In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, we dive into the transformative concept of encore careers with special guest Dr. Michelle Prince, author of "Creating Your Encore Career: A Guide to Finding Purpose and Prosperity in Your THIRD Act." With longer lifespans and shifting cultural norms, retirement is no longer about slowing down—it’s about aligning your passions with meaningful work. Michelle shares actionable insights on redefining retirement, from planning your encore career early to exp...
Mar 05, 2025•50 min•Ep. 295
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, Tracy and Michelle are joined by Ruchira Chaudhary. Ruchira shares her transformative journey from unfulfilling careers to a purposeful life as a leadership coach. Drawing from her role as an executive coach at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and her groundbreaking book “Coaching: The Secret Code to Uncommon Leadership,” Ruchira highlights the power of coaching in helping leaders thrive while empowering others. The conversation expl...
Feb 26, 2025•46 min•Ep. 294
In this week’s episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, co-hosts Tracy and Michelle explore the art of building a thriving workplace using Polarity Intelligence®. They dive into the interconnected nature of workplace well-being, emphasizing the need for both physical and psychological safety. The discussion highlights how balancing seemingly opposing priorities—such as directive leadership and collaborative participation—can create a dynamic and healthy work culture. By understanding and leveraging th...
Feb 19, 2025•34 min•Ep. 293
In this moving episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, special guest Dr. Sasha Shillcutt shares her deeply personal journey of resilience through an extraordinary series of challenges. She recounts the heartbreaking loss of her brother-in-law, whose organ donation saved another family member’s life, intertwining grief with gratitude. Amidst this, Sasha’s home was destroyed by a catastrophic EF4 tornado, leaving her family homeless and grappling with the profound loss of their possessions. These exper...
Feb 12, 2025•40 min•Ep. 292
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, co-hosts Tracy and Michelle dive deep into the multifaceted concept of well-being, exploring its significance in both personal and workplace contexts. From mental, physical, and emotional health to social connection, we examine why prioritizing holistic well-being is more critical than ever amid today’s global challenges. You'll hear about emerging trends like destigmatizing mental health, fostering psychological safety, and improving employee assistanc...
Feb 05, 2025•48 min•Ep. 291
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, co-hosts Tracy and Michelle celebrate the 7th anniversary of their company, MissingLogic®. They reflect on the journey of their business since its inception in 2018, sharing insights into their decision to launch the company, focusing on their mission to leave a lasting impact by equipping leaders with tools to manage complex challenges, particularly those involving polarities—situations where seemingly opposing forces must be balanced. Over the years, ...
Jan 29, 2025•46 min•Ep. 290
This week on The TRU Leader Podcast, we’re joined by special guest Jonathan Bennett, a former management consultant from Ontario, reflects on his transition after selling his company, which served non-profit and public sector organizations. While vacationing in Dublin, he realized the need to plan for his future, leading to a management buyout and his new role as an adviser and executive coach. He highlights the loneliness leaders often face and the importance of external trusted advisors who of...
Jan 22, 2025•37 min•Ep. 289
This episode of The TRU Leader Podcast features Dr. Alan Rozanski. His career journey which began with a passion for medicine and evolved into a focus on nuclear cardiology, research, and the mind-body connection in heart disease. His interest in silent ischemia and the effects of mental stress on heart health led him from academia to clinical practice, where he developed a comprehensive health model. This model includes six key domains: physical health, cognitive function, emotional well-being,...
Jan 15, 2025•43 min•Ep. 288
This episode of The TRU Leader Podcast features Pennie Sempell, a lawyer who transitioned to a career in stress management, initially working in a mind-body clinic and later developing innovative strategies for lawyers and healthcare workers. Pennie’s work emphasizes psychological flexibility, which can be improved through interventions like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), offering benefits such as reduced burnout and improved sleep. She created St...
Jan 08, 2025•47 min•Ep. 287
In the first-ever episode of The TRU Leader Podcast in 2025, Tracy and Michelle reflect on their evolving New Year’s Eve celebrations, exploring the concept of breakthroughs—both internal and external shifts that significantly impact life and leadership. The discussion emphasizes the importance of self-reflection in identifying subconscious beliefs and norms that limit progress, encouraging leaders to adopt a growth mindset. By proactively shaping their destinies and making mindful choices, lead...
Jan 01, 2025•43 min•Ep. 286
With a Christmas release day of The TRU Leader Podcast, Michelle and Tracy share their holiday traditions, reflecting on family gatherings and gratitude. They discuss their new book, "Polarity Intelligence: The Missing Logic in Leadership", which promotes a shift from an either/or mindset to a both/and approach for adaptability in leadership. They also highlight the success of their Polarity Intelligence Foundations for Leaders Program and the growth of The TRU Leader Podcast, which focuses on b...
Dec 25, 2024•47 min•Ep. 285
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, Michelle and Tracy are joined by Dr. Mari Tietze and Steve Love, Deb Rio and Mike Edwards, and their husbands- Kevin Moore and Jerry Christopherson and to explore the transformative impact of the Breakthrough Year Mastermind program on personal and relational growth. Through in-person and virtual retreats featuring meditation, journaling, and education, the mastermind fosters deep connections and meaningful self-discovery. Mari and Deb share how the pro...
Dec 18, 2024•44 min•Ep. 284
In this week’s episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, we delve into the topic of community and connection among visionary leaders, distinguishing between having a broad, innovative vision and a personal, goal-oriented vision. Tracy and Michelle discuss the transformative power of collaboration among like-minded individuals, particularly through small groups called masterminds, where leaders support each other in achieving their goals. They highlight how overcoming traditional norms that promote isol...
Dec 11, 2024•38 min•Ep. 283
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, special guest Laurie Sudbrink joins us in an in-depth conversation on her GRIT® framework from her book "LEADING with GRIT", which focuses on the key leadership values of Generosity, Respect, Integrity, and Truth. She emphasizes how each component contributes to effective leadership, with generosity fostering an abundance mindset, respect beginning with self-care, integrity keeping leaders true to their values, and truth creating trust and personal grow...
Dec 04, 2024•41 min•Ep. 282
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, hosts Michelle and Tracy explore the concept of Thriving, Resilient, and Unstoppable (TRU) leadership, emphasizing the importance of resilient leaders for the success of organizations, communities, and families. They stress the need for leaders to reassess ingrained norms and limiting beliefs, which often lead to burnout, highlighting how the misconception that hard work alone guarantees success can be detrimental. Drawing on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs...
Nov 27, 2024•34 min•Ep. 281
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, special guest Bonnie Artman Fox tells us about her career journey from oncology nursing to becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist, emphasizing the importance of family dynamics in both addiction recovery and leadership. In her book, *How Did My Family Get in My Office?*, Bonnie explores how early life experiences shape professional behaviors, particularly for leaders with abrasive interpersonal skills. Her transition into leadership coaching ...
Nov 20, 2024•51 min•Ep. 280
In this episode of The TRU Leader podcast, hosts Michelle and Tracy discuss the pervasive nature of stress in leadership and its impact on well-being. The episode delves into the general adaptation syndrome, which outlines the body’s response to prolonged stress in three stages—alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. They explore stress management strategies to prevent burnout, drawing from Michelle’s personal experience with stress-induced vision problems. The conversation highlights the concept of ...
Nov 13, 2024•40 min•Ep. 279
This week on The TRU Leader Podcast, we're joined by Cathy Carroll, author and a third-generation leader in her family's business. Cathy shares her journey and insights from her book *Hug of War: How to Lead a Family Business with Both Love and Logic*. After two decades in corporate roles, Cathy returned to the family business, encountering tensions between her profit-driven approach and her father’s investment-focused mindset. The narrative explores the complexities of managing familial relatio...
Nov 06, 2024•59 min•Ep. 278
This week on The TRU Leader Podcast, Tracy and Michelle discuss the growing importance of empathetic leadership, especially in the post-pandemic workplace. The dynamic duo explores how the pandemic has increased stress and mental health issues among employees, making empathy in leadership more crucial than ever. They note that the new generation of workers values leadership that prioritizes their well-being and happiness, and research shows that empathetic leadership improves employee engagement...
Oct 30, 2024•32 min•Ep. 277
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, special guest Leslie Galloway discusses her transition from a corporate vice president to founding her own coaching business in 2020. She highlights the importance of authentic leadership and overcoming limiting beliefs for personal and professional growth. Journaling is recommended as a tool to clarify these beliefs, helping individuals navigate the discomfort of uncovering deep-rooted issues and fostering self-trust. The episode underscores the value ...
Oct 23, 2024•52 min•Ep. 276
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, Tracy and Michelle explore the challenges of leading in a rapidly changing world, shaped by technological advancements and disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. They critique traditional leadership models, particularly Lewin’s 1950s change model, as inadequate for today’s VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) environment. Instead, they advocate for a continuous evolution approach, emphasizing the need for an agile mindset, high aspirat...
Oct 16, 2024•40 min•Ep. 275
This week on The TRU Leader Podcast, Greg Bennick joins us as he talks about his book, "Reclaim the Moment: 7 Strategies to Build a Better Now," which offers practical advice for achieving clarity and focus in a world filled with distractions. Greg emphasizes the importance of self-centering and understanding one's actions to prevent burnout and maintain meaningful connections. One key strategy involves fostering positive beliefs about others’ intentions, which can help combat pessimism and alle...
Oct 09, 2024•36 min•Ep. 274
This week on The TRU Leader Podcast, Tracy and Michelle discuss the challenges of balancing leadership responsibilities and personal life on their podcast, urging listeners to reflect on their professional and personal goals. They emphasize the need for leaders to define success on their own terms and adapt to today's volatile world. The hosts stress the importance of self-reflection, including evaluating workplace relationships and personal contributions, as they assert that true success encomp...
Oct 02, 2024•32 min•Ep. 273
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, Tracy and Michelle are joined by Elaine Lin Hering. Together, they talk about Elaine’s book, "Unlearning Silence" which addresses the detrimental effects of self-censorship in workplaces, highlighting the contradiction between the societal expectation to speak up and the unsafe environments that often prevent it. She emphasizes the critical role of leaders in creating safe spaces for open dialogue, advocating for balanced conversations that consider bot...
Sep 25, 2024•44 min•Ep. 272
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, Tracy and Michelle discuss the rising issue of workplace burnout, emphasizing that both individuals and organizations share the responsibility for alleviating it. They highlight the mental health crisis among workers, citing factors like unsustainable workloads and lack of support, with 76% of US workers experiencing mental health symptoms and 84% attributing these challenges to workplace conditions. The discussion references the Surgeon General’s frame...
Sep 18, 2024•36 min•Ep. 271
This episode of The TRU Leader Podcast highlights Teri Sholder, a former healthcare leader who transitioned to starting her own consulting company focused on performance improvement, emphasizing the importance of maintaining successful processes and understanding the drivers of desired outcomes for sustainability. Her company assists with strategy implementation for long-term success, and she introduces her book, “Ascent to Excellence, A Blueprint for Health Care Board and Leadership Success,” w...
Sep 11, 2024•35 min•Ep. 270
In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, Tracy and Michelle delves into the national crisis of burnout and mental health issues in the workplace, citing a 2022 US Surgeon General report and a Microsoft survey showing high levels of burnout among managers. The pandemic has shifted expectations around work-life balance, with workers seeking more support to avoid overwork. The discussion highlights the VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) environment’s demands on staff and the need for ...
Sep 04, 2024•34 min•Ep. 269
This episode of The TRU Leader Podcast follows Christy Pretzinger’s journey from freelancing to becoming the CEO of WG Content. It details her transition to building WriterGirl and her focus on the healthcare sector. Pretzinger emphasizes the importance of kindness in business and creating a positive work culture, drawing from her past experiences in unkind environments. The narrative underscores the significance of company culture, personal development, and self-awareness, highlighting the use ...
Aug 28, 2024•37 min•Ep. 268
This episode of The TRU Leader Podcast explores the various challenges leaders encounter when managing their time and energy in the face of increasing demands and expectations. It emphasizes the crucial importance of effective time management, prioritizing tasks, and maintaining a balance between work and personal life to avoid burnout and perform at one's best. The discussion highlights the deep-rooted fears and beliefs that can obstruct leaders, resulting in persistent feelings of inadequacy a...
Aug 21, 2024•37 min•Ep. 267
This episode of The TRU Leader Podcast revolves around the importance of authenticity and work-life balance in effective leadership. Our dynamic duo, Tracy and Michelle, and special guest Dr. John Chuck, discuss themes emphasizing personal growth, spiritual connection, and the need for relatable and sustainable leaders who promote work-life balance. This episode highlights Dr. John's book, “Pearls from the Practice of Life”, offering wellness insights and reflections on burnout through 69 chapte...
Aug 14, 2024•43 min•Ep. 266
