The Impact of Leadership

The average American lifespan is about 80 years. According to Forbes, the average American works between 48-52 years before retiring. If that’s relatively close to your trajectory, you should spend the working years doing something that matters. But it feels like things are broken.  Michaela O’Donnell believes you were made for work that matters. And she can help. In her book “Make Work Matter: Your Guide to Meaningful Work in a Changing World” she writes:  “We walk through the world with the weight of broken systems on our shoulders. Sometimes it’s the invisible glass ceiling that we can’t seem to crack through. Other times it’s a work-around-the-clock environment that costs us our sleep and our sanity. Or it’s the way people talk to one another or what we deem as funny. On any given day, broken systems impact our daily work. Bearing the pressure for how to navigate them is an unspoken weight many of us carry.”  This conversation is for those who feel like school didn’t prepare us for the work we have. It’s for the owner who is STILL wondering if their business will survive covid. It’s for the leader who’s tired, wondering if what they’re doing even matters at all.  It won’t solve all of our problems, but this episode takes on th big task of getting us closer to work that really matters.  Make Work Matter Book | Fuller De Pree Center | Connect w/ Michaela | Long Winter Media Resources from IOL: Blog | Coaching | Community Groups | Book Us

You’ve heard it said, “leaders are readers” but has anyone ever explained to you why? Jeff Brown is the guest and lays it all out for us in this episode. After more than 25 years in the radio and music industries, Jeff went boss-free and launched the Read to Lead podcast, a four-time Best Business Podcast nominee. Jeff has interviewed hundreds of leaders in their industry on the podcast, including Seth Godin, Simon Sinek, John Maxwell, Liz Wiseman, Dr. Henry Cloud, Brian Tracy, Nancy Duarte, and Alan Alda. He’s teamed up with Jesse Wisnewski to write “Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career”. Read to Lead offers both the why and the how of developing a personal reading plan that will help build a successful career. It gives practical advice on how to read and retain more, learn new skills, and turn your knowledge into influence. This conversation is a perfect way to get the year started and has the potential to sell you on a habit that will set the trajectory of your the next decade of your life. If you want a copy of “Read to Lead”, give us a review in Apple podcasts, and send a screenshot of the review and email to info@impactofleadership.com. 1st five win! Resources: Read to Lead book | IOL COMMUNITY GROUPS Books/Authors: Nancy Duarte | Purple Cow | Steal the Show | Multipliers | Brian Jay Jones | 12 Rules for Life | J.R.R. Tolkien | Green Lights Apps: Idagio Classical Music | Focus@Will

This episode is 30 minutes of tasty appetizers. We picked from our 20+ interviews in 2021 and served up a slice from 14 of them. Enjoy! Leadership Blogs | IOL Community Groups | Book Us For A Presentation

This episode is an act of vulnerabilty. Stephani Bradshaw shares a personal story featuring a topic riddled with stigma on a public platform, with her boss.  Stephani is the Director of Sales Management at CCB Technology and in the Summer of 2021 she recognized that a battle for her mental health was underway. Listen to hear how she approached her family, colleagues, fears, therapy, work/life balance & lessons she learned along the way. Resources: Box breathing | Mindfulness | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Jumpstart your growth as a leader with coaching, advisory groups, and blogs!

Having ADHD means your brain is wired differently than a neurotypical brain. “This difference in circuitry is not somehow wrong, incomplete, or shameful. However, it does present you with significant challenges like lack of time management, organization skills, forgetfulness, trouble completing tasks, mood swings, and relationship problems.” You need encouragement and strategies, and that’s why Dr. Tamara Rosier is here. She joins us today with a clear message: Your Brain’s Not Broken. ADHD TikTok | ADHD Center of West Michigan | IOL Community Groups 

Empathy is a word that’s used frequently but isn’t defined all that often. The concept of boundaries is something most understand but struggle to set; especially in the context of family. Enter Shelly Smith. Shelly a licensed therapist and co-founder of Good Human Work. In this episode, she helps us have a framework for how empathy, boundaries, family & mental health are tied together.

Trauma.  It might not be a light topic, but addressing trauma is a key componet to living a healthy life.  Dr. Meli specializes in traumatic stress,  particularly how trauma-related experiences impact impersonal relationships.  As leaders, we carry a lot.  If we’re going to lead well, we need to know what trauma is and how it affects us as humans. Resources: Dr. Meli Website | The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma | You’re Not Alone – Join The IOL Community

Awkward. Nervous. Frozen. Wanting to disappear. Mark Metry understands those feelings. “I lived in a socially anxious prison. I would try to talk to someone, my brain would freeze, panic, and tell me to run or end the conversation quickly, even though I wanted to be social.” A little over a decade later and he’s a TEDx speaker, leader and entrepreneur. In this episode Mark walks us through his struggles with anxiety, the neuroscience behind it and how he found freedom to be himself in any situation. Resources: Website | Book | IOL tour

Some people talk about change, other people are about making it happen. Jahmal Cole is about that action. He’s the founder and CEO of one of the most impactful nonprofits in IL – My Hood, My Block, My City. In this interview you’ll feel Jahmal’s passion, empathy and vision for the city of Chicago and how all of us can make a lasting change right where we are.  Register for KABA Inspire.

Leadership can be isolating and learning about leadership can be boring. But it doesn’t have to be. Hear Patrick and Steve share the heartbeat behind the launch of The Impact of Leadership Community – a place for leaders to get equipped, be connected and grow!

Do you consider yourself an optimistic person? In this episode, Jess Ekstrom reshapes our understanding of optimism in a way that fuels us to persevere through obstacles to get to the bright side. By understanding it’s not always a journey of rainbows and sunshine, Jess challenges us to embrace the process and question our assumptions. Website: https://jessekstrom.com/ Headbands of Hope: https://www.headbandsofhope.com/ Chasing the Bright Side: https://jessekstrom.com/buy-the-book/

This episode is a rags to riches, view from the mountain top kind of story. Nate and Dana Moore are in the top 1% of the top 1% of doTERRA wellness advocates. But it wasn’t long ago when they couldn’t afford $20 for groceries for their family. We cover a lot in this episode: family dynamics, the importance of routine, quitting a job you love and if it really is lonely at the top. Visit danamoore.com | Connect on Instagram

Only 23 percent of people think their leaders lead well – so how do we improve? Alain Hunkins, CEO of Hunkins Leadership Group, shares three secrets to building strong leaders. You’ve heard these secrets before, but Alian explains how to move past the theory of these concepts and put them into practice to see real results. Resources: Website | Book: Cracking the Leadership Code | Connect on LinkedIn | Tedx

Chris Maragos faced hurdles and setbacks throughout his football career, from walking on at two colleges to not being drafted by the NFL. Yet now, after playing professionally for a decade, he’s a two-time Super Bowl champ! Chris shares how adversity can shape you as a leader if you allow it to and bring success in unforeseen ways. Connect with Chris on Twitter.

Want to advance in your career or in your life, but it just isn’t playing out like you thought? You’re not alone. Jamar Jones, owner of Foureva Media, shares strategies and practices to help you achieve your desired goals. If you’re intentional about following the gems he shares – it could change your life forever. Connect with Jamar on LinkedIn or Iamjamarjones.com Get his book: Change Your Circle, Change Your Life

Imagine a $60M operating organization with over $20M in debt – and you’re hired to turn it all around. What!? President and CEO of Easterseals Chicago and Rockford, Sara Ray Stoelinga, PhD shares her amazing career journey and what led to her immense success in leading two large organizations through intense change. Sara drops priceless leadership advice along the way as she describes how she bucked traditional career norms to find her own path. Easterseals blog Connect with Sara Ray

The difference between interrogating someone or interviewing them is all about your motive – and with the wrong motive your next meeting, interview, or even conversation could go sour. With over 17 years in law enforcement, Chad Stillman shares how to maintain the right perspective when engaging with others – regardless if you’re speaking to a criminal or a family member. Connect with Chad on Facebook or LinkedIn. Visit Guardian Angel Devices. Use promo code CSCLIP at checkout for free shipping.

With the goal of becoming a missionary in Haiti, Logan McCoy started working at CCB Technology to pay off his school debt. Eight years later, he found himself leading a struggling services team that had the potential to lead CCB into the future or put them in a difficult financial state. Logan shares his personal transition as a leader and what equipped him to guide CCB through critical changes of their own. 

What is your motivation as a leader? Does it help you more than it helps others? Mandela Barnes shares how he became the first African American lieutenant governor in Wisconsin because he saw the need for change in our communities and decided to do something about it. Unlike most politicians you’ll ever meet – Mandela’s core focus is helping people and giving all community members a voice. He boldly asks questions that no one else is tackling and is setting an example for young people to lead regardless of class or race.

Successful leaders don’t have it all figured out. It takes continual learning, listening, collaboration, and adaptation to meet the needs of the people you serve. Debbie Ford, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, shares what prepared her to lead when the pandemic forced the university into lockdown in 2020. Despite all of the drastic changes that happened to the campus, they still managed to have the largest graduating class in Parkside’s 52-year history.