Conflict is inevitable, but how leaders handle it makes all the difference. In this episode, vicki abadesco! shares a real-world example of a well-known organization struggling with team conflict and how small miscommunications can escalate when left unresolved. She explains how our upbringing shapes our approach to conflict and why developing emotional intelligence is essential for effective leadership. Through her work with both executives and young children, vicki highlights the importance of clear communication, emotional awareness, and accountability in building strong teams and relationships.

vicki also introduces practical tools like the “emotional balloon” and the “cleanup process” to help individuals recognize their emotions, take responsibility for their actions, and repair relationships when mistakes happen. Whether you’re leading a team, raising a family, or simply striving to communicate better, this episode will provide insights and strategies to help you lead with empathy, transparency, and authenticity.

vicki is a nonprofit leader and mentor renowned for her unwavering commitment to growth and lifelong learning. Through her organization, Soul Shoppe, she and her team have touched the hearts and minds of over one million elementary school students with their conflict resolution and peacemaking curriculum. vicki has created a lasting impact, nurturing a generation of emotionally intelligent individuals who can build strong relationships and foster inclusive communities.

You’ll discover:

• Why conflict resolution is a critical leadership skill
• How early life experiences shape communication habits
• The “emotional balloon” metaphor for managing emotions
• A 5-step process for acknowledging mistakes and making amends
• How teaching emotional intelligence to kids can inspire better leadership in adults

Watch the episode:

Connect with vicki

vicki’s Website

Soul Shoppe

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147: How to Transform Conflict into Connection

One of the most important strengths of an effective leader is empathy. But where do leaders learn this skill when they often feel driven by KPIs and ROIs? Emily Harper describes a compelling approach that Villyge is taking to develop empathic leaders in the context of supporting employees around significant life events.

Emily Harper is the Chief Operating Officer of Villyge. It’s a people-first platform that upskills managers in the power of empathic leadership. Emily joined Villyge to redefine the corporate landscape, and she firmly believes that organizations thrive when their employees feel valued, inspired, and empowered to bring their unique perspectives to the table.

Today, Emily is on a mission to increase belonging, dismantle career barriers, and elevate opportunities using the power of technology. Emily is a Certified Public Accountant, and she founded a SaaS company in the accounting space in 2012, as well as a women-focused coaching business in 2018. Most importantly, Emily is a proud mom to her 4-year old, and she is truly dedicated to shaping the future of work for the next generation to come.

You’ll discover:

• Why empathy is an essential skill for every leader
• How an organization benefits when leaders demonstrate empathy
• The unique process Villyge uses to remind managers to practice the skill
• The effective onboarding process Villyge uses to ensure active participation by managers and employees alike

Watch the episode:

Connect with Emily

Emily’s Website

Villyge

How do you help people feel valued in a huge organization like Amazon? Omar Halabieh shares what he does on an ongoing basis to connect with his team members and help them understand the contribution they’re making. You’ll enjoy Omar’s enthusiasm as he describes his commitment to being a true servant leader to others. 

Omar is Director of Technology at Amazon Payment Services. In this role he’s responsible for delivering simple, trusted, and affordable payment solutions for customers and merchants across the Middle East and North Africa.

Omar is based in Dubai and has been in this role since 2019. Prior to this, he led technology teams within Amazon’s Supply Chain Optimization Technologies organization, based in Seattle, for four years. 

Overall, Omar has 20+ years of technology experience where he has delivered transformational initiatives that have created competitive advantage, enabled business growth, exceeded customer expectations, and transformed global organizations.

You’ll discover:

• How Omar uses LinkedIn to share valuable content to people throughout Amazon
• The distinction he makes between mentoring and coaching
• What Omar does to help people feel valued in such a huge organization
• The communication skills he considers most critical for success as a leader
• Strategies Omar uses to help team members prioritize and focus their time

Watch the episode:

Connect with Omar

Resources

Website

Amazon Payment Services

What does it take to become a truly effective leader, one people want to follow? Pat Lattore has thought deeply about this question and has been involved in developing strong leaders for the past 45 years. In this conversation, he shares brilliant insights about the roles that influence, emotional intelligence, and culture play in the shaping of leaders.

Pat served in various leadership roles inside organizations and then founded his consulting company P.A.L. Leadership, LLC, in 1992 to: provide leadership development and executive coaching; improve collaboration and teamwork; and facilitate organizational change. His years of experience in so many fields have given him a unique perspective that you’re sure to enjoy and appreciate.

You’ll discover:

• How Pat defines leadership
• Why Pat says real leadership is not positional
• The skills and traits required to be an effective leader
• What leaders must do to build currency in order to have influence
• Why Pat says the most profound leadership exchange happens between mother and child

Watch the episode:

Connect with Pat

What does powerful leadership in healthcare look and sound like? My guest Liz Bruno describes the qualities and behaviors that matter most when creating a culture where everyone thrives. You’ll want to catch every minute of this interview because Liz drops wisdom bombs throughout our entire conversation.

Liz is the Vice President and Chief Learning Officer at Baptist Health System in Jacksonville, Florida. She’s an advanced practice psychiatric nurse who’s held leadership positions in learning and development for a number of health systems in the Southeast. Since joining Baptist Health in 2015, Liz and her team have designed and implemented innovative programs in both the clinical and leadership development arenas.

You’ll discover:

• The distinction Liz makes between empathy and compassion
• The negative impact that fatigue has on a leader’s behavior
• Why self-awareness is a critical component of effective leader
• Why Liz says everyone needs a coach
• How Baptist Health helps employees connect with each other and with patients

Watch the episode:

Connect with Liz

Liz’s Website

Baptist Health in Jacksonville

What does it look like when the CEO of a publicly traded company treats people as the company’s #1 asset? Phil Gallagher does just that. He’s an extraordinary leader whose motto is, “When people feel good, they do good.”

Phil is the CEO of Avnet, a publicly traded company with annual sales north of 20 billion dollars and more than 14,000 employees worldwide and ship to 140 countries. They’re #167 on Fortune 500.

You’ll discover:

• The value of self-awareness in a leader’s growth
• How Phil developed his own EQ
• Why asking for feedback and receiving it well is a critical skill for every leader
• Some of the little things Phil does to strengthen relationships
• The difference in leaders who head Avnet’s highest-performing locations vs. the lowest-performing locations

Watch the episode:

Connect with Phil through Avnet

Avnet’s Website

Avnet.com

Roberta is president of Matuson Consulting. For more than 25 years, she’s been helping organizations like General Motors and Microsoft achieve dramatic growth through the maximization of talent. And that’s why she’s known worldwide as The Talent Maximizer. She’s the author of six commercially published books and an executive coach who leads her clients to reduce the time and stress often associated with speaking up to a boss, coworker or direct report.

You’ll discover:

• The impact that the Great Resignation has had on open, honest communications
• How to plan for the worst and expect the best
• The kinds of conversations people avoid having with each other…and why
• Questions you can ask yourself to gain clarity about the purpose and desired outcomes for a conversation
• Why empathy and compassion are key elements in building trust in work relationships

Watch the episode:

Connect with Roberta

Roberta’s Website

Matuson Consulting

Roberta’s Books

Can We Talk? Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work

Suddenly in Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around

Garry is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WD-40 Company. He now speaks and coaches with other CEOs to help them build positive cultures in their own organizations.

Garry is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program. In 2009 he co-authored Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A with Ken Blanchard. In 2020 he wrote TRIBE CULTURE: How It Shaped WD-40 Company and in 2021 The UNEXPECTED LEARNING MOMENT.

You’ll discover:

• What “accidental soul-sucking” CEOs do to undermine a positive work environment
• Why Garry refers to everyone at WD-40 as “tribe” instead of “team”
• The 4 pillars of the fearless tribe at WD-40
• The distinction Garry makes between empathy and ego
• Why there are only “learning moments” and not failures or mistakes at WD-40

Watch the episode:

Connect with Garry

Garry’s Websites

The Learning Moment

WD-40 Company

Garry’s Books

Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A

TRIBE CULTURE: How It Shaped WD-40 Company

The UNEXPECTED LEARNING MOMENT