Podcast | Grow Strong Leaders

266: Why Failing Is a Part of Winning

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or leader of a team, you’ll benefit from the life wisdom that Gary Polk shares in this special conversation. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the value of failure or losses. Gary also explains why he’s a big believer in the triple bottom line, which includes “People, Planet, Profit.”

Gary is a Black businessman, CEO, business consultant, university professor and author. For decades, he’s been passionate about entrepreneurs…and why they succeed or fail.

His initial book, Why Entrepreneurs Fail (to Win), is widely used as a textbook in college entrepreneurship programs. He’s also written books with similar titles specifically for Black and Brown Entrepreneurs and for Women Entrepreneurs. Gary is committed to helping these leaders learn what they need to know so they can be as successful as possible.

Gary is focused on the triple bottom line, “People, Planet, Profit,” and believes these 3 elements align to drive success for everyone involved. He’s a proponent of social entrepreneurship and launched the Polk Institute Foundation in January of 2021.

You’ll discover:

Why all 3 of Gary’s books include “Fail (to Win)” in the title
What failing can teach us
Why Gary says EQ is more important than IQ
The #1 value Gary emphasizes at Polk Institute
How Social Entrepreneurship can fit into any business

Watch the episode:

Connect with Gary

Gary’s Resources

Website

Polk Institute Foundation

Books

Why Entrepreneurs Fail (to Win): An Insider’s Perspective

Why Black & Brown Entrepreneurs Fail (to Win)

Why Female Entrepreneurs Fail (to Win)

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon

265: Leading through Major Changes

Many mergers and acquisitions are dismal failures, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Find out how Sikko Zoer created buy-in and achieved a positive transformation when combining two very different divisions after an acquisition. So many of the actions Sikko took can be used by leaders on a daily basis.

Sikko has more than 15 years of experience in Healthcare and MedTech at Medtronic. He’s got a strong history of being a dependable executive leader who is driven by challenge, undeterred by obstacles, and committed to excellence in multiple areas, including operations, supply chain planning & optimization, logistics, IT, and marketing.

These days Sikko is involved in several businesses. He offers Strategic Advice, Consulting, Coaching, Mentorship, and Interim Management through his own companies, Qwinn Consultancy and Supply Chain Companions. Sikko also serves as a Senior Advisor with The Boston Consulting Group.

Sikko loves bringing new insights and providing directions that make companies and their people successful and proud. He does this in a positive, optimistic, open, and respectful way, as you’ll learn in this conversation.

You’ll discover:

Issues Sikko encountered when combining two very different teams with very different mindsets
What he did to get buy-in from stakeholders
Ways that Sikko himself changed during the process
How Sikko helped people shift from Victim to Owner mindset
Why listening to understand was a critical skill for each person to develop

Watch the episode:

Connect with Sikko

Sikko’s Resources

Websites

Z2Dynamics

QWINN Supply Chain Consultancy

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon

264: Leading Young Adults and Junior Professionals

Often leaders struggle with the best way to develop members of the younger generation entering the workforce. You’ll get great ideas and practical tips for Ariana Tadler in this high-energy conversation. Helping young adults create a successful career is a deep passion project for Ariana, based on her experience as an attorney, business owner, mentor, and mother.

You’ll want to take notes because Ariana drops lots of gems that can guide you in strengthening your relationship with the younger members of your team. Her vulnerability, openness, and curiosity as a leader have helped her build a strong team in her own firm.

Ariana is the founding partner of Tadler Law LLP, a women-owned boutique law firm that offers an array of litigation and legal counseling services. Ariana is one of the leading women litigators in the country. She has 30 years’ experience advocating for consumers and investors against corporate fraud and abuse.

Ariana is recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on electronic discovery. She pioneered the establishment of an e-Discovery Practice group within a plaintiffs’ firm structure 20 years ago. She’s also a professional and keynote speaker.

You’ll discover:

The 3 core areas Ariana focuses on when mentoring young professionals
Why communicating effectively in the workplace is challenging for those in the 18-35 age group
How Ariana works with the young people in her firm
What she does to help everyone on her team have open, honest conversations
Actions Ariana takes to help young adults develop into strong leaders

Watch the episode:

Connect with Ariana

Ariana’s Website

Tadler Law LLP

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon

263: Tips for Creating Agreements and Psychological Safety

Want to get some practical tips for being an effective leader and hear some unforgettable stories at the same time? This conversation with Ron Reich is a must-listen! Ron draws from his own experiences in the corporate world and from his 30 years of training and development and consulting experience. You’ll come away with new ideas for handling situations that are within your control—and for those outside your control.

Ron’s background is broad based, having worked for some major organizations such as Toshiba, The Chubb Corporation, and Organon Pharmaceuticals.

The majority of his work through these years has focused on leadership and management development, along with corporate training and organizational development.

Ron is passionate about the work he does and makes the workshops as interactive as possible. His only request is for participants to arrive ready to participate and have some fun along the way. For my listeners, I know you’re going to have fun listening to our conversation, and you’ll get some valuable take-aways along the way.

You’ll discover:

The importance of setting expectations and getting agreement with members of your team
Ways to create psychological safety so others are open and honest with you and with each other
An experience one CEO had as a child that moved him to tears as he shared it with his C-suite team
Why one of Ron’s mantras is “Stay out of the results business.”
How you can use PRD to stay calm and respond appropriately when unexpected situations arise

Watch the episode:

Connect with Ron

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon

262: Claim Your SWAGGER and Thrive

What comes to mind when you hear the word SWAGGER? If it has a negative connotation for you, prepare to be persuaded differently! Jennifer Mrozek Sukalo has created a powerful acronym that we explore in this lively conversation, based on her new book, Claim Your SWAGGER: Stop Surviving and Start Thriving. You are sure to want to take notes as we discuss important concepts like self-worth, self-limiting beliefs, and gratitude.

Jennifer is an exceptional guide in the realm of leadership and personal development. She’s focused on empowering individuals to unleash their potential by reshaping the way they think, act, and behave.

Jennifer has more than thirty years’ experience working with individuals, cancer survivors, leaders, and multinational Fortune 500 companies. Her influence has positively impacted more than 50,000 leaders in 18 countries across the globe.

With a science-based educational foundation in behavioral change and a wealth of practical knowledge, Jennifer excels at helping people learn to harness their mental power and use what they already have to foster positive life changes, transforming themselves and the world around them.

You’ll discover:

The Power of 3 Ps for creating new behavior patterns that last
Jennifer’s opportunity to practice patience when getting a new mobile phone
3 aspects of self-worth that are driven by external factors
How Acts of Kindness help you expand your feelings of worthiness
Why REP (Recognize, Evaluate, Pivot) is a winning strategy for removing limiting beliefs and replacing them with more powerful ones

Watch the episode:

Connect with Jennifer

Jennifer’s Resources

Website

SWAGGERU

Book

Claim Your SWAGGER: Stop Surviving and Start Thriving

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Order from Amazon

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

Order from Amazon

261: A Time to Lead: Mastering Your Self

A lot of emphasis is placed on leadership behaviors, but it all starts within. What must a leader do to master Self? In this value-packed conversation with Craig Dowden, you’ll learn about the 7 areas included in his best-selling book, A Time to Lead: Mastering Your Self…So You Can Master Your World. Craig unpacks what leaders can do in each of these areas to prepare themselves to be more effective in their roles.

Craig is a highly respected executive coach with the Forbes Coaches Council as well as an award-winning speaker who delivers interactive, evidence-based workshops that translate the science of leadership, team, and organizational excellence into everyday practice.

His podcast, Do Good to Lead Well, which is based on the title of his first bestseller, is rated in the top 0.5% of podcasts in the world. Each week, Craig speaks with top CEOs, fellow bestselling authors, and global thought leaders to share their experience and expertise with his audience.

Craig has been a regular contributor to, and featured expert in, top-tier leadership and business publications including Forbes, Fast Company, the Financial Post, the Huffington Post, Financial Times, the Globe and Mail, and Psychology Today.