In this episode, Heather speaks directly with listeners about some changes happening with the podcast, her thoughts on the US Capitol violence, the status of her book and some key thoughts on relationships: Key takeaways: 1. We get to choose how we handle what is in front of us 2. Focus on relationships and all else will follow 3. Choose to be the bridge and not the divider
In this episode, Heather speaks with Phil Weiser, Attorney General in Colorado. Heather met Phil during her law school days at CU Boulder, but invited him to be on her podcast after hearing a speech he gave about empathy. Caring leadership is about emotional intelligence, and with empathy at the core of that, Heather knew she had to have Phil as a podcast guest. Phil shares his leadership journey, sage advice, enjoyable anecdotes, and even the DEI&B initiatives underway at the Colorado Depar...
In this episode, Heather interviews the two women from her DEI certification class which she referenced in her blog recently. These two women shared an interaction, which Heather witnessed and was truly inspired by. Antrece Baggett, History, Associate Chair HCC Foundation Board Faculty Representative, and Golbou Ghassemieh, Project Manager/Recruitment Manager at Koff & Associates, both demonstrate humility, compassion and accountability in their interaction. Watch this week’s episode to expe...
In this episode, Heather helps us reminisce on her favorite episodes for 2020 in order to plan for 2021. Her final message. Leaders get to choose how they think, behave and interact with those they lead. Don’t forget the poster you have to show us as your best self. This helps those you lead show us as their best as well.
In this episode, Heather interviews Esmeralda Martinez, the Migrant Education Program Director for the Southwest Region. Esmeralda demonstrates caring leadership by advocating for those that are not at the table. In her line of work, that is primarily underprivileged students and their families. Where does Esmeralda’s drive to lead come from? Her beautiful and empowering familial history and the struggles they endured that became opportunities for success. Heather’s last podcast guest, Barbara M...
In this podcast episode, Heather interviews Karen Erren, President and CEO at Feeding Westchester. As a leader of a non-profit food distribution service, Karen is familiar with showing care to others, but that doesn’t mean she was always a perfectly caring leader. What Karen shows in her conversation with Heather is the effort that leaders have to put in to be there for their teams, especially during these trying times. Karen exemplifies being a caring leader by taking her place among her people...
In this Leadership with Heart episode, Heather interviews a seasoned leader, Barbara Medina. Dr. Medina was recommended to be on the show by one of the many caring leaders that she helped develop during her time in the Colorado Department of Education as Assistant Commissioner. Caring leadership techniques were ingrained in Barbara from childhood, when she was growing up on the family farm. There, she learned the importance of collaboration, mutual benefit, service and mission. Even the littlest...
In this episode, Heather speaks directly to listeners about gratitude, resilience, how leaders help those they lead reframe and focus forward. Key takeaways: 1. Help your people become resilient 2. Use gratitude as a resilience-building tool 3. Curate experiences that change the frame
In this episode, Heather hosts a solo show. In a concise and powerful episode, she connects a classic movie, “The Gladiator,” to caring leadership. Maximus, the protagonist of the movie played by Russel Crowe, exemplifies that people can lead from any place, with or without a title. He produces a strong and effective team of gladiators by using key caring leader tactics. He takes the time to build trust, by doing exactly what he says he will do. He puts himself on the line for his team, and prov...
Heather speaks to Garth Jordan and Heather Loenser of the American Animal Hospital Association. Both leaders of this organization: Garth, CEO, and Heather Loenser, Senior Veterinary Officer, together with Heather Younger have a very dynamic discussion about their personal leadership findings. To the Heathers, empathy comes naturally. To Garth, it has been a work in progress. Yet, they all agree that empathy is crucial to the art of leadership, and that the follow up action is just as crucial as ...
In this Leadership with Heart episode, Heather speaks with Kirsten Benefiel, CEO of HSS, a company focused on leading the next generation of innovative security managed devices. Kirsten is a leader who strives to be authentic by showing up, being vulnerable and listening more than she speaks. Kirsten describes how aligning her life and leadership style with her personal values makes for a much easier leadership experience. Kirsten shows her compassion by explaining how a leader can never over co...
In this episode, Heather shares some personal and heartfelt stories that need to be shared. She was nudged to share them and to ask listeners some key questions relating to safe spaces to tell all stories at work. Heather invites you to listen with an open mind and heart to her stories and to share some of your own, making others feel comfortable to show up as their full selves Key takeaways: Do your people feel safe to tell your stories? How well have you made your people feel included, welcome...
In this episode Heather interviews Diana Steinhoff, Executive Vice President, Product and Strategy at Life & Absence Management Administrative Solutions. Diana is a leader who does what she loves day in and day out, interacting with people that need help as they navigate difficult life events. Diana has mastered how to be innovative in a difficult space and infuse lots of compassion into her work. Heather and Diana both offer examples of when they weren't the most compassionate leaders, but ...
In this episode, Heather speaks with Mario Harding, Associate Chief Operating Officer at Denver Health, about the origins of his leadership style leading him to success as a humble leader. Mario relays a story where he was not present for his team at a time when they needed him. He sheds light on important qualities of a leader: vulnerability, being present, taking care of yourself first, balance, putting yourself out there for your team, giving yourself grace, strong support network. Heather an...
In this episode, Heather speaks with John H. Chuang, Founder and CEO of Aquent about his leadership style, a time when he was not the best leader can be, and shares some great tips for leaders, new and seasoned. Key takeaways: It’s less important is something is easy, make it happen, be different Focus on the people and do the right thing for them, always Help your people realize their highest potentials Make people feel like they are a part of something new and exciting Using data is a brillian...
In this episode, Heather speaks with Tara Healy, VP of Compliance at Cherry Creek Mortgage about her leadership style, a time when she was not an empathetic and responsive leader and some great tips for recognition and getting through this pandemic in tact with our teams. Key takeaways: As leaders, we must be people of integrity Ask yourself whether you are congruent with who you say you are Are you creating safe environments for others to be themselves at work? Do you recognize your people in t...
In this episode, Heather speaks with Gavriella Schuster, Corporate Vice President, Commercial Partner at Microsoft about her leadership style, her drive to lead , a time when she was not the most empowering leader and much more. Top Takeaways: As leaders, we have our own brand of leading We must be true to our own leadership style if we are to uplift those around us We must take time for ourselves We can see adversity as a gift by reframing and helping our team do the same...
In this episode, Heather speaks with Dustin Yowell, Director of Operations for Mercy Health Systems about his leadership style on humility and admitting mistakes, a time when he was not the best version of himself and his perspective on resilience in leadership. Key takeaways: *Humility in leadership is essential *Setting goals and being clear about expectations is not the opposite of leading with heart but it is leading that way *Focus on enduring past the pandemic
In this episode, Heather speaks directly to listeners about some changes she has made just recently and how she has learned to embrace change even during this pandemic. Heather shares some key decisions she has made to create a metamorphosis in her life. Key takeaways: Now is the time to see change as a positive despite what is front of us Starting anew right now might be exactly what you need to help you see the situation differently How aligned do you feel with your personal and professional m...
In this episode, Heather joins the show without a guest to talk about the status of her next book, The Art of Caring Leadership, which is based upon this podcast. She also tells her perspective of the death of Chadwick Boseman, the former Marvel star and the king of Wakanda, the fictitious county in the Black Panther movie. Key takeaways: All employees are looking for hope and need leaders to help them discover it. There is power in seeing someone who looks like you in the highest positions of l...
In this episode, Heather speaks with Greg Brenner, Assistant Vice President - Talent & Organizational Development (HR) about his leadership style, a great example of when he was not the best version of himself and some great pearls of wisdom. Key takeaways: · Figure out how you want to engage with those you lead by being more intentional · Put people at the center · Be the grown up in the interactions with your people; take control of your emotions · You choose whether you cast a shadow or n...
In this episode, Heather speaks with Danny Langloss, City Manager at City of Dixon in Illinois about his leadership style, the importance of showing appreciation for those we lead, a time when he was not the best version of himself and much more. Key takeaways: There is a delicate balance for the leader on being self-aware and managing our emotions. There is a big difference between being very aware of who we are and how we are feeling then how others are feeling or responding to who we are We s...
In this rich episode, Heather speaks with LaToya Lyn, about her drive to lead (which you will love), her short time spent with the late John Lewis, civil rights advocate who was very close with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and some brilliant pearls of wisdom for every leader to think about. Key takeaways: As a leader, it is not what you do, but how you do it Leaders don’t lead, they create a space or others to follow Do your people feel like they need an invitation to participate, or are they fre...
In this episode, Heather speaks with Scott Miller, EVP of Thought leadership at Franklin Covey his leadership style, his drive to lead, about his unique view on leadership and self-awareness. Key takeaways: As leaders, we must be aware of our shortcomings to be able to truly meet our people where they are. Do you people feel safe to tell the truth about you to your face? Great leaders are more concern with the right thing than being right Be the leader who is comfortable with those you lead ecli...
In this episode, Heather talks to Adam Hermanson, Founder of Integration Design Group about his drive to lead, the importance of passing on what he calls “praise notes” to employees, a time when he was not the best leader he could be and much more. Key takeaways: Always go out of the way to praise those you lead and pass it on from customers too Our economy is built on an exchange of trust, not just dollars and cents Don’t be afraid to step out of the boat. This helps build more resilience in th...
In this episode, Heather speaks to Michele Nevarez, CEO of GolemanEI about her drive to lead, her leadership style, a time when she was not the best version of herself and her interesting take on discovering what we can influence and impact. Key Takeaways: Don’t give away your influence Realize that we have a choice to focus on what we can influence and our thinking Are you current thought patterns helping you or hurting you? What are your thinking habits? Keep Building evidence for who you want...
In this episode, Heather shares with listeners her vet special Author’s Day presentation with her publisher and many guests. In it, she goes over her personal background, her “why” for writing her book, the main focuses of the book, and her editor talks about what makes this book so different. It is a treat to listen to if you are a fan of the guests from this show.
In this episode, Heather interviews Curtis Martin , CEO of FOCUS about his drive to lead, his leadership style, his struggle with patience, and a time when he took his eye off of the business and abdicated responsibility. Key takeaways: *Dont abdicate responsibility but be there to guide people *Make show the balance of care and strength. *Take the long view when leading so that you might create tension for the benefit for the long term goal
In this episode, Heather joins listeners in a personal journey during COVID-19, the racial divide and writing a book. Key takeaways: 1. Be the Solution yo the problems in our world. Don’t bail out of taking responsibility 2. You are worthy of your leadership. You are good enough for others to care for. 3. We can all choose to be unstuck post-COVID-19
In this episode, Heather speaks with Craig Miller, President of FOCUS, Fellowship of Catholic University Students, about his leadership style, where his drive to lead comes from, his focus on minimizing his ego and much more! Key Takeaways: Don’t focus on serving self but serving others Decide whether or not you are claiming positions out of ego Bring people along with you by spending time with them to help them see their role in a vision Search for those who have an ownership mentality and not ...
