Communication Skills Archives

290: Leadership Lessons from a Lifetime in Public Health Service

How did Dr. Antonia (Toni) Novello become the first woman and the first Hispanic to hold the position of U.S. Surgeon General in 1990? Hers is an inspiring story and compelling read as described in her book with Jill Tietjen, Duty Calls: Lessons Learned from an Unexpected Life of Service. In this conversation, we discuss Toni’s career path to that position as well as her role during 9/11 as the New York State Commissioner of the Department of Health.

Toni and Jill are both highly accomplished women, extraordinary leaders, and trailblazers in their respective fields, so it was a real honor to have them as guests.

Toni was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a B.S. and an M.D. She completed her residency and internship in pediatrics at the University of Michigan and a fellowship in pediatric and adult nephrology at the University of Michigan and Georgetown University. Also, she received a Master’s and a Doctor of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.

In 1990, Toni was sworn in as the 14th Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service and became the first woman and the first Hispanic to hold this position. From 1999 to 2007, she was the New York State Commissioner of the Department of Health and served in this position during 9/11.

Jill S. Tietjen, PE, is an author, international speaker, and electrical engineer. After more than forty-five years in the electric utility industry, her professional focus is now on women’s advocacy worldwide. Her fifteen books include the bestselling and award-winning Her Story: A Timeline of the Women Who Changed America and Hollywood: Her Story, An Illustrated History of Women and the Movies. She has been inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame and the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame and has been elected to the National Academy of Construction.

You’ll discover:

How Toni and Jill met and decided to collaborate on writing this memoir
What Toni learned from her mother in her early years that influenced her throughout her life
The experience that taught Toni to under-promise and over-deliver
Why loyalty is a core value of Toni’s and how it served her in her various roles
How always being prepared opened doors for Toni’s next position

Watch the episode:

Connect with Antonia

Connect with Jill

Resources

Website

Jill Tietjen

Book

Duty Calls: Lessons Learned from an Unexpected Life of Service

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

289: Why Strong Character Matters

I’ve been hosting my podcast for more than five years, since June 2019, and have never done a solo episode. That changes with this episode! Many of my listeners have requested that I share some of my thoughts about leadership, so I’ve decided to devote one episode each month to speaking directly with you.

For this episode, I focused on the topic of character—what it is and two specific areas that show why it’s essential for leadership. My business partner Denny Coates and I have been immersed in this aspect of leadership development for decades, and even more so in the past two years as Denny has worked on his latest book, Grow Strong Character, and the two of us have created content for our new self-paced leadership development program, GSL SkillBuilder.

I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders, a company that publishes software tools and books to help people build strong relationships at work and at home.

You’ll discover:

What strong character consists of
The role of character in leadership
Why character development strengthens emotional intelligence
The importance of helping people live into an organization’s core values
Resources that can help you strengthen your own character

Watch the episode:

Connect with Meredith

Meredith’s Resources

Website

GrowStrongLeaders.com

Books

Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Peer Coaching Made Simple

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

288: Inspiring Others to Achieve Their Potential

One of the most important skills a leader can develop is the ability to help others expand their vision of themselves. Ilias Simpson has been practicing this skill for decades; and in this conversation, he gives a masterclass on how to do it effectively. You’ll be mesmerized by the stories he tells to illustrate what he does, and you’ll learn ways to build a culture where people perform at high levels and feel valued at the same time.

Ilias is a highly accomplished leader who transforms companies into profitable growth engines through operational excellence, lean improvements, and instilling a culture of success. With a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, Ilias ensures that employees at all levels feel heard, valued, and supported.

Previously, Ilias served as President of Modivcare Mobility, President and CEO of Radial Inc., CEO of PaLo Na, and Senior Director of Operations at Ryder System, Inc. Ilias graduated with a Master of Business Administration from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of North Texas. Additionally, Ilias is a decorated veteran of the United States Air Force.

You’ll discover:

How Ilias built trust and credibility at the age of 18 when he was put in a leadership position in the military
The experiences from his youth and from sports that shaped his leadership style
What Ilias does to help others expand their vision of themselves
Why Learning Agility is a crucial skill to develop for success in business
The benefits of having diversity of thinking on a team

Watch the episode:

Learn more about Ilias Simpson here

Resources

Website

Savoy Network

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

287: Helping Others Explore Their Growth Edges

Are you helping each person on your team identify areas where they could level up? Dan Kent is a master of meeting people “where they’re at” and then listening for ways they can build on their strengths to become even more effective. In this rich and immensely practical conversation, you’ll learn specific questions you can use in conversations to discover more about another person’s capabilities and aspirations.

One of Dan’s superpowers is his ability to not only SEE the strengths in others but also articulate them. In this conversation, you’ll learn more about how he does that with his clients. Meredith experienced Dan’s magic first-hand when she was a guest on his podcast, Clearing Obstacles. His introduction beautifully captured her essence and who she aspires to be in the world. You can listen to that conversation HERE.

Dan is the founder and owner of Best Self Coaching, a business coaching company that strengthens and grows businesses by developing the humans involved in them. He’s affectionately known as the “loving butt-kicker” they often need in their lives.

Dan’s method is a natural extension of his affinity for working both sides of the brain. He has degrees in both Accounting and Theatre Arts, almost thirty years in business ownership, and over a decade in Coaching and Consulting. That balanced approach combining left brain and right brain has served him and his clients well.

You’ll discover:

What Dan does to “meet clients where they’re at”
The 3 Pillars Dan uses with every client he works with
How he discovers the growth edges where a client needs to focus their development efforts
Why everything starts with self-awareness for a leader
Tips for finding out what your people want most from you

Watch the episode:

Connect with Dan

Dan’s Resources

Websites

Best Self Coaching

Gift

Self-Management part of Clearing Obstacles Roadmap

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

286: Heal from Your Past and Master Your Destiny

Some personal development programs focus on digging into your past to uncover what might be holding you back. Others emphasize getting over your past and focusing exclusively on your future. In this conversation Moustafa Hamwi makes a compelling argument for giving attention to both. He shares practical tips from his book, SLINGSHOT: The Practical Guide to Becoming a Master of Your Destiny, Not a Victim of Your History, that you can begin implementing immediately.

Moustafa is a bestselling author, international speaker, and mindset coach. His background spans diverse disciplines—from executive coaching, hypnotherapy, yoga, and meditation to adventure sports and nature healing.

Moustafa’s unique lifestyle as an executive nomad has him traversing the globe, often spending months living out of a campervan, immersing himself in diverse cultures, and forging a deep connection with nature.

His quest for self-discovery leads him to learning and meditation centers worldwide, exploring the intricacies of mind, body, and soul. He’s globally recognized as a foremost expert and thought leader in reigniting passion within organizations and teams.

You’ll discover:

The story behind the book and what’s unique about Moustafa’s methodology
Why it’s important to go through your past and not try to get over it
How to rewrite your story so it serves you and doesn’t limit you
Why courage, humility, and discipline are critical elements of effective leadership
Tips for mastering your mindset so it frees you to master your destiny