitive edge

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Is Your C-Suite Ready for Business Innovation?

Why are C-Suites facing increased expectations for innovation leadership?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 196 Transcript

Listen to episode 196. Scott and  I discuss what is behind the increasing push for C-suites to lead “business innovation,” and why this emphasis is only going to grow over time.

You’ll gain insights on:

  • How business innovation impacts every aspect of your company
  • The paradox of “readiness” for business innovation
  • Three immediately useful ideas for leading beyond the blockages and accelerating business innovation

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Should You Preserve Culture as Your Company Evolves?

How can you maintain what makes your company special in the hybrid and remote workplace?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 194 Transcript

Find out by listening to episode 195. Scott and  I are tackling the tough issue of maintaining your company’s culture over time – without losing what makes you stand out as you keep creating new value for customers, employees, partners, and  other stakeholders.

You’ll gain insights on:
  • The challenge as well as opportunities for preserving your company’s culture when everyone isn’t in one place
  • Debunking myths about what it takes to maintain your company’s unique culture over time
  • Three immediately useful ideas for transforming while preserving the most important aspects of your company’s culture

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The Keys to “Being Enough”

How can you reclaim your ‘self’ in our complex world?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 193 Transcript

Find out by listening to episode 193. Scott and I speak with Charlene Wheeless, a renowned communications visionary, author, and keynote speaker. She leads her namesake communications and business advisory firm, Charlene Wheeless LLC, and she is the senior advisor for equity and justice at APCO Worldwide, a global advisory, and advocacy communications consultancy.  She has been featured in a variety of media including Chief Executive, Business Insider, PR Week, and others.

In her new book “You Are Enough! Reclaiming Your Career and Your Life with Purpose, Passion, and Unapologetic Authenticity,” (May 2021) Charlene shares her courageous story of breaking down stereotypes and barriers while navigating her own path forward  (learn more about Charlene Wheeless below).

You’ll gain insights on:
  • How feelings of not  “being enough” can happen to high achieving top leaders along with everyone else in an organization
  • Life lessons that can be applied to anyone facing human struggles in a complex world
  • Three immediately useful ideas for thinking differently to lead in a way that enables you and others to be the “best version of yourselves” regardless of the challenges

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Is Your Board Fit for the Future?

How must board-management relationships evolve to proactively lead into the future?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 152 TranscriptFind out by listening to Episode 188. Scott and I speak with returning guest Peter R. Gleason, CEO of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) about highlights from their Blue Ribbon Commission report “Fit for the Future.”  

Peter is a recognized expert in board leadership and corporate governance issues. He serves as a member of NACD’s national faculty, is regularly quoted in the national media, and is a frequent presenter on the subjects of corporate governance, executive and director compensation, risk, strategic planning, and board/shareowner relations.

He has served as a commissioner on every NACD Blue Ribbon Commission report issued over the past 16 years, including the most recent releases on Fit for the Future: An Urgent Imperative for Board Leadership and Adaptive Governance: Board Oversight of Disruptive Risks.  (read more about Peter Gleason below)

You’ll gain insights on:

  • The most impactful challenge for boards and management teams in the age of rapidly interacting “Megatrends”
  • The “Recalibration” of expectations and roles between boards and management
  • Three immediately useful ideas for shaping “Future Fit” Board-Management relationships

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Remembering Dr. Gail Hayes, Race Relations Advocate

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 186 Transcript: Remembering Dr. Gail HayesScott and I were shocked and saddened by the news that a recent guest on Growth Igniters® Radio, Dr. Gail Hayes, unexpectedly passed away after a brief illness. She was a Race Relations Consultant, Speaker, award-winning book author, and media personality. (see bio below).

To honor Dr. Gail’s memory, we are revisiting the entire conversation we had with her in the Fall of 2020. We discussed the compelling business case for building bridges to promote racial equity in the constantly shifting environment, why we need more than good intentions to overcome systemic racism, and immediately actionable ideas for working together on problem-solving.

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Recognize Emerging Opportunities Ahead of Your Competitors

How can your company be the disruptor – and not the disrupted?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 84 Transcript: Emerging OpportunitiesFind out by listening on-the-go to Episode 84. The environment in which we lead our businesses continues to change in so many previously unanticipated ways. Disruptions can come at us not only from competitors but from social and economic changes as well as disasters such as pandemics, fire, and flood. This makes it more important than ever to find and respond to emerging opportunities as well as challenges as they appear.

With this in mind, Scott and I revisit our Fan Favorite discussion of how companies of any size can be game-changing disruptors by redefining their purpose and place in the competitive environment.

In this episode, you’ll gain insights on:

  • An often underestimated way to discover emerging opportunities
  • The secrets to developing a “game-changing mindset”
  • Three immediately useful ideas for changing your game faster

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The New Keys for Leadership Success in a Disruptive World

Why are more boards looking for greater adaptability in CEOs, C-Suite, and Sr. Executives?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 152 TranscriptFind out by listening to Episode 152.  In this pivotal fan-favorite podcast, Scott and I speak with Peter R. Gleason, President & CEO of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). Although we recorded this conversation in 2019, before the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises, it is just as relevant (or even more so) now as then.

Peter is a recognized expert on board leadership and corporate governance issues. He serves as a member of NACD’s national faculty, is regularly quoted in the national media, and is a frequent presenter on the subjects of corporate governance, executive and director compensation, risk, strategic planning, and board/shareowner relations.

He has served as a commissioner on every NACD Blue Ribbon Commission report issued over the past 16 years, including the most recent releases on Adaptive Governance: Board Oversight of Disruptive Risks, and Culture as a Corporate Asset. (read more about Peter Gleason below)

You’ll gain insights on:

  • Why Boards, CEOs, C-Suites & Sr. Executives need to think differently about disruptive risks
  • The critical new leadership traits and behaviors that CEOs need to develop
  • Three immediately useful ideas for developing your own leadership success in a disruptive world

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C-Suite Politics in the age of Zoom

How does a virtual C-Suite impact key alliances and critical decisions?

Read Growth Igniters Radio Episode 183 TranscriptFind out by listening on-the-go to Episode 183.  Scott and I speak with Nancy Halpern, Founder of the firm Political IQ. She is a nationally recognized leadership consultant who diagnoses political dysfunction in organizations. She leverages her thought leadership and intellectual capital from over twenty years of client engagements to help companies find solutions to the many challenges of office politics.

Nancy’s clients include The World Bank, Disney, and Novartis, among many others. She has been interviewed by a variety of media including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fast Company, Inc., and more (read more about Nancy Halpern below)

You’ll gain insights on:

  • The critical impacts of virtual C-Suite politics on relationships and business decisions
  • How the dynamics of alliances can change in the virtual C-Suite
  • Immediately actionable ideas for navigating virtual C-Suite politics in the age of Zoom

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