Twelve years ago, when my father died, the funeral director made a statement to my mother, my sister, and me that I’ve never forgotten.

In this solo episode, I share what he said and how it applied to my father. I also describe seven ways Dad lived that have had a lasting impact on all of us who knew him.

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 my father never made one enemy throughout his entire life
• How a strong work ethic drove everything he did
• What Dad did to build trust instantly
• The 3 words of sage advice Dad passed on to everyone in the family
• Questions you can ask yourself as you reflect on your life and how you want to be remembered

Watch the episode:

Connect with Meredith

Meredith’s Resources

Website

Grow Strong Leaders 

Books

Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Peer Coaching Made Simple

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

Do you remember Neo’s choice of the blue pill or the red pill in the movie, The Matrix? Angela Cusack explores this choice in the context of leaders and their ability to decide on the level of integrity they want to have with themselves and with others. It all hinges on the desire to break through illusions that keep us safe and do the work to become more self-aware through deep reflection.

In this important conversation, Angela shares key concepts from her book, Discover The Matrix, Integrity: The True Mark of Leadership. She shares her own journey, as well as some of her clients, in discovering how to “explore the space between.”

Angela is the founder of Igniting Success and she’s often called a company’s secret weapon – she works with C-suite execs & what she does is so transformative that it impacts the entire organization.

She’s a Master Certified Coach and has provided mentor coaching and supervision for coaches over the past 15 years to help them prepare for certification as PCC or MCC.

You’ll discover:

• How the book’s title and contents tie in with the movie, The Matrix
• Why Angela says integrity with self is the starting point of having integrity with others
• What Angela means by “exploring the space between” and why it’s important for leader
• The illusions we can have about ourselves that hold us back
• Why “permission to unzip” is vital to becoming an authentic leader

Watch the episode:

Connect with Angela

Angela’s Resources

Websites

Igniting Success

Angela Cusack

Book

Discover The Matrix, Integrity: The True Mark of Leadership
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Austin Macauley Publishers, & retailers worldwide

What thoughts come to mind when you hear the word “networking”? If any of them are negative—or if you wish you could build a stronger network yourself—this episode is for you. My guest Frank Agin is a masterful networker, and he has invested decades in showing others how to do it right. You’ll hear valuable tips around making introductions, the benefits of being a Giver and not a Taker, and what to do at networking events.

Frank is president of AmSpirit Business Connections, which empowers entrepreneurs, sales representatives, and professionals to become successful through networking. He hosts the Networking Rx Podcast that’s packed with insights and interviews related to better business relationships. Frank is also the author of several books, including Foundational Networking, which I highly recommend if you’re interested in learning from a true thought leader around the importance of building professional relationships.

You’ll discover:

• What many people get wrong about networking
• The elements of foundational networking
• Why KNOW, LIKE and TRUST are the keys to building strong business relationships
• The infinite power of making introductions
• Steps you can take to become effective at networking events

Watch the episode:

Connect with Frank

Frank’sResources

Website

Frank Agin

Podcast

Networking Rx

Books

Foundational Networking: Building Know, Like and Trust to Create a Lifetime of Extraordinary Success

The Champion: Finding the Most Valuable Person in Your Network