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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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
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342: The Group Intervention That Transformed a Team

342: The Group Intervention That Transformed a Team

342: The Group Intervention That Transformed a Team

What do you do when one person’s behavior is quietly eroding the trust and teamwork of your group—and no one wants to speak up? In this episode, I share a true story from my own leadership journey where I faced that exact challenge. You’ll hear how I guided four frustrated team members through a structured, respectful process to share their concerns directly with a colleague—and how that meeting became one of the most transformative moments of my career.

You’ll discover the simple 4-step feedback model we used, why it’s so effective in preventing defensiveness, and how it can turn even the most difficult conversations into opportunities for connection. You’ll also hear an unexpected twist that shifted the entire dynamic in the room and led to deeper trust, openness, and collaboration than the team had ever experienced before.

I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders. We’ve created online resources that help leaders strengthen their character and communication skills to build strong relationships and inspire others to perform at the highest level. ​

You’ll discover:

  • Why waiting too long to address an issue can backfire
  • A 4-step framework for giving feedback with clarity and care
  • How to prepare people so emotions don’t derail the message
  • The surprising moment that turned confrontation into connection

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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340: Equip First-time Managers to Lead

340: Equip First-time Managers to Lead

340: Equip First-time Managers to Lead

 

What can you do to set up your frontline leaders for success from Day 1? This episode with Matt Gjertsen explores the essential skills and strategies new managers need to transition smoothly from individual contributor to effective leader. Find out how to help them shift from being the “answer person” to empowering their teams, asking better questions, and building trust that leads to stronger results.

Matt shares specific ways to guide new leaders in interviewing and hiring, holding meaningful development conversations, and setting realistic expectations around career growth. Whether you’re supporting first-time managers or looking to strengthen your leadership pipeline, you’ll gain actionable tools to help them thrive and positively impact their teams.

Matt is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and a former Air Force Instructor Pilot with 2500 flight hours. After leaving active duty, he spent over 4 years at SpaceX, leading the training and development team, before founding Better Every Day Studios in 2021. Matt has continued his career in the U.S. Air Force Reserves as a Lt. Colonel supporting Space Systems Command.

Matt’s 20 years of experience working with and leading high-performing teams all over the world have given him a unique perspective on what it takes to lead teams in this ever-changing world. He and his team at Better Every Day Studios are on a mission to train better managers, build better companies, and create a better world.

You’ll discover:

  • What new leaders need to navigate the shift from individual contributor to manager
  • How to coach them on interviewing and hiring using the 70-30 rule
  • Why development conversations should focus on growth, not just tasks
  • How to set clear expectations around promotions and career development
  • Ways to help new managers balance reinforcing and redirecting feedback

Watch the episode:

Connect with Matt

Matt’s Website

Better Every Day Studios

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337: Never Delegate Again—Unless You’re Doing It Like This

337: Never Delegate Again—Unless You’re Doing It Like This

337: Never Delegate Again—Unless You’re Doing It Like This

What if delegation wasn’t about getting tasks off your plate, but about helping your people grow? This episode explores a powerful reframe of delegation as a leadership tool for development. Brad Federman shares insights from his book Never Delegate Again, challenging outdated models like the Eisenhower Matrix and offering a modern, growth-oriented approach that builds both people and performance. He introduces the Growth Matrix, a practical framework for assigning tasks in ways that stretch capabilities while avoiding overload or misalignment.

You’ll hear real-life stories that bring Brad’s strategies to life, including how he helped a burned-out employee reclaim her career path and why feedback needs to be treated like a long-term investment.

We discuss the mindset shifts required for effective leadership today, such as prioritizing coaching over control and seeing possibility in others. This conversation is a must-listen for leaders who want to empower their teams, build emotional intelligence, and lead with purpose in a fast-changing world.

Brad is the founder of PerformancePoint, a firm dedicated to helping organizations engage employees, strengthen customer relationships, and cultivate resilient, collaborative cultures through effective leadership.

You’ll discover:

  • Why traditional delegation models are no longer effective
  • The critical role of mindset in leadership success
  • How to use the Growth Matrix to assign tasks for development
  • How to coach your team for confidence, not just compliance
  • What “investment feedback” looks like in practice

Watch the episode:

Connect with Brad

Brad’s Resources

Websites

PerformancePoint

Brad Federman

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Never Delegate Again: Uncover the Secret to Growing Your Company, Your People, and Yourself  – Coming soon!

Cultivating Culture: 101 Ways to Foster Engagement in 15 Minutes or Less

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