Are you holding back in ways you don’t even realize? In this candid and inspiring conversation, Dr. Tom Olson invites you to take a hard look at how fear of change and a need for safety can quietly run your life. He shares powerful stories from his own journey, including the leap that led to his PhD, and offers practical ways to shift from playing it safe to making bold, intentional choices.

We talk about what it really means to lead—at work, at home, and in your own life. Tom explains how to stop giving away your power, how to support others without fixing them, and why emotional intelligence makes all the difference in leadership. You’ll walk away thinking differently about risk, responsibility, and what’s truly possible when you take the helmet off.

With over 30 years of global experience, Tom is a highly sought-after coach, trainer, and researcher who has transformed lives through his dynamic, innovative approach to personal and professional development. He’s affectionately known as Dr. Tom by his clients throughout the world, with a stellar reputation for providing impactful coaching and training to leaders and teams. His work empowers clients to unlock their potential and overcome their greatest challenges.

Tom is the author of the acclaimed book, Don’t Die With Your Helmet On, which has inspired leaders and professionals to embrace purpose, resilience, and action.

You’ll discover:

• What Tom means by “don’t die with your helmet on” (and why it matters)
• Why fear often shows up looking “reasonable”
• The questions that help you take back control
• A healthy way to challenge team members stuck in victim thinking
• How strong leaders build engagement through shared power

Watch the episode:

Connect with Tom

Tom’s Book

Don’t Die with Your Helmet On

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149: Becoming a Highly Effective Leader

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your workload, unsure how to delegate effectively, or hesitant about bringing new people onto your team? Erin Bradley shares her powerful journey from burnout and anxiety to finding true freedom and fulfillment in her work. She opens up about the common leadership fears around hiring, delegating, and trusting others, and how shifting her mindset changed everything.

Whether you’re leading a team or stepping into a new role at your company, you’ll find practical insights in Erin’s approach to leadership. She reveals three essential questions every leader should ask their team members and explains how genuine curiosity, service-oriented leadership, and thoughtful delegation can transform your workplace culture. If you’re ready to scale your impact without sacrificing your well-being (or sanity!), this episode is a must-listen.

As a mortgage lender, Erin learned the hard way just how difficult entrepreneurship and sales success can be. From flat broke to six figures and burnout, Erin has been through it all. She quickly discovered that the stress of being overwhelmed is no less painful than financial stress.

After redesigning her business to support her dream life, Erin has been on a mission to teach others to do the same. She is a dynamic speaker and trainer, host of the real estate podcast Pursuing Freedom, and author of an outstanding book Pursuing Freedom. She’s created a community for realtors and lenders called the Pursuing Freedom Collective.

You’ll discover:

• How curiosity transforms leadership conversations
• 3 key questions to ask your team
• How to overcome fear and take action
• Ways to scale impact without burnout
• Why service-oriented leadership boosts team performance

Watch the episode:

Connect with Erin

Erin’s Resources

Website

Pursuing Freedom

Book

Pursuing Freedom

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278: A Progress Maker’s Journey to Freedom

This is a very special episode of the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast for 2 reasons: it’s #300, which is a noteworthy milestone for any podcast. And #2, the guest is Steve Chandler, someone whose books have influenced Meredith’s thinking and her life more than any other author. At this point, she’s read 20 of his 30+ books.

Steve has been coaching leaders and other coaches for decades. His own coach calls him the Godfather of Coaching. Steve is the Founder of the Coaching Prosperity School, now called Advanced Client Systems, for people who already know HOW to coach. This program is highly recommended if you’re a coach because you’ll learn systems for acquiring clients and building a prosperous business.

And speaking of systems, that’s the focus of this conversation. We discussed the new book Steve has written with Trevor Timbeck. It’s called The Power of Systems: How to Create a Life That Works. It’s packed with life-changing insights, so you’ll want to listen to multiple times to capture them all.

You’ll discover:

• The issues Steve and Trevor were seeing with their coaching clients that inspired them to write this book
• How Steve defines a system in the context of creating a life that works
• A simple 2-step process for creating a system
• Why Steve says that PRACTICE is one of the most powerful systems
• The role of systems in setting and reaching a goal

Watch the episode:

Connect with Steve

Steve’s Resources

Website

Steve Chandler

Books

The Power of Systems: How to Create a Life that Works

CREATOR

Right Now

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008: Unleash Your Creativity by Challenging Beliefs and Thoughts (Steve Chandler)

What if you landed your dream job and discovered that it didn’t deliver the fulfillment you were seeking? That’s what happened to Johannes Leerink, and it happened more than once in his career. In this conversation, he shares that journey with us. You’re going to love hearing his story as well as the insights he gained along the way, all of which led to the work he does today.

Johannes shares his takeaways from the Proctor & Gamble management training programs and his role as President and General Manager at Sara Lee. He applied these lessons and those from personal development programs to his work in transforming multinationals, hospitals, and NGOs into high-performing organizations.

Today Johannes is the founder of The Hidden Transit. He’s dedicated to helping highly successful professionals achieve their desired progress while unlocking a new dimension of fulfillment and freedom.

You’ll discover:

• How Johannes defines freedom
• The breakthroughs he got when attending Landmark programs
• What transformed a hospital system from silos and isolation to an environment of love
• The distinction between “knowing about” and “being” the 7 Habits
• Why Johannes refers to himself as a “Progress Maker”

Watch the episode:

Connect with Johannes

Johannes’ Website

The Hidden Transit

What would happen if leaders focused on helping each member of their team create a new way of thinking about themselves and others? David Katz has developed a way of thinking where he sees everything that happens as a gift, including the death of his daughter five years ago. This extraordinary man shares what he’s learned over the past 3 years about himself, life, and his work since his first appearance on this podcast (Episode #98).

You’ll want to take notes as David talks about how leaders can be vulnerable with others, how to create real freedom in your life, and what you can do to help others feel seen. Listen to this conversation more than once if you’d like to extract the full value. It’s packed with treasures!

David is the founder and CEO of Plastic Bank. It’s a remarkable company comprised of a global network of micro-recycling markets. This ecosystem empowers the poor to transcend poverty by collecting and trading plastic waste as a currency. Their global partners include IBM, Shell Energy, SC Johnson, and Aldi.

You’ll discover:

• Why David sees plastic trash as gold and diamonds
• The power of your thinking in changing your life
• How David creates an environment of vulnerability and safety
• What you can do to help others feel seen
• Powerful questions David asks candidates to determine if they’ll be a good fit at Plastic Bank

Watch the episode:

Connect with David

David’s Resources

Websites

Plastic Bank

TED Talk

The Surprising Solution to Ocean Plastic

What does it take to make the transition from being a star athlete in college to a successful  business owner? Meet Chase Dalton, CEO of Silicon Signs, who did just that. Chase is an extraordinary leader who lives daily the focus of this podcast, to Grow Strong Leaders, by developing himself and his people.  You are sure to be moved by the stories he shares from his business and from his life.

In college Chase was an outstanding athlete. He’s a three-time All-American in track and field and once held the title of Junior National Champion in the decathlon. You’ll find out which strengths transferred nicely to the challenges of starting and running a company. Chase leads a team 20 to create signs for brick-and-mortar businesses in all 50 states.

You’ll discover:

• The process Chase and his team followed to create their values, vision, and mission
• Ways that Chase and his team live their values on a daily basis
• How his degree in Sociology has serve Chase well in his business
• Why Chase views his employees as his customers – and how that impacts the way he spends his time
• The near-death experience in 2020 that forever changed the way Chase shows up in the world

Watch the episode:

Connect with Chase

Chase’s Resources

Website

Silicon Signs