350: Creating Yourself, Others, and Your World

350: Creating Yourself, Others, and Your World

350: Creating Yourself, Others, and Your World

What if you realized you’re already creating every moment of your life—yourself, others, and the world around you? In this milestone 350th episode, I reflect on what it truly means to be a creator in all three areas. Drawing inspiration from master coaches Steve Hardison and Steve Chandler, I explore how daily intentions, conscious thoughts, and deliberate actions shape who we become and how we experience others. You’ll be inspired to see every encounter and circumstance as an opportunity to create something meaningful—with kindness, awareness, and purpose.

You’ll discover:

  • How to consciously create the person you want to be each day.
  • Why your thoughts and beliefs “create” how others show up for you.
  • A powerful way to bring intention to every interaction.
  • How to transform challenges by asking, “What do I want to create?”
  • The liberating truth that you are already a powerful creator.

Watch the episode:

Connect with Meredith

          

Meredith’s Resources

Website

Grow Strong Leaders

Books

Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Grow Strong Character

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Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
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Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

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346: How Shaw Communications Built a Culture of Care

346: How Shaw Communications Built a Culture of Care

346: How Shaw Communications Built a Culture of Care

What does it look like when leadership is rooted in genuine care for people? In this conversation, you’ll hear how Peter Bissonnette’s experiences in a monastery and in the corporate world shaped a philosophy of service, humility, and trust. His journey shows that caring isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation for lasting impact with employees and customers alike.

With stories, Peter illustrates how leaders can bring humanity into business while still driving growth and innovation. From customer service initiatives that prioritize connection to employee engagement practices that value feedback, you’ll discover how an organization can thrive when its culture is built on compassion, humility, and treating people like family.

Peter is the former president of Shaw Communications Inc., one of Canada’s leading telecommunications companies. With more than three decades of experience in the cable, internet, and media industries, Peter played a pivotal role in transforming how Canadians connect and communicate.Peter has recently published a very inspiring memoir, Count on Me: My Life, Lessons, and Legacy as Former President of Shaw Communications. Peter is not just an exceptional leader, he’s also a remarkable human being. You’re sure to be inspired by a man who experienced unbelievable adversity and trauma as a boy, then created a life that’s grounded in integrity, empathy, and trust.

You’ll discover:

  • Peter’s early life experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy.
  • The values that run through Peter’s book, Count On Me.
  • Why vulnerability and humility strengthen leadership impact.
  • Practical ways Shaw Communications fosters customer loyalty and trust.
  • How employee engagement and customer feedback transformed company culture.

Watch the episode:

Connect with Peter

      

Peter’s Book

Count on Me: My Life, Lessons, and Legacy as Former President of Shaw Communications

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Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio
Leader-team communication and character skills

Grow Strong Character

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

Order from Amazon
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Connect with Your Team

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell
Order from Amazon
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell

Order from Amazon
344: Leading with Love and Service at the Arizona Diamondbacks

344: Leading with Love and Service at the Arizona Diamondbacks

344: Leading with Love and Service at the Arizona Diamondbacks

What if the most powerful thing you could do as a leader is to see greatness in others that they can’t see in themselves? That’s the philosophy that has guided Ken Crenshaw, longtime Director of Sports Medicine and Performance for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Drawing on values learned from his small-town ranch upbringing and a pivotal mentor in high school, Ken has built a leadership approach centered on service, humility, and love. His stories remind you that even the simplest principles, when applied consistently, can transform lives and teams.

In this conversation, you’ll hear how Ken integrates self-awareness, vulnerability, and authentic listening into his work with athletes and staff. He explains how culture is a living, breathing force that requires daily care, and why crucial conversations rooted in love are essential for growth. Whether you lead a business, a sports team, or a family, Ken’s wisdom will inspire you to slow down, listen deeply, and commit to helping others reach their full potential.

You’ll discover:

  • How a high school coach’s tough love shaped Ken’s leadership philosophy.
  • Why self-awareness and feedback are game-changers for leaders.
  • The role vulnerability plays in accelerating personal and professional growth.
  • Practical ways to build a culture rooted in love, trust, and shared purpose.
  • How to recognize and call out the hidden potential in others.

Watch the episode:

Website

Arizona Diamondbacks

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Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
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Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio
Leader-team communication and character skills

Grow Strong Character

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

Order from Amazon
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Connect with Your Team

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell
Order from Amazon
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell

Order from Amazon
343: Breaking Barriers at the NFL with Authentic Leadership

343: Breaking Barriers at the NFL with Authentic Leadership

343: Breaking Barriers at the NFL with Authentic Leadership

What does it take to lead in a world where the odds are stacked against you? Jennifer Langton’s remarkable journey from being the only girl on an all-boys lacrosse team to becoming the NFL’s first Vice President of Player Health and Safety is filled with lessons on courage, authenticity, and strategic visibility.

Her early sports experiences taught her the value of letting your work speak for itself and knowing when to step forward—or step back—to build trust and credibility. Those lessons became the foundation for her “Connect, Trust, Grow” leadership model, which she’s applied at the highest levels of professional sports and business.

Jennifer shares stories of resilience, innovation, and determination, from overcoming personal loss and career-ending injuries to pioneering concussion prevention initiatives that transformed the NFL’s approach to player safety. You’ll hear how she’s led groundbreaking projects, navigated male-dominated environments with confidence, and inspired teams to embrace change—even when resistance was high. Her insights will challenge you to rethink how you lead, influence, and create lasting impact.

Jenny is an award-winning strategic executive who’s known for her ability to drive innovation and positive change. She was an executive with the NFL for 15 years, where she spearheaded initiatives that revolutionized sports safety, including the development of an AI platform to predict injuries, impacting not only football but all sports and several other industries. She’s now focused on delivering keynote speeches and providing advisory services to companies.

You’ll discover:

  • Why authenticity can build trust quickly
  • How “strategic visibility” can accelerate your influence
  • Jennifer’s three-part model for leadership
  • Ways to overcome resistance and inspire innovation in any setting
  • How to turn adversity into a catalyst for growth and success

Watch the episode:

Connect with Jennifer

  

Jennifer’s Website

Jennifer Langton, Inc.

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Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio
Leader-team communication and character skills

Grow Strong Character

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

Order from Amazon
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Connect with Your Team

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell
Order from Amazon
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell

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Lift People Up with Constructive Feedback

Lift People Up with Constructive Feedback

LIFT PEOPLE UP WITH CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK

By Dr. Denny Coates

Have you ever noticed someone doing something ineffective, unauthorized, inconsiderate, dangerous, or even illegal? Maybe you felt the urge to confront them. Maybe you were so surprised and upset that you reacted emotionally, expressing your dismay with a harsh comment. In other words, with criticism, instead of constructive feedback.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Why did you do that?”

“That wasn’t very smart….”

“I’ve told you I don’t know how many times…?” 

Nobody Is Perfect

While it’s perfectly natural to get upset with behavior that disappoints or offends you, people react badly to criticism. Sometimes a person has good intentions but has forgotten what is expected or is so distracted that they make a mistake. No one is perfect. Also, criticism fails to acknowledge the possibility that the person you’re trying to correct may well “get it right” most of the time. So it’s human nature for the recipient to resent the implication that they are inadequate or flawed in some way. This is why criticism is usually perceived as a personal attack rather than helpful input.

And yet, pointing out problem behavior is almost always the responsible thing to do.

Begin and conclude your feedback with positives. This is what makes feedback constructive.

What’s needed is a way to communicate the kind of feedback that inspires someone to do their best. Because it purposefully reinforces the other person’s strengths, this approach is called constructive feedback. It goes like this:

  • Pause before reacting: “When you feel upset and want to criticize, take two deep breaths. That short pause helps you respond calmly so the other person stays open to hearing you.”
  • Lead with a positive: “I’ve noticed how effective you are when speaking with our clients. That confidence builds trust and makes them eager to work with us.”
  •  Describe the problem behavior: “This morning I overheard you explaining our onboarding process. Instead of describing how we do it, you focused on the problems with other approaches, which could leave clients unsure about our own value.”
  •  Conclude with the consequence: “When negatives are emphasized, customers may feel confused or even doubtful. Clear, positive explanations keep their confidence strong.”
  •  Respond with listening: If the person reacts strongly to your feedback, take time to listen and understand their perspective. This shows respect and often helps them accept your input more fully.
  •  State the behavior you want: “I’ve seen you get excellent results when you spotlight our innovative approach. When you do that, customers quickly see the advantages of choosing us.”
  •  Finish with encouragement: “Yesterday I heard you highlight how our onboarding process saves clients time, and you explained it with real enthusiasm. When you focus on our strengths, customers feel confident they made the right choice with us.”

The "Feedback Sandwich"

The idea is to begin and conclude your feedback with positives. This is what makes feedback constructive. With practice, constructive feedback will become your go-to alternative to criticism.

You can learn more about listening to understand and constructive feedback —two very powerful skills described in the how-to book, Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills.

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,  and Meredith M. Bell

Order from Amazon

336: Tools to Tackle Tough Conversations

336: Tools to Tackle Tough Conversations

336: Tools to Tackle Tough Conversations

What if you could navigate even the most challenging conversations with calmness, clarity, and confidence? This in-depth conversation with David Wood explores just that, diving into how to communicate more effectively in high-stakes moments, whether at work or in life. David shares his unique approach to coaching and communication, combining emotional awareness with practical tools. His latest innovation, WhisperLead AI, helps leaders role-play difficult conversations, receive coaching prompts, and even get real-time support during live interactions.

Our discussion goes beyond mechanics to emphasize authenticity and vulnerability as leadership strengths. David unpacks common pitfalls in conflict—like poor framing, making assumptions, or avoiding others’ perspectives—and offers techniques for building trust and achieving shared outcomes. Whether you’re leading a team or seeking better communication in your personal life, this conversation delivers practical wisdom and fresh ideas you can start using immediately.

David left behind a high-powered career as a Consulting Actuary for Ford, Sony Music, and Chanel—trading Park Avenue boardrooms for a mission to transform lives and businesses. He didn’t just start a coaching business; he built the world’s largest coaching business at the time, ranking #1 on Google for “life coaching”, serving 150,000 coaches globally.

But David’s story is about more than success—it’s about resilience. He’s survived a paraglider collapse and a fractured spine, battled anxiety and depression, and most recently, took on acting in Hollywood! Today, he helps leaders 4X their clarity AND productivity, and to love their life.

You’ll discover:

  • A powerful method for framing difficult conversations with positive intent
  • Why asking for the other person’s perspective first can shift everything
  • How AI tools like WhisperLead can coach you in real-time
  • The link between vulnerability and stronger leadership
  • A practical model for brainstorming solutions collaboratively

Watch the episode:

David’s Resources

Website

Focus.ceo

WhisperLead coaching tool

Free business/life assessment

Book

The Mouse in The Room—Because the Elephant Isn’t Alone

 

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Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio
Leader-team communication and character skills

Grow Strong Character

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

Order from Amazon
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Connect with Your Team

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell
Order from Amazon
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell

Order from Amazon