The Inspire Podcast

In this episode, Bart speaks with Lara Hernendez, a THG consultant and NLP expert. They discuss what Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) is and why it matters, not just for leaders, but for anyone who wants to communicate with greater authenticity and impact. Lara shares practical insights into the power of non-verbal communication, how emotions can unintentionally shape the signals we send to our audience, and why self-awareness is essential to communicate with intention and clarity. She explains how to become more conscious of your own energy and cues, how to recognize emotional triggers that can get in the way of inspiring others, and the tools you can use to elevate your impact every time you speak. Throughout the conversation, Lara weaves in her own experiences, from a career in the hospitality industry to becoming an NLP practitioner and, ultimately, joining The Humphrey Group. Today, she helps clients become more authentic, compelling, and inspiring versions of themselves through the lens of leadership communication and behavioral insight. Connect with Lara on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laraluminacoach/) or through her email Lara@Luminacoach.com And check out her blog to learn more about NLP: https://www.thehumphreygroup.com/blog/language-leadership-and-authenticity-a-neuro-linguistic-perspective The Inspire Podcast was recently featured on Feedspot's Top Business Podcasts list (https://podcast.feedspot.com/business_podcasts/). A big thank you to our listeners for helping us grow this community of thoughtful, purpose-driven leaders. 00:21 Show introduction 00:59 Introducing Lara 01:38 What is NLP and why is it important for leaders? 03:55 Are we wired permanently from the age of 7? 05:36 Lara's story 06:05 The hotel industry 10:20 What questions should people ask to know themselves better? 10:30 What are your core values? 10:53 Know your triggers 11:58 Why do I have these triggers? 13:57 If I know my core values, I can see it in others 15:05 We can only inspire if we have a real connection with something 16:08 Connecting negative feelings to past experiences 17:35 Getting to the deeper things that cause fear 18:14 Next steps after doing the self-reflective work? 18:49 Writing down events and thoughts as they happen 19:15 Record yourself with video 21:06 Picking up on words that indicate negative self-talk 21:29 Example of a limiting belief 22:42 How to transform negative emotions? 23:14 Shift to "how does it feel"? 25:13 Acceptance 28:37 What is one thing people can do right now? 29:00 Be still and listen to your thoughts and feelings 30:01 Ask "What colour am I?" 31:38 Where can people go to find out more? 31:59 Thank yous 32:24 Show outro

In this episode, Bart is joined by Anne Maggisano, Vice President, Investment Counsellor at Burgundy Asset Management. Anne shares the story behind founding The Women of Burgundy—an initiative that has reached over 1,000 individuals and is dedicated to building a community that inspires women to make investing a priority and take a leadership role over their wealth. She reflects on the early spark that inspired the initiative, how she garnered support within the firm, and the ways it has grown over more than a decade into the impactful community it is today. More than just an initiative, The Women of Burgundy also became the place where Anne found her own authentic voice as a leader. Throughout the conversation, she offers candid insights on her journey and how tapping into her values became the foundation of her leadership. Anne's journey is rich with lessons for anyone wanting to create meaningful, lasting impact: from navigating the inevitable ebs and flows of support, to staying personally energized, to evolving your work to meet people where they are. The Women of Burgundy is a true inspiration and so is Anne's story. Learn more about The Women of Burgundy here: https://www.burgundyasset.com/women/ And find Anne's Sharing Our Stories speech here: https://www.burgundyasset.com/views-insights/sharing-our-stories/ Show Notes: 00:58 Welcoming Anne 02:06 What is the Women of Burgundy? 02:41 Her personal experience that kicked it off 03:59 The investment business doesn't speak to women very well 04:36 The reason why women have been less involved, historically 05:06 Over time, women have built wealth  05:55 Realization her women clients were not being as well served 06:14 When women lose their husband and have to take over wealth management 06:58 Story of her mother's experience 08:20 She brought this to Burgundy 08:34 What was the reaction like? 09:16 Wanted to ensure it was empowering and educational 09:49 Her manifesto that she pitched 11:21 Finding her own voice as a leader 11:47 It was hard! 12:40 It takes time for others to "get" what you're doing  13:41 The story of the very first event 14:34 Changing women's and men's roles around wealth 14:54 Not data, but lots of anecdotal experience 15:40 The milestones of The Women of Burgundy 16:22 Moving online with COVID 17:08 Launching the magazine to widen outreach 17:41 The summit 18:46 CIBC report: women will control $4 trillion by 2028 21:15 Longer lives, but not health spans  21:35 Families will have to care for the elderly 23:05 Talking about setbacks and challenges 23:21 When you're leading, take a long time 25:23 Leadership requires self-conviction 27:48 Advice for those starting a leadership journey 28:00 Make sure you're surrounded by supportive people 28:34 Having agency in your environment 29:58 The "How" evolves, but the "Why" stays consistent 31:07 You have to cultivate the support! 31:26 Examples of people coming around to support 34:07 The long game 34:33 The rocking chair test 35:57 Who do you want to be in that rocking chair? 37:01 Always stay true to your values 38:10 How to learn more about Anne & Burgundy 39:02 Last piece of advice 39:07 You're responsible for your own vision and future 40:05 Thank yous

In this episode, Bart welcomes two members of The Humphrey Group to talk about the rise of storytelling as a leadership imperative and why great stories exist inside you.  Patricio opens the conversation by sharing why storytelling has become an increasingly critical skill for leaders in this day and age. A trend that the rise of AI has only accelerated. Athulya builds on this by explaining why storytelling has always been something that is more memorable and impactful than just sharing information and data. Together, they introduce the STORY framework, a new tool developed by THG at the heart of The Power of Stories program, and break down how both Star Wars and real-life business stories can follow the same powerful structure. They show how even those who feel like they don't have stories can tap into meaningful experiences and turn them into powerful narratives.   Whether you're a seasoned executive or just starting your leadership journey, this episode will make you a more effective and confident storyteller no matter what role you hold or what industry you are in.  Learn more about The Power of Stories program here: https://www.thehumphreygroup.com/storytelling-for-leaders Show Notes 1:17 Welcoming guests to the show 3:10 When did you first realize how important storytelling was? 7:23 Why stories are powerful 7:27 Our brains are wired for stories  7:42 The research behind it 8:47 Why is storytelling more relevant now than ever before 9:03 Social media has changed the way we connect 9:32 15% of social media posts — influenced by AI 10:07 When you tell a story, you connect 11:00 Building trust as a leader 11:21 Showing vulnerability 12:07 Stories stick 12:27 People remember stories, not data 15:16 A framework for building storytelling skills 15:45 A lot of stories SUCK! 16:38 S: Situation 16:58 T: Tension 17:21 O: Opportunity 18:07 R: Result 18:23 Y: Your Learning 18:43 Take a movie plot and break it down 21:37 Business story 22:06 The Steve Jobs story 25:19 An executive says, "I have no stories" 26:20 Is it appropriate to share stories? 27:39 Stories you probably shouldn't be telling 28:40 How to find your stories? 28:41 You don't have to have gone through James Bond scenarios to have good stories 31:07 The 'why' determines whether a story is useful or not 31:25 Tips for finding your own stories 32:32 The four plots that every leader needs 32:51 The hero's journey plot 32:59 Overcoming obstacles plot 33:08 Discovery plot 33:20 The rise and fall and rise again plot 34:09 Doesn't working at your stories kill the authenticity? 34:31 Making sure you're present in the moment 34:48 Do you practice stories?  39:45 How telling a personal story created connection  41:36 Thank yous  

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart welcomes Peter Zukow, Managing Partner at IQ Partners, a leading search firm, for a conversation on the evolving world of talent management. Peter unpacks why talent management has changed in recent decades, driven by trends like remote work, the great resignation and now AI. He emphasizes that while talent management has always been important, it's now increasingly imperative for leaders themselves. From recruiting top talent to nurturing future leaders, advancing team members, and building your leadership brand inside and out, Peter outlines why leaders must play an active, hands-on role. He also offers valuable advice for aspiring leaders on how to take charge of their own development in a world where individuals are increasingly expected to drive their own growth Whether you're leading a team or aspiring to step into leadership, Peter's insights offer a compelling case for why talent management is no longer an option but a requirement. Visit https://www.iqpartners.com/ to learn more! Show notes: 00:36 Show intro 01:07 Introducing Peter 02:22 What do leaders need to know about managing talent? 02:27 The fundamentals haven't changed 02:34 A more complex environment than ever before 03:19 What are the fundamentals of talent? 03:28 The needs of the teams 03:37 Stakeholders 04:04 How Peter got here in his career 05:05 Recruitment is not usually a career of choice 05:54 What is the search business - in a nutshell? 06:33 Benefits of hiring a search firm over posting a job on LinkedIn 07:07 Targeting the passive job seeker 07:55 Trend in building "Talent Practices" 09:48 What is talent management and the role of leaders in this 10:24 Building and maintaining great culture 10:39 You can't just rely on others to build talent 11:10 Engaging with top leaders in an org is key 11:51 CEO willing to have coffee chats with candidates 12:58 The need to coach and develop talent inside the company as well 16:21 Being transparent about the opportunities in the organization 17:52 The 3 things people can do to bring a talent mindset into their work 18:04 Communication is critical 18:53 Investing the time in it 19:21 Both internal and external efforts on your brand as a leader 20:28 How to prioritize their investment in members of their team 21:12 Leaders at different parts of the org could be key! 22:02 Many ways a leader can communicate—pick your strongest 22:32 How can leaders work externally to attract talent 23:00 Being intentional and consistent with your actions 24:10 Succession Planning: how to approach it 24:18 Succession planning has changed significantly 24:49 As organizations have evolved the jumps from level to level are huge 25:26 The gray tsunami crisis 25:55 Younger generations may have different ideas about "career" 26:27 Take a hard look at team and identify the gaps 27:10 Who's in the marketplace that I might want to bring on? 28:13 Advice for aspiring leaders? 28:29 Be proactive about your own career! 29:20 Tell stakeholders your aspirations! 30:53 Volunteering for cross-functional projects 31:59 If you can't get that internally, you can get involved in the community 34:00 Tech and info has levelled the playing field 34:51 Always and ever and not good places to stand 35:46 Final piece of advice — quickest way to start 35:56 Just start having the conversations 36:23 Thank yous 36:39 Show outro

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart sits down with Alex Draper, founder and CEO of DX Learning, to tackle a critical issue in the workplace: toxic leadership. Alex starts with a simple truth—bad leadership is toxic and has negative impacts. So why does it persist when no one sets out to be a bad leader? Alex explains that most toxic leadership isn't intentional—it's unintentional, and it stems from a lack of self-awareness and training. He discusses how leaders need to provide Clarity, Autonomy, Relationships, and Equity (his CARE model) and shares how to begin fostering CARE-driven leadership through data gathering, practical steps, and clear ways to measure progress. Alex's insights are essential at a time when employees are demanding more from their leaders—and when the opportunity exists to lead in a way that truly inspires. If you're a leader looking to create a healthier workplace culture and drive better results, this episode is for you. Learn more about Alex at https://www.dx-learning.com/ and https://alex-draper.com Connect with Alex on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-draper/ Show notes: 1:00 Introducing Alex Draper 1:32 What does DX Learning do? 1:56 Purpose is to wipe out toxicity in the workplace 2:55 How to get leaders to behave in positive ways 4:05 How to go into a company knowing that your specialty is toxic workplaces 4:21 Some people are truly toxic and try to cause stress 5:00 There are narcissists out there 6:00 There's no flawless team or human 6:19 Toxicity exists in every team 7:32 What are the signs of a toxic leader or culture 8:23 Levels of silence indicate a problem 8:56 Ideas and challenging the status quo - is that happening? 9:36 Lagging indicators: retention issues 10:39 What is a typical engagement like? 10:56 Engineering mindset - data! 11:59 What data should we gather? 12:28 70% of variance in employee engagement is down to the managers 12:41 If the team has an issue, it's more than likely the leadership does 12:51 Bottom up approach is not the right approach! 13:15 How to gather the data? 13:28 4 dimensions of high performing leadership/teams 14:54 How "Equity" fits in 16:48 Cognitive dissonance - gaps 17:07 Bart asks for an example of a gap dissonance between leaders and employees 19:21 Advice on collecting "listening data" 21:02 How can leaders provide more clarity? 21:49 Example of a leader working on clarity 24:18 The projection bias 24:48 Heuristics - brain shortcuts -cause issues 25:44 Example of 'autonomy' problem 26:01 Psychological safety = Autonomy 31:46 The "Equity" piece 33:05 Equity is the lagging indicator 33:34 How do you measure equity? 33:43 Fairness orientation 34:23 Equity is the output of the three controllables 34:53 Re-measure! 35:07 What should the measurement frequency be? 35:31 90 days for teams 36:32 Teams are always adapting 37:19 Change is the one consistent 38:22 How do you feel about the state of leadership in 2025 and onwards? 39:56 AI and how it will fit in the mix — emotional intelligence as the distinguishing factor 40:21 Where can people go to find out more? 40:48 Thank Yous 41:35 Show outro

To kick off season 7 of The Inspire Podcast, Bart speaks with Dr Robin Hills, a renowned business psychologist and the director of Ei4Change, an internationally acclaimed, award-winning company that has empowered over 500,000 people across 200+ countries through its expertise in emotional intelligence for change.   Robin shares why in this age of automation and disruptions, EQ is the uniquely human skill that sets us apart and is a source of great strength. Robin talks about what EQ actually is, why it's tied to the successful practice of leadership, and outlines several ways you can build your EQ. A practical conversation that will both energize you and empower you to be a more emotionally self-aware and intentional leader.    Visit ei4change.com/ to learn more!   Show Notes 00:16 Show Intro 00:52 Introducing Robin Hills 01:38 How Robin got into EI training 01:52 What is emotional intelligence? 03:23 How he works with people on EI 03:56 500,000 people have taken his online training course 04:43 EI underpins everything we do 05:27 Bart asks for an example of how EI competency works 05:54 Just forget about EI!  06:38 Help leaders understand what emotional triggers they are vulnerable to  07:33 Bart talks about stock price trigger 08:27 Coaching around "What could you do, or have done better?" 08:53 It's not the physiological response, but the behavior that is the problem  09:43 What can a leader do to improve the emotional climate? 11:10 Bart asks about the rise of AI and its impact 12:42 Example of a radiologist using AI 14:57 A robot can never be a leader 16:34 Empathy is a key part of emotional intelligence 17:20 Leaders – ability to be entrepreneurial and innovative 19:06 Spiritual intelligence 20:09 How does spirituality fit into leadership? 22:23 Putting things into larger context and perspective 25:27 Using behavioral psychological assessment tools 26:16 I'm not interested in your failings!  26:53 Asking friends and family: "What is it about me that you like and respect?" 29:38 Learn your emotional triggers! 32:44 Give yourself permission to be angry, or fearful 33:43 Should we "keep our emotions out of the workplace?" 34:20 Aristotle's quote about anger 34:53 I don't use "positive" and "negative" for emotions 35:29 Emotional intelligence is INCREDIBLY hard! 36:05 Building your storybank 38:10 We've been trained not to brag 39:24 Bart summarizes key points 40:08 Final piece of advice: Just BE 40:19 Just be you  40:55 How to find out more – and get resources 41:46 Thank yous 42:03 Outro

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart speaks with Khe Hy about the power of stories and how leaders can unlock their inner storyteller. Bart learns how Khe left a successful career on Wall Street and turned his self-reflection into a highly read newsletter on career, money, life, and a wide range of other topics. Khe explains why so many stories suck, what qualities make for engaging stories, and how to put storytelling into action with authenticity, vulnerability and intention. Tune in for practical tips and inspiring insights to help you harness the art of storytelling. Learn more about Khe at https://radreads.co and connect with him on LinkedIn and TikTok: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khehy/ https://www.tiktok.com/@radreadsco Show Notes: 0:43 Welcoming Khe 2:09 Storytelling ability 2:40 Khe tells his story 6:21 What led him to quit his job? 7:59 The Hedonic adaptation 9:41 Entrepreneurs have this messed up wiring 10:09 Designing life from first principles 12:08 Early writing successes 12:30 What's your "number"? 13:08 The fisherman and the banker 14:30 Writing personal articles on the block 16:11 Story about losing hair 16:57 Storytelling is key for leaders - so why do they often suck at it? 21:19 Why are business leaders bad at storytelling? 22:08 Emotional resonance 22:26 Things that make a good story 24:32 Conflict 25:04 3 things to become a better storyteller 28:07 Open your eyes 28:19 Stories are everywhere 29:04 Bitcoin story 30:32 Go into your own life to find stories 32:38 Practice telling stories 33:39 It's really fun! 35:19 Have a diverse set of inputs 35:44 Ask ChatGPT 38:11 Profiles of famous people have good stories 39:35 Storytelling is a skill 40:16 How to find out more about Khe

What do leadership and marketing have in common? In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart sits down with renowned marketing expert Nathan Yeung to uncover surprising parallels between these two disciplines. Nathan talks about why "customers are lazy", shares a powerful 3-step process for building trust that's at the heart of marketing effectiveness, and reveals how leaders can adopt marketing strategies to inspire and connect with their audiences effectively. Through relatable anecdotes and real-world marketing examples, Nathan discusses the importance of crafting messages that resonate, when leaders should embrace a marketer's mindset—and when they shouldn't—and why big company messages often fall flat in leadership contexts. He also shares practical tips for communicating effectively, no matter your leadership role.   Show Notes: 00:27 Show intro 01:07 Introducing Nathan 02:03 Reaching consumers 02:55 Nathan's background and how he got into consumer trust 03:26 Marketing has a function that hasn't been very structured 04:08 Is "best in class" hearsay? 04:51 What works - consumer psychology 05:06 Writing a book is hard 05:41 We are just lazy  05:54 We are naturally averse to dealing with friction  06:26 We only support things we inherently believe 07:12 People don't know why the "trust" 08:49 Bart talks about the curse of knowledge 09:21 The trust triangle 09:56 Defining the trust triangle 10:37 Pseudo logic in marketing 10:48 It's not logic - it's a shortcut  11:32 Don't trust strangers? vs Uber or Lyft? 13:38 Factors in building trust 15:43 Authenticity 18:29 Patagonia example 19:14 If you're not going to live up to your stated values, better not have them in the first place  19:49 Empathy 24:55 Nathan's advice to leaders 25:18 Make your message simple 26:14 It's hard to get to clarity and focus 26:55 No one can interpret your message for you 27:37 Make it as easy as possible for them  28:44 Positive feedback 31:40 Where can people find out more? 32:23 Thank yous

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart Egnal speaks with Yoni Kozminski, founder of MultiplyMii, about the opportunity he saw to bring highly educated, talented professionals from the Philippines to companies around the world. Yoni shares his own story of building a company by tapping into the skills of Filipino professionals and what he learned along the way. He offers insights on effective global recruitment strategies and discusses how to establish a culture and processes that enable remote talent to thrive as if they were sitting in the same office with you. Yoni shares his own experiences and stories from building connections with his team in the Philippines and what advice he would give to employers looking to expand their talent pool internationally along with a handful of resources to begin the process of recruiting talent anywhere. A valuable listen for anyone hiring global talent or who manages a remote global workforce. Visit https://www.multiplymii.com/ to learn more! 00:20 Show Intro 00:54 Welcoming Yoni 01:37 MultiplyMii backstory 03:57 How to make "remote" workforces work? 05:41 Understanding the operational challenges in a biz 06:45 Creating the company wiki/book 07:28 Why is the Philippines a good place to source talent? 08:08 Glitch 08:40 6th largest number of English speakers 09:48 A lot of college degrees 10:02 Glitch 10:24 Moving from basic tasks to KPO 10:50 Not about "task lists anymore" 11:01 Glitch 11:12 Everyone is outsourcing 12:12 Mistaken assumptions about outsourcing to the Philippines 12:29 The stigmas around outsourcing 12:34 Entrusting parts of your biz to remote workers 13:25 Getting used to Zoom meetings 14:02 Language barriers not as big in Philippines 14:29 All the content and our marketing done in Philippines 14:52 Glitch 16:52 How to build an outsourcing plan 17:09 Be very clear about the biz mission 17:47 Glitch 18:12 The need for a structured onboarding plan 19:21 Bart talks about an example for THG 20:04 The 4 Rs method 20:44 Autonomy - and accountability 22:44 Why some companies shy away from remote 23:05 The weird juxtaposition of hiring 24:06 If you do the pre-work you can more quickly step away 25:38 Treating talent the same, regardless of location 27:29 Understanding and appreciating other cultures 28:04 Filipinos are conflict averse 29:36 Advice on creating culture with remote workers 30:50 Core value: understand who you're speaking to 32:46 What is the values-bridge? 33:06 Glitch 35:13 Bart talks about remote at THG 36:28 Check out their website for their free resources on remote talent 37:30 The future of global and remote talent 37:57 Glitch 38:28 Thank yous 38:45 Outro

In this episode, Bart meets with Rob Diplock, Senior Vice President at Kumon North America, the sixth-largest franchise in the world, to explore the value of long employee tenures. Rob shares his personal journey with Kumon, who has become the employer of his entire career. He discusses the advantages of remaining with one organization—for both employees and employers—and the unique challenges that arise from spending your professional life in one company. Rob reflects on how workplace trends have shifted, whether long-term careers still offer the same benefits, and what companies gain—and risk losing—with employee retention. He closes with insights and wisdom for people considering a long-term career with their current organization, highlighting how to grow, stay fulfilled, and make a lasting impact. Learn more by visiting Kumon here: https://www.kumon.com/ca-en/ and check out Rob's book recommendations here: 1-The Lessons of History:https://www.amazon.ca/Lessons-History-Will-Durant/dp/143914995X 2-Leading by Alex Ferguson: https://www.amazon.ca/Leading-Learning-Years-Manchester-United/dp/0316268100 3-40 Years with a Whistle: https://www.amazon.ca/40-Years-Whistle-Lessons-Field-ebook/dp/B07PXXK39G Show Notes 00:00 - Show intro 00:33 - Welcoming Rob 01:06 - Why have you stayed so long with one company? 02:35 - Japanese company/culture 04:04 - Bart lists off stats about employee retention 05:40 - The pros and cons of staying in the same organization 07:33 - Forge lasting relationships 08:14 - Bringing your authentic self to work  08:44 - New roles and titles come slower 09:27 - The longer you stay, the more important growth becomes  10:10 - Advantages for the company with retention 12:21 - A team of company experts 12:46 - Breaking down silos 13:36 - Common shared experience and alignment 14:55 - Bart talks about his experiences on retention 16:17 - People stay by default... 17:15 - The COVID example 18:49 - Slow-moving, conservative culture 19:02 - A new culture of innovation 22:29 - Advice for people mid-career 24:51 - Focus on what you're great at, etc.  25:19 - Advice on dealing with high turnover 26:09 - What pushes employees and what doesn't pull them in? 27:17 - Mission-driven businesses 28:22 - Can't go wrong focusing on the mission  29:02 - Book recommendations from Rob 30:43 - Will you stay with Kumon till you retire? 33:29 - Important to be growing yourself 33:57 - Thank yous 34:11 - Outro

In this episode, Bart is joined by a fellow CEO of a leadership communication training company, Scott Simmons of Ariel. Together, they explore Scott's unique career path—from healthcare to Gallup, and now to leading Ariel.  They dive into the evolving landscape of leadership communication, examining what has changed and what remains the same. The conversation touches on the new expectations placed on leaders today, the critical skills they must develop, and the increasingly diverse audiences they need to engage. Bart and Scott also discuss the role of AI in shaping leadership development, where human expertise still reigns, and the enduring opportunity to inspire through communication that both Ariel and The Humphrey Group help their clients capitalize on. Learn more about Ariel Group at their website, https://www.arielgroup.com, and connect with them on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ariel-group/ 00:21 Show intro 00:57 Welcoming Scott Simmons 01:44 Tell us about Ariel Group 02:20 From acting classes to communication consulting 03:27 The parallels between Ariel and THG 04:14 Scott's career trajectory 04:34 Healthcare in Flux in the 90s 05:16 Food service delivery challenges 06:58 The Human element 08:06 Joined Gallup 08:46 Why did you move to Gallup? 09:13 Need to go beyond meeting basic expectations 09:41 Really need an engaged workforce delivering quality in the moment 10:31 Embodying the mission of the org 11:23 Did the human element make a difference at Gallup? 12:05 Focus on manager effectiveness 12:12 How much can you change/improve managers? 12:55 Burdened by initiatives 13:27 What did he learn about leadership communication in organizations? 15:17 Jumping at the opportunity to be CEO 17:42 The changing demands on leaders today 19:50 Trying to do more with less 20:04 Bart talks about the loss of decorum these days 22:11 Keyboard courage 23:24 A lot more self-ownership 24:07 The move to digital/virtual world 24:31 Leaders now have to communicate in multiple channels 25:05 Don't get caught up in the shiny new thing 26:39 AI as a training/practice tool - not a replacement 27:08 3 things leaders should be doing? 29:15 Best communicators are: CLEAR, CONCISE, CANDID 29:43 Big shift - putting yourself in audience/readers standpoint 30:12 Candidness 30:45 Start reflecting back on 2024! 31:03 The core of communication stays the same, even as channels change/increase 31:47 Thank yous

In this episode of the Inspire Podcast, Bart welcomes Yusra Qadir, Chief Programs and Advocacy Officer at Mothers Matter Canada, to share her incredible life journey and how she is empowering women to find their voices. Yusra starts by reflecting on her childhood in Pakistan, her work in community and social development, and her education in human rights. She describes how she found her voice but realized that finding her voice and being able to meaningfully use it are different things. She moved to Canada with young children five years ago, where she navigated the challenges of being a new immigrant and found ways to help others through her own experiences. She also found challenges that women face in this world are universal. She joined Mothers Matter Canada to help immigrant and refugee women in Canada access the support they need to find their confidence so they can meaningfully use their voices within their lives and their communities. She highlights the impactful work of Mothers Matter Canada, particularly the HIPPY program, which supports newcomer mothers in preparing their children for success while building the skills and resilience they need to thrive. Yusra's story is a testament to her strength and commitment, both in her personal journey and in the transformative work she does today. Visit Mothers Matter Canada to learn more (https://www.mothersmattercentre.ca/) and connect with Yusra on LinkedIn (https://ca.linkedin.com/in/yusraqadir). You can also find Mothers Matter Canada on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Show Notes 00:28 Standard show intro 01:04 Introducing Yusra 02:16 What is "Mothers Matters Canada" 02:50 Equity advocacy 03:25 The challenges that mothers are facing 05:52 What does MMC do to help? 06:59 Peer-based programs 09:51 Yusra's journey to now 10:52 Experiences growing up in Pakistan 12:14 Dreaming big as a child 13:23 Feminist focus 13:50 Disaster preparedness 14:30 Large displacements around the world 15:22 Diverse groups that they work with 16:17 Canada struggles with women's opportunities 17:09 Why come to Canada? 17:43 Becoming dangerous to be an activist 20:29 The challenges of a new immigrant 23:15 Developing leadership skills 25:44 Bart talks about "taking the stage" program 26:35 1/4 women in Canada are "racialized" 26:53 The motherhood penalty 27:08 What the program does 28:07 What is the HIPPIE program? 29:50 Summary of HIPPIE 30:31 Great data management system 31:30 Getting children ready for school 32:24 Example of a personal story 37:33 The ambassador program 39:07 Her hopes for newcomers 5-10 years from now 39:35 Universally available programs 40:01 Her hope for women 40:56 Thank yous 41:20 Outro

In this episode, Bart is joined by Sarika Singh, host of a top communication skills podcast in India and a seasoned coach with 25 years of experience. Sarika shares her journey from her early career to becoming the Chief Operating Officer of an Indian artisanal sugar company, driven by her passion for communication. She coaches a diverse audience, including children, young adults, and corporate teams, focusing on written and spoken communication through her bespoke programs in creative writing and public speaking. Sarika's podcast, inspired by listener questions, addresses communication challenges in both personal and professional contexts. Together, Sarika and Bart explore the communication challenges faced by Indian professionals, the common queries she receives, and the critical role of communication in India's STEM-driven landscape. This insightful discussion highlights the universal power of communication. Visit her website, www.communicate101.com, to find out more and listen to her podcast, Communicate101: Speaking Writing Tips here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sarika-singh88 Show Notes 00:28 Standard intro 01:05 Introducing Sarika Singh 02:09 Why are young Indian professionals seeking communication skills? 03:28 Largest % of youth in the world 04:05 Bart re-asks about youth and demand for leadership communication training 05:34 Sarika's career journey 06:07 An introvert who learned to love communication 06:30 Fear of public speaking 07:55 Entering the corporate world 09:13 The impact of podcasting 10:23 Starting a writing program for children 10:42 Children are the best teachers 11:18 Honesty and simplicity is supreme 11:34 The power of non-verbal cues 13:58 Building the writing program 15:24 How kids gained confidence as they learned to write 16:20 The curriculum in India 17:47 New generation careers 18:48 Launching her podcast 22:01 Her podcast gets a lot of interaction/audience involvement 23:13 Story of her daughter traveling and hearing someone in the airport listening to her podcast 24:31 Insights into what young Indian professionals want to know 25:07 The challenges people are having with communication 25:11 Difficult conversations 25:50 How to persuade/convince people 26:52 How to be comfortable on the stage 30:33 3 key pieces of advice 30:55 Clarity, empathy, collaboration 31:23 Clarity is like aiming for a basket 32:18 Empathy 33:27 Collaboration 35:32 Doing business in the Indian context 36:51 Embrace India 37:04 Indian business is relationship-driven 37:46 Be patient and build trust 39:57 India is welcoming to everyone 40:38 Thank yous 40:42 How to find out more

In this episode, Bart welcomes Nancy Hicks, an accomplished vocal performer, founder of a global ministry, shopping channel host, leadership coach, and now a consultant for The Humphrey Group. They begin by exploring Nancy's early journey in developing her voice and discovering a passion for singing, which eventually led her to take on leadership roles in the church and, ultimately, to become a long-running host on QVC. Nancy shares how her time on television honed her skills, unlocked her full vocal potential, and reinforced her understanding that her true gift is to be a communicator. She then discusses founding a speaking ministry focused on empowering female leaders, which rapidly grew and gave her a platform to speak to global audiences. Throughout their conversation, Nancy draws on lessons from her incredible career to offer insights on building authentic confidence. She explains where authenticity begins, how to find your honest voice, how to bring that voice into all your relationships, and the difference between presence and being present. This is a powerful listen for anyone looking to find their voice and lead others. Learn more about Nancy here: https://www.nancyhickscommunication.com/ 00:18 Show intro 00:52 Introducing Nancy Hicks 01:43 Bart asks her to recount the red carpet story 02:13 Aside: what is QVC 05:34 Presenting authentic confidence 06:04 Her story from when she was 16 07:47 Church experiences 09:05 Going from music to the shopping channel 10:18 Juggling career in music with motherhood 12:08 What is it like to host a shopping channel show 16:08 Practicing Humility 17:51 Every year in leadership, it's less and less about "you" 18:34 Communication has gotten much more casual 19:03 Founding a ministry focused on women leaders 22:17 What she learned about communications 22:40 Eat the cultural food that is before you 23:01 Practice a phrase from their language 23:09 Speaking across cultures 23:39 Foster relationships! 24:12 Know yourself to be able to connect 24:30 From world tour to present 26:13 Learning from tragedy 27:47 Advice for building authentic confidence 28:15 Difference between 'presence' and 'being present' 28:46 How to be yourself? 29:28 Being present 31:25 Exploring your voice 33:52 Listen, listen, listen! 36:15 The deeper work is so important 37:13 How do people find out more? 37:55 Outro

In this episode, Bart welcomes Mo Bunnell, founder of The Bunnell Idea Group, back to The Inspire Podcast to discuss his new book, Give to Growth. Mo highlights a fundamental truth: relationships are the foundation of long-term business success. But he also dives into the often overlooked aspect—how to effectively build these relationships. If you've ever felt too busy, hesitant, or worried about being a bother when it comes to building relationships, then Mo has the secret to overcoming these barriers. He outlines how to be intentional about who you want to connect with, how to get out of your own way and stop telling lies that hold you back, how to give in a way that removes mental roadblocks, helps others, and creates lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. Mo's insights are valuable for anyone in business and in life who want to achieve success through meaningful partnerships. Get a copy of Mo's book here: https://bunnellideagroup.com/givetogrow/ 0:37 Show Intro 1:12 Welcoming Mo 2:48 Focus on high-end experts 3:16 Relationship skills 3:40 How to effectively teach sales to experts 3:55 People hate to be sold to, but they love to buy 4:07 Have people think of a time when the rep did a horrible job of selling 4:36 Describe a good sales experience 6:09 Is your new book an evolution of your ideas? 6:35 Who is Give to Grow (the book) for? 7:14 Is the desire for impact new? 9:00 The lies we tell ourselves 10:54 Lie #1 -- "I can't" 11:40 Lie #2 - "I don't know what to do" 12:05 Lie #3 - "I might do it wrong" 12:21 Lie #4 - "I'm too busy" 12:41 Lie #5 - "I'm afraid I'll look bad" 13:09 How to tell when it's a lie and when it's accurate? 17:08 All complex skills are learned and earned 17:32 The "yet" hack  20:02 What kind of relationship success should we be trying to create? 20:31 Build relationship equity 20:58 Focus on the key 15 relationships in your life  21:47 Isn't that too calculating? 22:47 Beginning of a relationship - need to solidify it 27:31 Give them a taste of working with you 28:16 Give to get at Humphrey Group 29:37 The Inspire Podcast is a give-to-get 30:37 How to approach it for non-transactional relationships 31:14 Fall in love with their problem 32:23 "Would it be helpful if I did ______ for you?" 34:10 Free training course - Give to Grow 35:38 Impact - 3 ways to have it 36:08 Proactivity and persistence are key  36:35 3 different timeframes to think about 36:55 It's always your move and always a chance to be helpful 37:13 Weekly sprints 39:08 The Long Term Strategies 40:50 Where can people go to find out more?

In this episode, Bart speaks with Kirsten Anderson about the power of play and how integrating play can make you a more effective and inspiring leader. Kirsten, a certified LEGO(r) Serious Play(r) specialist and consultant with The Humphrey Group, talks about why playfulness is so important for leaders, how we often miss opportunities to incorporate play into our work and how to go about adopting a playful mindset. She talks about how playful can not just be an add-on to the practice of leadership but the benefits of weaving it into everything from how you run meetings to how you develop talent and how you tackle goals together as a team. Kirsten draws on deep experience in this field to bring compelling examples and practical ideas to our conversation. 0:33 Show Intro 1:07 Introducing Kirsten 2:15 How Kirsten got started in her career 3:31 Toyologist 4:06 Resident play expert on global news 4:32 Sold the business 4:57 What were their play prescriptions 5:34 Kids stopping playing younger 5:51 Why were kids playing less? 6:32 How do we get adults to play? 7:18 Should we separate work and play? 8:04 Puritan work ethic 8:37 Playfulness and flow - are they related? 9:30 Play and playfulness 10:03 There is no creativity/innovation without play  10:24 Playful mindset for a leader 11:42 Fear of judgement  12:22 The stigma around being playful 12:59 Living in a VUCA world 13:45 Creating engagement 14:38 What about gamification in education? 15:50 Playwashing 17:07 Fun is different for different people 18:27 3 ways to infuse play into the work world 18:50 What is "The Employee Experience"? 19:18 Gratitude and recognition 19:33 Applied improv 19:53 How to bring play into a meeting 'check-in', for example 20:07 The 'weather report check-in' 20:59 Cat picture check-in 21:41 Communication to break down silos 21:57 Practice playfulness with low-stakes activities 22:43 Culture of continuous feedback 23:11 What is LEGO serious play 24:30 The importance of equal time 26:06 Prioritize creative problem-solving 26:30 Yes, and... practice 27:09 Playfulness can build psychological safety  29:49 Bart talks about Lego for adults 32:20 How can people find out more? 33:53 Outro

AI is transforming every facet of work and life, including how we improve and build leadership communication skills. In this episode, Bart speaks with Esha Joshi, co-founder of Yoodli, an AI-powered speech coach. The Humphrey Group has partnered with Yoodli to create a unique version that not only analyzes your speaking but also incorporates The Humphrey Group's intellectual capital and guidance to enhance your leadership communication skills. In this conversation, Bart and Esha discuss her journey to founding Yoodli, her passion for helping people build their communication skills, and what the tool does. They also delve into insights from the large data sets Yoodli collects, which have helped tens of thousands of people worldwide improve their public speaking. Lastly, they explore why the partnership between human coaches and AI brings the best skill development, highlighting how each complements the other. 1:19 Welcoming Esha 2:00 Bart talks about ELI 2:49 What is Yoodli? 5:05 Esha's background 5:49 Decision to go into tech 6:47 Apple TV and Ted Lasso 7:46 The intersection of tech and entertainment 7:57 3 main passions 8:21 Teaching young girls to code 8:49 Communication skills 9:31 Bart talks about their work with women at the HG 10:27 When did you get the idea for Yoodli? 10:46 Shift to virtual communication 11:15 Poor communication skills holding back really talented people 12:09 Co-founder Varun 13:19 How do people use this technology? 14:25 Bespoke HG solution 15:08 Use it to rate your performance in live meetings 15:50 See long-term trends 16:14 Exposure therapy 17:42 Practice first with an AI but get human feedback is essential 18:33 Hearing yourself back is cringy but essential 19:13 Seeing yourself through the eyes of the audience 19:54 The power of the pause 20:47 Improve lateral thinking 21:48 Desktop app 24:05 Zack Cass 24:44 What will never be replicated by AI? 26:48 Using AI as a starting point 27:47 Inspiring ideas? Bart 30:08 What's next for Yoodli and Eli?

Helping sales professionals excel requires a unique and innovative approach. But what exactly does that entail? How can you attract top sales talent and elevate their performance? What strategies do the best sales leaders employ? To explore these questions, Bart is joined by Ryan Precious, SVP of Worldwide Sales at ClickUp. Ryan shares his inspiring journey from BlackBerry to leading U.S. tech companies, detailing how his progressively executive roles shaped his approach to sales leadership. He emphasizes that exceptional sales leaders must excel in recruitment, lead by example, be data-driven and act as coaches who continually elevate their team's skills and performance. 0:24 Show intro 0:59 Welcoming Ryan 1:45 How they met each other 2:11 What's clickup 3:17 About Ryan's career dev 4:13 Starting with RIM 5:00 Started in sales and loved it 6:16 Going from RIM to Clickkup 7:22 App dynamics 8:57 Roxette 9:53 The 3 R's for sales leaders 10:11 (R)ecruit 10:29 (R)etaining 10:39 (R)evenue 11:23 How to recruit the best people 11:49 The rule of 3 in hiring 12:11 You always need to have a pipeline of candidates 13:51 Selling before you buy 15:22 Four key areas to look for in an interview 17:22 What makes them special? 18:13 Understanding their "whys" 18:44 How to keep special people? 19:12 Get them off to a fast start 20:26 Look at the data and leading indicators 22:12 How to fend off poachers 22:56 Red flags 23:28 Compensation and perks 25:10 Life enablement through sales leadership 25:59 Revenue 26:25 How can a sales leader drive performance? 27:02 Amp it Up -- book 27:10 Book: The Qualified Sales leader 27:51 Metrics are key 28:34 Economic buyer 32:14 Is Generational change affecting sales leadership? 32:49 More important than ever to have an IRL connection 35:44 How to manage up in the sales hierarchy 37:12 Bart summarizes 38:11 Where can people find out more 39:48 Be a student of the game 40:00 Thank yous. 40:17 Outro

In this episode, Bart welcomes Mosongo Moukwa, PhD, executive, author and leadership & business coach. Mosongo shares his journey from academia to the corporate world, and explains how he came to leadership accidentally. During this career, he developed a philosophy he calls “leadership of significance” which is transformational and audience-focused. He explains that you must begin with purpose, engage your people to build trust, energize your team and the organization, and then build off of the stories and experiences that bring people to life. Mosongo draws on his own stories, and his newly-published book to show listeners how to practice impactful leadership in their careers and life. 0:59 Welcoming Mosongo 2:31 What is the book about and why did he write it 2:44 The work is never about specific business objectives 3:33 Bart gives kudos for writing the book while running a company 4:09 Mosongo's career journey 5:07 Getting picked for management 6:23 Never regretted the leadership role 6:55 Growth comes through discomfort 7:31 Biggest discomfort that he faced 7:44 Story about picking someone the senior management didn't like 11:31 True to himself in decision making 13:23 Defining what a "leader of significance" is 14:05 Sharing experiences 16:16 Who is the book for? 17:53 Defining authentic purpose 18:37 A process of discovery 19:35 Stephen Hawking's story 20:51 How would you coach a 25 year old 22:03 Until you know yourself, you will be held back 22:54 The Little Prince book 23:38 Rhinoceros - play 25:06 Advice to a VP 25:39 How do senior execs find purpose? 25:54 Explore their past 26:25 Define your values 27:19 How can leaders reignite purpose? 28:01 Think about what you'd like your eulogy to say 29:01 How to engage and energize people? 29:26 Set the tone for conversation 29:43 Ask questions like "what would you like to do more of"? 30:22 Help people find a sense of belonging 31:16 How does trust fit into it? 31:42 Be genuinely curious about other people 32:39 It takes time to build trust with people 33:46 Leadership of significance -- beyond direct reports 34:28 Leadership is not a solo venture 36:29 Bart on how purpose is becoming more important in leadership discussions 36:56 Where can people find out more? 37:44 Thank yous

This week Bart speaks with Brooke Sophia, an executive coach, jiujiteira, and consultant with The Humphrey Group about the mindset required to build the confidence it takes to inspire others. Brooke shares her journey into coaching and martial arts and how she's learned that self-doubt and the inertia of imposter syndrome can hold you back. She explores how to flip this mindset to embrace change, how to “tell the truth to ourselves”, be in the energy of celebration, and how to inspire others once you have inspired yourself. Brooke's energy, honesty, and personal stories make her a sought after member of THG's team, and this episode will help anyone looking to grow their capability to build self-confidence. Visit Brooke's website to learn more: http://www.fearlesswithbrooke.com Connect with Brooke on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookesophia/ 1:05 Welcoming Brooke 2:27 Why Bart wanted her to come on the show 3:04 Her background 3:55 Listen to the messages from life 4:30 Discovered coaching 5:27 So willing to fail 6:09 What her coaching practice business looks like 6:31 Why people come for coaching  7:13 Jujitsu 7:39 Bart shares his failed attempts at martial arts 9:05 Humility 9:34 Courage 10:01 Stuff we do outside of work is full of lessons  10:47 Self Doubt 11:20 Positional leadership roles and shame 11:54 Everyone is looking for I'm Enough  13:03 Bart shares his thoughts on the "it's never enough" phenomenon 14:27 Don't base self-evaluation of the outside  15:57 How does this affect leadership communication 17:31 Managing your energy and bringing others along 19:09 Truth is the highest frequency 19:47 Bart posits a scenario 20:47 Do a reality check 22:08 Self-honesty is so important 24:29 Think about a powerful opening statement 25:30 Don't self-diminish when sharing 27:19 You can't give it if you haven't had it 28:31 Showing self-respect  28:58 If it's in front of the warrior, the warrior is ready 30:24 Bart drills down with another example 33:27 Nourish self-trust - Mother Goose  36:05 To be in the energy of celebration 36:25 They're so lucky to have me!  36:50 Requires presence in the moment 37:47 Don't get distracted by the Blase  39:41 Humility can be overrated! 40:43 Key takeaways from the conversation 41:38 Where can people go to find out more

In this episode, Bart speaks with journalist Amy Shoenthal about her new book, The Setback Cycle. Amy explains how setbacks aren't always fuel for success, why not everything "happens for a reason" and the real lessons to take when you're in the middle of a difficult period in life or career. She shares her four-part setback cycle (Establish, Embrace, Explore, Emerge) and explains how it can be a mental framework to process and move past these periods. Amy's insights and anecdotes make her cycle a compelling and worthwhile listen for anyone who may be feeling stuck. Get your copy of The Setback Cycle here: http://www.thesetbackcycle.com And learn more about Amy and her company on their website: https://www.visionaries-collective.com/ - 1:17 Introducing Amy 1:59 What led you to write this book? 2:35 Noticed how setbacks were key to people's narratives 3:46 Bart talks about the book 4:13 Grit and resilience 5:16 Amy hates the phrase "Everything happens for a reason" 6:04 Not here to tell you your next setback is awesome 7:05 It's important to have a sense that you can get through a setback 7:54 Growth happens 9:00 What we can learn from babies 9:36 The 4 cycles 10:01 Phase 1: Establish 10:47 Phase 2: Embrace 12:09 Phase 3: Explore 13:25 Phase 4: Emerge 14:19 Bart asks for an example of an "Establish" experience 15:34 How to know you're in a setback 16:03 Two key questions 17:52 How to do the 'embrace' phase right... 18:13 Working through the stress response 19:25 Collecting information about the setback 20:35 Amy wasn't aware of her setback 22:01 Joke - maybe we should just identify as our hobbies  23:16 Amy's story of shifting to journalism 25:59 What's the "explore" phase like? 26:27 Learning about your transferable skills and your superpowers 27:20 Finding ways to energize yourself 27:50 Journaling practice 29:21 In real life these phases can run concurrently 31:11 The last phase: Emerge 32:33 Baby steps forward 33:39 Bart shares story of his wife's career switch 35:14 The story of the genesis of her book 37:17 Bart tells dad anecdote 38:36 Where can people go to find out more 39:10 Thank yous

!!A special episode for Asian Heritage Month!! In this episode, Bart speaks with Rebecca Pang about the unique stereotypes and challenges Asian professionals face and how they can overcome them. Rebecca, a Vice President with RBC and co-founder of the Asian Professionals Network at the bank, shares some startling numbers that illustrate how Asian professionals are not well-represented in leadership across sectors in North America. She then shares her own journey and reflects on why this may be, and then explains what she has done to advance herself in the face of these challenges. Rebecca outlines her advice to anyone looking to grow and advance themselves and gain the advancement they are seeking. Rebecca's story is an inspiring one and well worth listening to not only for Asian professionals but for anyone who wants to serve as a better Ally. | Learn more with these statistics and resources: | Ascend Foundation - Hidden in Plain Sight (2018) - "Glass Ceiling for Asian Americans Is 3.7x Times Harder to Crack" - Report: https://www.ascendleadership.org/pressrelease/glass-ceiling-for-asian-americans-is-37x-times-harder-to-crack | Ascend Foundation - Asian Representation on Fortune 1000 Boards (2020) - "Asians represent 13% of the professional workforce but only 6% of executives and 4% of Fortune 1000 board seats." Report:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/621f898a98dc785cd663ab7b/t/6411f2ee4666315d84f17833/1678897904702/asian-representation-fortune-1000-boards-2022-edition.pdf | CPAC Institute - Underrepresentation of Chinese Canadian Leadership in GTA (2021): Report PDF - "Chinese Canadians are 11.1% of the GTA population, yet hold only 2.17% of Tier 1 leadership positions." - Report: https://cpac-canada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CI-Report-2021.pdf | Harvard Business Review - Article (2018) - "Goldman Sachs reported 27% of its professional workforce was Asian American, but only 11% were in senior management." - Article: https://hbr.org/2018/05/asian-americans-are-the-least-likely-group-in-the-u-s-to-be-promoted-to-management | 0:30 Show intro 1:05 Introducing Rebecca and all her accreditations 2:26 Co-founding the Asian Professional Group 3:10 Rebecca talks about her sales team 4:00 Introvert, who grew up in Hong Kong 4:21 Heavy on the numbers and math 4:49 Feedback about her communication 5:06 What does it mean to "work on your communication" 5:41 Why start the Asian Professional Group 6:07 Bart lists of stats about Asian representation in US 7:52 Exam oriented 8:15 Bart talks about how he's totally opposite re: exams 9:18 Story about wanting a "hockey certificate" 9:46 Bart jokes about leafs 10:13 Back to conversation 10:20 Non-book stuff very important for new Asians in NA 10:45 Mid career -- other aspects become more important 11:45 Common career advancement blocks for Asian Canadians 12:02 Speaking up 12:18 Too polite 12:40 Learning to debate respectfully 13:11 Feeling comfortable taking the lead 13:28 Bragging....need to do it once in a while 15:02 Bart talks about intersectional women+Asian and some stats 15:55 How Rebecca learned to improve communication 16:23 Leaders should be more specific 17:31 Learning from good speakers 17:52 Practice makes perfect 18:07 Do recordings and listen back 18:24 Bart mentions the AI tool 20:00 Bart gives kudos 20:39 We can all unlock leadership potential 21:06 Coming back to Asian pro network 22:15 What is the scope of the network? 23:03 What advice to others would she give? 23:47 Start with an authentic presence 24:30 Every Interaction is also an energy exchange 24:49 Bart talks about authentic presence 26:40 Embrace the power of networking! 26:53 Pushing past natural introversion 27:45 Celebrate each other's success 28:10 Why not me? Being a leader 29:15 What have you learned from starting the APN? 29:50 Finding your North Star 30:22 Finding the Canadian Dream 30:49 Have you achieved your Canadian dream? 32:07 Thank yous 32:45 Outro

In this episode, Bart speaks with Pablo Fernandez de Bobadilla about his two-decade career at Pfizer and how the ability to adapt and thrive has been crucial to his success. Pablo provides his perspective on how today's rapidly changing world and business landscape has put pressure on leaders to change, learn and grow more quickly than ever before. He then talks about the concept of Adaptagility, which involves embracing the discomfort inherent in growth and leaning into change instead of having it happen to you! Pablo brings his points to life with stories from his own work to overcome imposter syndrome and willingness to take on new challenges in Pfizer's global operations. A compelling conversation for anyone who wants to thrive in today's changing world of work and growth. 00:26 Standard intro 01:00 Welcoming Pablo 02:57 What is adaptability? 03:54 Adapt 04:00 Agility 04:04 Grit 04:14 Growth mindset 04:47 What was that research? 05:13 Difficult to explain what we do and how we do things 05:26 Incentive compensation 05:54 Flexibility curve 06:49 Pablo's role at Pfizer 07:38 Design comp plans for customer-facing staff 10:41 Research 11:26 Tailor comp to different types of people 12:05 Embracing different cultural experiences 13:29 Moving around a lot was a blessing 14:47 What things are you seeing globally in talent 15:17 Speed of business and change 15:47 40% of companies don't think they'll be viable in 10 years 16:27 Market pressure trickles down to employees 16:45 AI 18:23 Great communication skills are a must 19:17 Bart quotes Wired magazine 20:21 Don't fight the change, embrace the discomfort 20:43 Story of his imposter syndrome 20:55 Dyslexia 21:42 Insecurities at work 22:37 Always raised the bar 22:45 Nothing was ever good enough 24:07 His coach pointed out his imposter syndrome 24:21 You know you're not alone, right? 24:55 The positives that came from his imposter syndrome 25:17 Raise the bar continuously 26:36 Bart thanks for sharing personal story 27:06 How do you fight the imposter syndrome 28:57 Bart asks about embracing discomfort 29:21 Learned that you learn from discomfort 30:42 Bart asks Paolo to give advice 31:30 15 years at same job? You might become stagnant 32:29 For younger professionals: be patient 32:40 Get involved in as many projects as you can 33:40 Bart starts the wrap up 34:50 As you look ahead 37:08 Thank yous

In this kickoff episode of Season 6 Bart is joined by Melanie Burns, Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer of TD Bank, to discuss the vast array of changes in the last five years in the world of talent, and the foundational principles that leaders can still build their relationships on. Melanie explains how COVID, remote work, the Great Resignation, return to office, and now AI are all transforming the relationship between companies and their staff. She offers perspective on the positive implications of these changes and what they mean for leaders who must cultivate talent. Melanie offers a positive message for leaders: despite these shifts, the good news is that the fundamentals of attracting, engaging and managing talent are the same as they ever were. Melanie's insights and experiences make this a must-listen for any leader who is grappling with the age-old task of cultivating talent in a world that is rapidly changing. Show Notes: 2:16 Introducing Melanie Burns 2:38 Bart asks about the rapidly changing environment 3:52 What do the different parts of the bank think about our times 4:11 Hybrid work 4:34 Politics at play 5:03 Customers in turmoil too 5:33 Unstable nature of politics like DEI 6:02 What's led you to this point? 6:56 Upbringing 7:41 Picked business 8:30 Opening doors 8:38 Continually asking questions 9:06 How did you get into the world of "talent" 10:30 Unprecedented changes in the last 5 years 10:58 Switch to remote/hybrid workers 11:16 Trust and remote work 11:29 The great resignation 11:41 Did TD lose people in the Great Resignation? 12:57 Great resignation didn't really happen - don't get duped by the hype 13:49 Inverted relationship between leader and direct report 14:36 We are in the trust business 15:13 The power of in-person human connection 15:49 What has changed in talent management 16:36 A collection of experiences 17:00 Exceptional talent have options 17:05 How to get talent to consistently choose TD 17:47 Pressure from employee base 18:37 What are the fundamentals that haven't changed? 19:23 Advice to people managing teams 19:38 The fundamentals: People really want 2 things 19:51 The opportunity to do challenging things 20:14 Want to work for someone who is talented 21:20 You didn't mention money! 21:26 Didn't mention culture 22:42 Truly talented people do not get hung up on titles and compensation 23:21 People don't know the culture that they want... 24:48 Left TD reference 25:52 Philosophy of cultivating talent 26:14 Bart proposes thought experiment 26:47 Leader's job is to manage the tension between present and future 28:06 Signs to look out for in talent management 28:24 Never take things for granted 28:55 Have regular check-ins with people 29:45 Give clarity - not certainty about the future 31:21 Be honest with reports about where they are 31:44 Another mention of leaving 33:19 What's the biggest mistake you've made in talent management 33:45 The importance of succession planning 37:48 Bart summarizes the conversation 38:33 Be authentic 40:05 Thank yous

Check out our last rewind before we launch season 6 of The Inspire Podcast next week! This episode is from season 5, and explores the heart of human connection in a digital age. Despite the promise of a digital future, staff and leaders are increasingly seeking human connection. In this conversation, author David Sax discusses why analog has proven so durable in a world filled with the promises of a digital transformation. He explains why being in person is something that calls to us, what leaders should do to maximize connection in a hybrid world, and lessons for those still feeling too stuck on screens (or listening to podcasts on headphones!)

We're diving back into another favorite episode from #TheInspirePodcast archives. In season 4, Bart spoke with Susan Black of The Conference Board of Canada about the challenges facing today's leaders. Drawing on the CBOC's deep research capabilities, Susan shares insights into the major pressures facing leaders across all sectors – from talent management, to a return to premises, to DEI and the future of work. She provides suggestions on how leaders can navigate and inspire through these challenges with practical examples. It's a must-listen for leaders who want to engage and inspire in an ever-changing work environment.

We're getting closer to season 6 of The Inspire podcast! While the countdown continues, we're bringing you standout episodes from our archives. Stay tuned for more as we continue to countdown to the new season! In this episode Bart speaks with Casper Wong about his journey to create the United Nation of Cyclists, a race team whose mission it is to promote diversity and inclusion. Casper, whose day job is CEO and Co-Founder of Financeit, came to cycling late in life but quickly caught a passion for the sport. In his interview with Bart, he shared his personal experience of loving the sport but feeling like its homogeneity made it hard to feel included and at home. He connected with others who felt the same, and the result was their organic creation of a race team that today is taking an active role in promoting equity in the sport while giving back. Casper's experience and UNC's rapid growth highlights the underlying demand for change in cycling and shows that this sport does not need a one size fits all approach.

In this episode of the Inspire Podcast, Bart Egnal speaks with Richard Rooney. Richard is the President and Chief Investment Officer at Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Listen in to learn how Burgundy has been able to create a culture of responsibility with authority for its employees.

In a data-driven economy, it can sometimes be tough to cut through the statistics and generate genuine connections with our audiences. In this episode, we hear from Margo Gouley on how you can create better audience engagement by integrating Storytelling into your everyday interactions. With real world examples and concrete tips, this episode is a must listen for anyone seeking to have a lasting impact during their next communication opportunity.

In this episode Bart welcomes Paul Butcher, who recently retired as head of investor relations for Canadian National, where he twice won IR executive of the year. Paul, who has just joined The Humphrey Group to launch an investor relations practice, speaks with Bart about the world of IR communications and what companies really do day in and day out to define and communicate their story to analysts and investors. Paul explains why C-suite executives have two jobs: running the company and participating in IR, why the best companies (like CN) invest huge time and effort to craft and communicate a compelling narrative, and what it takes to get ready for the many questions you face. Paul peppers his comments with anecdotes about the "glamour" of IR travel, the sheer commitment required to get this communication right, and how doing so can unlock shareholder value. Learn more about Paul and Investor Relations at The Humphrey Group here: https://www.thehumphreygroup.com/investor-relations 0:51 Introducing Paul 1:43 Awards 2:30 Inside investor relations 3:25 What is shareholder value and what does that mean? 3:50 You don't always have control over everything that affects stock price 4:45 Be proactive with communications 5:55 How is investor relations tied with business performance 6:42 Good or bad IR can affect stock price 8:17 Buy-in from leadership 10:38 What executives do in IR 10:56 25% of an executive's time is spent on IR 11:28 Preparing is key for execs 13:00 Know your audience 16:51 Preparation - How do you go about preparing? 19:57 Create a storyboard 23:17 The story you tell in IR 24:50 What qualities make for an exceptional IR executive 26:35 Investor Day 30:46 Rapid-fire questions 30:56 What won't you miss about IR 31:30 Avg flight segments a year? 31:54 Toughest thing that people wouldn't know about IR 32:34 What you miss about IR 33:33 Thanking Paul

In this episode of the pod Bart welcomes back best selling author and human performance expert Greg Wells to talk about his new book, Powerhouse. Drawing on leading research, Greg explains how your ability to perform in the boardroom and in life is based on healing and boosting the mitochondria that power your body. He explains simple ways to do this using breath, focus and movement so you can thrive. In a world where the demands on leaders have never been greater, Greg's practical and straightforward advice is invaluable for those who want to perform over the long haul. Learn more at: www.drgregwells.com 0:24 Welcoming Greg Wells 1:03 Published 5th book 2:27 Why this book? 3:38 Why is burnout happening? 4:40 Mitochondria and their role 5:28 Why do some people have more energy? 6:32 How we build endurance 7:20 How does stress lead to burnout 8:03 Modern work does not allow fight or flight 8:36 Stress damages the body 9:08 Spiral of burnout 9:42 How to create more energy in your body 10:34 Bart talks about examples of people dealing with stress in leadership 12:44 Breathing 14:14 Long slow exhale 16:18 Box breathing 18:07 Movement 19:59 Walking 20:32 Rhythmic and repetitive exercise is good for creativity 20:42 Why people are shifting from golf 21:55 Notifications problem 22:23 Bart talks about Apple Watch 23:24 The contradictions of new technology 23:53 Compulsive use of tech is damaging to mental health 24:30 Train yourself to use tech wisely 25:59 Energize! 26:17 A little is good - a lot is not 27:07 Adding in micro-stressors for health 29:13 Challenge turns on energy 30:40 Simple things to do to energize 34:58 Just Thrive! 35:44 Community is so important 36:15 Pull together your dream teams 37:36 Podcasting and audiobooks are so much better than doom-scrolling 38:22 Strong communities extend the lifespan 41:19 How to find out more... 42:06 Thank yous 42:21 Outro

Bart welcomes Shamin Mohamed Jr, founder of LetsStopAIDS and co-founder of Deciem to the podcast. Drawing on his unique journey Shamin shares perspectives on how to be inspired in your own career and life, and how to avoid being bound by stereotypes of career success that hem in so many of us. He also explains how important communication has been in his advocacy work and provides some tips to improve your ability to inspire. Learn more about LetsStopAIDS here: www.LetsStopAIDS.org 00:53 - Introducing Shamin 01:37 - Activism at 15 02:35 - Starting LetsStopAids 04:43 - Bart talks about how unique Shamin's career path is 05:14 - What does "inspiration" mean to Shaman 07:07 - LetsStopAIDS organization 08:39 - What keeps you inspired? 10:18 - Advice on keeping up inspirational tank 11:09 - Who has inspired you to keep going? 13:27 - Deciem journey 14:29 - Corruption in the beauty industry 15:33 - Brandon 16:42 - Thinking disruptively 19:42 - Advice about clarity of purpose 21:07 - Leaders who inspire you? 22:18 - More about Brandon 22:43 - Care and openness - and integrity 23:57 - Leaders in global advocacy 25:39 - Asking for advice  27:02 - Storytelling 29:39 - Telling stories is a full-bodied experience 30:34 - Thank yous 30:45 - Outro

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart welcomes Anya Wood, The Humphrey Group's Vice President of Product. Drawing on their combined decades of experience in the leadership training business they explore the evolving demands and priorities of leaders and how those imperatives are redefining the key skills required today. Anya then shares insights into how leaders can respond to these demands while looking at how AI is providing some compelling tools to help them meet the challenge. A great listen for anyone wondering how to rise to this leadership moment with confidence and energy. 0:17 Welcoming Anya 1:00 Learning and development has had seismic shifts 3:46 Her background 4:35 Is it better for learners now? 5:10 Bart talks about the level of knowledge about training options 5:51 Customize and personalize learning 5:58 Boom and result 7:09 Nature of work is becoming more human 8:06 Institution and hierarchical nature of work in the past 9:25 The demands on leaders 9:49 Opportunity of diversity and inclusions 10:28 Communication demands on leaders 12:05 Style changes in communication 13:22 How direct managers change? 14:20 The burden of communication 15:10 Personalized communications 15:33 RTO example from Bart 16:22 Trends in feedback 16:58 People desire regular feedback 18:18 How AI will shape communication... 19:24 Is AI changing how leaders communicate 20:27 The ability for AI to provide immediate feedback 21:24 What advice is Humphrey Group giving to leaders? 22:02 Being an authentic leader... 23:55 EQ matters 24:04 POP 24:46 Bart talks about an example 27:24 Giving feedback 29:08 How to receive feedback from employees? 30:10 Listen and not be reactive 31:32 Bart reinforces professional context 33:47 How can leaders begin to use AI tools? 33:54 PowerPoint rehearse 37:13 Bart summarizes points 37:56 Thank-yous 38:13 Outro

In this episode, Bart welcomes Mike McDonald, Founder of the charity Recess Guardians and CEO of Activ8, a new play-based educational company helping kids and adults move and learn. Mike shares his experiences creating a school-based leadership charity that empowers youth to lead and teach younger kids, He explains why kids embrace leadership opportunities, different styles of leadership, how to use play to create engagement, and how what he learned inspired him to launch Activ8. A great conversation about kids but perfect for the young-at-heart leader. Learn more about Recess Guardians here: www.recessguardians.org And Activ8 here: www.unboxactiv8.com 00:00 Show intro 01:00 Introducing Mike 01:20 Bart's disclosure 02:49 Recess Guardians 05:36 Are kids losing the ability to play? 06:34 Foundation of Recess Guardians 07:39 How does Recess Guardians actually work in the field? 09:20 How many kids impacted? 09:53 Problems in schools 10:24 Kids are bad sports 11:30 Sedentary behaviour on the playground 12:13 Common benefits of recess guardians 13:32 Mistakes aren't bad - they help you grow 15:29 Activ8 - where did the idea come from? 18:55 Why go from charity to for-profit? 20:47 What is the Activ8 experience like? 22:16 Difference between reaching adults vs kids? 22:53 Partnership with D2L 24:06 Building leadership skills in adults?? 24:35 Different leadership styles 25:05 Spokesperson 25:22 Demonstrator 25:49 The Organizer 26:17 The Role Model 27:15 Transferring these styles to adults 27:22 Don't silo people into one style 28:58 Experiment with different styles of leadership 31:30 Recess time at the office? 33:15 Bart's takeaways 34:52 Where to find out more? 35:16 Thank yous 35:30 Outro

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart speaks with Joe Manget, Walid Hejazi and Dany Assaf about their new book, Everybody's Business. The three authors, an accomplished business leader, a business school professor and renowned Competition lawyer and author of the bestseller Say Please and Thank You & Stand in Line, share how their research shows Canadian businesses are falling behind and why bold leadership is necessary to reverse the decline. They explain how leaders in all fields must embrace the power of technology, pursue competition on an international stage, recognize built-in monopolistic advantages may not last as long as they think, and above all take risks to energize their careers and companies. The conversation, hosted at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, is an important listen for anyone who wants to build a great career -- or a great company. Get your copy of their book, Everybody's Business here: https://www.everybodysbusinesscanada.ca/ Learn more about the authors and their book in the following articles: https://www.thestar.com/business/canada-s-prosperity-is-in-decline-how-embracing-the-new-wave-tech-revolution-can-reverse/article_b1644ea1-bdd3-5eb3-80e5-24f409d3ddbf.html https://financialpost.com/news/economy/four-pillars-to-build-canada-prosperity https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-canada-next-generation-lower-living-standards/ 0:12 Show Intro 0:48 Introducing the guests 1:39 What the book is about 1:47 Massive decline in Canada 2:24 How did the collaboration come about? 3:42 What did you learn from your research 3:59 Canada's productivity challenge 4:14 Widespread complacency HEADLINER? 4:39 Went from 3rd prosperous to 15th 5:18 How we can move the needle 6:43 Technology 7:25 Every generation has to find a way to make tech improve our lives 8:03 Do Canadian leaders adopt this mindset? 8:36 Protectionism 10:01 Dichotomy between legacy protections and innovation 10:45 Average leading Canadian company 124 years 11:41 What are the incentives to innovate? 12:18 RIM example 14:17 Sustaining and disruptive technologies 14:47 KODAK example 15:28 Blockbuster 16:28 Canadian examples 17:07 Open banking 19:17 What if a country is a platform? 19:57 Starlink at the cottage 20:41 Example of Armenian car sales 21:37 Your moat is not as secure as you think 22:09 Don't think of Tech as a threat 24:14 Aerospace industry 25:38 What's going on in the healthcare industry? 26:12 Cable company - video on demand example 28:29 AI for radiology 30:25 Barriers to Canadian innovation 31:46 Advice on pushing through barriers in Canada? 32:09 Hard to find leadership talent in Canada 33:07 What do successful leaders do? 33:20 Vision of the leader 37:15 You can be your own leader 37:55 The opportunity gaps exist 39:01 Atomized mindset 39:27 Creative destruction lab 40:59 20 Billion in capital raised 41:18 Bart summarizes 42:33 Don't accept the status quo 43:07 A Lot can change in 50 years 44:12 Lots of uncertainty -- and opportunity 45:08 Thank yous 45:31 Outro

The "Great Resignation" has led to unprecedented worker mobility. But whether you are thinking of changing roles, leaving your company, or have already started a new role, there are some important things to know and prepare for if you want to thrive. In this episode Bart speaks with Brenda Harrington of Adaptive Leadership, who shares how she coaches executives in anticipation of new moves, and what she helps them do when they take on new positions. Brenda explains how to be realistic about the next step, how to adopt a new mindset, and to develop your authentic power center. Brenda shares stories and examples from her practice that show how to implement this advice in your own career. Learn more about Brenda and Adaptive Leadership Strategies at their website: adaptiveleadershipstrategies.com And get a copy of Brenda's book, Access Denied at: https://access-denied.net/  00:39 Show intro 01:14 Welcoming Brenda 01:57 Brenda's career story 04:29 Early years of starting her company 05:58 Coaching has arrived on the cultural landscape 06:19 Her book 06:38 How did helping people in new roles become the focus? 07:05 Not personally intimidated by change 07:26 Shifting mindset 08:08 People's willingness to change 08:55 Put your toe in the water 10:49 Helping people in new roles - Advice 11:34 Be realistic 12:32 The myth of leadership 13:28 Defining success 13:59 Assessing the new reality of the role 14:45 What to learn in the first 90 days on the job 15:10 Due diligence 15:19 Understanding the power structure in the new role 16:27 Example of hidden culture 18:22 Backchannels 19:24 Adopting the right mindset 20:50 Asking the right kind of questions 24:47 Let go of 'doing' 25:51 Developing a different value system 28:05 The costs of being a leader 28:33 Developing your authentic power center 29:09 How to find authenticity 30:11 Reflecting your style 31:55 Bart talks about the trend towards more authenticity in leadership 33:03 Encourage diversity of thought 33:58 Bart summarizes the discussion 34:48 Social contract 37:38 Thank yous

In this episode of the Inspire Podcast Bart welcomes Humphrey Group Consultant Ash Kay to talk about executive presence. Ash draws on her background as a reporter and broadcast news producer to explain what presence is and how to project it authentically. She explains that the foundation of connection is to be unselfish, how the best connectors are like detectives, and that there's no substitute for the painful work of seeing yourself in action. Ash's concrete and practical tips on presence are invaluable whether you are live or virtual. 00:59 Introducing Ash Kay 02:03 What is leadership presence? 02:48 Executive presence vs leadership presence 04:20 Authentic presence and leadership presence 06:40 Presence is a dimmer switch 08:15 How to build authentic presence 08:28 Great communicators are unselfish 09:20 Crime reporting story 11:38 Flip the script 13:45 Presence begins with the audience 14:17 Be a presence detective 15:19 People who seem really present have probably worked on it 19:02 How to make these changes feel authentic 22:27 You have to see yourself in action 25:01 Video in broadcast journalism 25:49 Unfiltered feedback 28:27 Bart summarizes points 30:37 How to start on the journey of presence 32:00 How to find out more... 33:11 Thank yous 33:27 Outro

All our working relationships tend to focus on WHAT we want to do together -- what deals to close, what processes to improve, what products to build -- yet we invest comparatively little time in HOW to do that work together. In his new book the incomparable Michael Bungay Stanier argues we're doing it all wrong, and should instead focus on the foundations of working relationships. In a far ranging discussion with Bart, Michael explains that every relationship may not be perfect, but they are always worth pushing for the best possible version that you can have. Using a "keystone conversation" concept Michael explains how to begin the discussion so you can have safe, vital and repairable relationships. Pre-order Michael's latest book, How to Work with (Almost) Anyone here: https://www.mbs.works/how-to-work-with-almost-anyone/ 00:21 Show Introduction 00:58 Introducing Michael 01:12 1.2Million in sales of The Coaching Habit 01:29 What is it like to sell a million+ copies of a book? 02:33 Introducing the new book 02:57 What led you to write this new book? 03:04 Work gets done through people 03:50 Social contracting 04:56 Asking the question: What will help us work well together? 05:18 Why don't people have these conversations? 05:40 The urgency of work 06:22 Not many role models to look to 07:25 Bart talks about why he thinks people don't do these conversations 08:46 Who do you have these conversations with? 09:32 Start with key relationships 12:25 Don't be stupid and open up too much at the wrong times 12:36 Good giving and bad giving 13:05 Calibrate the conversations based on the context 13:55 The bad relationships 15:07 Idealism v pragmatism 15:38 Working through how to do it - example of new job 16:29 The Keystone conversation 16:50 5 Questions that help 17:06 The amplify question 17:25 What are your practices and preferences 19:34 The bad date and good date questions 21:41 How do we repair this when it goes wrong? 22:59 How do you think this podcast is going? 25:12 What needs to be said, that hasn't already been said? 28:13 Parting ways gracefully 29:04 How to adapt these conversations to larger organizations 30:22 Is it worth having this conversation? 30:44 Passive resistance is the hardest thing to manage 32:10 What needs to be true for this to be real? 38:00 How to use these techniques upwards with your manager 40:09 GenZ retention issues 40:53 Thank yous 41:11 How to find out more about this

In this episode, Bart is joined by Dr. Nate Regier to speak about his new book, Compassionate Accountability. Nate explains that kindness and high performance are not mutually exclusive but actually deeply interwoven. He explains how to embrace the yes and mindset of compassionate accountability, and how to practice it day in and day out as an individual leader. He also explains how companies can institutionalize the concept to improve their culture. Whether you're asking employees to return to the office, giving difficult performance feedback, or even making decisions about who should be in what role, Nate's framework and new book will prove invaluable for inspirational leadership today. Get Nate's book today at https://www.next-element.com/resources/books/compassionate-accountability-book/ And learn more about Nate and Next Element here: https://www.next-element.com/ 00:28 Show intro 01:02 Welcoming Nate 01:56 Background to writing this book on compassion 02:23 Raised as a Mennonite 03:35 Story about first act of violence 04:48 The Narcissist 05:15 Corporate world journey 07:16 Founding Next Element 08:46 Journey of Compassion 08:57 Define compassion and accountability according to Nate 09:19 Compassion: Struggling with other people 10:18 Compassion is learnable and teachable 10:24 We are valuable - capable - responsible 11:30 Define accountability and responsibility 13:01 Self-compassion 13:18 business compassion 13:38 inclusion compassion 13:57 Pandemic effect on compassion 14:04 The pendulum of compassion 15:27 Pandemic divisions 15:51 Cancel culture 17:05 Compassion without accountability 17:43 Accountability without compassion 17:57 Command and control not working with younger employees 18:15 Examples of each 20:13 Accountability and Compassion are not at odds 21:44 Mindset matters 21:59 What is the compassion mindset? 22:19 What holds people back? 22:32 How people see themselves and others 23:02 Mindset is attitude and is a choice 25:10 Thought experiment about RTO 29:07 Three great places to start 29:38 1 Get over yourself and start being vulnerable 29:51 Burnout 30:28 2 Ask for help 31:11 3 Don't compromise on priorities 33:44 How to implement these on an organizational level 34:22 What's missing from a lot of leadership books 34:56 How to set behavior norms in an org 35:54 Performance management and reviews 37:36 Example of nurse manager 40:37 How to find out more about this 41:33 Thank yous 42:02 Outro

In this episode Bart speaks with James Caan about what he looks for in entrepreneurs he wants to back and invest in. James has had an incredible career, creating and selling multiple companies in the human capital space including Alexander Mann and Humana Capital, as well as serving the British government in multiple capacities including Chairman of the Startup Loans initiative, which invested in entrepreneurs who wanted to start their own businesses. James joins Bart to talk about his new venture, Recruitment Entrepreneur and the qualities he looks for that are predictors of success in leaders, and his advice to those looking to develop their potential to attract, inspire and motivate people in the service of driving business growth. Visit Recruitment Entrepreneur's website to learn more: https://ca.recruitmententrepreneur.com/ and check them out on Linked In here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/85333304 00:29 Show into 01:14 Introducing James 02:46 Early career 05:55 Worldwide recruitment business 07:50 Passion for helping entrepreneurs 08:15 Approached by Dragon's Den 09:40 Writing the book 11:01 Helping government support entrepreneurs 13:49 Commander of the British Empire 15:31 Recruitment Entrepreneur Business 17:11 What gets in the way of building a successful business 17:27 Undercapitalization 17:44 Good billers - but not good business builders 20:39 Attracting talent and building teams 21:18 3 qualities needed to attract talent 21:56 Building to scale 22:16 Articulate your vision 22:57 People want to develop 23:37 Who exemplifies this charismatic leader? 25:39 How to build high-performing teams 26:06 Lead by example 26:59 Develop both technical and strategic sides 30:07 Moving from individual to leader... 31:21 Why do you want to make the change? 32:37 Are you aware of what's involved? 33:16 How do you know you've gone high enough? 34:28 Bart summarizes some points 35:43 Shared learning is very effective 37:59 Where people can find more? 38:46 Thank yous 39:07 Outro

In this episode, Bart interviews Judith Humphrey, Founder of The Humphrey Group, about her new book, The Job Seeker's Script. In the interview Judith discusses how candidates can successfully advocate for themselves, whether they want to move up in their present company or move to a new firm. Her book shows job seekers how to tell their story, by first setting their goals, and then using her book's template to script themselves throughout their journey – from the initial elevator pitch to their final interview. Using this model, job candidates will impress others and win their coveted job. Learn more about Judith at her website: www.JudithHumphrey.com Get your copy of her latest book, The Job Seeker, below! Amazon: https://a.co/d/4f4EdB0 Indigo Canada: https://lnkd.in/dfCeHgtd 01:06 Welcoming Judith 02:14 The new book 02:48 Why write this book? 05:42 Fluid labour market 06:49 Deciding on your storyline 07:20 Am I prepared to invest in myself? 08:07 What are my skills and interests? 09:22 Do I want a new direction? 10:14 What culture do you want to work in? 10:41 Stats on the importance of culture 11:36 Return to office? 12:10 Size of organization 13:45 Will I be able to succeed there? 15:26 Pitching inside your own company 16:23 Companies WANT to retain talent 16:47 Concerns of leaders 18:13 Build your network 18:48 Selling yourself internally 19:00 Networking with your boss 20:37 Talk to potential sponsors 21:26 How to ask someone to go to bat for you 22:13 Be intentional 22:32 Sometimes people are reluctant to network 24:40 How to script yourself 25:34 H.I.R.E 26:32 HOOK 26:54 INSPIRE 27:05 REINFORCE 27:26 ENGAGE 27:57 Scripting 30:13 Avg. # of interviews to land a job 30:29 Research the interviewers 31:04 Common questions to be ready for 34:02 Bart summarizes 35:37 Rehearse! 36:04 Where can you buy the book? 36:49 Thank yous

What exactly is work today, and how should leaders manage and engage their teams in this unsettled new reality? In this episode of the Inspire Podcast Bart speaks with Wayne Berger, CEO of the Americas at IWG, the world's largest provider of flexible workspaces about these questions. Drawing on IWG's research, Wayne explains what the future of work looks like, why it's not the office but rather the commute workers want to avoid at all costs, and why being in the office can be a great thing if done right (hint: it's not about being on zoom). Then he shares guidance for leaders who must reach, engage and motivate teams that are increasingly bound more by mission and culture than proximity. He wraps up with some longer-term thoughts on how these trends can not only lead to better workplaces but healthier cities. 00:25 - Show intro 01:02 - Introducing Wayne and IWG 01:51 - Where they are recording 01:54 - We are neighbors 02:03 - Contrast in approach from Alan Richardson's interview 02:18 - What is IWG? 02:34 - World's largest provider of coworking spaces 03:38 - Record revenues 03:42 - 34 years in operation - 3.4 Billion 03:50 - Stats on remote work 04:12 - One long construction project 04:22 - Huge demand for their workspaces 04:57 - Different kinds of companies that use shared spaces 05:22 - What does the future of work look like - trends in the industry 05:47 - Big trends in the industry 06:38 - 82% of Fortune 500 clients use shared office space 07:03 - Looking to rationalize their real estate portfolio 07:37 - 90% of North American Workers demand flexibility 07:51 - Working from home is isolating 08:19 - Model the purpose of the day with the location 08:54 - What is real flexibility? 10:24 - Vacancy rates have gone up 10:38 - Leases and vacancies 11:30 - Fortune 500 companies using flexible workspaces 12:38 - Push/pull in the news headlines 13:20 - Fundamental shift in the workforce 13:26 - Coming soon - 75% of the workforce will be millennials and Gen Z 14:18 - All of my direct reports reside somewhere else 15:09 - Non-purposeful gatherings will diminish 15:28 - Bill Gates quote 15:58 - Bart summarizes trends 17:31 - Profitability is a huge cost 18:15 - Local hiring pool to global hiring pool 18:26 - Getting rid of the commute 18:44 - Environmental implications 19:16 - C-level position of: worker mobility! 19:44 - 15-min city concept 20:43 - Advice for leaders 21:34 - Invest in training on people managers to handle flexible workers 24:24 - What should people managers be able to do well? 24:41 - Align and communicate vision 25:49 - Support team members when you're not together? 26:25 - Find good gathering technology. For example, Microsoft Teams 29:28 - Replicate in-person with digital tools 35:51 - How to connect/find more 36:42 - Outro

In this episode, Bart speaks with psychologist, podcaster and renowned speaker Dr. Sherry Walling about the emotional challenges facing entrepreneurs and leaders today. In her practice, Sherry helps clients navigate transition, rapid growth, loss and other complex human experiences. She draws on this work to share with Bart why leaders are facing the highest levels of burnout, stress and anxiety in 30 years, and what to do about it. Sherry explores techniques like self-soothing, practicing gratitude and building strong, connected relationships to weather the storm and emerge energized and feeling more capable and confident. An important listen for anyone grappling with the mental health challenges that are increasingly the price to pay for leadership. Visit Sherry's websites to learn more: https://zenfounder.com/ https://www.touchingtwoworlds.com/ https://www.sherrywalling.com/ Listen to the ZenFounder Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/zenfounder/id965682541 Get your copy of Sherry's books here: Touching Two Worlds: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1683649672/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1683649672&linkCode=as2&tag=zenfounder-20&linkId=f0e88c2accd28bb544ca8d7c199fee24 The Entrepreneur's Guide to Keeping Your Sh*t Together: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0999651803?ref_=cm_sw_r_apan_dp_MW6JWMYREW84D2BSBF5N 00:50 - Introducing and welcoming Sherry 02:22 - Why Bart asked Sherry on to the show 03:22 - Sherry talks about her background 05:11 - Entrepreneurs and PTSD symptoms 06:56 - Making the switch to working with Entrepreneurs from Soldiers 07:09 - Aaron Shwartz 08:48 - Overview of challenges facing leaders today 09:14 - Pace of change 10:27 - Google example of insecurity 10:51 - How does this change affect leaders? 11:14 - Not being able to stop thoughts 11:48 - Incomplete information 12:34 - Burnout and Stress 13:11 - What burnout consists of 14:08 - Data on suicide rates over the last 30 years 16:04 - Strategies to help in times of changes 16:25 - Internal capacity to feel calm is important 16:51 - Learning to settle down 17:29 - How do people calm themselves? 18:08 - Help for the doom scrollers 21:20 - Learning Gratitude 22:14 - Naturally hyper-attuned to the negative 24:43 - Her new book about grief 26:22 - Strong, connected relationships 29:46 - Optimism about entrepreneurs and their relationships 31:11 - Summing it up... 31:52 - Glitch 31:53 - Where can people go for more information? 32:30 - Circus movement! 33:03 - Thank yous 33:40 - Outro

In this episode of the podcast, Bart welcomes William Kilmer, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and author of a new book, Transformative. William's book looks at how great companies do more than produce great products and instead transform markets they can enter and win in. Yet William explains that in his experience, leaders spend too little time on their culture, to their detriment. He explains how to retool your organization by auditing your culture, setting up a challenge culture, and then implementing a continued decision review process. A great listen for anyone who has been focused on what it takes to win in the market — and who may need a reminder to look inward at the same time. Visit William's website to learn more: https://www.williamkilmer.com/ 00:15 Show Intro 00:53 Introducing William 01:31 Book: Transformative - what it tackles 02:21 3 key challenges facing businesses 04:19 What defines great leadership culture? 05:13 Intentionality 05:57 Steve Jobs 06:14 Satya Nadella 06:42 Advice on creating good culture 07:22 Knowing who your customer is 09:12 iPod example 09:32 Netflix 10:48 Culture and values 12:29 Unique values help companies perform better 13:15 Netflix culture set by Reid Hastings 13:38 Netflix culture deck 14:56 Advantages of a good culture 16:15 Why don't CEOs put more into culture? 16:52 Most leaders have not been well-trained on culture 17:11 Auditing your culture 18:30 Shift in culture goals 20:09 Contest between command and control vs interdependence model 21:40 How do you assess your culture? 24:51 Become a challenge-setting organization 26:24 OODA loop 29:22 How do leaders make the OODA loop happen? 30:09 Overcoming your own tendencies and filtering biases 30:57 Bart sums up 32:51 Where to find out more? 33:17 Thank yous 33:31 Outro

In this conversation, Bart speaks with Alan Richardson, SVP of Talent Strategy & Solutions at RBC, about the bank's approach to bringing workers back to premises. Alan discusses why the bank decided last fall to ask employees to come together in person more, and what they've learned since. He discusses how to think about closing the "communication distance" and not just "physical distance", the essential role of tools and technology, and how managers have the most critical role to play. Alan shares some of the challenges of hybrid work arrangements and how the bank has sought to be empathetic and intentional in this move. Finally, in a new introduction and conclusion, Alan discusses why the bank's CEO Dave McKay recently asked workers to be in person even more... and what the future may hold. This is an invaluable discussion for any leader wrestling with the balance of creating connection in this new era of hybrid work. Read more about RBC's people and culture here: https://www.rbc.com/newsroom/people-culture/index.html 00:29 Intro 01:03 Welcoming Alan 01:18 Follow-up notes on announcement 02:10 Making exceptions more consistent 02:55 THe real value of coming together 03:59 Humility and care of RBC's approach 05:47 What has worked and what challenges 6 months in? 06:54 Structure helps with flexibility 07:22 RBC's 3 days a week 10:34 Misconceptions and trust issues 12:06 What are we really after here with this return to work? 12:25 Challenge of communication distance vs physical distance 13:01 Example of red line / Cuban crisis 13:44 There are tools that can close communication distance 15:31 Keys to closing communication distance 15:49 What in-person does for teams 16:15 Build a foundation for the architecture of problem-solving 16:58 Ability to use the technology is key 19:02 Employees have a strong voice now 21:10 Ensuring the return to work is better than before 21:26 Equitable, inclusive experience 23:38 How are you advising leaders to deal with the return to work? 24:37 Different approach is needed across RBC 25:54 Hold managers accountable to have those conversations 26:58 Guardrails for the return to work conversation 27:21 Depends on the type of role 27:50 Beliefs around inclusion 29:41 Hybrid is more work 31:11 It's really change management 31:59 What are the conversations that need to happen in the next 6 months? 32:30 Are things clear enough? 33:05 Between senior level and managers 33:59 People and their teams 34:34 Bart sums it up 35:42 The benefits of getting it right are real 36:40 Thank yous 38:52 Outro

In this episode of the podcast, Bart speaks with The Humphrey Group's Director of Learning Experience Design about the often-overlooked importance of making your communication accessible. Justyna explains why it's never been more important – and easier – to think about how to reach all audiences. She explains what accessible communication is, why it's overlooked, tools and technology you can use (and already have at your fingertips) and resources to draw on. By the end of this conversation, you'll see why every leader who wants to inspire should think about making their communication accessible. Visit the following links for resources and further reading on accessibility: Haben Girma – Disability justice lawyer, author, speaker, & inclusion activist: https://www.linkedin.com/in/habengirma Sheri Byrne-Haber – Certified accessibility professional with a background in universal design, law, & business: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheribyrnehaber Tiffany A. Yu – Disability advocate and CEO & founder of Diversability: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyayu IAAP – For accessibility-related news and updates as well as job opportunities: https://www.accessibilityassociation.org/ Deque systems – Self-directed learning on digital accessibility: https://www.deque.com/ 00:27 Intro 01:05 Introducing Justyna 02:07 Bart introduces "accessibility" 02:56 How Justyna works on accessibility 03:58 Define accessibility 04:23 Examples of poor accessibility 05:55 Justyna's story 06:18 ADHD and learning disabilities diagnosis 08:25 The importance for leaders to understand accessibility 09:18 Industries seeking out neuro-diverse talent 10:04 Accessibility is not just for disabled people. It makes the product better for everyone 10:56 Providing multiple ways to represent content 12:32 Stats on disabilities 13:41 Things communicators need to know 15:46 Cognitive load 16:24 Increase the likelihood your message will get across 17:47 New tech is helping 18:24 Examples of using smartphone differently from spouse 20:13 3 pieces of advice to leaders 20:57 Don't surprise me! 23:11 Structure is key 23:51 Present multiple ways 25:33 Everyone is the expert on their own experience 26:39 Make sure that mistakes are OK 27:40 Bart sums it up 28:37 Advice on getting started 29:41 Resources 30:39 Thank yous 30:59 Outro

Despite the promise of a digital future, staff and leaders are increasingly seeking human connection. In this conversation author David Sax discusses why analog has proven so durable in a world filled with the promises of a digital transformation. He explains why being in person is something that calls to us, what leaders should do to maximize connection in a hybrid world, and lessons for those still feeling too stuck on screens (or listening to podcasts on headphones!) 00:44 Show Intro 01:22 Welcoming David 02:22 Early childhood experiences with computers 03:49 The last generation that grew up without being always digitally connected 04:28 Covid era digital experiences - not so good 05:49 Book: Revenge of analog 06:57 Writing the new book during the pandemic 07:07 Questions he was getting at the beginning of the pandemic 09:51 Covid was a test drive of a digital future 10:24 Work world - should we go back to the office? 10:56 Unknown future 11:34 Different for everyone and every company 12:27 Difficult to find the new mix of digital vs analog 12:41 Accept that it is really difficult to get the mix right 13:40 No binary solutions to the question of how to work 14:05 Cost of going into the office and the cost of not going into the office 15:40 Embodied cognition 17:28 Burnout, zoom fatigue, dislocation 18:15 Generational differences 21:19 People just want SOME flexibility 22:13 19th century model, not a fit 23:50 Advice to people to navigate around this 25:07 What do you like and dislike about coming into the office? 26:13 Figure out what is working and what isn't 26:48 Do limited experiments 27:16 Gather data 27:59 SImplest way to inject more analog goodness into their life 28:16 Get away from the screen 29:41 Thank yous 30:22 Outro

The Inspire Podcast is back! Season 5 kicks off with a special episode in support of the 2023 International Women's Day, whose theme is to #embraceequity. Bart welcomes three members of The Humphrey Group — Marissa Dyck, Angie Park and Claudia Villaran — for a wide-ranging panel discussion. The group tackles why equity is still far off, and what organizations and individuals can do to close the gap by celebrating achievement, raising awareness of discrimination and taking action to drive gender parity. Tune in for insights and practical guidance on how to inspire a more equitable world. Visit the following links for resources and to learn more about how you can #embraceequity. Women in the Workplace 2022 McKinsey Study: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace UN Women's Website: https://www.unwomen.org/ Institute for Gender and the Economy: https://www.gendereconomy.org/ Canadian Women's Foundation: https://canadianwomen.org/ Women at Work Podcast series: https://hbr.org/2018/01/podcast-women-at-work Engendering Success in Stem: https://successinstem.ca/ 1:16 Show Intro 3:50 Introductions 3:55 Marissa Dyck 4:26 Angie Min Ah Park 5:12 Claudia Villarán 5:40 Why does equity matter? Why is there so far to go? 6:01 The difference between equality and equity 8:16 Women in the Workplace 2022 McKinsey Study 9:25 Why we don't yet have the equity 10:11 Workplace disadvantages i.e. paternal leave 10:46 What can the individual leader do? 11:23 Raise awareness 11:53 Inclusion 12:11 New habits 12:41 Educating ourselves on women's challenges 13:08 Spontaneous decisions 14:27 Starts with women 15:13 International Women's Day and ways to support equity 15:58 Celebrating women's achievements 16:10 Reasons women don't celebrate their achievements as much 17:02 Men's (over) confidence and women's (under) confidence 19:21 How to better celebrate women's achievements 19:33 Internal pressure and perfectionism 22:43 Raising awareness about discrimination 24:24 We don't know what we don't know 24:49 Safe spaces 26:19 Challenging questions around discrimination 27:28 UN Women's website 27:59 Reshaping the mindset and definitions 28:55 The burden of DEI work is often placed on women 32:13 What does The Humphrey Group do? 32:56 What can HR leaders do? 37:07 Other ways for non-HR leaders to help women 37:30 Allyship 41:34 What gives you hope? 43:50 Thank yous 44:30 Outro

If you've ever said, "I don't feel like I have the same joy in my job as I used to..." or, "I always thought I'd love it when I made it to this role, and now I'm not as happy as I thought I'd be" or, "the demands on me in this position are too much." then you need to listen to my conversation with Christine and Rick. Crisis or major life changes can shatter the inner stories that give our life meaning; finding a new inner narrative allows us to become our own authors and reconnect to the meaning we all crave. Drawing on insights from their new book, Once Upon A Leader, Christine and Rick outline what it takes to re-energize yourself personally and professionally. You can buy Christine and Rick's book, Once Upon a Leader here: https://www.verityintl.com/once-upon-a-leader/ 00:03 Teaser 00:23 Intro 00:58 Introducing Christine and Rick 01:57 What led them to write this book 03:27 Why Christine came on board 04:17 Limitations of current executive training 05:58 Not just for executives 06:23 What does the book show you how to do? 06:55 The problem of weak narrative capacity 07:15 Indicators that your narrator is weak 09:34 What is the brain narrator? What does it do? Bart wants to front-load this section in the front 11:05 How do we get a weak narrator 13:26 How to build up your narrator 14:15 How to build a narrative and narrator 14:32 3 phases of building 15:54 Gathering your building blocks 18:18 Healthcare example 20:31 Recrafting the story 22:14 Taking your new narrative out into the world 22:46 Conducting small experiments 26:05 Bart sums it up 28:07 Thank yous 28:48 Outro

In this episode, Bart speaks with serial entrepreneur and business coach Todd Randall about why delegation usually fails and how to be better at this critical skill. Todd begins by sharing why he struggled to delegate in his career and the mistaken assumptions (only you can do it! You'll be fired if others do the work!) that hold us back from delegating effectively. Then he outlines the system he uses to delegate, which starts with building trust, comes with lots of patience, creating an escalation plan and building redundancy. Todd's insights deconstruct the way you can create the next level of leaders. Visit Beach View's website to learn more and find them on Facebook below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeachviewCoaching/ Website: https://www.beachview.biz/ 00:16 Show intro 00:52 Introducing Todd Randall 01:49 Todd talks about his story 03:13 What's my driver? 05:05 Didn't have a "good idea" 05:31 Bought a company 08:43 Delegation is widely underutilized 09:52 Gap in experience level 11:22 Fear of delegating to others 12:30 Advice to people hesitant to delegate 13:00 Risk of not delegating 14:34 Primary job is to give your reports what they need 15:58 Fears 17:55 ROI model 18:37 Bart's examples 20:48 How do you go about delegating 21:34 Trust 25:32 Book - The Speed of Trust 25:51 Small interactions that built trust 26:31 Patience 27:23 Plan for multiple cycles of learning around delegation 29:12 Assume you'll redo the handed-off task at least twice 30:41 When to reach out if you're stuck 34:57 Create redundancies 36:39 Divvy up expertise 40:03 Coaching, not micromanaging 43:29 Bart summarizes the steps 45:41 How to find out more about Beach View 46:33 Outro

In this episode, Bart speaks with Craig Taylor, CEO of Iapetus Holdings, about what it takes to attract and retain employees in this incredibly tight labour market. In sharing his personal leadership journey, Craig talks about how today it's harder than ever to compete for talent and then keep people engaged. His solution: Culture. Define it. Commit to it. Communicate it. Engage the whole organization in the conversation. Craig's insights and tips are invaluable for anyone who wants to forge a deeper connection between people and the organizations they work for. Visit Iapetus Holdings' website here: www.Iapetusllc.com  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/iapetus-holdings  You can also find Craig on social media with the following links: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-taylor-136a953/Instagram: www.instagram.com/Craig_Taylor_OfficialTwitter: www.twitter.com/iapetusholdings 00:01 Teaser 01:04 Introducing Craig 02:14 Pressures on the labour market 05:00 How did Craig start the company? 06:20 Changing corporate culture took him by surprise 08:38 Adapting to a growing organization 09:14 How did they change to accommodate growth 10:27 What does "focusing on culture" look like? 11:48 Diversity - including diversity of mindset 14:40 Rapid fire questions 18:06 Retention 19:19 Are you happy? 19:41 Creating free and open conversation 24:20 Hiring in the current environment 26:45 Build a brand for potential employees 27:36 Return to work... 31:10 The benefits of being in the office 33:24 Getting employees to sign in 37:04 "Breakups suck!" 38:36 Future predictions in the hiring market 40:23 Thank yous 41:01 Outro