347: Creating a Culture of Wellbeing at ESPN

347: Creating a Culture of Wellbeing at ESPN

347: Creating a Culture of Wellbeing at ESPN

 

What would change if you paused before reacting? In this conversation, you’ll discover how mindfulness can transform both your leadership and your daily life. Anita Barbero shares her journey from running a fitness business to leading wellness initiatives at ESPN, where she partnered with senior executives to embed wellbeing practices across the organization. She explains how listening deeply to employees and integrating mindfulness into corporate culture created lasting positive results for both individuals and the company.

Anita also brings mindfulness down to earth with practical strategies leaders can use every day. From mindful eating to noticing tension in your body, she shows how small moments of awareness can make a big difference in resilience, compassion, and decision-making. You’ll hear how leaders can prevent burnout, foster empathy, and create supportive environments when wellbeing is prioritized.

Anita is the CEO of Renew Your Health, where she helps companies like ESPN and Disney embed sustainable wellbeing into their culture. She creates tailored, high-impact programs that address stress, burnout, and disengagement and turn them into energy, resilience, and renewed purpose.

This is a woman who is using her gifts to foster environments where leaders lead with empathy, teams perform with clarity, and health becomes the foundation of success.

You’ll discover:

  • Why mindfulness is different from meditation and easier to apply at work.
  • How leaders can pause and respond instead of reacting under stress.
  • Practical strategies for integrating wellbeing into your daily routine.
  • The benefits of mindful eating and taking true breaks during the day.
  • How embedding wellness into leadership training builds stronger cultures.

Watch the episode:

 

Connect with Anita

      

Anita’s Website

Anita Barbero

Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
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Leader-team communication and character skills

Grow Strong Character

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Connect with Your Team

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell

346: How Shaw Communications Built a Culture of Care

346: How Shaw Communications Built a Culture of Care

346: How Shaw Communications Built a Culture of Care

What does it look like when leadership is rooted in genuine care for people? In this conversation, you’ll hear how Peter Bissonnette’s experiences in a monastery and in the corporate world shaped a philosophy of service, humility, and trust. His journey shows that caring isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation for lasting impact with employees and customers alike.

With stories, Peter illustrates how leaders can bring humanity into business while still driving growth and innovation. From customer service initiatives that prioritize connection to employee engagement practices that value feedback, you’ll discover how an organization can thrive when its culture is built on compassion, humility, and treating people like family.

Peter is the former president of Shaw Communications Inc., one of Canada’s leading telecommunications companies. With more than three decades of experience in the cable, internet, and media industries, Peter played a pivotal role in transforming how Canadians connect and communicate.Peter has recently published a very inspiring memoir, Count on Me: My Life, Lessons, and Legacy as Former President of Shaw Communications. Peter is not just an exceptional leader, he’s also a remarkable human being. You’re sure to be inspired by a man who experienced unbelievable adversity and trauma as a boy, then created a life that’s grounded in integrity, empathy, and trust.

You’ll discover:

  • Peter’s early life experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy.
  • The values that run through Peter’s book, Count On Me.
  • Why vulnerability and humility strengthen leadership impact.
  • Practical ways Shaw Communications fosters customer loyalty and trust.
  • How employee engagement and customer feedback transformed company culture.

Watch the episode:

Connect with Peter

      

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160: How to Unlock the Potential in Others

 

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345: Never Lead Alone: From Leadership to Teamship

345: Never Lead Alone: From Leadership to Teamship

345: Never Lead Alone: From Leadership to Teamship

What if the key to leadership wasn’t leading at all, but learning to share accountability and grow together as a team? In this conversation with Keith Ferrazzi, you’ll hear a fresh perspective on how to replace outdated leadership models with “teamship”—a culture where people lift each other up, challenge one another with honesty, and work toward shared success. You’ll learn practical ways to create candor, build psychological safety, and encourage resilience so your team thrives even when navigating tough conversations.

Keith brings these concepts to life with stories, tested practices, and simple tools you can start using right away. He explains how methods like “stress testing,” candor breaks, and energy checks transform group dynamics, helping teams shift from avoidance and silence to openness and trust. This episode is full of strategies that don’t just improve collaboration—they create lasting bonds and higher performance.

Keith is the best-selling author of books you’re probably familiar with, like Never Eat Alone, Who’s Got Your Back, and Leading Without Authority. This interview focused on his latest book, Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship.

You’ll discover:

  • Why “never lead alone” is more than a slogan—it’s a new way of working.
  • A proven method for giving and receiving feedback that strengthens relationships.
  • How vulnerability and energy checks foster deeper trust and empathy.
  • Ways to move from conflict avoidance to courageous conversations.
  • Practical strategies for enhancing collaboration, both in real-time and asynchronously.

Watch the episode:

Connect with Keith

      

Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio
Leader-team communication and character skills

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and Meredith M. Bell
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and Meredith M. Bell

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:

Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
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Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
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and Meredith M. Bell
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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.

Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio
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