Leaders on the Move: Recent Episodes

Jake Steger & Jon Kidwell

Welcome to Leaders on the Move. This is a podcast about leading change, the people who do it, and how they do it. Together, let’s explore how to lead change that can create a positive impact in your life, work, and community.

Hey Podcast Listeners!

We've got a Leaders on the Move update, and on behalf of myself and Jake, we are so grateful for you as listeners this past year, and for our wonderful guests. You can hear me announce it on today's episode.

At this time we are pausing production of any future episodes of the podcast, but you can still find all your favorite episodes available online from your listening service of choice, and please continue to share them with anyone that you feel can benefit.

Stay subscribed, and as soon as information is available about future podcast episodes, you will be the first to know!

Thank you again, and Lead on!In service,Jon Kidwell & Jake Steger

With us today is John Mikos. John is the new CEO of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, and has been serving Y communities for many years. He’s been a CEO, COO (a couple of times), Chair of the Kansas State Alliance and Operational Consultant for the YMCA of the USA. Wherever and whatever John is doing he is making significant advancements in community outreach and integrated health, with strong strategic initiatives and public policy/advocacy.

Some of what you’ll learn:

How to address anxiety, fear, and questions for everyone involved during a Leadership transition.
The 5 steps of high-level preparation before taking action - including a focus on people.
A realistic timeline for new impact.
Moving with a new team, not without.

Connect with John and the YMCA of Middle Tennessee:

John Mikos | LinkedIn
Email
YMCA of Middle Tennessee | Website
YMCA of Middle Tennessee | Facebook

At the root of it, data analysis is an attempt to find a pattern within, or correlation between different data points - and from there we can draw insights and conclusions. So join us as we interview Adam Shilling about how he makes a difference in his organization and community with specific decision-making principles, and the relationship to data.With us today is Adam Shilling. Adam currently serves as the CEO of the Buckeye Valley Family YMCA. They serve more than 22,000 individuals from across Licking and Muskingum county and receive more than 30,000 volunteer hours of service each year. Prior to his role as the CEO, Adam helped lead YMCA Operations in Grand Rapids Michigan, and has also worked at YMCA’s national headquarters in Chicago, where he was responsible for measuring the impact that YMCAs had in communities. His career with the YMCA started in Pittsburgh, PA, where he was born, raised, and later received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

What you’ll learn:

The Role of Data in business and decision making.
- And the importance of cleaning, translating, and understanding it.
Using personal connections to collect data.
Avoiding data for the sake of data.
- If you’re going to do something with it, gather it. If you’re not, then don’t gather.
Disclosures, the importance of accuracy, and data-driven conversations.

Connect with Adam and the Buckeye Valley Family YMCA:

Adam Shilling | LinkedIn
Buckeye Valley Family YMCA | Website
Buckeye Valley Family YMCA | Facebook

With us today is Chris Lovasco, who started with a heart for wellness consulting, and found his roots in the North Shore of Massachusetts where he began his 28 year career at the Greater Beverly YMCA. Chris has played a critical role in expanding the Y’s impact through membership growth and a series of mergers which advanced the organization from a small independent Y to an association of seven facilities now known as the YMCA of the North Shore, becoming the 30th largest association of YMCAs in the United States.Chris has held many positions during his Y career, including Executive Director of the Greater Beverly YMCA, Chief Operating Officer of the YMCA of the North Shore, and then in 2015, the appointment to President & CEO of the YMCA of the North Shore - now serving more than 45,000 members across 25 communities.

What you’ll learn:

Forming a Philosophy based on Mission.
Running a Mission-based Business – How to do Well, to do Good, in order to Aspire to do Better.
New Innovations: “Doing One, Developing One, Planning One”.
Aligning an organization with the Four Agreements.

Connect with Chris and the YMCA of the North Shore:

Chris Lovasco | LinkedIn
Email
YMCA of the North Shore | Website
YMCA of the North Shore | Facebook

With us today is Cameron Corder. For over 30 years, [30!] Cam has been President and CEO of the Cleveland County Family YMCA in Shelby, North Carolina. He is the son of a retired YMCA CEO and started his Y career at age 15 folding towels with the Greenville, South Carolina YMCA. After graduating from Wingate University, he then served the High Point YMCA in various positions from 1987 – 1992 before beginning with the YMCA of Cleveland County.

What you’ll learn:

Making the paycheck the least important aspect of the work.
The 90% and 10% of tough conversations.
Starting Love and Kindness right at the point of hiring.
How to start becoming a leader that Loves Well.
- Loving well doesn’t leave someone as they are.

Connect with Cameron and the Cleveland County Family YMCA:

Cameron Corder | LinkedIn
Email
Cleveland County Family YMCA | Cleveland County YMCA
Cleveland County Family YMCA | Facebook

With us today is Michael Brown. For over 30 years at the YMCA, Mike has served 7 communities throughout the nation. His passion for community advocacy led him to receive both a Master of Science in Human Services and a second in Leadership and Operational Management, while he now turns his academic focus to a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership and Business Admin. Outside of the YMCA, Mike also served as a youth pastor for 10 years at Trinity United Methodist Church. With experience at many Y locations as President and CEO, he is now at the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth, where his larger than life, eccentric approach to work in helping communities and individuals is built from his dim past of being an abused child that attempted suicide. His story is what feeds and fulfills his life’s goals for a brighter tomorrow for all.

Some of what you’ll discover:

How we show up, the importance of failure, and investing in relationships with a focus on people.
How to form a Strategic Vision, with a Culture to support it.
Building Culture with fluid transparency.
- Take care of the Ship first.
Friendraising vs Fundraising

Connect with Mike and the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth:

Mike Brown | LinkedIn
Email
YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth | Website
YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth | Facebook

With us today is Jorge Perez. Jorge is the president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, a leading nonprofit organization that operates 14 branches, one overnight camp and 80 childhood learning centers across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

He is the first Latino-American to lead the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati in its 164-year history of community service. An accomplished strategic thinker, program innovator, and evaluator, he is committed to learning and continuous improvement. Jorge is culturally competent and mission-focused, and as an educator by training, was called to the YMCA when he realized the problems children can have outside of school.

What you’ll learn:

VUCA - what is it, where is it from, and how we face it with Focus.
How things have changed and why they will not go back to a pre-pandemic environment.
“What I want to do is no longer possible if I use the same tools to do it.”
Why it’s so important to have Vision, Foundation, Clarity, and Flexibility
Why to Calibrate your Direction, avoid being Transactional, and embrace being Transformational

Connect with Jorge and the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati:

Jorge Perez | LinkedIn
Email
YMCA of Greater Cincinnati | Website
YMCA of Greater Cincinnati | Facebook

This is a quick note and a podcast episode message from Jake and I about our thanks to all of you wonderful listeners of Leaders on the Move, and our gratefulness to our fantastic guests on the show. It was a full and blessed year, and we are very excited for what's coming on the podcast in 2023.In 2023:

New guests ready to share.
More YMCA leaders to connect with.
Logo touch-ups!

This was our most downloaded episode ever, and our last "Best Of" Replay for the 2022 Holiday season!

-------Today, we welcome Trish Feinthel. Listen in as she shares tremendous takeaways from 25 years of leading and serving in the YMCA.

Trish serves as COO for the YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon Counties, (Hunterdon, New Jersey, and Bucks County), Pennsylvania. She has worked in several Ys, chaired leadership development networks, was lead for the YMCA of the USA on their National Health and Wellness Gulick Collaborative, and plays a leadership role in membership and virtual wellness with several partner YMCAs.

You’ll discover:

Key characteristics and traits of a successful and growing leader.
The approach to take when you ‘enter the room’ to keep yourself growing and confident.
Powerful questions to ask yourself and your team to stay growing and working with passion and excellence.
A mindset for approaching difficult conversations so that they lead to growth.

Connect with Trish and the YMCA of Bucks County:

Connect with Trish: linkedin.com/in/tricia-digiovanni-feinthel-08145027/
Email Trish: tfeinthel@ymcabhc.org
YMCA of Bucks County: ymcabucks.org

(Original Air Date: Sept. 27, 2022)

Another "Best-Of" Episode Replay!

Today we talk with Kevin Bolding, President and CEO of the YMCA of Central Florida. Kevin has over 25 years of experience leading in communities small and large, all across our country. In his career, Kevin has had the unique challenge and opportunity to lead large organizations through difficult seasons. And as a result, he’s even more successful, with more responsibility, and a more influential voice, but approaches that privilege and power from a different perspective than most.

What’ll you learn:

What a leader needs to be humble, strong, and confident through whatever comes.
Characteristics that are visible in a leader leading with humility.
How humble leaders measure success and keep growing.

Connect with the YMCA of Central Florida and Kevin here:

YMCA of Central Florida: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Connect with Kevin: Linkedin - Kevin Bolding

(Original Air Date: June 21, 2022)

Another "Best-Of" Episode Replay!

Today we’re interviewing Mark Dengler. Mark is a 34-year nonprofit executive who approaches work with an analytical twist fostering highly creative, simple solutions to complex problems. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and COO for the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. Mark and his team leaned into the disruption of the last couple of years, disrupting themselves and their organization so they could survive, thrive, and stay relevant as the community and its needs continue to change.

You’ll learn:

The foundational principle Mark and his team led with to invite and navigate a disruption to the organization and its business model.
How to navigate disruption in a way where you stay true to the mission and values of the organization.
A new pathway for young and emerging leaders to grow, develop, and find ways to lead and serve.

Find out more about the LA YMCA and Mark Dengler:

Check out the LA YMCA: www.ymcala.org/
Connect with Mark: Email | LinkedIn

A "Best-Of" Episode Replay!

Join us as one of our hosts, Jon Kidwell, talks to the other host, Jake Steger, who is known as the Y's "Membership Guru", a former YMCA Executive with over 22 years of experience leading community recreation organizations, and founder of Rec Business Solutions. He shares his breakthrough formula for leading organizational change and how to constantly be innovating and leading yourself and others through the change necessary to succeed in mission-driven organizations today. You'll learn:

The toughest test for Jake and proof the formula + leadership works
What community recreation organizations need to be on the lookout for in terms of current and future disruption to their model
The place that needs the most focus and strongest leadership as you influence and lead change

Connect with Jake Steger:

Jake's Organizational Change Model: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jake-steger_change-isnt-linear-it-takes-strong-leadership-activity-6881278095773470720-VsY7
Jake's Website: Rec Business Solutions
Jake's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-steger/
Jake's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakesteger/

With us today is Stephan Wiedner. Stephan is a psychological safety expert whose career has focused on developing sustainable, high-performance leaders, teams, and organizations. Stephan is very active with his guest speakerships, and his writing has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and other publications. His passion for unleashing the collective potential of people led him to cofound Noomii.com, the web’s largest network of independent life coaches; Skillsetter.com, the deliberate practice platform for interpersonal skills, and Zarango.com, the psychological safety training platform.

What you’ll learn:

What is psychological safety and two important attributes to know if your team has it
The leadership behaviors that foster or diminish high-performance teams
Strategies for a direct and conflict-avoidant individual looking to increase psychological safety and performance in themselves and others

Connect with Stephan and explore his platforms:

Stephan Wiedner | LinkedIn
Zarango | zarango.com/freepsi

Join us as we interview Brian McLaughlin about growing through COVID to serve more people than ever before, and how to strategize technology investment for maximum impact.

Brian grew up in the YMCA and went from a young camper to a lifelong career in the Y with involvement in the movement for over 25 years. Brian continues to share the same passion for strengthening our communities that he grew up with and applied while serving across Y associations in multiple communities. With a focus on leading membership, marketing, and youth development to expand the Y's reach and collaborative impact in our community, he is now the COO of the YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South, in Tennessee.

What you’ll walk away with:

Strategies to create transformational growth readiness
Steps to be “the call people make” when they need help
How to use technology as a multiplier of impact

Connect with Brian and the YMCA of Memphis and Mid-South:

Brian McLaughlin | LinkedIn
Email
YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South | Website
YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South | Facebook

With us today is Courtney Harrness. Courtney is CEO of the YMCA of Attleboro in Massachusetts. Prior to this role, Courtney accrued 16 years of experience in YMCAs in Boston and Minnesota. As well as fundraising with The BASE, and board and committee member for Suburban Ramsey Family Collaborative, Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance and Minnesota Stroke Association, Community Rec Magazine, and Y-USA’s Emerging Leader Resource Network.

What you’ll walk away knowing:

What it’s really like when you find yourself let go, fired, or without a job.
The value of humility and vulnerability when navigating trials
The power of adversity for growing yourself and your leadership style

Connect with Courtney and the Attleboro YMCA:

Courtney Harrness: www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-harrness
Email Courtney: Charrness@attleboroymca.org
Attleboro YMCA: attleboroymca.org
Attleboro YMCA Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/AttleboroYMCA

Today we’re interviewing Shelby Saylor. Shelby is a National Customer Experience Manager with Les Mills where she helps over 900 YMCAs with member engagement, experience, and increasing member retention. She’s been leading in the YMCA and fitness world for over a decade. She’s never met a stranger, loves to see others be successful, calls Cleveland home, and loves spending time with her wonderful daughter.

What you’ll learn:

5 skills to focus on to lead well and motivate your team
How shared goals bring people together and build a united team
Strategies to build human connections in remote and multi-site operations

Connect with Shelby and Les Mills:

Connect with Shelby on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shelbysaylor
Follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/shelby11marie
Learn about LesMills: LesMills.com

With us today is André Anthony. For over 20 years André’s led through various roles and nonprofits. From the Boys and Girls Club, to Chief of Staff and VP of Strategy at the YMCA of Central New York, to Executive Director of the North Carolina Global Health Alliance, and the VERY soon-to-be CEO of Dorcas Ministries in Cary, North Carolina. All along the way, André focused on building effective organizational strategies and developing leaders. He has led internship and college mentorship programs, was on the YMCA’s national steering committee for Emerging Leaders, and was in the US’s first Global Change Agents cohort for the World Alliance YMCAs.

What you’ll learn:

Two critical parts of an effective strategy
The process to gain the needed buy-in and move a strategic plan from start to Board approval
How to address and overcome resistance to change when launching a new strategy
The need for day-to-day informal and strategic leadership

Connect with André and Dorcas Ministries:

Connect with André: linkedin.com/in/andré-anthony-9b576054/
Email André: andreanthony1125@gmail.com
Dorcas Ministries: dorcascary.org

Leadership networking isn’t just about collecting business cards. It’s about building relationships and connections to grow your influence and increase your ability to positively impact the mission and people you serve. Join Jake and Jon as they talk about the power of networking plus helpful tips and approaches you can use to build your network.

You’ll walk away with:

What you need to identify to network effectively and authentically
Tips and strategies to help you engage in conversations with new people
How to use networking to learn new things and grow yourself and your impact

Connect with Jake Steger and Jon Kidwell:

Jake Steger: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
Jon Kidwell: JonKidwell.com | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Today, we welcome Trish Feinthel. Listen in as she shares tremendous takeaways from 25 years of leading and serving in the YMCA.

Trish serves as COO for the YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon Counties, Hunterdon County, New Jersey & Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She has worked in several Ys, chaired leadership development networks, was lead for the YMCA of the USA on their National Health and Wellness Gulick Collaborative, and plays a leadership role in membership and virtual wellness with several partner YMCAs.

You’ll discover:

Key characteristics and traits of a successful and growing leader.
The approach to take when you ‘enter the room’ to keep yourself growing and confident
Powerful questions to ask yourself and your team to stay growing and working with passion and excellence.
A mindset for approaching difficult conversations so that they lead to growth

Connect with Trish and the YMCA of Bucks County:

Connect with Trish: linkedin.com/in/tricia-digiovanni-feinthel-08145027/
Email Trish: tfeinthel@ymcabhc.org
YMCA of Bucks County: ymcabucks.org

On the podcast today is William Tyrone Toms. Will is the Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer of REC Philly, a first-of-its-kind model to support the talent and business of creatives. REC (Resources For Every Creator) is a creative space and agency dedicated to empowering creative people to do more of what they love. Will’s visionary leadership has enabled him to lead his organization from humble beginnings in a warehouse in North Philadelphia, to a 7-figure, multi-city company. To date, REC has paid out over $1.5 million dollars to creatives in the Philadelphia region and earned Will a spot on the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 List in the Social Impact category.

You’ll walk away with:

How to think about building a brand today, whether online or as a leader
The importance of a strategy and steps to act it out successfully
An analogy of ‘a city’ to support and connect with your community
What leaders can do to build teams and success by thinking about the needs of their community

Connect with Will, get the book, and check out REC Philly:

Will Toms: Instagram.com/TheWillToms
Buy the (Un)Common Sense book: Shop.RECphilly.com
REC Philly: www.RECphilly.com | instagram.com/RECphilly

Today we’re interviewing Jim Ferber. Jim currently serves as the Chairman of Dr. Phillips Charities. In twenty years Dr. Phillips Charities has contributed over $150 million to community-building initiatives and life-giving programs in the Central Florida region. Before this Jim served as a leader in the YMCA movement, including 21 years as the President/CEO of the YMCA of Central Florida, growing its impact through innovation that attracted national attention. There are so many Y leaders whose careers included a “stop” in Central Florida propelling them to new roles all across the nation.

You’ll walk away with:

What the great leaders are really doing when they develop others
The value of a mentor/mentee relationship in developing leaders
Strategies for growing your people and the impact of your organization

Connect with Jim and the Dr. Phillips Charities:

Dr. Phillips Charities: drphillips.org

This week we interview Paul Conley. Paul is the founder of Life/Work Balance Coaching where he helps burned-out and stuck professionals unlock their potential by putting life first. On top of that, he is a nonprofit executive, new husband, dog owner, and host of the Life Work Balance podcast.

You’ll walk away with:

Why it matters to approach it from the lens of life-work balance, not work-life balance
How to flip the script and walk into a healthy life-work balance
Where leaders sometimes send mixed messages around life-work balance

Connect with Paul, his podcast, and his performance coaching:

Paul Conley: www.linkedin.com/in/pconley1
Life Work Balance Podcast: Listen Here

With us today is Kyle Buthod. Kyle is a ministry and business leader based in Houston, Texas. He has had a diverse career from oil and gas marketing to fundraising to nonprofits and more. His work has taken him to 46 countries, Kyle launched the nation’s oldest food truck - Citizens Truck, and created the fully immersive photography experience called Come Alive. Now serving as founder and executive director of Rooted Conferences, a ministry that helps incoming college students connect to churches and to other students. He is a business entrepreneur, community leader, and serves on several nonprofit boards and teams. I also have the honor and privilege to call him a friend and brother.

You’ll walk away with:

The mindset that it takes to see these as complimentary, not competing
What happens when you overvalue one or remove creativity or execution from the process
How to engage the team in the creative process in a way that produces results

Connect with Kyle, Rooted Conferences, and CitizensTruck:

Kyle Buthod: www.kylebuthod.com
Rooted Conferences: www.rootedconferences.com
CitizensTruck: www.citizenstruck.com
Come Alive: comealiveexperience.com

Today we interview Brett Waits. Brett Waits is the Founder and CEO of PLAE, a sports performance company headquartered in Canton, Georgia. Since its founding in 2009, Brett’s team at PLAE has become a global leader in athletic flooring, equipment, and education, focused on innovating high-performance solutions and world-class experiences for customers who refuse second best. PLAE works with professional football, basketball, and baseball organizations, as well as numerous Division 1 schools, Fortune 100 companies, and commercial fitness facilities. Brett is passionate about helping athletes of all backgrounds and abilities do what they love longer.

You’ll discover:

What’s the real driving force behind world-class experience and results
What it takes to create a best-in-class company and culture
How you measure the alignment of an organization

Connect with Brett and PLAE:

Brett Waits: LinkedIn
PLAE: plae.global

Millions of people are leaving their jobs. Millions of people are being hired for jobs. And in the middle are tons of organizations struggling to recruit and retain great team members. We believe if what you’re doing is not working - do something different. So let’s fire those failing recruiting and retention strategies for a new plan. Join Jake and Jon as they talk about the problems and solutions for recruiting and retaining great team members.

You’ll walk away with:

Where to start when thinking about recruiting and retention strategies
Some new and exciting technology as well as tried and true ways to connect with the right people
The #1 place to focus on when looking to improve the retention of great people in your organization.

Connect with Jake Steger and Jon Kidwell:

Jake Steger: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

Jon Kidwell: JonKidwell.com | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Today we’re interviewing Megan Steckly. A globally-minded strategist with over 15 years of experience working in private and nonprofit organizations in the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Currently, she serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Compudopt, a national nonprofit organization that solves the digital divide. Under her leadership, Compudopt has grown from a $280,000 organization to over $36M. Expanded from 1 location to 26+ cities and 16 states across the US. And increased service from 700 community members annually to over 20,000, all in only 6 years. And today, she’s going to share with us how they did it.

You’ll discover:

The critical components to launching a BIG vision prior to experiencing exponential growth
The steps and issues to plan for to avoid major pitfalls as you grow
Some of the major decisions to make when navigating rapid growth
What you need to do so the growth last for a long time

Connect with Megan and Compudopt today:

Megan Steckly: LinkedIn
Compudopt: www.compudopt.org

Today we’re interviewing Michelle Thompson. Michelle Thompson shares her passion for people, connection, and leadership in all she does and has done. Today, she serves as the Director of the Executive Coaching and Consultation Program in the Townsend Institute at Concordia University Irvine. On top, Michelle is a growth coach, keynote speaker, a lover of good coffee, and Monster Truck Jams.

You’ll learn:

Why you need to need as a leader
4 types of connection you need to feel full and lead at your best
The word and common language you need to ask for what you need, and lead others to do the same

Connect with Michelle and Concordia University Irvine:

Michelle Thompson: Email | LinkedIn | Schedule a Call
Townsend Institute - Concordia University Irvine: www.cui.edu/townsend

Today co-hosts Jake and Jon skip the interview and engage in a conversation about remote work. It’s here - What are we supposed to do about it? Why is there some much resistance on both sides of the issue? And, what do we do now?

You’ll discover:

What’s at the heart of the issue. Sneak peek - it has very little to do with working remotely.
What to consider when making the decision for yourself and the people and places you lead.
What’s needed for healthy and effective work, regardless of the location where that work is done.

Connect with Jake Steger and Jon Kidwell:

Jake Steger: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
Jon Kidwell: JonKidwell.com | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Today we’re interviewing Mark Dengler. Mark is a 34-year nonprofit executive who approaches work with an analytical twist fostering highly creative, simple solutions to complex problems. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and COO for the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. Mark and his team leaned into the disruption of the last couple of years, disrupting themselves and their organization so they could survive, thrive, and stay relevant as the community and its needs continue to change.

You’ll learn:

The foundational principle Mark and his team led with to invite and navigate a disruption to the organization and its business model.
How to navigate disruption in a way where you stay true to the mission and values of the organization.
A new pathway for young and emerging leaders to grow, develop, and find ways to lead and serve.

Find out more about the LA YMCA and Mark Dengler:

Check out the LA YMCA: www.ymcala.org/
Connect with Mark: Email | LinkedIn

Join us as we interview Blake Carleton. Blake is the author of the book The HARD Choice Habits. In it, he outlines a framework for practicing making hard decisions, building our decision muscles, and how we can achieve high levels of growth, prosperity, and advancement because of our decision to lean into the hard choices. It.

You’ll discover:

Why achievement and success come down to a series of decisions. And how making the hard ones increases the success and achievement you seek.
A simple approach to preparing for hard things and tough decisions.
How to apply it in leading organizations to increase productivity and effectiveness.

Learn more about The Hard Choice Habits and Blake Carleton:

Learn more about The HARD Choice Habits: www.thehardchoicehabits.com
Follow Blake on Twitter: @blakecarleton01
Buy the Book: The Hard Choice Habits

Today we’re grateful to be speaking with Dr. Rev. Travis Guse. Travis is a pastor, an ICF and Gallup certified coach, and a Mission Engagement Facilitator with the Southeastern District of the LCMS church. He also hosts the Called2B podcast and he coaches people to find their true calling and purpose so they can use the passions and skills they have to lead and serve others.

You’ll discover:

What is a calling, how it impacts your work, life, and what you are made to do
How to gain purpose and fulfillment through learning and living out your calling
Why knowing your identity and strengths is vital to building a healthy and effective team and organization.

Get more from Dr. Rev. Travis Guse and the Called2B podcast:

Watch on YouTube: Called2B Channel
Listen to the Podcast: Called2B Podcast
Connect with Dr. Rev. Travis Guse: Called2Bpodcast@gmail.com | LinkedIn | Instagram

Join us and learn about building and using faith as a leader from Scot Sasser. Scot is the Founder and CEO of Singe Payables - A boutique business-to-business payment firm that helps take the complexity out of payables so leaders can focus on their business. Even with 35 years in the payments industry, Scot took a leap of faith founding Singe and operating it on the value of putting others first. Scot, we’re so glad to have you and eager to learn from you the faith needed to do the right things the right way.

You’ll discover:

How to communicate, with words and actions, the culture to your team and the people you serve.
Why you need to find “who you really work for” and how that changes what you do
The mindset needed to approach a frustrating change in the way we do work

Connect with Scot and Singe Payables:

Singe Payables: www.singepayables.com
Connect with Scot: LinkedIn | Email

Today we talk with Kevin Bolding, President and CEO of the YMCA of Central Florida. Kevin has over 25 years of experience leading in communities small and large, all across our country. In his career, Kevin has had the unique challenge and opportunity to lead large organizations through difficult seasons. And as a result, he’s even more successful, with more responsibility, and a more influential voice, but approaches that privilege and power from a different perspective than most.

What’ll you learn:

What's needed to be humble, strong, and confident through whatever comes
Characteristics that are visible in a leader leading with humility
How humble leaders measure success and keep growing

Connect with the YMCA of Central Florida and Kevin here:

YMCA of Central Florida: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Connect with Kevin: Linkedin - Kevin Bolding

This week we’re talking about navigating change and adversity with Drew Salamone. Drew is the President and Founder of i76 solutions - a full-service, omnichannel marketing and technology services agency. In his career whether as an NBC Universal executive, founder, partner, or principal in several companies Drew knows what it takes to lead through change and adversity. His industry - marketing, media, and technology - has seen unprecedented change and it keeps happening at an ever-increasing pace - and Drew is leading his team and others through it.

You’ll discover:

The value of a variety of experiences in times of adversity
How to face change and adversity in rapidly changing industries
The characteristics and support it takes to not only survive but thrive through adversity

Learn more about i76 Solutions and Drew:

Discover more about i76 Solutions: www.i76solutions.com
Connect with Drew: www.linkedin.com/in/drewjsalamone

Join us today as we speak with Cory Harrison, District Executive Director of Camping and Outdoor Programing for the YMCA of Greenville. Cory’s been building fun, healthy, customer-first cultures at Camps, in youth programs, and the community for decades. On top of that, he trains, mentors, and helps leaders across the country so they can do the same.

Get inspired and learn how Cory grew YMCA Camp Greenville from serving 1,000 to 3,000 kids and from $1M to $4M in annual revenue by focusing first on people and culture.

How to communicate, with words and actions, the culture to your team and the people you serve.
Why you need to find “who you really work for” and how that changes what you do
The mindset needed to approach a frustrating change in the way we do work

Check out YMCA Camp Greenville and connect with Cory:

YMCA Camp Greenville: Website | Instagram | My Pretty Place
Connect with Cory: LinkedIn | Twitter

Join us as we interview Shaun Elliott, President and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia YMCA. He’s led as an executive in the Y Movement for over 20 years and before joining the YMCA, Shaun was an executive with several financial institutions. His experience leading and navigating the complicated intersection between the public, private, and philanthropic sectors helps him deliver tremendous community impact while leading the business of a nonprofit. And today, he will share how you can too.

Discover Shaun's approach and recommendations to leading the business of nonprofit work.

You'll learn:

Principles that are the same, whether you’re in for or not-for-profit work
The key indicators to watch to manage the money and the impact of the organization
The benefits of strategic aligning private, public, and philanthropic sectors around joint ventures and services to reduce cost and sustainably grow impact.

Connect with Shaun and the Philly YMCA:

Connect with the Greater Philly YMCA: https://www.philaymca.org
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-elliott

Today we chat with Jim Pacey. Jim leads Pacey Consulting & Coaching, a management consulting and coaching firm that primarily serves nonprofits and delivers workshops on emotional intelligence and how it impacts how you lead and the people you lead.

We’ve all tried to do something good - only to see it blow up in our face because of how we went about it. Today’s podcast will help all leaders be more successful through transitions, new initiatives, and when leading change.

You’ll discover:

A framework for further developing your emotional intelligence
How being mindful of your thoughts, feeling and settings play into emotional intelligence
What you can start doing today to be a more emotionally intelligent leader

Connect with Jim:

Pacey Coaching & Consulting: www.paceyconsulting.com
Connect with Jim on LinkedIn here

Join us as we talk with Jordan Carter. Jordan is an Executive Pastor at Abundant Life Christian Church in Syracuse, NY. He is also Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Mesh Teams - an organization that helps businesses and leaders build better teams through coaching, workshops, and experiences. Jordan also co-hosts the MeshTeams Podcasts where they pair timeless principles with practical steps to help you build great teams.

When you gather a bunch of passionate people around work that matters - there’s bound to be emotions, tension, and friction.

What sparks drama and conflict in teams
How to unearth what’s really going on and build common ground to resolve issues and move forward
A shift in how to look at what conflict is and brings to teams and organizations

Connect with Jordan and his work here:

Check out Abundant Life Christian Church: abundantlife.church
See what Mesh Teams offers: meshteams.com
Connect with Jordan: instagram.com/jordancarter__

Join us as we interview Matt Barnes. Matt is a learning expert who is reframing learning for this 21st century. Matt is the Founder of Barnes Strategies Consulting, a firm that focuses on building parent, client, and employee engagement. He is also co-founder of The Education Game which is an educational coaching service for families.

Discover what Matt has to share about self-directed leaders and learners, and how it benefits our mission, the individual, and us as leaders.

You'll learn:

Why self-directed learners and leaders are key for the future of education, work, and future positive change in our communities.
The definition of what it is to be a self-directed leader and learner
What and how to nurture the qualities we need in future-ready leaders

Connect with Matt Barnes:

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthewcbarnes
Learn about The Education Game: theeducationgame.com
Engage with Barnes Strategies Consulting: barnesstrategies.com

Join us as we interview Chris D'Orso, Sr. Vice President of Sales and Operations for the Orlando Magic. Chris has been with the Orlando Magic for over 33 seasons and led them to #1 NBA Paternship Retention, #1 in Group Ticket Sales, and to serve over 1.4 MILLION visitors annually at their events. Chris and the Orlando Magic also believe in doing this to benefit the community, and it shows. The Orlando Magic Youth Foundation has distributed over $24 million to 500+ nonprofits, impacted 2 million+ children, and donated 14,000 tickets each year.

What you'll discover from Chris:

How discovering the problem you solve and the experience you offer leads to delivering an excellent experience and driving sales.
The path to partnerships and groups of people who don't know your business that drive sales around the experience and service you deliver.
Leading yourself and others to generously give back to the community through your passions and skills that can help others

Connect with Chris and the Orlando Magic:

Check out the Orlando Magic: OrlandoMagic.com
Connect with Chris: linkedin.com/chris-d-orso
Email Chris directly: Chris's email

Join us as we interview Keith Vinson. He inspires collaboration wherever he goes. Keith has served in the YMCA Movement for over 20 years and is currently VP of Operations for the YMCA in Metropolitan Dallas. In addition, he co-hosts the Causenetic Podcast with Rodrigua Ross.

Discover what Keith has to say about building and leaving a legacy of impact through collaboration, innovation, and authenticity.

You'll discover:

A path to building innovative and collaborative partnerships to grow services and impact
What collaboration really is and what does not work in the long haul.
What needs to happen to lead with authenticity for innovation and collaboration that lasts.

Connect with Keith and his work:

- Connect with Keith on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/keithvinson/
- Listen to the Causenetic Podcast: www.ymcadallas.org/causenetic-podcast
- Learn about the great work of the YMCA in Dallas: https://www.ymcadallas.org/

Join us as we interview Courtney Spritzer. She is Co-Founder of SocialFly, Entreprenista, and WorkRobe. Courtney is CEO of SocialFly and Creator of WorkRobe. In addition, she Co-authored the book Like.Love.Follow. The Entreprenista’s Guide to Using Social Media to Grow your Business. And in all she does, she is all about inspiring women and giving them the confidence they need to achieve the career of their dreams.

Discover how she's gained the confidence she needs to lead, and how she would encourage you to do confidently lead and make a difference in your work and life.

Connect with Courtney:

Connect with Courtney on Instagram: www.instagram.com/courtspritzer
Check out SocialFly: www.socialflyny.com
Entreprenista Podcast and more: entreprenista.com
Get her book: https://amzn.to/3xsk4Cs
Get a WorkRobe: myworkrobe.com

Like. Love. Follow.: The Entreprenista's Guide To Using Social Media To Grow Your Business

Join us as our host, Jake Steger, interviews our other host, Jon Kidwell. Jon is a leadership coach and trainer on a mission to equip and inspire mission-driven leaders to succeed at life's great missions. Today, he shares the formula he discovered and uses to guide leaders and teams to deliver amazing life-changing impact - personally and professionally.

You'll learn:

The 4 part formula that produces transformational growth and change.
What it looks, sounds, and makes possible when a leader uses grace, truth, and time to develop people through growth opportunities and mistakes.
The biggest factor responsible for transformational growth and change in your life and leadership.

Connect with Jon Kidwell:

See the Formula: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jake-steger_are-you-ready-for-transformational-growth-activity-6900124234748616704-taeD?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web
Schedule a call with Jon: https://bit.ly/jonpodcastcall
Jon Kidwell's website: jonkidwell.com
Jon's LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonkidwell/

Join us as one of our hosts, Jon Kidwell, talks to the other host, Jake Steger, who is known as the Y's "Membership Guru", a former YMCA Executive with over 22 years of experience leading community recreation organizations, and founder of Rec Business Solutions. He shares his breakthrough formula for leading organizational change and how to constantly be innovating and leading yourself and others through the change necessary to succeed in mission-driven organizations today. You'll learn:

The toughest test for Jake and proof the formula + leadership works
What community recreation organizations need to be on the lookout for in terms of current and future disruption to their model
The place that needs to most focus and strongest leadership as you influence and lead change

Connect with Jake Steger:

Jake's Organizational Change Model: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jake-steger_change-isnt-linear-it-takes-strong-leadership-activity-6881278095773470720-VsY7
Jake's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-steger/
Jake's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakesteger/