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Adi Klevit is the leader and visionary of Business Success Consulting Group. Her 30 years of knowledge and experience as a trained Industrial Engineer, management consultant, and business executive give her a unique understanding of the challenges businesses face. Adi utilizes her practical know-how and wisdom to successfully help organizations and companies of any size dramatically improve their efficiency and performance. By leveraging her ability to understand business processes as well as people and drawing on her high-caliber skills in vital areas of personnel management, finance, and operations, Adi can help virtually any business owner achieve their goals and bring order to their lives. Adi is also the host of the Systems Simplified podcast and author of a new eBook, Stop Carrying Your Business in Your Head, the foundation for a full-length book on process documentation, knowledge transfer, and operational excellence.
Creativity, rest, and mindset are at the center of this conversation with Natalie Nixon, author of The Creativity Leap and Move, Think, Rest.Natalie Nixon has spent two decades as a creativity strategist advising Fortune 500 companies on innovation strategy — work she calls being a "creative whisperer to the C-Suite." She's the founder of Figure 8 Thinking, and her two books make one connected argument: creativity means toggling between wonder and rigor, and rest isn't procrastination — it's fuel for better thinking.In this conversation, we cover:Rest that looks like nothing: Why Natalie assumed her best thinking — staring out the window, taking a slow walk — was procrastination, and what finally convinced her it wasn't.Wonder and rigor, not "creative types": The real definition of creativity as a toggle everyone already uses, and why "I'm not a creative person" misses the point entirely.The 90-second daydream break: The neuroscience of the default mode network, and how a short, timed pause can unstick a problem that's had you stuck for hours.What her father taught her about rest: A weekly Saturday ritual that was equal parts self-care and discipline — and why the work still got done anyway.Flourishing over productive: Why the right question about AI isn't "how does this make us more productive," but "how does this help us flourish."If your calendar rewards constant output and treats stillness like a red flag, this one's for you.Connect with Natalie:Figure 8 ThinkingConnect with Erik:LinkedInThreadsFacebookBlueskyThis Podcast is Powered By:Brain.fm - 20% off your first monthDescriptDescript 101CastmagicEcammPodpageRodecaster ProGrab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist:http://beyondthetodolist.com/blinkistSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Have you ever been passed over for a promotion?Are you wondering whether you're ready for the CEO role—or your next big career move?Are you struggling to figure out when it's time to leave for good?In this episode, CEO Coach and Advisor, Damien Faughnan, joins host, Muriel Wilkins, to answer questions from the Coaching Real Leaders community.For further reading: Learn more about Damien: https://damienfaughnan.com/Rewriting the Playbook: Leading Through Compounding Uncertainty: https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/insights/articles/rewriting-the-playbook-leading-through-compounding-uncertaintyLeaders, It's Time to Build Your Tolerance for Uncertainty: https://hbr.org/2026/01/leaders-its-time-to-build-your-tolerance-for-uncertaintyHow to Become a First Time CEO: https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/about/careers/careers-with-our-clients/how-to-become-a-first-time-ceoThe Midlife Chrysalis: https://www.meawisdom.com/podcast/Connect with Muriel:Website: murielwilkins.comLinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.comRead Muriel's book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
John Toon is joined by Ian Gregory of Advancetrack and Billie McLoughlin to work through July's accounting tech news, and it turns into a run of arguments about what a general ledger is actually for. Billie opens on the batch newly certified for the Xero App Store. Garfield, the UK's first SRA-regulated AI law firm, reads your Xero data, chases overdue invoices and drafts small claims paperwork for amounts up to £10,000. Autohive is a no-code AI agent that works inside Xero itself. That second one sets up her argument for the episode: firms may be about to stop shopping for tools and start shopping for workers, where you pick the task and the most qualified agent surfaces against it. John is not convinced that reduces the number of apps you end up running, and Ian asks the question nobody has answered yet, which is whether we adapt to Xero's workflows or Xero adapts to ours. Then the leadership news. Xero's CTO Rick Carragher leaves after 16 months, weeks after chief people officer Jeff Ryan went after 15, with Madhuri Dhulipala arriving from BlackRock as SVP of Engineering, Payments and AI Transformation and Maninder Sawhney joining from Adobe as chief business officer. Ian reads the payments hire as a signal about where Xero wants to sit in agentic payments, and makes the point that the future of receipts is the future of bookkeeping. Billie's concern is more practical. If the people who promised you a roadmap leave, does the promise leave with them? Then the ledger layer. FreeAgent now connects directly to Joiin for group consolidation, Acumatica has bought Vertrax to get into fuel and energy distribution, and Crunchafi has launched FRS 102 lease accounting for the UK and Ireland. Ian's line on the Vertrax deal is the sharpest of the episode: this is the operational detail a generic ledger does not understand, and a generic AI agent will not magically invent. Which leads to the argument the episode was always heading for. Someone vibe coded their way off premium accounting software over a weekend and wrote it up on AccountingWEB. Billie is not making her own butter just because butter has gone up, and she puts a number on the Saturday it cost him. Ian reckons it goes the way of open source, a niche for the dabblers and nothing mission critical. John has vibe coded a product himself and is still paying outside experts to check it before anyone touches it. Also covered: the Social Prosperity Network's plan to replace six taxes with a single national contribution, and the progress update on HMRC's Transformation Roadmap, where digital engagement is up and so, awkwardly, is the tax gap. This episode is brought to you by FreeAgent and Suitefiles: freeagent.com suitefiles.com 00:00 Intro 02:17 Xero's July app store intake: an AI law firm and no-code agents 08:38 Xero loses its CTO, and what the BlackRock hire signals 12:33 The chief people officer exits too, and a new chief business officer arrives 17:10 FreeAgent users can now connect straight to Joiin 20:55 Acumatica buys Vertrax and moves deeper into fuel distribution 23:27 Crunchafi brings FRS 102 lease accounting to the UK and Ireland 26:28 Someone vibe coded their way off premium accounting software 34:11 Replacing six taxes with a single national contribution 45:21 Outro
CheckoutThe God Centered Concept Academy Training Community to learn what growth in Christ ishttps://api.tuvu.com/redirectGroup/6a2ac0e2c9f728027338244cCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.What does faithful leadership look like in the church, the workplace, and seasons of personal transition?In this episode of Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, T.S. Wright welcomes Reverend Kevin T. Taylor—affectionately known as “RevKev”—for a conversation about calling, leadership, change, and spiritual reinvention.Rev. Taylor shares how God shaped his journey from growing up in the church and accepting the call to preach at seventeen to serving as both a pastor and a corporate executive. These two worlds became the foundation for his book, A Charge to Keep: Immutable Leadership Lessons from the C-Suite to the Pulpit.Drawing from lived experience, Rev. Taylor explains why reaching a position of leadership can be easier than remaining faithful and effective once you are there. He also discusses the loneliness leaders experience, the importance of documenting decisions, and the wisdom of casting vision generously while budgeting conservatively.The conversation explores how leaders can guide people through change without becoming discouraged by resistance. Rev. Taylor explains that opposition does not necessarily mean the vision is wrong—people may simply be grieving what was as they prepare to embrace what will be.You'll also hear an encouraging message about wilderness seasons, the cost of the anointing, lifelong learning, and the necessity of reinventing ourselves without compromising our God-given calling.In This EpisodeHow Rev. Kevin Taylor recognized and responded to God's callLessons learned from nearly 30 years in ministryHow corporate leadership strengthened his pastoral ministryWhy leadership can feel lonelyHow to lead people through organizational and ministry changeWhy resistance may be evidence that meaningful change is occurringThe importance of allowing people time to grieve the pastHow wilderness seasons prepare us for greater responsibilityWhy effective leaders must remain lifelong learnersReinventing yourself while remaining faithful to your callingA preview of Rev. Taylor's forthcoming books and leadership resourcesFeatured ResourceA Charge to Keep: Immutable Leadership Lessons from the C-Suite to the Pulpit by Reverend Kevin T. TaylorLearn more about Rev. Taylor, his books, leadership newsletters, workshops, coaching, and speaking ministry at revkttaylor.comCall to ActionLeadership may be lonely, but you do not have to lead alone. Visit revkttaylor.com to explore Rev. Kevin Taylor's book, leadership resources, workshops, and coaching opportunities. Then subscribe to Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, share this episode with a pastor or leader, and leave a review to help others discover practical, Christ-centered teaching.KeywordsReverend Kevin Taylor, Rev Kev, Kevin T Taylor, A Charge to Keep, Christian leadership, biblical leadership, church leadership, pastoral leadership, ministry leadership, faith in the workplace, Christian executive, C-suite leadership, leadership development, change management, spiritual calling, answering God's call, bivocational ministry, leading through change, Christian coaching, leadership lessons, ministry transition, spiritual reinvention, lifelong learning, Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, TS Wright, Christian podcast, Jesus Said TV
Kelly Evans and Brian Sullivan go to Washington, DC to sit down with leaders from the White House to the C-Suite ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
For years, Emily Depauw knew, deep down, that something was wrong. She just stopped trusting her gut. Then her body started to realign. And her whole personal life turned chaotic right along with it. Truths surfaced in her closest relationships, with her parents, with her romantic partner, truths that had been sitting there the whole time, waiting for her to stop overriding herself. She describes it like a snow globe getting shaken: everything she'd buried came loose at once, and it all finally made sense. This is what happens when your body and your life are running the same compensation pattern. You don't get to fix one without the other coming loose too. If you've ever wondered why your whole life seemed to unravel the moment you finally started taking care of yourself, this is why. Once things settled, Emily says her inner world only kept getting better. She left the company that gave her her start and built her own. Here's what surfaced once her body stopped compensating:
It's common for leaders and cultures to rely too heavily on passion and achievement. The best set a temperature that brings rhythm to their soul and their fire. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/soul-on-fire-bria-martin/ Jason is joined by his long-time friend, Bria Martin, for an illuminating conversation about blending humanity with high performance using the Soul Fire framework. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In an era marked by historic burnout and low employee engagement, how can organizations drive results without destroying their people? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger sits down with Bria Martin, VP of Organizational Strategy and Culture at Ultragenyx. Bria shares her transformative journey from operating in a relentless "fire-only" management consulting mode to discovering that integrating humanity into leadership actually fuels sustainable success. This conversation challenges the traditional corporate hustle culture. Jason and Bria introduce the "Soul Fire" framework—a fluid dance that balances compassion, intuition, and connection (soul) with ambition, accountability, and execution (fire). They discuss how leaders act as the emotional "nervous system" of their teams and explore the crucial need for authentic, face-to-face connection to counter the rising tides of macro-level suffering and technological disruption. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and team leaders committed to shaping compelling cultures, this episode offers actionable insights on setting healthy boundaries, navigating the AI transition with discernment, and redefining the modern workplace with "joyful productivity." Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason sets the stage for a conversation on the rhythm between soul and fire to build congruence in leadership. Meet Bria Martin: Introduction to Bria's background in organizational culture and her current role as VP at a rare disease biopharma company. Setting the Temperature: Bria discusses prioritizing her family and her role as the "caregiver of the culture" at work. The Leader's Nervous System: Insights into how executives serve as the emotional regulators for their teams and the importance of daily grounding practices. The Wake-Up Call: Bria shares her powerful story of severe burnout in management consulting, sending client emails while in labor, and the perspective shift that changed her leadership style. The Soul Fire Framework: Deconstructing the duality dance between soul (compassion, connection) and fire (ambition, accountability) to sustain high performance. Current Culture Trends: A look at how global human suffering and the rapid integration of AI are fundamentally transforming the modern workplace. Joyful Productivity: Challenging industrial-era metrics to embrace a new form of productivity that leverages AI for efficiency while protecting human connection. The ROI of Culture: Evidence showing how high engagement, trust, and mission alignment drastically reduce turnover and elevate business outcomes. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Regulate the Nervous System: Recognize that your emotional state sets the climate; prioritize your well-being to be a calming, focused presence for your team. Balance Soul and Fire: Move away from burnout-inducing hustle culture by integrating compassion and intuition with accountability and execution. Navigate Tech with Discernment: Treat AI integration as a human and cultural transition, leveraging it to eliminate busywork and foster "joyful productivity." Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/soul-on-fire-bria-martin/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your Year Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason
What happens when values collide with results and a difficult decision has to be made?Earl Rattray spent more than three decades helping organizations answer that question in real time. Drawing on his experience leading global ethics and compliance efforts at Colgate-Palmolive, Earl shares why values only become meaningful when they're tested, how managers shape culture more than policies ever can, and why trust is the foundation of every healthy workplace. You'll hear stories from Earl's visits to teams around the world, lessons learned from employees who challenged his assumptions, and the experience early in his career that revealed his own courage. Whether you're leading a team or influencing culture from any position, you'll come away thinking differently about speaking up, earning trust, and what it really means to do the right thing when the stakes are high. Earl spent more than two decades as a senior ethics and compliance executive at Colgate-Palmolive, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Global Ethics and Compliance. In that role, he built and led a compliance program operating across more than 200 countries and territories. He also advised C-Suite leaders and Board committees on institutional integrity, governance strategy, and emerging risk. Under Earl's leadership, the company was recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for 16 consecutive years — one of the most rigorous ethics distinctions in the corporate world. His mission is to help organizations build compliance programs and ethical cultures that hold up under real-world pressure. He believes that principled leadership is not a policy or a program. It is a daily practice, most visible in the moments when doing the right thing comes at a cost. You'll discoverWhy values matter most under pressure How managers shape everyday workplace culture What creates genuine psychological safety Why trust is leadership's most valuable currency How courage grows when you speak up Connect with Earl RattraySocial MediaLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/earl-rattray-32535189/ Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn
Today, we take on a difficult conversation sparked by the tragic killing in Biddeford, Maine, and other deeply disturbing events that have unfolded in recent months. Beyond the individual tragedies is something even more troubling: a growing tendency to normalize horrific, immoral, and dehumanizing behavior. We see it in our politics. We see it in our communities. We see it in the way people talk about—and sometimes treat—one another. And when that behavior becomes normalized, we risk losing our ability to recognize just how wrong it is. As OD and HR practitioners, we are at choice. Do we simply get caught in the current of toxic behavior and cultures, quietly adapting to what has become "normal"? Or do we have the courage to call it what it is? What is our responsibility when the world around us becomes increasingly toxic? How do we create organizations where humanity, dignity, respect, and psychological safety aren't just words on a wall—but values we actively defend? And maybe this isn't just an HR or OD issue. Maybe it starts with all of us—in the small choices we make every day. A little more curiosity. A little less judgment. An act of kindness toward a stranger. A decision to see the person in front of us as a human being, even when we disagree. We can't fix everything that's wrong in the world. But perhaps we can influence the spaces we occupy, the cultures we create, and the way we treat the people we encounter. Maybe that's where change begins.
A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Ed Dobbles, Founder of Dobbles.AI and former VP of Analytics and Insights at Diageo, H&R Block, and SUPERVALU. Ed discusses the evolution of analytics from the Almanac to BI to Generative Analytics and explains his thinking on why great tools often don't get used. Key topics include:- Why "Analytics is hard, but people are harder"- How generative analytics will allow leaders to truly talk to their data- The importance of AI governance- Why "All models are wrong but some are useful"Tune in to hear stories about H&R Block, Malort Liquor, and the racquetball court at Best Buy. ⏱️ Chapters1:44 - Defining Analytics and Business Intelligence3:26 - The Evolution of Data Adoption9:31 - Analytics and Human Factors15:06 - AI Systems and Synthetic Panels24:35 - Building Future Analytics Teams32:10 - Closing Advice and StoriesSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Artificial intelligence is moving faster than most organizations can adapt. But amid the excitement, one critical question often gets overlooked: What is guiding the decisions AI helps us make?In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes Kristian Merenda, Partner at Carol Cone ON PURPOSE, and Balaji Ganapathy, Founder and CEO of Social Positive, for a timely conversation about why it's critical for purpose to be the ultimate guide for AI.The conversation explores why AI adoption is fundamentally a culture transformation rather than a technology implementation, how organizations can avoid "purpose drift" as automation expands, and why leaders should stop asking, "Can AI do this?" and instead ask, "Should AI do this?"From responsible governance and employee trust to experimentation, human judgment, and the future of leadership, this conversation challenges conventional thinking about AI and explores how purpose can help organizations use AI responsibly while keeping people, values, and long-term impact at the center.Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & Resources (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - CCOP AI Handbook (02:53) - Meet Kristian and Balaji (05:30) - Defining Purpose (06:46) - Purpose in the Age of AI (08:23) - The Case for Purpose (12:17) - How to Have the Conversation with the C-Suite (16:13) - The Guide and Purpose Drift (18:54) - Adoption (21:48) - Shaping the Culture Using Purpose (25:56) - Looking Forward (31:28) - Last Comments (33:59) - Wrap Up
Vandita Pant is the Chief Financial Officer of BHP, one of the world's largest resources companies, with a market capitalisation of approximately US$150 billion and annual revenue of around US$55 billion. This is Vandita's first-ever podcast interview. Growing up in Delhi, India in a family of academics, Vandita reflects on her childhood dinner table debates, teachers and love of books for shaping the curiosity that has defined her career. After studying at Shri Ram College and IIM Lucknow, she built a global career across India, Singapore, Japan and the UK before joining BHP, where she now helps oversee the financial strategy of a company at the centre of AI, electrification and the energy transition. In this conversation, Vandita shares why she deliberately pursued unfamiliar challenges, the career setback that unexpectedly led her into risk management, what it was like helping steer RBS through the Global Financial Crisis, the leadership lessons from earning trust in Japan, why she believes the modern CFO is a value creator rather than a scorekeeper, how she thinks about AI and capital allocation, and why Australia and India have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deepen their economic partnership. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India). Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. ________ Welcome to the 12th episode in our special series with the Australian Government and their Centre for Australia–India Relations (CAIR), spotlighting the growing Australia–India relationship across technology, business, media, culture and sport. Other guests in this series include Bank of America's Head of Capital Commitments Gautam Chari, Renowned Music Composer Tushar Apte, Australia's High Commissioner to India Philip Green, MUFG's CEO Vivek Bhatia, Australia's Secretary of Foreign Affairs Peter Varghese, NAB's EGM Sweta Mehra, Deputy Secretary of Australia's Home Affairs Brendan Dowling, Orica's CEO Sanjeev Gandhi, Sports Journalist Bharat Sundaresan, Cricket Legend Lisa Sthalekar and CAIR's CEO, Ryan Neelam, reflecting the breadth of Indian-Australian leaders at the most senior levels.
Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media, and publisher of Love, Money + Real Estate on Substack, joins John Williams to talk about a new survey that shows 60% of C-Suite real estate veterans expect conditions to improve over the next 12 months. Segment 2: Frank Manzo, Economist at the Midwest Economic Policy Institute, joins […]
"I'm a better pastor because of the high-quality professional development and the work that I've done on the job, and I'm a much better employee and leader because of the compassion and the experiences that I've seen in the church." – Rev. Kevin T. TaylorToday's featured award-winning author is a father, husband, leadership advisor, coach, consultant, and keynote speaker, Rev. Kevin T. Taylor. Pastor Kevin and I had a fun on a bun chat about his book, "A Charge to Keep: Immutable Leadership Lessons from the C-Suite to the Pulpit", leveraging AI in leadership, the value of a bi-vocational perspective, and more!!Key Things You'll Learn:What inspired Rev. Kevin to write his 1st bookHis decision-making framework and how he uses AI to pressure-test leadership choicesHis top 3 leadership lessons from being a pastorWhy it's ok that we're all human behind our titlesRev. Kevin's Site: https://revkttaylor.com/Rev. Kevin's Book: https://a.co/d/098Tz9sIThe opening track is titled, "Unknown From M.E. | Sonic Adventure 2 ~ City Pop Remix" by Iridium Beats. To listen to and download the full track, click the following link. https://www.patreon.com/posts/sonic-adventure-136084016 Please support today's podcast to keep this content coming! CashApp: $DomBrightmonDonate on PayPal: @DBrightmonBuy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dombrightmonGet Going North T-Shirts, Stickers, and More: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/dom-brightmonThe Going North Advancement Compass: https://a.co/d/bA9awotYou May Also Like…1065 – Leadership Lessons from the Black Church with L. Michelle Smith (@lmichellespeaks): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-1065-leadership-lessons-from-the-black-church-with-l-michelle-smith-lmichellespeaks/1057 – Higher Education Leadership Lessons for Navigating Crisis and Change with Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum (@BDTSpelman): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-1057-higher-education-leadership-lessons-for-navigating-crisis-and-change-with-dr-beverly-dan/1056 – Faith Driven Leadership Tips for Living a Both/And Life with Dr. Kevin Foreman (@bishopforeman): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-1056-faith-driven-leadership-tips-for-living-a-bothand-life-with-dr-kevin-foreman-bishopfo/1030 – Leading Change With Grace with Rev. Dr. Byrene Keith Haney (@revheadpin): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-1030-leading-change-with-grace-with-rev-dr-byrene-keith-haney-revheadpin/1040 – Wake Up the Lion & Rewrite Your Rock Bottom with Rory Paquette (@rorypaquette): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-1040-wake-up-the-lion-rewrite-your-rock-bottom-with-rory-paquette-rorypaquette/283 – The Winning Edge with Shawn Harper (@shawnharper075): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/283-the-winning-edge-with-shawn-harper-shawnharper075/136 - Leadership Development with Kevin Wayne Johnson (@Writing4theLord): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/136-leadership-development-with-kevin-wayne-johnson-writing4thelord/955 – Hearing God & Embracing His Idea for Healing Prayer and with Rev. Dr. David Chotka: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-955-hearing-god-embracing-his-idea-for-healing-prayer-and-with-rev-dr-david-chotka/336 – The Radical Gospel with Jayson Derowitsch (@JaysonDerowits1): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-336-the-radical-gospel-with-jayson-derowitsch-jaysonderowits1/221 – Righteous Leadership with Dr. Ray Charles (@TheDrRayCharles): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/221-righteous-leadership-with-dr-ray-charles-thedrraycharles/1048 – Steward Your Stories and Create a Lasting Legacy Forged From Fire with Dr. Charles Thomas Jr.: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-1048-steward-your-stories-and-create-a-lasting-legacy-forged-from-fire-with-dr-charles-thomas/466 – Sabotage with Brandon Wilson: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-466-sabotage-with-brandon-wilson-wilbroninc/
In this episode of Super Real Human, I'm sharing a major personal and professional life update: after nearly 12 years of running my own business, I've stepped into a full-time role as Senior Vice President of Marketing. I'm getting honest about the fears, expectations, and internal tension that came with this decision. I expected to grieve the loss of my identity as a business owner and worried that returning to an organization would feel like giving up my freedom. Instead, I'm discovering that the resilience, determination, and entrepreneurial mindset I developed are still very much a part of who I am. This episode is about allowing yourself to evolve without treating change as failure. If you're considering a career shift, stepping away from entrepreneurship, or moving into a new season of life, I hope this conversation reminds you that your past experiences come with you, and the next chapter may feel more expansive than you expect. In this episode, we discuss: The decision to move from entrepreneurship into a full-time C-suite role Separating your identity from your job title or business How freedom and flexibility can look different in different seasons Bringing an entrepreneurial mindset back into an organization Why transitions often feel scarier before you take the leap More about Maura: Need more inspirational guidance on how to make your passion a reality? Want to bring a more human side to your corporate career? Follow Maura on Instagram. Maura shares the real human side of building and marketing your business and being a senior leader, including strategic analysis, creative development, implementation, growth, and management. Interested in bringing Maura and her experiences to your team event or conference? Reach out to info@lillablu.com for booking information!
Lloyd Blankfein, who retired as CEO of Goldman Sachs in 2018, relates his path to the C Suite of America"s most fabled investment bank in this insightful and witty memoir. Growing up in public housing in Brooklyn, his determination to succeed is apparent from page one. Author and financial journalist William Cohan interviewed Lloyd when he was CEO and more recently in retirement and brings a keen eye to Lloyd's story.
In this episode, Hilmarie sits down with Navid Nazemian to explore one of the most overlooked challenges in leadership: executive transitions. Drawing on his experience coaching more than 250 C-level leaders worldwide, Navid reveals why stepping into a new leadership role is often far more complex than organizations realize and why nearly four out of ten executives fail during transitions despite impressive credentials and extensive hiring processes.The conversation dives into the hidden factors that derail leadership success, including culture, politics, relationships, and the misconception that past achievements automatically translate into future success. Navid explains why traditional onboarding programs often fail senior leaders and shares insights from his research on executive transition failure, leadership readiness, and the critical role organizations play in supporting leaders during their first 12 to 18 months.A defining moment in the discussion centers on Navid's own Green Pill experience, when a major career transition forced him to reassess his identity, leadership style, and definition of success. The conversation also explores executive coaching, self-awareness, leadership blind spots, gender gaps in transition support, and the importance of preparedness over prediction.At its core, this episode is about leadership as a human journey. Navid's insights challenge leaders and organizations alike to rethink how success is built, proving that sustainable impact comes not from certainty or status, but from awareness, adaptability, and continuous growth.About The GuestNavid Nazemian is an internationally recognized executive coach, leadership advisor, keynote speaker, and author specializing in executive transitions and leadership effectiveness. With more than two decades of global leadership experience in human resources and organizational development, he has worked across multiple industries, countries, and cultures, helping senior executives successfully navigate complex career transitions.Navid is the author of the international bestselling book Mastering Executive Transitions: The Definitive Guide, a research-driven framework that has become a valuable resource for executives, boards, and organizations seeking to improve leadership success rates. Known for combining rigorous research with practical leadership insights, Navid is passionate about helping leaders accelerate their impact while avoiding the common pitfalls that often accompany career advancement. Through his coaching, speaking, and thought leadership, he continues to shape conversations around leadership transitions, executive performance, and organizational success.Quotes2:20 - I was operating on autopilot. So, I was making decisions from habit and expectation rather than from a place of awareness. And I realised, in that moment, how easily top-level achievement can actually come at the cost of presence, humility, and deep human connections. So that moment really shaped or reshaped how I coach, how I lead, and how I define success.9:20 - This is part of the reason why so many transitions go wrong, because there is just this inherent human preference and nature to continue to repeat what's made us successful previously without necessarily realizing that as and when we shift the level of responsibility substantially, we probably need a new mix of skills and activities. 25:05 - A 15-minute daily meditation. That's something that really serves me well.34:06 - Invest in preparedness, not in prediction. Invest in professional, qualified support rather than hoping that the best candidate is going to wing it somehow.Useful LinksWebsite:https://www.masteringexecutivetransitions.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/masteringexecutivetransitionsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/navid.nazemian/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/navidnazemian/The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: https://thematrixgreenpill.com/Please review us: https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review
What if the future of work was focused on human beings flourishing and greater outcomes followed? Research suggests there is a great opportunity for leaders and cultures to embrace sabbaticals. Jason is joined by Harvard Business School lecturer and Sabbatical Project founder DJ DiDonna for an eye-opening conversation about the strategic necessity of extended rest and the true power of a leadership recharge. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In an era of relentless connectivity and mounting burnout, how do the most effective leaders sustain high performance without sacrificing their well-being? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger sits down with DJ DiDonna, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and founder of The Sabbatical Project. Drawing from deep social science research, DJ challenges executives to rethink the traditional corporate grind and exposes the hidden dangers of "functional workaholism." This conversation moves beyond standard time-management advice to address the core mechanics of human recovery and corporate retention. Jason and DJ explore the profound difference between a standard vacation and a true sabbatical—an intentional, extended leave from routine work. They deconstruct the business case for "big time off," revealing how providing structured recovery windows actually audits key-person risk, drives unparalleled loyalty, and aligns perfectly with the rising cultural demands of the next generation. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and team leaders committed to shaping compelling cultures, this episode offers actionable insights on eradicating the "worker devotion norm," utilizing inflection points in your career, and optimizing your team's long-term performance. Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason welcomes listeners and sets the stage for a conversation on the power of recharging as a leader and a human being. Meet DJ DiDonna: Introduction to DJ's background teaching entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School, his creation of The Sabbatical Project, and his personal six-week Buddhist walking pilgrimage in Japan. Thinking in "Chunks": DJ shares his perspective on organizing life into intentional chapters and using sabbaticals as inflection points so your career doesn't become one giant "run-on sentence." Sabbatical vs. Vacation: Defining a true sabbatical as an "extended leave from routine work on purpose" and why the mental background script of work must be completely shut down to truly heal. The Vacation Deficit & Functional Workaholism: Discussing the 768 million unused vacation days in the U.S. and the trap of performing well on the outside while rotting away on the inside. The Duration of Disconnection: Why a short break isn't enough to drop your work identity, and the research supporting the ideal length for an effective sabbatical. The Business Case for Big Time Off: Deconstructing the corporate fear of extended leave—how over 80% of employees return after a sabbatical and why it builds a resilient, cross-trained organization. The Worker Devotion Norm: How leaders must proactively model taking time off to empower their teams to do the same, breaking the cycle of unused paid leave. The 30-Minute Cafe Challenge: A powerful exercise to help leaders zoom out, confront their future regrets, and make concrete plans to prioritize personal passions over non-stop productivity. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Eradicate Functional Workaholism: Shift your team's mindset to recognize that constant busyness does not equal effectiveness, and that chronic lack of rest is an operational risk. Culture Ownership & Role Modeling: Fight the "worker devotion norm" by actively taking and celebrating time away. If executives don't unplug, their teams never will. The Sabbatical Strategy: Utilize extended leave as an equitable benefit to attract Gen Z talent, audit your company's key-person dependencies, and significantly boost long-term employee retention. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/the-leadership-recharge-dj-didonna/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason
Today, we tackle a story gripping headlines and shaking the political world. Graham Platner—a name now synonymous with scandal, denial, and convenient ignorance. The temptation? To ignore the warning signs. To protect power instead of people. To excuse sin when it serves our side.But we're not here to excuse. We're here to expose the bigger disease: a society that prizes winning over righteousness, victory over virtue. Yes, the cost is real—criticism, outrage, even loss. But Jesus is still King, even when “convenient ignorance” rules the day.The question is simple. When your moment of truth arrives—will you stay silent, or stand up?"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out." –Proverbs 10:9Episode Highlights19:00 - As followers of Jesus Christ, we don't have the luxury of living by the world's standard of convenient ignorance. We're called to something more, much higher. We're called to pursue truth even when it's uncomfortable. We're called to protect the vulnerable even when it's unpopular. We're called to confront sin even when it costs us something.32:02 - At the end of our lives, I don't believe the Lord is going to ask whether speaking the truth was politically convenient. I believe he'll ask whether we were faithful. And in my opinion, that's a question that every one of us should be preparing to answer today. Not someday, not next month. Today.39:34 - If there's one lesson I hope that every Christian walks away with from today's episode of the C Suite for Christ podcast, it's this: Stop fearing people more than you fear God... That's the root of so many compromises that we see today. People stay silent because they're afraid... but Scripture repeatedly reminds us to reverse that way of thinking. Connect with Paul M. NeubergerWebsite
A CMO Confidential Interview with Brent Rivard, co-founding Partner of Geezer Creative, previously CMO of Internova Travel and President of Mass Minority. Brent shares his thoughts on the tunnel vision, reliance on "safe" playbooks, and faulty KPIs that often prevent marketers from seeing the elephant in the room. Key topics include:- Why you shouldn't confuse media with sales- The relentless focus on young consumers even in categories like alcohol where Gen X and Boomers out-consume youth 8:1- The distressing lack of employees over 50 in the agency businessTune in to hear why loyalty is in decline and the idea of agency selection based on a "Jam Session" instead of an RFP. ⏱️ Chapters00:01 - Introduction to Brent Rivard04:25 - The Overlooked $8.3 Trillion Market07:37 - The Myth of Lifetime Value and Changing Consumer Loyalty09:45 - Industries Adapting vs. Falling Behind19:23 - Reassessing KPIs and Marketing Metrics23:28 - Cultural Shifts and Modern Aging31:46 - Practical Advice for Working with AgenciesSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
What if the next breakthrough in leadership isn't another business strategy—but a deeper understanding of yourself?In this thought-provoking episode of the Conscious Leadership Revolution Podcast, Susan Hobson sits down with Harvard Business School MBA, entrepreneur, and Jaguar House founder Robert Lennox to explore one of the most talked-about frontiers in leadership development: psychedelic-assisted transformation.Together, they discuss how neuroscience, consciousness, and authentic leadership intersect in an era defined by AI, rapid disruption, and increasing pressure on today's leaders. From ego and authenticity to neuroplasticity and human potential, this conversation challenges conventional thinking about what it truly takes to lead at the highest level.Whether you're a CEO, entrepreneur, executive, coach, or high performer, this episode will leave you questioning how leadership is evolving—and what it means to develop from the inside out.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why conscious leadership is becoming the competitive advantage of the future• The difference between "power over" and "power for"• How psychedelics may support self-awareness, purpose, and authentic leadership• Why human intelligence (HI) may become more valuable than artificial intelligence (AI)• The neuroscience behind neuroplasticity and mindset transformation• How authenticity influences trust, creativity, and executive performance• Why leaders must train their nervous systems for the future of work• The importance of integration, coaching, and intentional personal development
Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society. In this episode, Justin interviews Jerome Mayne about his experiences and his upcoming RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 keynote, "Choices and Consequences: The Human Side of Risk." In his keynote, Jerome will speak about his experiences and the human factors in decisions. He shares part of the story from his keynote and his book Diary of a White Collar Criminal. Justin and Jerome discuss how fraud develops. Most fraud comes after a series of bad decisions. Jerome says, looking back, you may not understand why you made those decisions. His keynote will address, through storytelling, how fraud happens. Jerome uses humor to tell very serious stories. Jerome speaks of an organizational culture in which it is safe to discuss with leaders bad decisions you may have made. If there is an atmosphere of fear, you will not have these discussions. Listen for the value of connecting and giving your audience takeaways they will remember. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. We will be joined by Jerome Mayne, opening keynote speaker for the RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026. We will talk about choices and consequences. But first… [:42] RIMS-CRMP Workshop. We are delighted to announce that on August 27th and 28th, RIMS President Manny Padilla will be leading the two-day in-person workshop at St. John's University at 101 Astor Place in New York City. A link to the registration is in this episode's show notes. [1:02] RIMS-CRMP Virtual Workshops. The next virtual RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep courses will be held on July 28th and 29th. RIMS will partner with PARIMA for the RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep on September 1st and 2nd. Registration links are in this episode's show notes. [1:19] On the webinars page, you will see a two-part series hosted by the RIMS Membership Department. The "Classroom to Career" webinar series highlights how RIMS equips students with the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to thrive in risk management careers. [1:34] Participants will gain insights into industry trends, career pathways, and practical tools that help them confidently step into the evolving world of risk management after graduation. These sessions will be hosted on September 1st and 9th. [1:48] These sessions are member exclusives and are complimentary for RIMS members, of course. So, if you are interested in becoming a member, this would be the time. Visit RIMS.org/membership. [1:57] Live Events! The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. Registration will open in July. Look out for the call for nominations for the RIMS ERM Global Award of Distinction. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026 in July for that announcement. [2:19] RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [2:38] On with the Show! Our guest today is Jerome Mayne. He is an Ethics and Humorous Keynote Speaker. He will be kicking off the RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026. [2:48] Jerome is the author of Diary of a White Collar Criminal, the first-hand account of his career in comedy and his 21-month Federal prison sentence for white-collar conspiracy. Learn more at JeromeMayne.com. [3:03] Jerome will provide a unique blend of ethical insights and humor at the RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 in San Antonio on Tuesday, August 11th, with his session, "Choices and Consequences: The Human Side of Risk." [3:20] We're going to get a preview of that session, and also get his perspective on ethical decision-making and how risk managers can avoid certain temptations. We're going to have a lot of fun! Let's get to it! [3:33] Interview! Jerome Mayne, Welcome to RIMScast! [3:38] Jerome was recommended by a RIMS member to be a great person to "kick off" the conference. Jerome says word of mouth is the best marketing. [4:28] Jerome says people don't like to think they're going to an ethics conference. That could be a real "sleeper." [4:50] Jerome says his whole perspective is from the human side. He speaks about decisions. He doesn't speak about financial transactions. He's not doing bullet points. He's not a scholar in ethics. He knows about decisions. [5:12] Policies and checklists are important, but there's still a human being making the decision, especially with technology. [5:30] Jerome says his experience and story have to do with decision-making. It doesn't matter what industry it is; it's all the same. It's human. That's what he talks about, and he says he's fortunate because he gets to tell a story. [5:50] One of the things Jerome hears most is that he connected with the group because he's a regular guy, like everybody else in the office. He wasn't a Bernie Madoff. He didn't plan something. It was decisions. [6:23] Jerome says that in real estate finance, you've got a lot of things that have to happen. There are Fannie Mae guidelines, and underwriters that make sure the transactions are right. They didn't call it risk management. It was your manager who kept an eye on it. [6:47] With real estate finance, you have underwriters, but they can't catch everything, and there was less technology. It was a lot about the human factor. Then when you sell all these loans in a pool, and it goes to Wall Street, there are audits, and that's where they can find stuff. [7:12] There were some red flags before it went to auditing, but that's the risk. [7:28] Jerome thinks risk management has evolved since his time in real estate. In Jerome's time, humans made the decisions to get the customer involved. There were human decisions to make sure that financial transactions went through. Now there are more computers to flag stuff. [8:04] Jerome says, ultimately, today, risk managers are looking for fraud and for specific risks they have identified that indicate there is a problem. It starts with the organization's culture. If you're not comfortable thinking about decisions you've made, that can be a red flag. [8:45] Fraud isn't the first thing that happens. It's usually a decision, a mistake, or a justification. It kind of rolls from there. Justification is really easy. Fraud is the last thing that happens. [9:28] Jerome says people call it the slippery slope. Jerome calls it your gut instinct. Instinct is like muscle memory. If something doesn't look right, you know what to do. You feel it right away. [9:53] And then, maybe there's a reason that you don't do it. You want this transaction to go through, or you like the customer and you think it's not a big deal. It's not like they told you they were going to commit fraud. [10:24] And then, you keep working with that customer, and you realize, more and more, you're just making decisions to make it through the transactions. Jerome will share a story like this in the session. It didn't start with one thing, and they never asked Jerome to do anything for them. [11:01] It was never part of the deal that Jerome was going to make money at it. His biggest worry was that he was going to get fired, maybe. [11:15] A Quick Break! There are many fantastic RIMS events coming up in 2026. The Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [11:33] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, which will be held from August 10th through the 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. Visit RIMS.org/Events for registration information. [11:51] The hotel cutoff date was July 10th. Reservations may still be made after the hotel cutoff date, subject to availability; however, the negotiated group rate is no longer guaranteed, so reserve now. [12:03] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [12:14] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. The agenda is live, and registration is open. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [12:31] Save the dates: October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are open, and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Advance registration is open now. [12:47] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [13:03] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. Registration is now open. [13:12] Be on the lookout for an announcement about submissions for the RIMS Global ERM Award of Distinction. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026. [13:22] Let's Return to Our Interview with RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 Keynote, Jerome Mayne! [13:32] Justin and Jerome have standup comedy in common. Justin did standup in New York from 2006 to 2007. He says it takes a certain calling to want to get up and do that. [14:11] Jerome had done improv and started doing standup. He had always been a performer and a musician, performing on stage. He started improv, "smoking stage," and standup because his life was swimming along just great. [14:36] Then, Boom! Jerome was indicted. He was going through pre-trial. He didn't have a job anymore; he didn't know what to do, and he didn't know what was going to happen to him. His life wasn't happy, and being in a club every night of the week, you can develop some bad habits. [15:33] Jerome says there was some great stuff about some of the people he met, especially after he pled guilty. It took a while from that point until he had to go to prison. So he had several months, and he didn't know what to expect in prison. He was scared. Then he just embraced it. [16:06] A lot of his standup material was about his indictment and preparing for prison. Jerome says in standup you have to give the audience permission to laugh about serious subjects. [16:45] Jerome developed cancer in prison. After he got out, he used it. He finds comedy all over the place, even in serious, nightmare stuff. He had some funny stuff that happened during the cancer. That material didn't work. The audience never felt comfortable for him to joke about it. [17:47] The audience gets the story, not the bullet points. He's not telling a story about fraud. He's telling a story about life. It's not a story about Jerome; it's a story about the audience. Not that they're going to do it, or have done it, but everybody is eligible to make a bad decision. [18:16] Jerome says, you can be a great father; you can be the CEO; you're eligible. It's whether or not you do, and you recognize that the decisions you make are going to have consequences. [18:28] Jerome tries to connect with the audience. He has found a lot of people to be receptive to some really serious stuff. People need to feel comfortable listening. They're not learning textbook information. They're learning from a story. [18:55] They can reflect on what they see: situations that they've been in. Jerome has found that comedy helps loosen people up so they can listen, and they're not saying, Wow, that's a felon! Jerome doesn't look like a felon. Felons don't look a certain way. That's important, too. [19:31] Justin says we have so many listeners who are CROs and risk leaders, and their job is to help make better decisions. Some of them may blur the lines out of an act of desperation. They may be thinking through the lens of parents of students in college or approaching college. [19:51] Jerome has found that doing standup prepared him to be a speaker. You get beat up as a standup. You have to connect with the group to convey your story. That's what comedy is. Jerome found that comedy worked, and he got something out of it. He feels good about it. [20:36] Jerome never thought that standup was part of what he was going to do or that he would feel fulfilled providing entertainment, and for people to walk away saying, "I'm never going to forget that." When he hears that, he knows he did something right. It mattered. [21:13] Justin talks about being in a band in high school. Jerome was a piano player and singer. He formed an Elton John tribute band after his time in prison; he played Elton. You can find his Elton John tribute band on the internet. [21:47] Justin played bass. He wanted to be Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. When you're on stage, you have an instrument to rely on. When you're a comedian, you have nothing else to rely on. Jerome really likes sharing his story, and he found that people get something out of it. [22:21] Jerome says he has to be fulfilled also, or he wouldn't do this anymore. That does help. He likes to connect with the group. As a speaker, just like a standup, Jerome needs to connect, read the audience, see where they're going in real time, and change it. [22:46] Jerome says you could be the smartest guy in the state, and people will walk out of there, and they got nothing. Jerome would like to think that he can connect. He's been doing this for over 20 years. He'd better have found where the pause needs to be, and it changes. [23:21] Sponsorships! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. RIMScast is proud of its longstanding relationships with AXA XL, Global Risk Consultants, Alliant, Zurich, and more. [23:41] Links to many of these episodes are in the show notes. RIMScast sponsorships can be bundled with whitepapers and webinar sponsorships. [23:49] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! [24:03] Reach out to Ted Donovan at TDonovan@RIMS.org or reach out to Sales at Sales@RIMS.org. Let's find the best opportunity for you and your organization. [24:15] Let's Conclude Our Dialog with RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 Keynote Jerome Mayne! [24:45] Jerome says he doesn't know trends more than the average consumer. Some people are thought leaders. Jerome is a storyteller. He wouldn't do it if people weren't getting something out of it. He wouldn't be on conference stages if somebody hadn't heard he might be a good fit. [25:40] Jerome says, it's not because he kept up on that industry. It's not that he doesn't understand risk, fraud, and ethics; he does. He understands them more, however, in the way humans might make decisions or how they might avoid making decisions. [26:18] Jerome says good leaders setting the tone are all over the place. There are good people everywhere. Most people are good. Good leaders and good cultures are all over the place. [26:43] Jerome suggests doing a check-in on your organization and people to make sure they're comfortable saying, "I think I made a bad decision. Can we talk about that?" If people are scared to do that, they're not going to make the right decision, and they don't feel supported. [28:00] Jerome says that what he learned from his experience is that sometimes you can make decisions and choices, and then look back and question why you would ever have made those decisions. It didn't make sense. [28:43] Jerome says, when people look back, it just doesn't look the same as it did when you were in it. You didn't see the forest for the trees. It doesn't look the same when you are looking back at it. [28:58] Jerome says, when I think about risk and financial danger, I think of people and how they have to make decisions. It's about trusting yourself that you are going to make a good decision. If you have support from the organization, you're going to feel comfortable talking about it. [29:32] It's important to make sure there's no silence and fear in your organization about discussing decisions. [29:42] Justin says, This has been a standout RIMScast episode. We don't get too many people with your resume. I look forward to having you keynote the RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 in San Antonio, on August 11th, at the San Antonio River Walk. Thank you, Jerome! [30:42] Special thanks again to Jerome Mayne for joining us here on RIMScast. Check out his site, JeromeMayne.com, for more information. [30:51] We look forward to his keynote at the RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 on the morning of Tuesday, August 11th, at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. Be sure to follow up with him in the hallways afterward and let him know you heard him here on RIMScast. [31:11] Plug Time! Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [31:28] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [31:45] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [31:58] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [32:10] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support! Links: Sponsor RIMScast — Sales@RIMS.org RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 | Aug. 10‒12 in San Antonio | Register Now! Spencer Educational Foundation's 2026 Funding Their Future Gala | Sept. 17, 2026 RISKWORLD 2027 Registration | RIMS members can lock in 2026 rates now through Sept. 4 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference | July 28‒Aug. 1 | Register Now ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026 RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today. RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Advance Registration Open | Sponsorship Opportunities Available RIMS ERM Conference 2026 | November 19‒20 in Columbus, Ohio | Registration Now Open! | www.rims.org/ERM2026Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines. RIMS Now RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) | Insights Video Series Featuring Joe Milan! RIMS, the Foundation for Risk Management The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS-CRMP Stories RIMScast Canada — Episodes Now Live RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMScast on YouTube! RIMS Risk Management Magazine | Contribute | Q2 2026 Issue Now Available www.jeromemayne.com Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Workshop — Live In NY — Aug 27‒28! RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep | July 28‒29 RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA | Sept 1‒2 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops Upcoming RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars "RIMS Student Series: Classroom to Career Part 1" | Sept 1 "RIMS Student Series: Classroom to Career Part 2" | Sept 9 Related RIMScast Episodes: "Reputation and Defense with Jeff McKissack" (TX Regional Session Leader) "Mid-Year Risk Roundup 2026 with Morgan O'Rourke and Hilary Tuttle" "Live From Texas 2025!" "Leadership Lessons with Major General (Ret.) Robert F. 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"AI-Scale, Risk Ready: Engineering Controls for the New Data Center Boom" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Facing Into Risk: Navigating the New Risk Landscape" (New!) | Sponsored by AXA XL "Secondary Perils, Major Risks: The New Face of Weather-Related Challenges" | Sponsored by AXA XL "The ART of Risk: Rethinking Risk Through Insight, Design, and Innovation" | Sponsored by Alliant "Mastering ERM: Leveraging Internal and External Risk Factors" | Sponsored by Diligent "Cyberrisk: Preparing Beyond 2025" | Sponsored by Alliant "The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience" | Sponsored by AXA XL "Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs" | Sponsored by Zurich "Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding" | Sponsored by Zurich "What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping" | Sponsored by Medcor "How Insurance Builds Resilience Against an Active Assailant Attack" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips" | Sponsored by Alliant RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Manny Padilla! RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model® Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information. Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org. Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. About our guest: Jerome Mayne, Ethics and Humorous Keynote Speaker Author of Diary of a White Collar Criminal RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 Keynote Speaker (Aug 11) Production and engineering provided by Podfly.
She's recently taken on a bigger leadership role and with that shift comes a new challenge: how to lead a team where one person's style doesn't seem to fit the culture she's worked so hard to build. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches her through how to manage a difficult dynamic while addressing the larger team leadership issues it raises.For further reading: More on the DISC assessment: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8692-disc-assessment.htmlDifficult People: https://hbr.org/podcast/2018/02/difficult-peopleStop Hiring for Culture Fit: https://hbr.org/2018/01/how-to-hireHow To Handle Employees Who Don't Fit Your Culture: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/handandassociates_what-should-you-do-if-current-employees-don-activity-7299836392640020480-nzc0/How to Support a New Employee Who Doesn't Seem to Fit In: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ca/resources/manage-employees/employee-doesnt-fit-in-corporate-culture/Connect with Muriel:Website: murielwilkins.comLinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.comRead Muriel's book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless talks with Kristine Frost, Founder of Shattered Glass Advisory, about the honest truth behind reaching the C-suite and why political fluency is an essential leadership skill. Drawing from more than 25 years of leading people and culture in the automotive industry, Kristine shares her journey as one of the few women in executive leadership, the importance of being in the rooms where key decisions are made, and how women can avoid getting stuck in transactional leadership by developing an enterprise mindset that helps move an organization forward. Together, Mary and Kristine explore the shift from seeking external validation to finding fulfillment from within, while discussing the resilience, pragmatism, strategic thinking, and courage required to reach the next level of leadership. Whether you're aspiring to the C-suite, navigating a career transition, or redefining success on your own terms, this conversation offers honest insights and practical wisdom to help you move forward with confidence. ABOUT: KRISTINE M. FROST LinkedIn – Kristine M. FrostWebsite – Shattered Glass Advisory ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
In this episode, we uncover one of Joyce's most unusual leadership tools—her famous paper plate journals. (Yes, we'll explain.) Over the years, Joyce captured hard-earned insights about what great HR really looks like, jotting them down on paper plates that became her personal leadership playbook. Together, we revisit those notes as Joyce shares her practical "rules of the road" for HR professionals. Bob, seeing many of them for the first time, reacts in real time, sparking the kind of candid conversation listeners have come to expect. These aren't theories you'll find in academic textbooks or the latest HR workshop. They're lessons forged through decades of experience—practical, timeless, and surprisingly relevant for anyone leading people today. And why paper plates? Joyce discovered they were more durable, more portable, and far more coffee- and sweat-proof than a legal pad. Sometimes the best ideas begin in the most unexpected places.
Today, we're not pretending. We're not sugarcoating. We're charging directly into the lion's den—the devastating reality of pornography. This isn't secondhand hearsay. This is Paul M. Neuberger, founder of C-Suite for Christ, stripping away all pretense, confessing his own struggles, and laying bare the insidious grip of lust, shame, and secrecy. For years, this weapon left him bloodied—hidden, hurting, haunted. The cost was real: the agony of failure, the isolation of silence, the devil's constant accusations.But let's be clear—Jesus is still Lord. Darkness flees from the light. Sin loses its power when confessed. The cross is STILL bigger than your worst mistake. So the question isn't just how Paul fought… it's how YOU will fight. Will you keep hiding? Or will you step up, break your chains, and rise?What will you do when the Enemy knocks at your door? Don't sit this one out. Buckle up, open your Bible, and get ready—this episode is raw, real, and rooted in truth."So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." –John 8:36Episode Highlights15:00 - Jesus offers abundant life. Porn offers temporary stimulation followed by nothing but emptiness. Jesus offers intimacy. Porn offers isolation. Jesus offers peace. Porn offers secrecy. Jesus offers freedom. Porn offers slavery. The enemy doesn't have to convince us that darkness is good. He just simply has to convince us it's better than waiting on God. 24:31 - This isn't merely about resisting temptation. It's about recognizing that every step toward holiness is also a step away from a trap, the enemy desperately hopes you're never going to escape.44:25 - Shame says hide. Jesus says, come to me. Shame says, you're too dirty. Jesus says, I've already paid for your cleansing. Shame says, your future. It's over. Jesus says, I'm making all things new. Connect with Paul M. NeubergerWebsite
There's a reason marketing budgets are the first thing cut when a health system hits a hard quarter, and it's not because the work isn't valuable. It's because most marketing leaders are presenting their results in a language the C-suite doesn't speak.In this week's episode, Hedy & Hopp CEO & Founder Jenny Bristow gets into the specifics of how healthcare marketing leaders can walk into a board meeting and command the room — by ditching the marketing metrics and picking up the financial ones. Here's what's covered:The Three Financial Metrics the CFO Actually Cares About: Patient Acquisition Cost by service line replaces cost-per-lead with something the board can actually act on, like a precise price tag for bringing a new patient through the doors of a specific clinic. Contribution margin takes it a step further, showing the revenue generated by marketing-driven patients after accounting for the variable costs of their care. And service-line ROAS, broken down by high-margin procedures like cardiology, orthopedics, and neurology, replaces blended averages with numbers that actually mean something to a CFO. The shift in language is everything.Building the Executive-Ready Dashboard: The golden rule of board presentations: if a slide takes five minutes to explain, it's already lost. The three-column framework simplifies everything: the input (marketing spend by service line), the output (EHR-verified new patient encounters), and the impact (contribution margin and estimated lifetime value). Anchor it to your organization's current strategic plan and your dashboard becomes a strategic alignment tool.The Defensive Play — Framing the Cost of Inaction: The most powerful thing a marketing leader can do when budgets are on the table is reframe the conversation. A 20% budget cut isn't "saving money,” it's ceding market share to the competitor down the street. Show the historical correlation between reduced ad spend and the downstream drop in high-margin elective procedures, and give leadership a real choice: "We can reduce spend by 20% to hit this quarter's cost-cutting goal, but our models show this will result in a $150k drop in surgical contribution margin next quarter."Connect with Jenny:Email: jenny@hedyandhopp.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennybristow/If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love to hear your feedback! Please consider leaving us a review on your preferred listening platform and sharing it with others.
Implementing a gender mainstreaming strategy requires more than just policy; it demands consistent, deliberate action that drives real-world impact. In this leadership podcast for change-makers, we sit down with Colleen Larsen, founder of Business Engage, to explore how she transitioned from financial services to spearheading corporate transformation across Africa. Colleen shares her "velvet glove" approach to organizational change, bridging the gap between boardroom objectives and grassroots empowerment. We discuss how her philosophy drives progress toward UN SDG 5 gender equality goals, while drawing parallels to Heifetz and Linsky's adaptive leadership (Harvard Kennedy School) framework in navigating complex corporate landscapes. This episode offers a masterclass in resilience, strategic thinking, and the power of "letting go" to make space for growth.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://anne-pratt.com
David Deane-Spread, a leadership advisor and founder of Metattude and former military officer and CEO, has spent more than 25 years advising over 150 CEOs and boards across Australia and the UK. He is the creator of the ABC Practice of Leadership, a framework designed to help HR and executive teams turn culture into performance. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis
Slowing down isn't just taking a vacation or finding time to rest. Slowing down in order to speed up is an intentional strategy to improve our impact in our life and work. For Full Show Notes Visit https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/slowing-down-to-speed-up/ Jason challenges the traditional corporate hustle, exploring why the most effective leaders and teams must intentionally slow down in order to truly speed up. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In a fast-paced business world, velocity is often mistaken for validation. But does running faster actually mean we are getting further? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger deconstructs the "busyness myth" and explores the direct correlation between intentional rest and high performance. Drawing on revealing research from the Harvard Business Review, Jason highlights how constant context-switching—where professionals shift focus 300 to 500 times a day—destroys baseline productivity and degrades team execution. Instead of grinding at all hours, the most successful executives build deliberate margins to recharge their mental bandwidth and regain clarity on their highest priorities. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, operations directors, and team leaders committed to shaping compelling corporate cultures, this episode offers a practical four-part framework—seeking joy, breaking tendencies, growing like bamboo, and thorough preparation—to help you calibrate your organizational thermostat and lead with unshakeable confidence. Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason introduces the counterintuitive concept of slowing down to speed up, challenging the idea that constant motion equals progress. A Milestone Celebration: Thanking loyal listeners as The Thermostat is officially recognized as the #13 top authentic leadership podcast in the world by Million Podcasts. The Strategic Pause: Why stepping away and taking time off is a calculated performance strategy rather than just an administrative luxury. The Busyness Myth: Insights from Jason's second book, Remember, addressing the reality of the modern distracted worker. The 30% Productivity Cliff: Unpacking a Harvard Business Review study proving that constant task-switching yields a massive drop in actual effectiveness. Strategy 1 - Seek Joy: Stepping away from the unyielding to-do list to actively pursue experiences that restore your baseline mental presence. Strategy 2 - Break Tendencies: Disrupting rigid operational routines and personal habits to stimulate fresh thinking and expand creative bandwidth. Strategy 3 - Grow Like Bamboo: Allowing your strategic ideas to mature and wander beneath the surface before scaling vertically. Strategy 4 - Prepare for Confidence: How intentional reflection and dreaming during recovery windows builds unshakeable execution confidence for the road ahead. Questions to Ponder: Jason challenges leaders to identify specific ways they will recharge to bring their absolute best when it is required. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Busyness vs. Effectiveness: Stop equating constant task-switching with actual progress; prioritize intentional focus over chaotic multitasking. Strategic Rest: Treat downtime, vacations, and daily margins not as weaknesses, but as non-negotiable performance enhancers for yourself and your team. Break Routines to Innovate: Deliberately alter your personal and professional cadences to prevent complacency and spark new strategic alignment. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/slowing-down-to-speed-up/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason
A CMO Confidential Interview With Aarron Spinley, Director at the Field Bell Institute and Author of "The Customering Method." Aarron discusses his belief that customer management deserves its own discipline as part of marketing, that understanding customer needs is the foundation of sales, and why popular metrics can be misleading. Key topics include:- Why you should "learn the asset versus learn instead of the measures"- The need to focus on "unnatural churn"- The difference between automation and serviceTune in to hear why he's not fully on board with NPS and a story about "trendy rabbit holes." ⏱️ Chapters00:00 - Introduction to CMO Confidential and Guest Aarron Spinley01:23 - Defining Customer Experience and "Customering"04:35 - Limitations of Marketing Concepts and Survey Data in Customer Management06:53 - Drivers of Customer Loyalty vs. Net Promoter Score (NPS)10:11 - The Relationship Between Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Banking12:30 - The Correct Sequence of Customer Management: Asset, System, Measurement13:59 - Market Orientation vs. Sales Orientation within a Customer Base27:28 - What Effective Customer Interaction Looks Like30:02 - The Role of AI and Centralized Decisioning/Orchestration32:52 - Career Advice: Focus on Fundamentals Over Tools34:36 - Conclusion and Closing RemarksSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Are you an overachieving director, VP, or high-performing corporate leader crushing your quarterly targets, yet secretly looking for a predictable pathway to expand your professional options outside the enterprise? In this dynamic guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Fred Sharp, the managing partner of Clubhouse Ventures and former NCAA Division One walk-on athlete. Fred pulls back the curtain on his rapid corporate rise, detailing what it was like to be hand-selected at age 30 to serve as the Chief of Staff for the Chief Revenue Officer of a $4 Billion global tech line of business. Discover how Fred intentionally structured his 168 hours to quietly build a premium sports tech venture fund while managing massive global corporate operations, and learn why understanding the unvarnished reality that corporations move forward with or without you is the ultimate mental key to unlocking professional freedom.
[@ 5 min] Alright, this week...we go Inside the Huddle with Suzanne Nance, the new Executive Director of Wexford Festival Opera! Find out how the career of this “Woman of Influence” went from onstage, to behind a mic, to the C-Suite... [@ 39 min] Plus, in the ‘Two Minute Drill'… Friend of the Show Zachary James is Abraham Lincoln, and Friend of the Show Clay Hilley claps back at the critics! GET YOUR VOICE HEARD Stream new episodes every Saturday at 10 AM CT on amplisoundsradio.com operaboxscore.com facebook.com/obschi1 operaboxscore.bsky.social
Kevin Williams is the Founder and CEO of Ascend AI Labs, an AI enablement firm that helps organizations build AI literacy, governance, and implementation strategies. A serial entrepreneur with roots in DTC brand building and digital marketing, Kevin helps companies align leadership, improve workflows, and implement practical AI strategies. His expertise spans enterprise AI adoption, governance, agentic workflows, and transformation for brands. Kevin is also the President of KDF Aegis LLC, a consulting and private equity firm. In this episode… Many brands are racing to adopt AI, but the biggest barrier may not be the technology itself. Before teams can improve workflows or build automation, leaders need to define what AI means for the organization. So where should companies begin when the pressure to move fast collides with uncertainty and unclear direction? As an AI adoption and digital transformation expert, Kevin Williams argues that AI strategy has to start with leadership before data, tools, or technical infrastructure. His approach is to create alignment at the top through a clear AI manifesto, practical governance, and a shared roadmap that helps teams understand how AI will support the business. Rather than waiting for perfect data, Kevin recommends building literacy, giving employees the right connected tools, and identifying high-value workflows where AI can reduce friction. The strongest AI strategies come from the leaders who combine vision, communication, and practical execution. In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant talks with Kevin Williams, Founder and CEO of Ascend AI Labs, about why AI strategy starts in the C-suite, not in the cloud. Kevin shares how leadership maturity, AI manifestos, and connected workflows shape adoption. He also touches on agentic automation, implementation costs, cybersecurity risks, and why context makes AI tools more valuable.
What can today's leaders learn from the bold experiment that created American democracy 250 years ago? Joyce explores the Constitution as an enduring lesson in leadership, systems thinking, and the power of constructive disagreement. Looking through the lens of organizational development, she explores the Constitution as one of history's most audacious leadership experiments—a bold attempt to design a nation where power is shared, disagreement is expected, and progress depends on conversation rather than conquest. I t's a timely reminder that democracy, like every healthy organization, isn't self-sustaining. It requires courage, compromise, and people willing to keep coming back to the table. In today's episode, Joyce shares an essay she wrote back in 2019 entitled, Maine Voices: In time of turmoil, let's recommit to our grand democratic experiment.
All humans, leaders and teams sometimes fall into a hurried state. When we are hurried, our brain functionality gets worse and our performance suffers. Perhaps it's time to eradicate the hurry. For Full Shownotes visit: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/eradicating-hurry/ Jason explores the critical difference between operational quickness and mental rushing, sharing a strategic approach to managing attention, cognitive performance, and workplace pacing. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In a hyper-connected business landscape, how can leadership teams execute at an elite level without succumbing to systemic burnout? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger deconstructs the hidden operational toll of chronic rushing on your organizational ecosystem. Referencing legendary UCLA coach John Wooden's famous maxim—"be quick, but don't hurry"—Jason breaks down how a constant state of rush actively derails decision-making, performance, and corporate culture. Moving past generic time-management advice, this conversation tracks the neural tax of structural hurry. Jason introduces the MIT concept of a "switch cost," revealing that every chaotic pivot costs the human brain 15 minutes of peak cognitive executive function. This episode provides an actionable, four-tiered roadmap to rebuild mental margins and establish sustainable pacing for healthier leadership in teams. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, managers, and project leaders committed to building resilient environments, this episode offers clear strategies to protect working memory, eradicate institutional panic, and recover the capacity to execute when your best is needed most. Episode Notes & Timestamps: [00:00] Intro: Jason welcomes listeners and shares a massive milestone: The Thermostat being ranked #13 among the top 70 most authentic leadership podcasts globally by Million Podcasts. [00:03] The John Wooden Maxim: An examination of the standard of being quick to maximize opportunities without allowing frantic hurry to hijack operational control. [00:04] Toggling the Tension: Why parents, executives, and high-achievers constantly battle reactive, thermometer-style thinking when multitasking demands accelerate. [00:07] The MIT Switch Cost: Analyzing the neurological penalty of constant multi-tasking and why it takes our brains 15 minutes to recover a deep focus groove. [00:08] Executive Function Depletion: How chronic rushing damages attention spans, working memory, impulse control, and overall team performance. [00:11] 1. Daily Margins: Jason's personal practice of backing up the alarm by 30 minutes to frame the morning with clear intent, gratitude, and appreciation. [00:12] 2. Weekly Calendar Protection: The importance of avoiding back-to-back virtual call stacks by intentionally mapping 10-minute structural breathing spaces. [00:13] 3. Monthly Capacity Audits: Proactively scanning your master calendar to isolate overloaded weeks and methodically scheduling rest and recovery windows. [00:15] 4. Yearly Rest & Recovery: Confronting the striking statistic of 768 million unused vacation days in the U.S. and why time away is a non-negotiable metric for elite performance. [00:16] Calibration Tactics: Final reflection prompts to guide teams away from panic patterns and back to disciplined, sustainable velocity. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Acknowledge the Switch Cost: Protect team attention spans by limiting fragmented multitasking and scheduling dedicated blocks for deep, singular focus. Build Calendar Margins: Lead by example—stop stacking commitments back-to-back and actively build structural buffers into your team's workflows. Prioritize True Rest: Treat vacation and recovery periods as non-negotiable strategic investments required to protect executive cognitive function. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/eradicating-hurry/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason
This week on CMO Confidential, we are revisiting one of our favorite conversations with Rob Ward from January of 2026.A CMO Confidential Interview with Rob Ward, co-founder and General Partner of Meritech Capital, a top Silicon Valley venture firm. Rob shares his take on what he calls a "super terrifying and exciting time" and provides perspective on AI receiving the most capital of any technology in history, the "durability of revenue" and how quickly start-ups are now reaching $100 million in revenue. Key topics include: why VC's focus on growth vs. profitability; the risks associated with massive long-term capital investment; why marketers should pick a "trusted advisor" as their AI partner; and why your data strategy needs "context. Tune in to hear how Astronomer handled the "Coldplay Concert Incident" which immediately became a PR classic and the "VC Foie Gras Effect."What happens when a top venture capitalist pulls back the curtain on AI, valuations, hype cycles, and what's actually working?In this episode of CMO Confidential, host Mike Linton sits down with Rob Ward, Co-Founder and General Partner at Metech Capital, to unpack the realities behind the AI boom. Rob has spent more than 26 years investing in category-defining companies like Facebook (Meta), Snowflake, NetSuite, Zipcar, and Cloudera — and he brings a rare, grounded perspective to today's AI frenzy.Together, they explore: • Why AI adoption is still early — despite explosive growth • The real risks behind inflated valuations and “AI-washing” • How VC decision-making changes during platform shifts • What marketers and executives should actually look for when choosing AI partners • Why data strategy, change management, and trust matter more than tools • What layoffs, productivity, and the future of work really look like beneath the headlines • A masterclass in crisis communications, featuring Ryan Reynolds, Gwyneth Paltrow, and ColdplayIf you're a CMO, CEO, board member, founder, or agency leader trying to make sense of AI without getting swept up in the hype — this is a must-listen conversation.⸻Chapter Markers00:00 – Welcome to CMO Confidential00:19 – Introducing Rob Ward and today's AI conversation01:13 – Where we really are in AI adoption02:26 – Explosive AI growth: what's real vs hype03:35 – Why enterprise AI adoption is still a slog04:37 – Vendor spend, hyperscalers, and the trillion-dollar buildout06:12 – Is this an AI bubble? Public vs private market realities07:20 – Accelerating investment rounds and lack of diligence08:12 – AI-washing and durability of AI businesses09:46 – Proof-of-concepts, switching costs, and fragile loyalty10:55 – Big Tech vs startups: why this cycle is different11:40 – Why VCs chase platform shifts despite the risks13:05 – How AI is changing profitability and headcount math16:11 – “FOGRA” investing and capital distortion17:00 – Circular investing and data-center risk18:23 – Data centers, GPUs, and betting on the wrong future19:38 – Credit default swaps and financial warning signs21:45 – How executives should choose AI vendors22:58 – Change management and why culture matters most24:09 – Why data strategy is the real AI strategy26:36 – “Frequently wrong, never in doubt” and AI hallucinations27:01 – Practical AI use cases for marketers30:00 – Layoffs, productivity, and what's really happening to jobs33:05 – The best questions to spot real AI fluency35:00 – AI safety, geopolitics, and long-term risks36:38 – Crisis management masterclass: Astronomer, Coldplay & Ryan Reynolds39:58 – Final advice and closing thoughts⸻Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society. In this episode, Justin interviews Jeff McKissack about participating and speaking at RIMS events, and his upcoming RIMS Texas Regional Conference session on August 11th in San Antonio, on the increasing overlap between reputation management and risk management. Jeff shares the critical impact of reputation risk and the growing threat of AI-generated content. He explains how even executives have caused reputational damage to their organizations, and he reveals a practical step that risk managers can take immediately to reduce the likelihood of reputation-related incidents and subsequent litigation. Justin and Jeff discuss the RIMS Texas Regional Conference, and how you can connect with Jeff after his presentation. Listen for ways to implement reputation management strategies in your organization. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. We will be joined by Jeff McKissack of Defense by Design to talk all about reputation risk management. But first… [:39] RIMS-CRMP Workshop. We are delighted to announce that on August 27th and 28th, RIMS President Manny Padilla will be leading the two-day in-person workshop at St. John's University at 101 Astor Place in New York City. A link to the registration is in this episode's show notes. [:59] RIMS-CRMP Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA will be held virtually on July 21st and 22nd. Registration links are in this episode's notes. [1:11] We have a summertime webinar. On July 16th, Zurich will present "Too Hot to Ignore: Heat-Related Injuries and Workers' Compensation." Register at RIMS.org/webinars and via the link in this episode's show notes. [1:25] Also on the webinars page, you will see a two-part series hosted by the RIMS Membership Department. The "Classroom to Career" webinar series highlights how RIMS equips students with the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to thrive in risk management careers. [1:41] Participants will gain insights into industry trends, career pathways, and practical tools that help them confidently step into the evolving world of risk management after graduation. These sessions will be hosted on September 1st and 9th. [1:55] These sessions are member exclusives and are complimentary for RIMS members, of course. So, if you are interested in becoming a member, this would be the time. Visit RIMS.org/membership. [2:04] You can enroll now in the Virtual RIMS CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management hosted by the famous James Lam. Beginning July 15th, workshops will be held bi-weekly from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. The registration link is in the show notes. [2:28] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. Registration will open in July. Be on the lookout for the call for nominations for the RIMS ERM Global Award of Distinction. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026 in July for that announcement. [2:49] RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [3:08] On with the Show! Our guest today is the Founder of Defense by Design, Jeff McKissack, a noted authority in the fields of threat assessment and the prevention of violent crime, with over 35 years of experience. [3:22] Jeff provides continuing education seminars for those in the educational, medical, legal, financial, real estate, human resources, and risk management sectors. He is one of the favorite speakers in the RIMS Texas Chapters. [3:36] You can find him at the RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 on August 11th at 1:45, when he will present "How Reputation Management is Impacting Risk Management." [3:46] As you will hear in this interview, his session at the RIMS Texas Regional will dovetail with the Risks of Physical Harm and Violence. He's here to provide a preview of his session. [3:55] We talk about the Risk Management impact of social media, AI, and deepfake technologies on operations and profits, and how employee activity online and off the clock can ripple through staffing, operations, morale, productivity, profits, and brand image. [4:10] This episode is a year in the making. Let's get to it! [4:12] Interview! Jeff McKissack, Welcome to RIMScast! [4:29] Jeff has a strong history with RIMS and the RIMS Texas Chapters. He has spoken at DFW RIMS on several occasions. Jeff Strege brought Jeff down to speak at Houston RIMS. He spoke at a couple of conferences co-hosted by South Texas RIMS. [4:59] Last year, Jeff was at the Inaugural Texas Regional RIMS Conference in San Antonio. He's there again this year. [5:15] Jeff loves RIMS, in general, because he doesn't have to explain himself. When he speaks to HR or risk management, his two favorite positions, even above the C-Suite, risk managers and HR directors totally get what he does and why. [5:34] Jeff says the common response he typically gets is they've never met anybody who does what he does or speaks the language he speaks. He's heard it for 39 years. He loves speaking to people in risk and insurance companies because he speaks the language of liability. [5:54] Jeff does a lot of work with attorneys, as well, on both sides. He tells folks he's trilingual because of all these different industries. He's multifaceted. [6:06] Jeff talks about years of working with risk professionals and feeling their pain points. He reverse-engineers many of those scenarios. He asks, Where are the points where this could have been prevented, or at the bare minimum, mitigated? [6:43] A president of an association of independent electrical contractors called him for help. He asked, You have people working hours, in isolated locations, with expensive equipment on their trucks? What could go wrong? Without much of a push, he's able to jump in and help. [7:20] Jeff says there are only three types of businesses: businesses that have internal employees, businesses that have external employees, and businesses that have both. The risks for those three categories are very different from each other. [7:40] Jeff explains some of the differences in risks between having internal employees operating equipment and external employees in trucks on the road with equipment. There are different security concerns, risk concerns, and liability concerns. Address all the concerns. [8:16] Jeff recently saw a police video of a dump truck plowing through an intersection, with its brakes out, into a ravine. Fortunately, no one was killed. Why did the brakes give out? Who was responsible for checking them? They dodged a major bullet by nobody being injured or killed. [9:11] Jeff says he has three wheelhouses: physical risk, data risk, and reputational risk. He doesn't do active shooter training. He deals with factors that can lead to an active shooter before the shooting happens. He deals in prevention, not in reaction. [9:42] Jeff doesn't deal in cybersecurity but in data. He doesn't talk about people who hack your computers; he talks about people who hack your people. That bleeds over into reputation management. [9:57] Reputation management, with the internet and social media, has taken on a different dynamic. [10:07] Either your employees go online and self-incriminate themselves by putting something out there to the world that reflects upon your company, or they do something off the clock that can still have an impact on your company and its reputation. [10:22] Jeff mentions two courtrooms that we want to avoid: an actual courtroom, and the court of popular opinion. [11:01] Jeff says some things before social media still ended up being headline stories in the traditional media that reflected negatively upon employers. Social media has massively amplified that dynamic. [11:31] Jeff's talk is about how reputation management is impacting risk management. It will be held on August 11th at 1:45 p.m. during the RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026. It examines how reputation management and risk management increasingly overlap. [11:53] Jeff says risk management and HR management often think that whatever happens off the clock is not on them — until it is. There was an Assistant District Attorney some months ago who walked out of a bar "two out of three sheets to the wind." [12:17] The cops wanted her to get an Uber and go home. She made a huge scene about it, captured on the bodycams. She ended up being arrested. "You don't know who I am. You can't do this to me!" The next day, not only was she fired, she lost her license. [12:33] There are YouTube channels devoted to police bodycams. People and companies suffer the reputational consequences of those videos. Once they're on YouTube, they go viral. [12:54] A lot of channels have hundreds of thousands to millions of views, reflecting on a company's public image, even though it was one of their employees off the clock. [13:40] Jeff says the biggest thing is education and training. We think people know what we know and the way we think. No, they don't. Jeff compares it to schools teaching social ills. As risk managers, you need to teach employees responsibility if you want to change their behavior. [14:40] Jeff says, Do not expect what you do not inspect. [14:50] A Quick Break! There are so many other wonderful RIMS events coming up in 2026. The Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [15:09] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, which will be held from August 10th through the 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. Visit RIMS.org/Events for registration information. [15:26] The hotel cutoff date is July 10th. Reservations may still be made after the cutoff date subject to availability; however, the negotiated group rate is no longer guaranteed past July 10th, so reserve now. [15:40] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [15:51] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. The agenda is live, and registration is open. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [16:08] Save the dates October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are open, and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Advance registration is open now. [16:24] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [16:39] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. Registration opens in July. [16:49] Be on the lookout for an announcement about submissions for the RIMS Global ERM Award of Distinction. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026. [17:00] Let's Return to Our Interview with Jeff McKissack! [17:07] Jeff says some of these reputational concerns have been C-Suite executives. Jeff just taught about a mayor arrested in Kentucky for shoplifting a $70 pair of shorts at a department store. Jeff guesses the mayor felt he was owed those shorts. [17:32] Last week, Jeff was talking about a city manager in Texas who felt it was a good idea, when she took her employees to a conference, to take them to a local strip club that night. After a few drinks, she got up on stage and started dancing around the pole. [17:46] Somebody recorded that and put it on social media, and the city manager got fired. City managers aren't easy to come by. In risk management, we have to understand that when these types of things occur, they impact multiple areas, both immediately and simultaneously. [18:05] These incidents affect staffing, operations, morale, productivity, profits, and public image. Every one of those six areas has associated dollar figures. This is why reputation management now must be taken into consideration under risk management. [18:50] Jeff says if I get an employee compromised in a controversial, scandalous, or criminal situation, whether I capture them on camera, or if I create the environment for said compromise to occur, and I set them up to be on camera, do I have them in the palm of my hand? [19:25] Reputational concerns, if they're not addressed and talked about before, and an employee gets caught in something that happens or was made to happen, it can be used as blackmail to have them do things internally because they have access that outside parties want. [20:08] About a year ago, Jeff says a case made national news of a high school principal who was facing the wrath of his community because of a racial rant he was supposedly caught saying as the principal of a school with minority students. [20:27] It came out that the athletic director had taken a digital sample of the principal's voice, maybe from a voicemail, and created an entire verbal tirade from scratch. That was proven through forensics. [20:47] Meanwhile, the principal had almost lost his job and career and was facing physical threats to his family from the public over something that had never happened. That showed Jeff we were entering a new atmosphere. [21:03] Jeff says, Sora 2, one of the newer AI video platforms, has already been called out for causing problems for police because people are creating videos of real people committing not-so-real crimes. With AI, it looks real. [21:19] Jeff describes a hypothetical situation where an AI video would be used to charge an employee of a crime, leading to an arrest and a record. Think of the liabilities you and your company would face. None of those are cheap. [22:02] Justin asks about verifying the legitimacy of a video. Jeff says there is software out there that does a pretty good job of figuring out if this video is AI-generated. [22:32] What camera captured the action? Was it an internal, company-owned camera, or something someone supposedly captured on a phone camera? One of those is more susceptible to manipulation. [22:53] Now, you have to be a little bit skeptical. Never has there been a more important time in our history to live by the adage, "Innocent until proven guilty." Jeff says a healthy dose of skepticism is called awareness. [23:50] Everybody has vulnerabilities. The first step in preventing a lot of these things from occurring is recognizing your own vulnerabilities, stereotypes, and false premises. Jeff says stereotyping is judging based on appearances; profiling is judging based on behaviors. [24:26] Jeff says you almost have to go into this blind, deaf, and dumb to do a true, analytical, unbiased evaluation. [24:34] Sponsorships! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. RIMScast is proud of its longstanding relationships with AXA XL, Global Risk Consultants, Alliant, Zurich, and more. [24:57] Links to many of these episodes are in the show notes. RIMScast sponsorships can be bundled with whitepapers and webinar sponsorships. [25:04] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! [25:18] Reach out to Ted Donovan at TDonovan@RIMS.org or Sales@RIMS.org. Let's find the best opportunity for you and your organization. [25:30] Let's Conclude Our Interview with Jeff McKissack! [25:54] You can't do anything about the various AI generation platforms out there. People, for the most part, are using them for all the right reasons. The thing you have to be concerned about is if it's used to accuse someone of something. [26:10] Jeff describes speaking to the Society of Government Meeting Professionals. They are meeting planners for all the alphabet agencies, the Department of War, FAA, CDC, and more. Jeff has spoken at their annual conference for years. [26:26] Jeff told them, you're bringing all these people here for an annual conference at one place, at one time, under one roof. Who do you think might want to compromise someone there, so that by the time they return home, they've been puppeteered? [26:44] Jeff is getting these meeting planners to start thinking about security in a different way, and educating the people. [26:50] "Hey, we love having you here, but when you go out to bars and restaurants, here are some things you need to think of, because some people here may know who you are and what you represent by way of access." [26:38] Jeff says, if something happens, and they get lured back to a hotel room, for various things, and they get slipped a Mickey and pass out, and a couple of weeks later they get a video by text or email, they don't even know if it's a deep fake or not because they were blacked out. [27:27] These are things we all have to understand how easy it is. Jeff constantly admonishes employees, when he speaks at that level, to remember it's not about them. They may not have wealth, but they absolutely represent access to things that people want. [27:48] You have to understand that you may have a target on your back you don't realize you have. When people approach you, ask yourself, does everything that happens in Vegas stay in Vegas? Or does it stay on social media and YouTube? YouTube remembers. [28:50] Jeff shares something from his presentation. The first step is not the stopping point. The first step is "Do you have a social media agreement in writing that your employees have signed?" If not, you, HR, and your General Counsel need to get together and word-smith it, ASAP. [29:18] Jeff says he talked to a VP of a company with over 8,000 employees. When the VP was hired as a VP, he was paid to sign two documents. He was paid $50 to sign the NDA, so he wouldn't take the sales list if he left. He was paid $100 to sign their social media agreement. [29:39] The company was more concerned about him doing something that impacted its public image than about taking the client list. First step is to wordsmith that agreement and how you incorporate it into a Code of Conduct as far as the off-the-clock expectations. [30:08] Jeff shares a case from New York City where a young sitting judge had an OnlyFans page. He was fired for it and tried to fight it. He lost because the verbiage in the City Manual for his position said: "extra-judicial activities … do not detract from the dignity of judicial office." [31:02] Jeff spoke at a risk management conference. He showed three lawsuits that were settled in the last two weeks: $125K, $225K, $485K for employees at state and government universities, entities, and institutions over the Charlie Kirk assassination. They had been fired. [31:20] They came back and sued for wrongful termination and got settlements because there was nothing written that dictated employee behaviors online. [31:45] You've got to have the paper trail or digital trail. If it's not in the Employee Handbook, add it as an addendum they sign, and put it in their file. [31:57] Next year, when new hires come on board, have it as part of the Employee Handbook, whether it's the social media agreement and/or your expectations/code of conduct. At the bare minimum, have those things in order. That's your starting point. [32:40] Jeff says when you hire someone, treat the Handbook like the Apple Agreement. Going into detail about the policy is best addressed in education and training. [32:59] Jeff talks not only to executives but also to employees. The biggest thing he is trying to get HR, Risk Management, and the C-Suite to understand is that if you're going to alter the behaviors, you've got to teach them what to do otherwise. [33:30] You're not going to get your employees to go cold-turkey on social media, but you can teach them to apply critical thinking skills so that they police themselves and you don't have to. [33:45] You have to do it in a way that tells them what's in it for them. People expect them to come home with a paycheck. Tell them all their plans can be interrupted if they do something foolish now. [34:39] Sometimes, Jeff does not have time in the session to take questions from the audience. He always tells folks he'll be around in the hallways because they may have questions they don't want to ask in front of everybody else there. Or, reach out to him on LinkedIn, or call him. [35:22] In this arena, a lot of people don't want to put out their concerns. Justin says Jeff is very approachable. He wears a hat, and it has become a branding point for him. Justin asked him for a headshot with the hat, to make him more recognizable, because people know him in Texas. [36:58] Justin asks about other cases involving social media outside of work. Jeff refers to the city manager who was let go because of a pole dance that showed up on YouTube, and the shoplifting mayor, also on YouTube. The judge had a side gig that was questionable behavior. [37:35] Jeff says some teachers have been fired over video where they had their kids in the background in the classroom while they were twerking, or dancing with kids. One teacher had his students give him a haircut in the classroom. [37:51] Jeff recalls the wording cited from the City Handbook about the dignity of the office. That covers a lot. Things like that are subjective, but most people know it when they see it. [38:15] Justin asks if we're in a society where you have to live your life assuming that everything is going to be broadcast? Jeff wouldn't say broadcast, but at least captured on camera. [38:25] When Jeff is doing employee training, he goes through cameras that are on the market. You're only thinking of the cameras you see. You are not thinking of cameras that could be out there, recording you. The ATM captures you and looks across the street. [38:52] When Jeff parks in maybe a questionable area, he always tries to find a Tesla. On average, there are seven or eight cameras around that Tesla. He'll take a picture of the license plate of the Tesla next to him, so if anything happens, he can give the picture to the cops. [39:38] Jeff says he relays to people, executives and employees alike, strategies, critical thinking. How do you use technology to your favor instead of having it used against you? [39:51] Jeff McKissack, thank you so much for joining us here on RIMScast. Jeff says he is looking forward to seeing you all in August! [39:58] Special thanks again to Jeff McKissack of Defense by Design. Be sure to attend his session at the RIMS Texas Regional Conference in San Antonio at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk on August 11th. [40:13] Jeff McKissack will deliver the presentation, "How Reputation Management is Impacting Risk Management," at 1:45 p.m. Be sure to follow up with him in the hallways afterwards and let him know that you heard him here on RIMScast. [40:27] Plug Time! Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [40:44] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [41:00] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [41:14] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [41:26] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support! Links: RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 | Aug. 10‒12 in San Antonio | Register Now! RIMS Risk Management Magazine | Contribute | Q2 2026 Issue Now Available RIMScast on YouTube! "RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management" | July‒Sept. 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam | Register Now! 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference | July 28‒Aug. 1 | Register Now Spencer Educational Foundation's 2026 Funding Their Future Gala | Sept. 17, 2026 ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026 RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today and Submit an Educational Session! RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Advance Registration Open | Sponsorship Opportunities Available RIMS ERM Conference 2026 | November 19‒20 in Columbus, Ohio | Registration Opens in July! | www.RIMS.org/ERM2026 Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines. RIMS Now RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) | Insights Video Series Featuring Joe Milan! RIMS, the Foundation for Risk Management The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS-CRMP Stories RIMScast Canada — Episodes Now Live RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy Defense by Design Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA — Virtual — July 21‒22, 2026 RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Workshop — Live In NY — Aug 27‒28! Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops Upcoming RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars "Too Hot To Ignore: Heat-Related Injuries and Workers' Compensation" | July 16 | Presented by Zurich "RIMS Student Series: Classroom to Career Part 1" | Sept 1 "RIMS Student Series: Classroom to Career Part 2" | Sept 9 Related RIMScast Episodes: "Strategy and Change with Ward Ching and Aaron Olson" "Mid-Year Risk Roundup 2026 with Morgan O'Rourke and Hilary Tuttle" "Live From Texas 2025!" "Leadership Lessons with Major General (Ret.) Robert F. 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RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Manny Padilla! RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model® Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information. Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org. Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. About our guest: Jeff McKissack, President, Defense By Design Production and engineering provided by Podfly.
Let us know your thoughts. Send us a Text Message. Follow me to see #HeadsTalk Podcast Audiograms every Monday on LinkedInEpisode Title:
How do I handle becoming my close friend's boss? How do I recover after upsetting a coworker?How do I get my boss to stop micromanaging?In this episode, Muriel and her producer, Mary, answer listeners' questions to help you navigate the issues you face at work.For further reading: Good Leaders Admit Mistakes: https://hbr.org/video/2228473497001/good-leaders-admit-mistakesTransitioning from Peer to Manager? Here's What to Expect: https://www.csinsider.co/email/transitioning-from-peer-to-managerThe Secret to Building a High-Performance Team: https://hbr.org/2025/09/the-secret-to-building-a-high-performing-teamWhy Micromanagement Is So Harmful: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-of-the-manager/202409/why-micromanagement-is-so-harmfulConnect with Muriel:Website: murielwilkins.comLinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.comRead Muriel's book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Board effectiveness is rising, but so are expectations, according to the latest research. In 2026, 41% of executives rated their boards as "excellent" or "good," the highest percentage seen by The Conference Board and PwC. What does board effectiveness look like today, and where do boards still need to improve? Join Brian Campbell and guests Ariane Marchis-Mouren, senior researcher for corporate governance at The Conference Board, and Arielle Berlin, director of the Governance Insights Center at PwC. Find out about why boards struggle with adapting to change, three ways to improve board assessments, and why top board trends have only intensified in the first half of 2026. For more from The Conference Board: Board Effectiveness 2026: A Survey of the C-Suite Director Bandwidth Is Becoming a More Visible Test of Board Effectiveness Modernizing Board Governance for Today's Risk Environment
This episode is sponsored by Deel.Hire, manage and pay, anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickdayhr/In this episode of @thehrldpodcast Nick Day is joined by Dr. Thom Mayer, emergency physician, crisis leader, NFL Players Association Medical Director, and bestselling author of Leadership Is Worthless But Leading Is Priceless. Having led through 9/11 at the Pentagon, the national anthrax response, and medical training on the ground in Ukraine, Dr. Mayer brings a career forged under the highest pressure imaginable to challenge everything we think we know about what it means to lead.Nick and Dr. Mayer explore why the concept of leadership has become dangerously hollow, why every person on your team is already a leader whether you treat them that way or not, and why innovation never moves at the speed of genius but always at the speed of trust. They unpack the critical difference between bravery, courage, and tenacity, why making failure your fuel is the foundation of elite performance, how victim mentality disappears the moment people own their agency, and why calling someone a future leader is one of the most toxic things you can say. They also examine how AI is being dangerously misused as a substitute for leadership wisdom and why luck is really just a discipline meeting opportunity.In a world where trust is eroding, burnout is rising, and pressure is relentless, this episode makes the case that the leader you have been looking for has been there all along and it is you.A must-listen for HR leaders, L&D professionals, and anyone ready to stop talking about leadership and start actually leading.Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thepayrollpodcast for more great content!Dr. Thom Mayer's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thom-mayer-md-40342024/Nick Day's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the HR L&D Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7Stay tuned for the next episode of the HR L&D Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!Timestamps:(00:01) Why Leadership Is Worthless But Leading Is Priceless(02:09) Everyone Is Already a Leader, Not a Future One(05:15) The We Suite vs The C Suite, Empowerment Over Hierarchy(08:10) Vulnerability, Authenticity and Making Failure Your Fuel(15:23) Leadership as Identity vs Leadership as Behavior(18:12) Leading Through 9/11, the NFL and Ukraine(22:36) Bravery, Courage and Tenacity, Three Very Different Things(28:44) Can AI Close the Leadership Gap or Is It Widening It(39:00) The Book and Why It Is Not Just Another Leadership Book(43:06) Luck, Discipline and Saying Yes to the Invitation(46:11) Limiting Beliefs and How They Hold Leaders Back(50:24) How to Sustain Leadership Performance and Connect with Dr. Thom Mayer
The people in your life, on your team, and within your organization need your love. Jason Barger sits down with researcher and best-selling author, Marcus Buckingham, for a chat about designing love into the human experience. For Full Show Notes Visit: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/organizational-love-marcus-buckingham/ Jason is joined by world-renowned researcher and best-selling author Marcus Buckingham for a groundbreaking conversation about the empirical business case for operationalizing love within our teams and organizations. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In an era of hyper-optimized efficiency, cost-cutting, and automated human resource networks, why are employee engagement and trust hitting historic lows? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger sits down with Marcus Buckingham, the global authority on strengths, human performance, and the co-creator of StrengthsFinder. Together, they challenge leaders to completely reframe the workplace ecosystem by introducing a metric often feared in boardrooms: love. This conversation moves past soft platitudes to deliver a rigorous, numbers-backed defense of extreme positive experiences. Marcus exposes the systematic pitfalls of the modern "loveless enterprise," where humans are reduced to financial variables like "headcount" or "FTEs." He introduces the curvilinear math of human behavior—the J-curve—proving that incremental improvements in satisfaction yield flatline results, while dramatic spikes in productivity and loyalty happen only when people encounter a top-box "Score 5" environment. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and operations managers committed to evolving their corporate culture, this episode provides a sequential tactical blueprint to reverse systemic disengagement and master the art of intentional leadership in teams. Episode Notes & Timestamps: [00:00] Intro: Jason sets the stage for a conversation on why the world's best cultures proactively design love into their daily performance systems. [00:03] Meet Marcus Buckingham: An introduction to Marcus's 25-year history as a top global researcher, best-selling author, and developer of team-leader technology. [00:06] Testing the Wiring: Marcus shares his top five CliftonStrengths and explores how a leader's unique psychometric profile sets the baseline for their thermostat. [00:07] Experiences vs. Outcomes: Shifting management focus away from top-down directive goals toward actively shaping extreme positive experiences that change human behavior. [00:09] The Loveless Enterprise: A critical analysis of corporate structures that view people through an extractive financial lens rather than as whole human beings. [00:14] The J-Curve Math of Human Performance: Deconstructing behavioral data to show why "fours are effectively ones" and why true performance gains occur only when experiences hit a score of five. [00:23] Redefining Workplace Love: What humans actually mean when they say they love a brand or a mentor: the psychological safety to remove their armor and feel fully themselves. [00:26] Proactive vs. Reactive Leadership: Unpacking why reactive "caring" functions purely like a thermometer, while a loving manager exercises proactive thermostat adjustments to fit the person. [00:35] The Scarcity of Attention: A deep evaluation of healthcare data, illustrating how excessive spans of control systematically drop employee engagement and client outcomes. [00:43] Horizontal Experiences vs. Vertical Silos: How traditional, vertical business structures fragment horizontal employee and customer journeys, creating unloving handoffs. [00:46] The AI Relational Slop Trap: A blunt warning against using generative AI to automate human relational touchpoints, such as writing employee performance reviews. [00:56] The 5 Feelings Sequential Blueprint: Marcus outlines the practical, five-part method to operationalize love inside your immediate span of control: Control, Harmony, Significance, Warmth of Others, and Growth. Key Takeaways for Leaders: The J-Curve Reality: Stop pooling mediocre scores with excellent ones. Realize that driving productive human behavior requires focusing heavily on designing "Score 5" baseline environments. Eliminate Scarcity of Attention: Audit your operational structures and management spans of control to ensure your leaders have the actual bandwidth to pay attention to the humans they guide. The Blueprint Sequence: Operationalize care inside your team right now by systematically protecting your people's autonomy (Control), workflow predictability (Harmony), and individual purpose (Significance). Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/organizational-love-marcus-buckingham/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason
A CMO Confidential Interview with Michael Treff, the CEO of Code and Theory. Michael shares his belief that the ambiguity in markets is here to stay, why traditional B2B playbooks aren't working like they used to, and why this is the "dawn of a new era for creativity."Key topics include:- Three key B2B questions companies are asking- The concepts of "stacking talent" and "forward-deployed teams"- The need to be truly honest about your organization and the marketplace- Why the future for agencies will be driven by tech, software, and serviceTune in to hear about why you should "Keep it simple," and why the future will bring "A reckoning for the service business."⏱️ Chapters1:12 - Guest Introduction and Overview of the B2B Marketplace4:35 - Technology Investments and the Changing Journey6:16 - Evolving Roles within the C-Suite7:20 - Culture Shifts and the Service Business Reckoning13:12 - Walled Gardens vs. Open Data Environments16:12 - Synthetic Data Sets18:40 - Advice for Traditional Clients26:35 - The Future of Creativity in B2B31:25 - Predictions for the Future33:37 - Closing and Final AdviceThis episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
CHROs have more responsibility than ever but less structural power than the role requires. In Part 2 of The CHRO Paradox series, Stacie explores the "C-suite gap"—the disconnect between where the CHRO sits and where real decisions are made. Drawing on data from The Conference Board, the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, Protiviti, and the Josh Bersin Company, this episode maps the four derailers keeping the authority gap open, illustrates what success looks like when organizations close it, and provides five concrete moves for HR leaders operating inside the gap right now. Stacie For more episodes, visit StacieBaird.com.
He's built his career on technical excellence and those skills have always been his path to success. But as AI reshapes his organization and his role, he senses that expertise alone won't carry him to the next level and he's unsure where to spend his time and energy to grow. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches him through how to expand his identity beyond the technical expert he's always been. For further reading: Our Favorite Management Tips on Leading With AI: https://hbr.org/2026/03/our-favorite-management-tips-on-leading-with-aiAI Won't Replace Leaders: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/james-kamanski_ai-wont-replace-leaders-but-leaders-who-activity-7353744446443700224-iz97How Can a Manager Maintain a Balance Between Technical and Managerial Skills? https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/04/01/how-can-a-manager-maintain-a-balance-between-technical-and-managerial-skills/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.