Author: Rosie Ward

Jen's life changed drastically when she found herself assisting in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, and four months later, she was nearing the finish line when the Boston Marathon bombing occurred. In the wake of those tragedies, Jen found that while so many people said they cared, those affected did not feel cared for. Since then, she has dedicated her time to bridging the gap between caring and feeling cared for and has developed a system to train people how to connect better. In this episode, Jen Marr, author, founder and CEO of Inspiring Comfort, and trauma survivor, explains how leaders can cultivate and understand the power of making real, human connections. Listen in to learn the skills needed to build empathic cultures to rehumanize not just our workplaces, but our families and communities.

Jason Ells, the Senior Vice President at Custom Concrete, is passionate about creating a culture of purpose and well-being in a traditional blue-collar industry. He believes that by developing an environment where people know the company has their back, employees will be more likely to pour into the organization. In this episode, Jason shares how he’s made Custom Concrete a destination employer by encouraging employees to dream and helping them bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Listen in to learn how he helps leaders equip their people to understand how they fit into the bigger picture so they can reach goals together.

Does it feel like you're spinning your wheels trying to achieve your vision, find clarity, and maximize your impact? Andrea Butcher, CEO of HRD and podcast host of Being at Work, says the solution is to go big picture. In this episode, she shares her four-step visioning process and discusses the importance of knowing exactly what you’re working toward. Listen in to hear how to go from reacting to challenges and responding to them instead within the context of your goals.

Bessi Graham is a leadership coach and award-winning entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience helping businesses bring clarity and alignment to their organizations. In this episode, Bessi shares the secret to achieving internal balance, and it starts with learning how to be a discerning leader. Bessi specializes in helping people understand and lead themselves before leading others. She believes that taking the time to pause and reflect is key to making effective decisions and having a positive impact. Listen in to learn why her best piece of leadership advice is to push back against action bias and instead pause to sharpen your axe.

When important work is at stake, the only place it will get done is in reality, not in your head. So how do you take your big ideas and new initiatives and get them off the paper and fully implemented? Leadership coach and author, Brandi Olson, says the secret lies in effective prioritization and maximizing how value flows through your organization. In this episode, Brandi shares how she helps companies design their teams so they can get the right work done faster and better. Listen in for an in-depth discussion on adapting to change and understanding how to make room for focused work.

Many people think good leadership leaves no room for vulnerability. But in reality, the right level of empathy and humanness makes a workplace safe and inclusive. In this episode,  Emilia D’Anzica and  Sabina Pons, Co-Founders of Growth Molecules, discuss the importance of nurturing our authenticity and taking care of ourselves while working in a highly competitive environment. Listen to learn how to maintain an authentically friendly but firm presence through the experiences of two successful leaders, authors, and mothers.